How to Choose a School

Important questions to ask when choosing your school

The big picture

All community service providers have leaders, and schools are no different. The decisions leaders make, the information they share, and the priorities and values they hold will influence every aspect of your child’s learning experience.

Is the school accredited by an independent body?

How transparent is the school: what information does it share?

How long has the school been operating?

Do the school’s values align with yours and are they lived every day?

The people

Schools are communities, and communities are only as strong as the people in them. Ask probing questions about the school’s decision makers, teachers, students, and graduates.

Who owns & leads the school?

What qualifications do its teachers have?

How international is the community?

Where do graduates progress to and how does the school support them?

Teaching & learning

Ask detailed questions about how the teaching and learning process is run, how it is overseen and assessed, and how every aspect of every day is focused on supporting learning. After all, that’s what a school is all about!

How big are classes & why does this matter?

What curriculum does the school use?

How are students assessed & how are parents informed of their progress?

How are learning standards maintained & who oversees this?

What provisions are in place for learning due to COVID (or other unforeseen) closures?

How do facilities support learning?

Student wellbeing & safety

Your child will spend seven or eight hours per day at school for up to 12 or 13 years! You need to know their physical and emotional safety is protected at all times, and that there are external inspectors checking that the school keeps its promises.

What is safeguarding and how are children protected?

What learning support is in place?

What counselling and welfare services does the school offer?

How is your child’s physical safety ensured?

Money matters

We all know the old adage ‘you get what you pay for’, so what exactly are you paying and what are you getting in return? Be sure to add up all the numbers and balance them against their worth to you and your child.

What is covered by the Tuition Fee?

What other substantial fees are there?

Are there any hidden or unexpected fees?

What is the ‘real cost’ of discounting?