Choosing an elementary school these days is no easy task for parents. Your choice of school can completely change the course of your child’s life. It is surely a high-pressure decision for the parents.
For kids, their schooldays will surely be the best days of their life and could also be a catalyst to an even more exciting future. Also, once one sibling gets a good start down the educational path through that school, subsequent siblings are likely to follow the same path.
There are plenty of obvious things that need to be taken care of while choosing a school for your kid. In this article, we take a deep look at those factors and variables that you might not have considered before.
Cost
Cost is a very important factor when it comes to choosing a school for your kid. Look for all the details about the cost of the school like tuition fees, application fees, and other things. Ask yourself if you can afford the school’s cost if your kids get enrolled in that particular school.
Location
Another important factor while choosing the school is its location – be it in a rural, suburban, or urban location. You have to look for how far the school is from your place of living, and will that affect your child.
If the school you are choosing is far, you will also have to check if you will have to invest in a car, or if the school provides a transportation service for your convenience.
Student-Teacher Ratio
While assessing a school, parents also must consider how much individual care their child will get in the school. This means to find out how big the class is and whether the class has a teacher’s aide or not. Inquire about the class sizes as it can have a positive effect on your children’s learning.
Also, ask about what kind of tutoring service or learning specialties the school offers. If the school offers pull-out tutoring in small groups in which the student will get special instructions during school hours, it’s a plus.
Extra-Curricular Activities
Besides the bookish knowledge, a child also requires extra-curricular activities to improve their intellectual growth. Therefore, make sure the school you will choose has some extracurricular activities like sports, drama, music, and so on according to your child’s interest.
After-School Activities
If your child needs after-school care, you will have to find schools that will offer it. Check what kind of activities the school will offer the child after school. Most of the elementary schools offer classes for art, music, science, chess clubs, and free play as well. Other schools may utilize the after-class hours for helping your kids in their homework.
Physical Environment of the School
Every child always needs plenty of room to run around and play during the recess breaks. Therefore, it is worth considering how much space is available inside and outside of the school.
Consider the security and safety features when looking out for the physical layout of the school. Check whether the school’s entrances and exits are monitored properly.
School Ratings
Look for the overall school ratings based on academic progressions, access to advanced courses, quality of the school’s environment, and other many variables. Look at the school’s rating on the GreatSchools website before going for a quick visit to the school.
GreatSchools provides all the essential information to improve educational opportunities for your kids. Using their ratings, parents can choose the right school for their child, and also take action to improve the quality of schools in their community.
The Bottom Line
The list should just get you started on the journey to find a perfect school for your child. Combined with all of the options you have on TV and online to teach your child, finding the perfect school will help take their education to the next level.