Did you know that a student’s social and economic characteristics shapes their cognitive and behavioural outcomes? Needless to say, Preschool will be a very impactful time in a student’s life due to the fact that this is the time whereby whatever they are experiencing in life will shape them. Values will be brought upon as well as morals and the way the child looks at life and more often than not by the time the child reaches the University stage, it might be too late.
The Location -It’s probably not going to be very ideal if you were to send the kids to a school on the other side of the city. So unless you have a ride or alternatively are happy for your little ones to catch a school bus, it would be ideal if the Kindergarten that you chose is located near your home or workplace.
Curriculum -It all depends on what kind of programmes parents are leaning more towards. Some parents may prefer their child to go with the more conventional way of the education system (eg: IB Primary Years Programme, Montessori or Reggio Emilia) On the other hand , some parents would rather a more flexible approach to learning and playing. And of course, there are schools that blends a number of different educational philosophies into their personalised curriculum to meet the needs of certain kids that react differently to different education systems.
School philosophy and values- You must also take into account what the school stands for when it comes to the values and philosophy it wants to teach our children. Does it align to the values and philosophy you want your children to learn and will you be involved in the learning process? Values and life skills are important as they are imparted from a young age
Language programme/School Hours -Another aspect that parents can keep in mind is the language that these preschools teach in as well as the school hours. If you’re a working parent, you may need to consider your own convenience when it comes to dropping /picking your little ones
Facilities/Child to teacher ratio -Some preschools may have snazzy classrooms and others offer more in the way of outdoor play space. How many kids per class? The student to teacher ratios varies from preschools to preschools therefore at the end of the day it all depends on the preference of the parents or child, what do they think is best.
Special Needs -your child may have different learning abilities that may require early intervention or even personalised lessons and attention specifically for your child.