For expatriate families, finding a solid educational option for their children can be tricky. This isn’t because of a lack of options, but rather the opposite – there are so many choices, selecting the right school can be an overwhelming task!
This is especially true when you are sifting through CBSE schools. This popular model seems to have limitless choices, especially if you are willing to relocate. If you’ve already settled in an area like Surat, you may still be faced with numerous choices that use this educational structure, leaving you feeling like you have far too many to choose between!
Here are just a few of the most important factors to consider when searching for the best CBSE school in Surat:
Establish Your Expectations and Find the Right Fit
What does your child need from their school? What is your family looking for? These are important questions to ask yourself upfront when you begin your search. Some of these include:
- What are you hoping for your child to learn?
- Are there specific curricula you are interested in?
- What holistic development elements would you like to see incorporated into your child’s education?
- What are your child’s mental, social, and emotional needs?
- Does your child have disabilities that should be taken into consideration?
- Where would you like the school to be located, in relation to your residence?
These are all a good start, but your list can be shorter or longer, depending on what you think is important. Remember, no two children or families are the same, so creating a great schooling experience means understanding what you need and seeking it out.
Start a List of Ideal Qualifications
Once you’ve established a firm idea of what your family and child need in a school, it is time to flesh out a list of qualifications for the perfect choice. Some things to consider might include:
- A top-notch teaching staff
- Administrators who are happy to work with and accommodate students and parents
- Plenty of extracurricular activities and events for community and family engagement
- High expectations for student achievement
- Lots of varied resources to facilitate learning
- Strong, well-rated curricula
Find a School with the Focus Your Family is Looking For
If you are looking for something specific in terms of your child’s education, it can be beneficial to be upfront about that during your search. When it comes to international schools, there are many institutions that actually offer special academic, artistic, or athletic focuses. Many schools are also offering STEM focuses to help prepare students for life in an increasingly technology-centered world, something that parents find especially beneficial for their expatriate children. Ask about these when shortening your list and you may find it easier to cut it down even further!
Inquire About Scores and Other Evaluation Results
Nearly every modern school uses some kind of quantitative measure of assessment when evaluating the success or failure of their educational approaches. Students may be assessed using traditional tests, or they may use more abstract approaches to determining how well children retain the information they learn throughout the school year. Either way, they are likely to have scores that they can offer to interested parents who would like to know more about instructional outcomes – as well as scores used in evaluating the school itself from third parties.
Ask about these scores when considering any school. They’ll likely be more than happy to share them with you. These results can help you determine if a school is likely to provide the kind of educational experience your family is searching for, as well as whether they are on par with or edging out their local competition.
Visit the School You’re Considering
Perhaps the best way to evaluate whether a school is a good fit for your child is to visit the school itself. Visiting the school has a number of advantages, including but not limited to:
- Getting a good idea of what student life is like
- Seeing how educators and administrators interact with students in real time
- Learning more about the prepared environments that your child might be using
- Meeting potential teachers and staff face to face
It is important to consider that in many parts of the world, in-person visits have been temporarily halted due to health and safety concerns. This is especially true in areas where the COVID-19 pandemic is still a major concern. As such, it may be difficult in the near future to secure one of these visits. However, there are still plenty of ways that you can learn more about your child’s prospective new school without physically visiting.
Check out the website that your child’s school offers. Research parent ratings and ask for personal references and recommendations from parents both past and current. Reach out to others in your expatriate community or locals who have experience with these institutions and ask how their child’s experience in the school was. This kind of firsthand information is invaluable in making your decision – and will help you feel prepared from the very first day of school.
No matter which school you select, know that doing your research beforehand and putting in the world of learning more about the institution before your child attends will yield a school that’s a better fit for your family, your child, and their future.