What Do Parents Need To Check Before School Admission?

It is undoubtedly a daunting task to get your children admitted to a new school. Whether they are first-time school-goers or relocating to a new institute, this massive change of environment affects them significantly. As a parent, you are a guide in this tender liminal period of their lives. Hence, it would be best to do your homework on what parents need to check before school admission.

The answer, as you can expect, is manifold. One of the primary concerns is checking the student-to-teacher ratio. This way, you can rest assured that your little ones get all the needed care and attention they deserve. Moreover, you need to check the fine print to make sure there are any hidden charges before getting the paperwork done. In this blog, you will get an in-depth discussion on several such parameters, ensuring that your child is in good hands.

What Is The Student-Teacher Ratio Of The School?

Although there is no rigid set of norms, it is widely preferred that the students' ratio should be lower compared to the faculty. To elaborate, a single teacher should have a finite number of young minds to deal with during allotted class time. This way, a teacher does not get overwhelmed with the pressure of maintaining class control.

Children are hyperactive individuals who learn group activity and discipline in their school days. So, an overpopulated classroom can be counter-productive to their cognitive, academic, and societal growth.

Moreover, a balanced student-to-teacher ratio ensures that the educator has enough time and scope to know each student individually. Consequently, a school is able to cater to all the specific needs your kid may have inside and outside of the classroom.

Routinely organised parent-teacher meetings are emblematic of a school's quality. So, this balanced student-teacher ratio will also help you get proper feedback from the teachers about your youngsters. They will further be able to offer guidance on what measures you need to take as a parent to help the growth of the young ones.

What Is The Fee Structure Of The School?

Before you get the final signatures done, go through the documents provided by the school authorities again. Do not forget to ensure whether there are refund opportunities if the school is found in a faulty situation. Ensure there are set and egalitarian norms for returning the initial caution money.

Most importantly, make sure that there is complete transparency in the transaction procedure. The school website or brochure should have a clear blueprint of the fee structure. When making a down payment during admission, be sure what its monthly fees will be. Ask the school authorities whether there are any undisclosed financial clauses or terms. Education is a fundamental right of every individual. So, ensure that you are not spending your hard-earned money without proper knowledge.

An institution with a sky-high admission fee does not indicate the quality of the institution itself. So, ensure you also know where they are spending the money and if it is for a good cause. For example, smart classes, high-tech libraries, computer labs, or a playground are necessary for young minds. You must know that the authorities are channelling the fund to develop these aspects of the school with proper bookkeeping.

What Is The School's Distance From Your House?

When your child is admitted to a school, it is essentially a long-term commitment. So, you have to be aware of the transportation facilities to and fro this institute and the time taken to reach the school on time. A long journey to their school may leave your young ones tired and distracted even before the class hours begin. Likewise, a long way back home can affect their resting time.

Moreover, it is essential that your kids have time to follow their hobbies or spend time with their family. A time constraint can seriously jeopardise the scope of their fundamental development and growth. So, it is better to choose a school in the vicinity of your house. This way, you can also be by their side at a moment's notice if an emergency presents itself. After all, it is with their parents that kids feel the most secure.

Furthermore, as this proximity directly affects your children's sedentary behaviour, it also positively impacts your child's health. Studies have shown that young students are likely to walk or cycle to their schools in a nearby range as they grow up. This active transport is directly associated with the physical activity accumulation that can keep them fit.

What Is The School's Grading And Evaluation System?

Based on their curriculum and school board, you can understand how an institute's pedagogical mechanisms function. It is, however, vital for your kid that you are aware of the minutes of their evaluation and grading procedure.

As more significance is rightly given to the mental health of young minds, there has been a tectonic shift in how examinations are interpreted. An education system that weighs down your little ones in added pressure is clearly detrimental to their flourishing lifestyle. So, ensure the gradation system and exams are not treated as the be-all and end-all of educational parameters by authorities of the school. Of course, there must be positive reinforcements if a child performs well. But there should not be any adverse reaction to those struggling more than others.

At the same time, ensure that there is a routine procedure for evaluations, as the young minds need to be aware of their positions during an academic year. An irregular examination schedule can prevent them from broadening their horizons. It can also adversely affect their career trajectory if the educational sessions are not regular. So, check that the school has a clear blueprint of how it wants to proceed with periodical assessments minus any harsh criticism.

Are The Teachers And Faculty Members Properly Qualified?

As briefly touched on here before, teachers are the central figures of an institution-centric education system. Hence, before you confirm your child's onboarding process, check that the teachers are adequately qualified to handle delicate children.

A teacher is an early role model for young minds, and they are likely to reach out to their educators in a moment of need. So, ensure the school your child is getting admitted to has harboured that feeling of a safe space for its students.

Therefore be 100% sure whether the teachers are able to treat your precious ones with proper care and empathy. Try to know if they have got proper training for the position they are holding. Moreover, it is always beneficial to have educators who are well-versed in child psychology.

As it becomes increasingly evident with every passing day, education qualification is not the ultimate scale to judge a teacher. Educators should be able to communicate appropriately with the children under their supervision. In addition, they should be able to adapt to changing situations without losing their calm.

Notably, an educator should always put the children first in the everyday dialectics inside the classroom. Furthermore, with the emergence of interactive study sessions, it is of utmost necessity that educators listen properly and give importance to the opinions of the students, however young they may be. So, check for these attributes in the schoolteachers to make certain that your young one is under competent care.

Similarly, the institution must have properly trained non-teaching staff too. For example, medical experts must always be present on school premises to attend to your kid's health issues. Moreover, a number of well-known schools now have a designated counsellor for the kids. Remember to check if the school you're considering has such professionals at the helm. Note that this is a crucial step towards creating an empathetic environment where your kid can grow up in.

Which Board Is The School Affiliated To?

As a parent, you must have a crystal clear idea about the workings of different educational boards. As these boards have different syllabi and curriculums, schools affiliated with them can widely vary in their functionalities.

A general rule is to go for educational boards with national or international prominence. This way, your children are getting prepared per their peers on a grander scale. Moreover, as they grow up and try out for competitive exams or higher studies, they will already be accommodated with that educational discourse.

Additionally, some prominent companies can prefer candidates from a specific academic background when your kids will become job seekers in the future. So, having a degree from an A-grade educational board is definitely going to come into play in that regard.

The moral and ethical guidelines are generally more effective in institutes recognised by these renowned educational boards. So, before getting your young ones admitted, you need to make sure that the school upholds egalitarian values. There should not be any kind of discrimination allowed on institutional grounds. Ensure the faculty has a clear outline about handling bullying or ragging issues. A school should have an utterly no-tolerance policy against any kind of harassment.

What Other Things Do Parents Need To Check Before School Admission?

Ensure that the chosen school follows all the protective measures in keeping its students out of harm's way. As their immunity system is not as strong as adults, young children are easily susceptible to bacterial diseases. So, there should be proper hygiene maintained in the school area to keep them safe.

Speaking of safety, ensure that the school building has a robust security protocol. There must be trained gatekeepers with functioning metal detectors. Moreover, check whether they have CCTV cameras installed on the school ground. As your children spend their longest time here out of your supervision, ensure the authorities recognise their security as a critical factor.

Furthermore, check what extra-curricular activities are encouraged in the school. Recreational hours are equally crucial for the cognitive well-being of these little inquisitive minds. Teachers must cheer them on to take part in sports, arts and crafts, or annual festivals and celebrations. Being a part of these exciting activities is crucial in building a strong character for your precious ones.

A great way to gather all this information is by getting in touch with the school's alumni association. This group of former students has first-hand experience with the proceedings of the institution and can offer you great insights. On that note, you can refer to the reviews online or on social media forums to better understand the ins and outs of the academic institute in question.

So, there you go! Now you have a list you can refer to about what parents need to check before school admission. Then, of course, you have your own guidelines and standard parameters that you want the school to meet. But, most of all, ensure that your young ones feel comfortable in the institution itself. The best you can do for them is to be by their side. Because who knows them better than you?