Victorian education: How to choose the best school for your child

Should you look at academic results, facilities or just trust your gut? Experts reveal the secrets to finding the right school for your family.

Experts recommend considering your child’s needs when selecting a school. Picture: Supplied.

Your child’s school will be where they spend the majority of their time outside of home over the next few years.

Follow this guide to help find a school where your child feels they belong.

Consider your child

While we send children to school to learn, a successful education is not exclusively about academic achievement.

Association of Heads of Independent Schools Australia national chair Dr Mark Merry, who is also principal of Yarra Valley Grammar, says parents should consider their child’s interests, strengths and weaknesses.

He says parents should look for a learning environment that would support their child academically and emotionally.

“Maslow’s ‘hierarchy of needs’ suggests that if a young person does not feel like they belong – safe, known, respected and liked – then the higher order thinking can’t happen,” Dr Merry says.

“In other words, the relationships (friendships with fellow students and warm working relationships with teachers) matter.”

He also suggests looking to the future.

“Don’t ask what Year 7 is like; ask instead what kind of 18-year-old you want your son or daughter to be,” Dr Merry says.

Choosing the right school is a big decision for all involved. Picture: Supplied.

SCHOOL SELECTOR LIFTOUT: Get your complete guide to finding the right school for your child in Thursday’s Herald Sun.

Examine your values

Think about what it is you would like from the school, and what does a good education look to you?

Is it academic excellence, athletic achievement or is it a diverse school experience?

“Identify what are the key things you want in a school,” Santa Maria acting principal Carolyn McCarthy says.

“Sometimes families can visit a lot of schools, but haven’t crystallised what they are looking for.”

Balcombe Grammar School principal Ross Patterson says a key aspect was having students who felt connected and supported.

“For us it’s about a child finding an environment where they are happy, they’re engaged and they love waking up and going to school each day,” Mr Patterson says.

Get a ‘real feel’ for the school

A lot of schools can look shiny and impressive in their marketing, but there are ways to scratch beneath that to determine if they genuinely embody your family values.

Perusing school websites is a quick and easy way to get an initial read on schools, while tours and information nights can answer a lot of questions.

But to really understand a school’s culture, look for opportunities to observe the students in less formal environments such as on public transport, in shopping centres or in the hallways during a tour.

“Watch the interaction between the students and the students and their teachers,” Dr Merry says.

“These unguarded moments tell us a lot about the culture of a place.”

Ms McCarthy says the school should exhibit a genuine interest in you, your child and your family.

“And on face value a level of warmth,” she says.

“There should be a level of interest in that person and what we can offer that person.”

Look for schools which provide programs, such as music, that your child is interested in. picture: Supplied.

Trust your gut

St Leonard’s College principal Stuart Davis believes gut instinct is a strong indicator you have found the right place.

“It is my experience that the modern parent is more discerning and more confident to trust their instincts about the environment that will work best for their child,” Mr Davis says.

Make sure you ask …

• How will you come to know my child?
• How will you nurture my child so they realise their potential and purpose?
• How does the school ensure that the individual student is catered for, recognised, encouraged and celebrated?
• How will you teach my child to care for themselves, for others and the world in which they live?
• How will you include us as parents so that we can work together and bring about the very best outcomes?
• What support is in place for children who are not performing well in a particular subject?
• What type of parent-teacher communication exists at the school?

• SCHOOL SELECTOR LIFTOUT: Get your complete guide to finding the right school for your child in Thursday’s Herald Sun.

Originally published as Victorian education: How to choose the best school for your child