When you first hold your tiny, perfect newborn in your arms, thoughts of anything beyond having an infant feel like a lifetime away. But every parent knows that time goes frighteningly quickly and before long they are crawling, saying their first word, toddling off to nursery, being brave on their first day of school, bringing home homework, joining school sports teams and then, before you know it, they are starting the first day of their last year in primary education.
It’s a heart-wrenching time for parents in many ways. The teenage years are looming and with that, the bittersweet threat of them starting to become their own person, to be more self-sufficient and utlimately, to need Mum and Dad less.
There are of course things for which they do still need your help and one of those is helping them to decide where the next stage of their educational career is going to take them.
“It’s important that parents look at secondary schools while keeping the end in mind – once in high school, students need to be thinking about colleges and universities. If they have a preference for a particular college, country or subject, they need to work with the college counsellor to ensure that the pre-requisites for this will be covered at the school,” says Linda Winch, head of upper school at Dwight School Dubai.
So what sorts of questions should parents be asking when they have a look around an institution? Winch suggests that: “they should ask about the vision and mission of the school to find out what sets this school apart from others and to discover how a particular school matches the ambitions, interests and aptitudes of their own child.”
“The size of a school is also important, will a large school or a smaller one suit their child and their learning style? Class size and teacher ratio is also key, as is looking at how the school practices differentiation and inclusion.” Winch explains.
Barry Cooper, deputy head academic at Brighton College Dubai adds that it is “important to meet as many teachers as possible, to find out if they are settled in Dubai. Do they excite you when you talk to them? Are they passionate about what they do? As much as we may focus on facilities, without inspirational teachers the experience at school will be flat and unengaging.”
“What does the school look for in good teachers? How do they bring Arabic into the whole school curriculum? Does the school have a focus on cultural education? I would also ask about what the school’s policy is on phones and other distractions. At Brighton College Dubai we forbid personal phones during school hours and also ban designer items,” Cooper says.
As a parent it’s important to recognise that the transition from primary to secondary is a huge change in your child’s life that may come with a bit of stress and some anxiety.
“Most schools will have orientation and induction programmes in place before the official school year starts, this should be something the parents enquire about. They should find out about the pastoral care, counselling and advisory programmes available at the school,” says Winch.
Cooper adds: “You should be asking your children as many questions as you can. Be excited about their new journey and get them excited. The more you engage, the more they will consider what is different and what is the same. Talking about those differences helps young people to identify where they may feel anxious and more importantly, why.”
And at the end of the day, “every child is different so a school that is right for one may not be right for another,” states Cooper.
Tweenagers they may be, but the truth is, they still need to hold your hand for the big decisions – so make the most of it…
ASK THE PARENTS
Alex Sheehan, mum to Ruby, 14 and Ralph, 10
“When it came to choosing a secondary school for our eldest, academic credentials were the primary driver, but a shared cultural understanding, a sense of community, and a solid ethical backbone were also important. And of course, we also wanted a school that she’d be happy to turn up to every day. We wanted a place with a proven track record and somewhere with a reputation for delivering – past results and league tables were a good starting point for this, as was word of mouth. For my daughter, it was all about where her friends were going, and while it’s easy to dismiss this as trivial, there’s actually a huge value in them being socially comfortable and it certainly makes for a much softer landing in secondary school.”
Natalie Gregory, mum to twins Cai and Steffan, 12 and Neave, 8
“The curriculum, extra-curricular programme, facilities, examination pass rates, general feel of the school and the teachers (it’s encouraging to know that staff have been there for some time) were the deciding factors for me. I helped my kids make the transition from primary to secondary by discussing the changes that would have a positive impact on them, things that they would feel excited about. It’s important to make them aware of things that will be slightly daunting (at first) but reassure them that with time (a week or two) everything will settle down and fall into place. A happy child is a productive one.”
