Parenting Guide

What Should You Do Before Changing Schools?

Published by SchoolAdvisor | Jul 24, 2014

Changing your child’s school is a daunting task for any parent. Caught between a rock and a hard place, you do not want to deprive your little one with the comforts of what he/she is used to but also at the same time you want the very best school or curriculum that can be offered

Undergoing such changes in their daily routine, medium of instruction and the type of friends at school may end up being destructive not only for the child but also the parents if not handled properly.

In between the choices of Public, Private,International or even Chinese Independent schools, there are some key aspects in which parents can prepare their child and themselves with, right before making that decision.

What should parents do before changing a child's school?

1. Do your homework

Before making any decision, it would be important to start off by looking and researching the kind of options available. The education scene has a number of options, both public and private that caters to a wide range of choices for any parent or child.

With such options available, changing a school for your child would not just be about finding a school that is nearby and affordable but with the right curriculum and the perfect set of values that you wish your child to grow with. There would also a need to mentally prepare yourself over the nightmare of schools with a long waiting list.

2. Get a feel of the school

Extending that research, it would be essential also to take a look at the school and talk to the teachers and management. It is a delicate balance between managing your expectations for education and what is required of you and your child, whether it be finances or assessment exams.

Beyond the normal tour of the school, bring your child along as they would be the ones affected the most by such changes. This would give him/her the opportunity to acclimatize with the school environment and the teachers whom they will be interacting with.

3. Talk to your child

By now, you would probably have your heart set out on a school. DON’T DO ANYTHING until you talk to your child about it.

Such a decision requires a great deal from you in terms of time and of course, money. However As your child would be undergoing the changes of switching schools, it would be important for you to talk your child through the proposed changes you have in mind and prepare him/ her  for such changes.

Giving them a clear understanding and adequate time to prepare helps to prevent potential disasters such as the overwhelming of culture shock of setting into a new school.

4. Make that jump

Once you feel that sufficient preparation has been made, take the decision to make that change. Keeping your child’s best interest at heart, it would always be prudent to keep an eye out on your child as he/ she goes through those changes.

5. Monitor and evaluate

With a new school, this delicate phase would require your utmost attention to see how your child is coping with the changes. Identifying issues and problems your child is facing early on would help them to flourish and excel to their very best potential.