By Paul O'Shannassy, Regent Consulting      Choosing the best matched school for your child can have enormous benefits. Children who are happy, safe and in the best matched environment can thrive and reach their full potential. 

The benefits can include:

• increased self esteem,
• better academic performance,
• being more socially well adjusted,
• opening up opportunities for employment and
• networking post school.

Most importantly, your child can come out a happy well adjusted person with positive schooling memories and it can also decrease anxiety levels of the parents.

Alternatively, a child who is unhappy at school or in an environment that they are not suited and don’t thrive can pose significant problems.  The effects can include:

• withdrawal,
• underachieving,
• anti-social behaviour,
• loss of friendships,
• failure to reach potential,
• feeling of dislocation increased anxiety for parents,
• loss of self esteem.

It can also cause significant issues at home with potential emotional and behavioural problems.

The key factors to consider

There are a number of key criteria which are relevant when choosing a school ( not in any particular order) and they can include:

• Price,
• location,
• coeducational vs single sex,
• culture,
• school size,
• class sizes,
• academic performance,
• “reputation”,
• level of discipline,
• particular programmes( eg separate campus, cultural or sports),
• religion,
• alumni  associations,
• parent involvement,
• Saturday sport.

The biggest challenges faced by parents are deciding which of these factors are the most important and what exactly will be important for your children. 

Making a decision

1. The decision makers need alignment with their key priorities.  Do both the parents agree on the key criteria for schooling? Have you ever sat down with your partner and worked out what is important and whether there is alignment with your priorities? Are some things more highly valued by one partner than another? E.g. co-educational education. The most important issues need to be clarified before any informed decision can be made.
2. Once the agreed key criteria have been established, then a matching process needs to be undertaken. Which school will best fit what the parents want? On what basis will this decision be made?

The most common steps taken in deciding on a school:

• Listening to friends whose children attend a particular school.
• Attend open days and school tours and try to get a feel for a school environment
• Established reputation…” School X is one of the leading……”
• Use your own experiences as guide. It was a poor school 20 years ago therefore it must still be a poor school
• Observation. Either students you have met or you have observed- how they wear their uniform and how they behave in public
• Status. This is far more common than people think and some simply want their children to go to the most prestigious or expensive school, regardless if whether it is a good fit or not
• Ask experts for their opinions. Quiz Principals, teachers or others involved in education
• Hire someone to help you with the matching process.

Most of the methods outlined have significant limitations and often can’t facilitate an informed decision. Far too often I have seen parents choose schools because of their perceived status or because their friend or neighbour have had a positive experience. It is vital that a proper matching process is undertaken wich takes all factors into account.

For more information, contact Regent Consulting: www.regentconsulting.com.au

Regent Consulting  Regent consulting specialise in helping parents make a more informed decision about their most important investment, the education of their children. Their independent service has helped hundreds of parents find the best fit school and save time, money and stress. Give them a call on 0422 487 821.

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