About choosing a school for your child
Decisions about where your child goes to school are very personal and can be difficult. It’s common and normal for parents to feel anxious about getting this decision right.
For some parents, the decision is simple. Their children go to the local public school – the school in the same government zone as their house. Other parents might want to look further afield at other government schools (‘out-of area’ schools) or private schools.
Things to consider when choosing a school for your child
If you’re looking beyond the local public school, think about what will work best for your child’s personality, strengths, needs and interests. You might also consider how different schools’ cultures and values sit with your family values and family life.
Here are some other things you could think about.
Personal values and preferences
- Do you prefer public or private education?
- Do you want your child to have a religious education?
- Do you need to send your child to boarding school, or are you interested in educating your child at home?
- Are you interested in a particular teaching philosophy – for example, Steiner, Montessori or mainstream?
Practical considerations
- How do things like the location of the school, cost or difficulty of travelling to and from the school, and public transport options affect you?
- Where are your child’s friends going to school?
- Where do most of the children from your child’s preschool go to school?
- Do you need before-school and after-school care for your child?
School-specific factors
- How big is the school? How many children are enrolled there?
- What facilities does the school have to support your child’s learning – playgrounds, library, music programs, clubs and sporting teams?
- What are the school’s previous academic results? What about its performance in other areas like the arts, sport or community engagement?
- How well does the school support children with special needs, if your child has a disability, developmental delay, autism spectrum disorder or other need?
School communication and connections
- What opportunities are there for parent and family involvement with the school, and how is communication between home and the school managed?
- Does the school have a connection with the local community?
Source: http://raisingchildren.net.au/articles/choosing_a_school.html
