Finding the right international school for your child can be both exciting and stressful. There are so many options out there and many parents feel overwhelmed when trying to choose a school. You cannot look online and select one that seems good because of their website. You must do more research and get in touch with several schools to organise a campus tour.
While on a tour of the campus, make sure you make the most of the visit by doing all of these things.
When will you visit?
Let’s say your child is transferring school and you want to know more about the International Baccalaureate Diploma at Patana School Bangkok. You must find out when the course runs to ensure you visit the campus on that day. There is no point in turning up for the course only to find out that it classes are held at another location or on another day.
You want your child to spend as much time there as possible and to have the opportunity to see their classmates and teacher in action. When planning a campus tour, check with the school admin to ensure you arrive on the right day.
How big are the classes?
If you have arranged a campus tour and are thinking about things to do while there, take a look at the size of each class. Class size is important as the lower the ratio of children to teachers the more attention your child will get. There is no doubt that your child will benefit greatly from an international school education, but it will be even better if they are in a classroom with a low ratio of students to teachers.
Who can you talk to?
There is no better time to talk than on a campus tour. Look out for other parents who are in the school, talk to teachers and admin staff, and converse with students. You can learn a lot from people who know the school and have been attending for a long period. Find out what teachers will be instructing your kids and ask them some important questions, such as:
- Where they come from?
- What qualifications they have?
- How many years they have been working there?
- Their teaching philosophy?
You will learn a lot about the school by talking to members of staff and students on campus.
Shall I explore the campus?
When choosing an international school, you must consider health and safety. Your child will be there from Monday to Friday for up to 8 hours a day, so make sure they are learning in a safe environment. There are many things to assess on a campus tour, so make a list and explore as much of the school and its grounds as possible.
A campus tour should be one of the most important aspects of your international school selection process. You can only learn so much from your research online, the best way to find out about a school is to visit the campus and talk to the people to attend and work there.
