When children are ready to start their educational journey, parents usually start to get a headache, since finding the right primary school is not always easy. The following 7 tips will hopefully make the process easier for parents to choose a suitable school for their children’s educational development.
1. Have solid goals
What are your goals for your children? Do you want them to be fluent in English? And do you want them to become a global citizen in the future? When parents are clear about the goals that they have for their children’s education then the search for the right school will begin. Knowing your goals will help you decide which school is best for your children.
2. Research multiple sources of information
It is difficult to know and choose the most suitable school for your child. Parents can obtain information about the schools from many informational sources such as friends, newspapers, the internet, etc., Collecting information from many sources will give parents a multi-dimensional view and confidence in their decision.
3. Spend the time to visit the schools’ campuses and facilities
The best way to get a clear perspective on a school is to visit it in person. This will give parents a more intuitive view of the facilities by observing the working styles of teachers, staff, and the attitudes of the students.
4. Take a closer look at the curriculums
The academic curriculum plays a vital role in the future of your children. Curriculums must be of high quality and appropriate for children. For example, international programs must be accredited; certificates must be valid and recognized by reputable educational institutions.
The Primary School at St. Nicholas School is an accredited American curriculum. Florida Virtual School (FLVS) is an accredited American online education, which creates an environment that encourages lifelong learning, critical thinking, and self-study. FLVS is especially effective for the core subjects; English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science. English is used as the first language, so students study with friends from diverse countries under the guidance of foreign teachers.
5. Research the extracurricular activities
A complete education focuses on co-curricular programs and developing skills for students alongside their academic studies. Parents can find out about the content of co-curricular activities of the schools and their frequency.
The St. Nicholas School has a Co-curricular enrichment programs (CEP) for each grade. There is a variety of activities such as: Creative Writing, STEM, Sports, Reading Club, Dance/ Ballet, Filmmaking/ Photography, Journalism / Radio, Theater Musical, Field Trips (with community service activities, life skills, survival skills, social researching), Annual Young Debating Competition, etc., that are organized throughout each academic year.
6. Try not to underestimate the schools’ integrity and intention
In this day and age, most parents want their children to become global citizens. What core values will your children learn at school that will help them become one? The St. Nicholas School is where each student knows how to dream amazing dreams – the dreams of finding their true selves and what they will be in the future. In their journey of becoming a global citizen, students will be encouraged to cultivate their integrity, creativity, and empathy. These are the three core values that we encourage at the school.
7. Pay close attention to the children’s ability to adapt
All the above factors aside, the most important thing is still your children being excited and willing to have fun at the new school. Therefore, parents need to carefully monitor and observe the child’s emotions in the new learning environment.
Hopefully, these 7 tips will make it easier for parents to find a suitable primary school for their children.
