BEFORE ENROLLING.

Finding out
You should not find it difficult to obtain information. The Head of your child’s present school will probably be able to recommend suitable choices for secondary schools. Friends and parents of children at schools you are considering may also be to help. You may also find the objective opinion of an educational consultant helpful.

Ask those schools which interest you to send you a prospectus. This will tell you something about the main thrust of the school, the curriculum and other areas of activity in which the school has a particular interest. Ask also for a copy of the magazine and calendar. These will reflect the range quality of achievement and activities within school. Does the prospectus make you want to visit the school? Does it set out the school’s aims clearly? Are these in line with yours?

Visiting schools
The prospectus, your friends and your instincts will give you a general picture, but the only way to find out whether or not you like a school is to see it for yourself. Do take your child with you if at all possible. Your visit will enable you meet the staff that will be responsible for your child and pupils who will be his or her schoolmates and get a ‘feel’ for the school. You, and your child, must be positive that this is a school where he or she will feel happy.

Try to visit more than one school, so that you have a means of comparison. Most parents visit at least two, some three or four. You may be invited to an Open Day, but the best time to visit is on normal day during term time. Then you can see the day-to-day routine in place and the children at their usual activities. Visiting during holiday periods, even if a school can arrange it, is not advisable unless you have no alternative.

In most cases, the head will meet parents and interview the child. Afterwards you will probably be given a tour of the school by the Head, another member of staff or sometimes by a pupil. After your visit it is wise to make few notes, if you visit more than one school it is surprisingly easy top confuse your impressions and information.

Meeting the Head
What should you expect? Naturally you will be looking for a clear picture of the school’s policies and approach, both in academic terms and otherwise, as well as answer to any specific questions you may have. As a general guide, the following areas are ones about which you should feel fully informed by the time you conclude your discussion.
Academic policy and destination of leavers
Are these in line with your plans? If you are choosing a p4rimary school and already have plans for your child’s secondary education, will the school offer suitable preparation? As parents in growing numbers look for the best available provision in both the federal, state and private sectors, it is not unusual for pupils to attend both private and state schools at different stage in their careers. Some schools, for example, concentrate on Common Entrance preparation for entry to federal schools. While the Common Entrance exam is common to most senior schools. Scholarship exams vary in syllabus. Since some primary schools prepare pupils for just a limited range of schools you may wish to find out which ones are covered.

With secondary schools, try to get a picture of the school’s academic thrust. How many pupils take SSCE/NECO? How big is the sixth-form? Is there any evident bias, deliberate or otherwise, among the numbers of students taking certain subjects? Ask about the destination of leavers after SSCE/NECO. Are they in line with your child’s strengths and aspirations?

Exam results
Interesting, but not the only factor; school should be happy to let you see past results of pupils examinations. Be careful how you interpret them. A 100 per cent pass rate in a WAEC subject may look impressive, but how many pupils are included? Were all those who studied the subject actually entered for the exam?

Testing and assessment
How often are formal assessments made? Are parents informed of the results? What other systems are in place to monitor a pupil’s progress. If there is a particular problem, are all staff made aware? How much communication is there between teaching and pastoral staff on general progress? What provision is made if a pupil is having difficulties with schoolwork?

Educational guidance
What guidance is given to pupils as they choose their SSCE and (or equivalent) subject? How much information and advice is available on higher education and careers? Is there a careers library and what does it contain? Is there a comprehensive, well-organized and properly maintained library of information on the wide range of options available? Is there a dedicated team of experienced and qualified careers staff or is this a part-time role given on a rotating basis to one non-specialist staff members? Ask to see the department during your tour.

Are there timetable careers guidance sessions, visiting speakers, work experience opportunities, visit to companies or industrial centers? Does every pupil receive a formal careers assessment, interview practice and individual guidance?

Special needs
Many children require additional help at some time in their school career to cope with learning difficulties or dyslexia. If you are considering the school with this in mind, exactly what provision is made? Is this in line with your child’s need? Does the school have other pupils with similar difficulties? How has it answered their needs? How sympathetic is the head approach? Does the school employ full-time staff or visiting staff? What qualification experience do they have?

Gifted children also often need special help and attention, if your child display particular ability well above that of other children of the same age, how would the school make provision for this?

Teaching staff and methods
Are all the staff suitably qualified? Qualified teachers will have one or more of the following: PGDE or DipEd, B.Ed, NCE or MSc. How much experience do they have? Are they specialists in the subjects they teach or do they cover a range of subjects other than their own? How many of the staff is full-time? Is there a high staff turnover? If so, why? Is there a reasonably broad age range among staff? Older staff may have more knowledge and experience, younger ones perhaps a fresh approach and a good rapport with pupils who find them closer to their own age.

Pastoral care and boarders
How is the general welfare and progress of pupils monitored? How is the House system organized? What is the ‘chain of command’? Do pupils have their own personal tutors? Is there a member of staff of whom they can speak in complete confidence if they wish? Are older pupils encouraged to look after the younger ones? How is this arranged? Do pupils always have access to telephone?

If your child is to be a day pupil in a school, which also accepts boarders, how does the school encourage involvement from day pupils in evening and weekend activities? Are these activities actually available to day pupils? How many in practice take part? Does the house system mix boarder and day pupils or keep them apart?

For many working parents the facility to deliver children to school early and or collect later than usual can be unavailable. Some schools, well practiced in this can arrange to provide care and activities until parents collect. Ask whether the school offers after- school service.

If your child is to be a boarder, it is essential that you are introduced to the appropriate House staff. You must have complete confidence in those who will be responsible for your child’s welfare. Make sure you are shown the boarding accommodation. Most schools offer very comfortable accommodation these days and you expect high standards are the bedrooms, bathrooms and common rooms clean, warm and welcoming? Is there plenty of space for your child’s clothes and personal effects and, where appropriate, a secure area for variables?

What is the boarding routine? What happens in the evenings and at weekend? How many staff are on duty? How much free time is available? Do pupils have permission to go out of school? If so, what are the rules on this?
What are boarders permitted to bring to school? Some schools allow small pets such as rabbits. What pupils wear at weekend or at other times when uniform is not required? Are radios allowed? How much pocket money is permitted and how is it distributed? Medical matters are a further important issue. Do boarders receive regular medical and dental checks? Is there always a doctor available? Ask to see the sickbay and to meet the sister in charge. Would you be happy to entrust the staff you meet with your sick child? You should be confident that the school would cope in the event of an emergency. Particularly if you could not be contacted. What are the procedures and what is the school’s responsibility?

Food
You may be offered the chance to try out a school lunch for yourself! Ask about the school’s policy and the choice offered to pupils. You might wish to see a copy of the week’s menu. If your child has special dietary needs, either for health or religious reasons, or has a vegetable diet, could the school cope with this? How sympathetic is the response?

Extra-curricular activities
Does the school have any special strength? If your child is talented in music, for example, how seriously does the school take this? Is there an orchestra, choir? Do pupils give performances for fellow pupils and at events outside school? Are they encouraged to enter competitions for performing, singing or composing? The same principles apply whether your child is an artist. What encouragement will he or she receive and what activities and facilities are available?

Discipline
What is the school’s policy and is it in line with your own? Is corporal punishment ever used? If your child is in breach rules, will you be informed? Although it is a sensitive issue, you might also wish to ask whether the school has had to deal with cases of bullying and if so, how this was managed? What types of offence constitute suspension or exclusion?

In more general terms, it is important that during your meetings the head show a genuine interest in your child. Does he or she talk to your child as well as to you? Does the discussion focus on the school or on its capacity to meet your child’s individual needs? Is there a rapport between you, your child and the Head or does the environment fell uncomfortable? Can you establish any common ground in terms of overall educational aims and values? Ask what the Head’s short-term and long-term plans are for the school. You may even wish to ask about the financial stability of the school, although clearly this is a sensitive area. At the close of your visit, ask yourself whether or not you are convinced that this is the right school for child?

Seeing the school
Your first impression may be surprisingly accurate. How easy was it to find the school/Headmaster’s office? Was it signposted? Did a member of staff clearly expecting you welcome you? If you passed any pupils did they offer to show you the way? Were they neat, tidy and polite? Did they look happy?

As you go round, look at the notice boards. They will tell you a good deal about what is going on. If pupils are invited to sign up for activities, how many names have been submitted? You may be taken into a lesson as part of your tour, but a better way to check class sizes is to look at the number of desks or places in each classroom. What are the noise levels like? Do classes seem purposeful and organized? (Some activities may generate noise naturally, of course)

How do the pupils behave towards staff and visitors? Do they stand up in class, stand aside to let you pass or ignore you? Do they talk easily and sensibly to adults? How do they respond to teachers in class? Are they interested and enthusiastic? Is their work properly displayed on the walls? Is there a sense of variety in the work displayed and teaching styles used or does the classroom seem “tired”? The Head is a crucial figure. Is there a good rapport with staff and pupils or is he or she a distant figure.

Are the buildings and grounds well kept decorated? Some schools occupy very elaborate buildings, but others take equal pride in more ordinary premises. In many schools the standard of design and architecture in new building are outstanding.