Choosing a good primary school for your child in Australia is one of the biggest decisions you will make as a parent. Primary school sets the foundation for your child’s education in the future.
It’s where your little one will learn how to interact with teachers, other children, and learn how to be a student. All parents want their children to start school at a well-regarded institution. That makes sense; a bad primary school can seriously hinder your child’s learning capabilities for life.
Making up your mind about where your child first goes to school can be difficult. It’s a decision that depends on personal preferences, ideology and practical matters. Some parents are content with sending the children to the local public school, while others really want to send their children to top schools in Melbourne or some other place that’s as hip. When choosing a primary school for your child, here are several things to keep in mind:
You and your partner may have different personal preferences for choosing a school for your child. You may prefer private education, while your partner might want to send the child to a public school. Some families also have religious preferences as well. There’s also the option of sending the child to a boarding school (though many may not think of it for young children). As there will be many ideas at stake here, it’s important to sit back and consider all of them. Write them down if possible. Doing so will help you get your personal priorities in order before choosing a good school.
Not all primary schools teach students the same way. Primary schools function according to differing philosophies and theories of teaching. For example, there are Montessori style primary schools, Steiner early education schools and mainstream primary schools. Each has unique approaches to teaching. Some parents might want to familiarise themselves with these types of teaching methods. Some parents may be personally inclined towards a certain type of teaching. Parents would be the first to realise if a child would do better under one teaching philosophy than the other. Do take teaching theory into consideration as well.
Location of the primary school is the issue of most practical concern to every parent. Ideally, the primary school should be close to home so you can drop your child off in the morning conveniently. Small children are normally reluctant to go to school. The prospect of having to be stuck in traffic each morning will not help in endearing them to primary school. It would be most ideal if the school is within walking distance. Walking your child to school can be fun and far less stressful than driving in the morning. Do not enrol your child in a primary school located far away that takes more than 30 minutes to drive. That will be inconvenient for the parents and too stressful for the child to travel.
Last but not least, consider school specifications, such as size, number of teachers per children, facilities and so on. You may prefer to enrol your child at a smaller school than a larger one to make learning environment more intimate. Some parents like their children to go to large schools and get to know a lot of different people. You must take all these matters into serious consideration before enrolling your child at a primary school in Australia.