Deciding on a nursery school for your little one can be an intimidating job if you’re not prepared or unaware of the current educational scenario. You must carefully analyze and understand the pros and cons of a school before choosing it for your child. Schools are the second home of every child, and the teachers are their second parents.
Children also learn a lot by observing their surroundings and picking up habits that will stick with them throughout their lives. Hence, you must enrol your child into a nursery school with good ethics and moral values that will not only create beautiful memories but also help them learn a lot of new things.
What factors to keep in mind when looking for options in nursery schools?
A good starting point would be to check within your social and family circle. You can begin by enquiring for recommendations from your colleagues, friends, neighbours, and family.
If you wish, you can expand the search horizon and check certain factors in the nursery schools you have narrowed down for your children.
So, let’s look at the various things to keep in mind before filling out any tokyo international school admission enquiry form
1. Have a chat with other parents of the school
No one can explain how good the school is, other than the parents who are sending their child to that same school. Have a chat with them, and they will let you know about the pros and cons of the school. You can also have an understanding of how good the school is by talking to some of the students and their experiences in the school.
Ask about how the teachers treat the children, how they help students come out of their comfort zone, and how they motivate children to learn independently by researching. What is the teacher-student ratio, how clean are the classrooms, and does the school have all the latest technological features to help the students? Ask them how teachers conduct classes and examinations, especially in the time of the pandemic.
2. Ask the school authorities about their teaching method
Different nursery schools have different approaches to teaching. Some encourage the students to learn in a very playful way, while some encourage them to learn by doing things on their own. No matter the approach, children learn at their convenience and according to their style. Some children learn by curiosity, while some learn the subjects as taught by the teacher.
Some nursery schools follow the Montessori method, some follow the traditional method of writing and teaching, and some follow the Reggio Emilia approach. Each approach has a different meaning and an underlying objective. No matter how impressive or astonishing the method sounds, it is important that you specifically ask the school authorities to spell out their vision before enrolling your little one.
3. Look at the infrastructure and the safety measures undertaken by the school
There are many regulatory compliances a school has to abide by for their structural stability. For example, it is mandatory for schools, commercial and residential buildings to have fire safety equipment. While checking out the school’s infrastructure, be sure to look at their fire safety arrangements and the overall infrastructure of the school.
When it comes to infrastructure, the school should be well equipped with a library with books of different genres, a good playground, a play area for the children, clean toilets, and proper classrooms.
4. The location of the school should be nearer to your house
The location plays a very important role in the selection of nursery schools. You may have to choose between driving your child to school or having the school bus pick them up. When you choose to drive, ensure that you do not spend a lot of time travelling. This will cause a big hindrance to the schedule of your child. If they spend more time travelling, they will also be tired by the end of the day and will be unable to concentrate on their studies. Hence it is preferred that the institution is nearby so that the kid is not drained out by the time he/she reaches school.
5. How long is the day?
Usually, the nursery schools only last for three hours per day, with five working days. This will help the parents get enough time to send their children to school and pick them up without affecting their schedule. Some schools also provide daycare facilities which is a good advantage for working parents.
These daycare facilities also run from morning till evening. During this time, the children are taught various subjects. They have their snacks in the morning, followed by lunch in the afternoon, an afternoon nap and the remaining hours are allocated for playing with their friends.
6. Visit the nursery school and experience it first-hand
You get a vibe when you first enter a school and you must trust that instinct. Hence it is better to request the school if they can organize a campus tour. You can look at the facilities, talk to the teachers, principal and have an idea of how your child will feel when they visit the school.
Also Read: What Teachers Want Parents to Know About the First Week of School
Look at the pictures on the corridors or inside the classroom. They will give you an idea of how they treat their children and if they follow their philosophies. Check their cafeteria and look if the food supplied is healthy and hygienic.
7. The school should not have anything to hide
Proper and transparent communication is what is loved by everyone. Enquire whether the school has frequent parent-teacher meetings and how they handle children who are a bit naughty. The teachers should be open with their opinion and help the parents know about any faults and mischief done by the students.
The teachers and principals should be available to meet the parents if it is requested. The teacher should be experienced with handling kids as pre-school children are a bit difficult to handle. Take a look at all the activities performed in school before, during and after school hours. If you have doubts, visit their website, call their office and get your queries sorted out before enrolling your child.
choosing a school for your child
In Conclusion
Nursery schools are the first step to education, and it is important to make the right choice here as a parent. Hence, make sure that you’ve done a thorough research before filling out the school admission enquiry form of any school.
