School Guide

What should parents look out for at Open School days

Published by SchoolAdvisor | Jun 10, 2014

Yes, it’s Open School season again, a time where your weekends are spent shuffling from one school tour to another, listening to curriculum presentations amid scanning through the fee structures.

With over 67 international and private schools within the Klang valley alone, it is a daunting task to shift through the marketing blitz and glitz to get to the right school for you and your child.

Here are some key factors that parents might find useful for the next open school event.

1. The Non-Teaching Staff

The school staff set an important first impression of the school. It would be essential to get to know the staff providing pastoral care and support for your child as the growth and development out of the classroom is as important within one.

2. Core Values

More than marketing filler, core values are the set of guiding principles that make up a school. Operating based on these values, it sets the tone of the environment that you would put your child into.

3. Teachers

Beyond experience and academic qualifications, look at the extent in which innovation and the “human touch” becomes an aspect of the teaching experience. More often than not, these two things go a long way in providing a structured dissemination of knowledge for your child.

4. Money

Forking out a substantial sum of money, you deserve to know exactly where each ringgit is going to the education of your child. Being caught unaware of additional fee hikes is the last thing you would want.

5. Communication

Receiving feedback on your child’s progress and communicating with the school is a crucial and long term task for any parent. The right school would need to communicate with you in a fast and accurate manner.

6. The Pupils

Do the pupils seem happy and motivated? Do they speak positively about their teachers and school-life? Pupils are the best ambassadors for any school.