Education is the most important part of every child’s life and to provide the right quality of education, it is important to choose the right school. This particularly is a major task for all expat parents, as they have to decide which international school is best for their children and choosing the right international school is definitely not easy.
Therefore, to support all expat parents in their hunt, this article provides all the important information needed to decide which international school suits best for their children.
Decide which curriculum is the best suited
Before starting the hunt, every expat parent should first decide what curriculum is the most suited for their children’s education. Every school follows its own preferred study curriculum. Some follow the local curriculum that is generally accepted in that particular country, while others prefer a portable curriculum that is accepted in major schools across the world.
Best International schools in Singapore follow the International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum, which is said to be very effective in educating children in the right way and also helps children develop a broader frame of mind about the world.
Most expat parents choose international schools with IB curriculum or a portable curriculum so as to not disturb their children’s education even after moving to a different country.
Consider the paperwork, availability and fee structure
After deciding which curriculum is most suited for your children, take into account other important things like paperwork, the availability of admissions and the fee structure of the international school.
The usual paperwork involves the previous year’s report cards and a recommendation letter that is necessary for admission process. However, when it comes to availability of admission, nothing is certain. Many major schools are usually full and have years of waiting before finally admissions are open again.
The fee structure of the school completely depends on the institution. While some international schools have a considerable tuition fee, others charge a much higher tuition fee when compared to the fee in local schools.
Do not forget to ask the FAQs
Before finally admitting your child to the preferred international school, do not forget to ask the common FAQs. Asking these will give you a better insight on the condition of the school and will also clarify whether it is really okay to admit your children in that particular school.
Some of the common FAQs are as follows
- What are the steps taken by the school to help children settle in the new environment?
- What is the background of the teaching staff?
- How big or crowded are the classrooms in your school?
- What are the extra-curricular activities organized in your school?
- How are the students performing in academics in recent years?
- Does your school encourage sports and other common cultural activities?
Make sure that the classrooms are not too crowded. It is better for students to have as much individual attention as possible. Also, make sure that the teaching staff is well qualified to teach and has considerable amount of experience to be able to handle the students in international schools well.