How to choose a school that’s the right fit for your child
Before driving hundreds of kilometres to check out city schools, learn how to make the most of campus visits from these rural families, who recently made the choice about boarding education.
IT’S a long drive to Geelong from the Knox family farm at Conargo, in the NSW Riverina.
But for Angus and Henry Knox, whose family visited a number of independent schools, including The Geelong College, in search of the right fit for their family, the 760km round-trip was well worth it.
Their dad, Richard Knox, explains seeing boarding houses, sporting facilities, and students and staff in action on campuses sealed their decision.
“We had a few different schools in mind,” said Richard, who farms cotton, beef and sheep near Deniliquin.
“But, when we got the tour of Geelong College, it got promoted to the top of the list.”
Angus, now in Year 10, has boarded at the coeducational school since Year 7, and his brother, Henry, joined as a Year 7 boarder this year.
Like many parents who take pains over the all-important hunt for a school, particularly a boarding school, Richard said he and his wife, Edwina, started by making a shortlist based on their own experiences, word-of-mouth and websites. Then they scheduled campus visits with their sons.
In the end, the Knox family’s choice came down to gut feel, rather than impressive academic merits or mind-boggling curriculum offers.
Richard said the factors that influenced their choice were the atmosphere of the campus, attitudes of current students and the guiding principles and approach of staff.
“The way the boarding house is laid out, it had a very homely sort of vibe about it,” Richard said, explaining they liked the fact boys of all ages, from Year 7-12, were mixed together throughout the house, rather than in separate age-group precincts.
“The sporting facilities are just out the door. And all the boys that were in the boarding house looked happy.”
Richard said the inclusive boarding community, with a large number of students from rural and regional towns was also a factor in their decision.
“Dr Miller said it is not an international school, it is a Geelong school with international connections,” Richard said, “and we ran with that.”
Richard said one of their main concerns, particularly when their older son, Angus, was joining in Year 7, was the fact the boarding house was not on the middle-school campus.
“We were a bit nervous about Year 7 boarding and having to travel to middle school each day on a bus,” Richard said. “After we spoke to them (boarding staff) we realised there wasn’t much of an issue about being on a different campus.”
The bus journey was a chance to socialise before and after school in the eyes of the boys, Richard said.
GUT INSTINCT HELPS IN SCHOOL CHOICE
Sarah and Paul Osborn of Moree, NSW, recently went through the same intense decision-making process with their daughter, Sylvia.
The family chose all-girls Wenona school in Sydney, and agreed with Richard’s assessment that you “go with your gut”.
“For us it really all came down to the feel of the school,” Sarah said. “That’s why it was so important to us to go see the schools.
“It was more about the boarding side of things than the academic. As a boarder you are sending your kid off to live with people. We need to feel totally comfortable that they are going to be well looked after. And not in the sense that they will have everything done for them. It was really getting a feel for the staff and students.”
In addition to the welcoming attitude of staff and teachers, the behaviour of the students won over the Osborn family. “When we walked around the school and campus, the girls looked at you and said hello,” Sarah said.
“You thought, there is something going on here, the girls are understanding very early and quickly that it is the natural thing to do to look at people and speak to them.”
She said one of her biggest concerns was the small number of boarders at Wenona. Sylvia is one of just three Year 7s in the boarding house, which accommodates 50 girls in total. “I had it in my head that bigger would be better. But she (Sylvia) was always good at being friendly with younger and older children. And we realise now what a bonus that is.
“I think it is a great skill to learn early on, to get on with kids of all different ages.”
Sarah said her advice to other parents was to create a shortlist that wasn’t “too long”, and base it on simple parameters such as size or geography first. Take advice from other parents “with an open mind”, and above all else make sure to actually visit and talk to people at the school.
LITTLE THINGS IN BOARDING HOUSE MAKE BIG DIFFERENCE
The Geelong College head of girls boarding Leigh Knight says it is common for families to visit and be surprised at how tiny differences between schools can become major factors in decision-making.
“Things like how they run study — how homework is done,” she said. “Is it just boarding staff, or do you have, as we do, teaching staff there to support?”
How rooms are arranged in the boarding house is another little thing with big consequences.
“We have it very much organised in multiple year-level family groups,” she said. “Whereas lots of boarding houses have all Year 11s together, for example.
“Parents don’t often think about that. But it does have a significant positive impact — we wouldn’t do it otherwise — on how they interact.”
Her final piece of advice mirrors that of Sarah and Richard. “Trust your gut,” she said. “What I mean by that is it is not about making up your mind in the first five minutes. But allowing yourself, the parents, as well as the student to be honest about how they felt while they were there.
“We probably lose that instinct when we get a bit older, but that instinct does probably serve us well.”
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