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CHOOSE THE R IGHT SCHOOL
“The hallmark of a successful school tour is that any visiting parent should leave with the impression of a school that has the interests of the children at its heart”
their sons, and that schools are constantly re-evaluating the education on offer so it’s transformational and inspiring, as well as preparing them for tomorrow’s careers. They’ll need to equip them with so-called soft skills along the way and be brilliant at pastoral care, demonstrating that kindness and caring are as much a part of the timetable as robotics and rugby, and that first-class academics go hand in hand with excellent musical, creative and sporting opportunities, excellent pastoral care and, perhaps most importantly, an underlying focus on happiness. Those initial visits to schools often start far earlier than they used to. Parents may investigate prospective senior schools when their child is, say, in year 5. If they’re considering nurseries, they might even start the process before their baby is born. They’ll also be looking for clarity about how the education on offer will dovetail into their busy lives. While the facilities can be out of this world, for working families it won’t just be about how amazing they look and how they’re used, but the commitment required in terms of late nights and weekends – and how they can make it work. Another major change is that it’s no longer just the parents who are involved in the decision-making process. More and more, it’s a matter for the whole family, with children increasingly having a final say in the school choice. Schools report a trend towards friendlier, more informal open events, often including an interactive component that gives families – and prospective pupils – a feel for what school life is really like. Some still tend to focus their efforts into events held
on set dates during the year, packing in the crowds so they can showcase the whole school’s multi-disciplinary talents in one go. Other establishments prefer a smaller-scale approach, in some cases dispensing entirely with mass gatherings in favour of bespoke, personalised tours for individual families, tailored to what they want to see. While parents today probably prepare better for the search for a school than ever before, schools have a word of warning. While desk research is important, it’s vital not to overlook the more intangible qualities of the school – its underlying warmth or the relationships between staff and pupils – that can be as important as headline exam results in determining whether a school is the right place for the individual child. That’s where the pupil’s
perspective comes in. Frequently recruited as expert guides on school tours, their impressive maturity and self-possession in the face of a battery of questions is often what ultimately sells a school to prospective parents. And while nobody would ever suggest choosing a school based solely on what current pupils say about it, educators agree that their perspective can be invaluable. The hallmark of a successful school tour, formal or informal, is that any visiting parent should leave with the impression of a school that has the interests of the children in its care at the heart of everything it does. Parents are entrusting schools to see their children through the most precious years of their lives. Schools should see this as a privilege, rather than taking it for granted.
CAMBRIDGE EDUCATION GUIDE
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