Checklist for parents to choose the right High School

Choosing the right school for your child can be a difficult decision. Despite this, parents can make this task easier if they prepare a checklist of questions they need to ask – especially when attending an open day.

“Good schools will host open days throughout the year, allowing parents and prospective learners the opportunity to view and get a feel of a campus, ask questions, and decide whether a particular school is a right fit for them,” says Desiree Hugo, Academic Head: Schools Division at ADvTECH, Africa’s leading private education provider.

 “These open days are geared to provide opportunities for sharing the best aspects of a school, and excitement can quickly let important questions that need to be considered fall off the agenda. Whether prospective parents attend an open day, or just pay a school a regular visit to guide decision making, it is good practice to go with a plan in hand so that one can objectively compare schools on the various key elements required from an excellent institution,” Hugo says.

The first factor – and a non-negotiable one – is the question of academic excellence and future-focused curricula

 “There can be no compromising on ensuring that the school you choose for your child will provide the absolute best on the academic front. An easy gauge of a school’s ability to deliver is to have a look at end-of-year IEB Matric results to evaluate the performance of various schools against each other. Another way to judge this factor is to look at benchmarking. “ Hugo advises 

Hugo adds that academically excellent schools will ensure they utilise international benchmarking assessments to confirm that the school remains locally and globally relevant with rigorous academic programmes and that academic data supports and engages learners in a personalised learning journey.

“Furthermore, parents should enquire whether the voices of the learners are considered valuable in their learning journey towards academic excellence and student success and whether they are included in academic conversations with their parents about their plans for progress, ” she said.

Having satisfactorily answered the above basics, parents can move on to broader questions, such as:

Facilities & Amenities

Ensure classrooms are neat and well-maintained and provide a variety of learning options. On the sports side, do they cater to a variety of sports codes aligned to their model and offer, well-kept fields and facilities for those particular sporting opportunities on offer? Even if a child is not particularly sporty, well-maintained grounds are a good sign to take into consideration.

Learner support

If a learner requires additional academic support, whether it be emotionally or academically, what support structures does the school have in place, and how are they accessed? What disciplinary processes are in place to address bullying and other issues that may impact the well-being and success of learners? Does the school support the values of respect, diversity and inclusion – and is this evident in the classrooms and across the culture of the school?

Teachers and  school staff

What is the ratio of teachers to learners in classes? And does the school highlight the academic practices to ensure all learners are mentored and supported – no matter the class size?

Are all teachers SACE accredited and can the school ensure police clearance is completed on all who work closely on the campus with children? Are the teachers offered professional learning opportunities to ensure curriculum and pedagogy are foregrounded to support student success?

Holistic academic and Skills Development

Which additional subjects are available to learners at most schools in addition to regular subjects? How does the school approach 21st Century Skills, such as communication, collaboration, analytical thinking, creative thinking, digital literacy, and problem-solving? In what ways are these skills embedded in the curriculum and learners’ everyday learning experiences? Is there evidence of cross-curricular teaching and learning, and are the learners granted regular opportunities to share their thinking and co-construct their learning collaboratively?