subject: How To Choose The Right School For Your Children In Your New Area [print this page] Choosing a new school for your children is no easy task; it's stressful enough to think about amid having to organise the removalists and all of the other worries that accompany moving. Often it has to be organised before you even move in to the area. If once you're settled and you find out you've made a bad choice - be it below your standard, infamous for bullying or your child simply hates it - there's miles of red tape to sort out if you want to change schools again. What school your children attend has a huge effect on how their future is shaped and you need to make the right choice the first time, even if you have limited time to make that choice. Of course there is always a gamble when choosing schools and unfortunately there's little you can do when the pickings are slim in your new area. Luckily, there are a few steps you can take to give your children the best chance:
Talk to other parents. If you can find contact details for other parents in your new area, use them to get a general feel of the schools in the area. Of course you will need to judge their comments based on area loyalties; school ties run deep. Try to figure out what kind of person they are and if their children are interested in the same activities as yours.
Talk to your children. Your children may be excited or angry about moving schools. In either case it's a great step to include them in the choosing process. Ask what sort of things they'd like the new school to have and try to match accordingly. Schools can have vastly different philosophies when it comes to education, and they may have a reputation to uphold in one particular area. A school may be renowned for its sports teams, perhaps its considered a rice environment for artists or known to foster business-minded people. If you're lucky you may find a school that specialises in your children's particular area of expertise.
If your child requires special attention or has special needs, however small, this consideration should be your first step. Anything from wheelchair access within the school to simply checking that the school nurse is qualified. If your child requires a small consideration on the part of the school, ask if this is able to be included in his or her education. If the school seems unwilling or unsure, best to steer clear.
Make a shortlist and conduct interviews. This may take time, but is very important if you have a choice of schools in the new area. Interview principals and teachers that will be taking your children's classes. This can be as simple as a phone call or email. Check their attitude against your own and make sure it's in line with your philosophies. Remember that it is your (and your children's) choice which school they will attend, so don't feel pressured by overly keen schools. If a school is desperate for students this should sound alarm bells.
It's worth spending time choosing your children's new school, it will play a major role in shaping their future and making the wrong choice will only lead to stress further down the road. It may take more time than you can really afford, especially amidst everything else you have to sort out when moving to a new area, but your keeping your children on the right track is more important than making sure your house is neatly packed up.
