Consider all options prior to enrolment

ENROLLING a child in primary school will leave many parents feeling like they must make a whole lot of decisions all at once. This only causes needles stress. Yes, you should consider all options when choosing a primary school as the right school is the one that best contributes positively to your child’s academic development, but do so with an open mind.

Much of the groundwork is already done if another child of yours is attending the school, or has done so in the past, as this eliminates much of the decision making process. Also, aspects such as tradition, accessibility and familiarity tend to shade a parent’s decision. You may have attended the school yourself and while much has changed since, the continuity a school brings to a community is a powerful one that should still feel familiar. This may also help in your decision. Primary schools are the perennial centres of learning for generations of children across an entire community and sowing the seeds of early academic excellence is uppermost in ever parents’ thoughts as enrolment nears. There’s nothing wrong with this so long as you remember that academic achievement has always been higher when juxtaposed with extra-curricular activities that make a positive change to a child’s life.

Children excel in their own respective ways and the important part a school plays in making space for a child to discover its creative niche is valued by a majority of primary schools. Open day’s and one-to-one meetings with teachers are always great events to satisfy any questions you may have. Just trust your instinct and absorb the surrounds as you’ll soon get the right feeling if it’s meant to be.