What Should a Parent Look for While Selecting a Primary School?

The right choice of school for your child will make all the difference in the world for them. Since children spend around seven to eight hours in a school, it is logical that you choose one of the best primary schools in Tokyo for your child. The school will be responsible for your child's career choices, the type of friends your child is likely to make, the psychological effect of teachers on the children, and the way children react to the situations in life.

Choosing a good school is an intimidating task as there are a lot of options to choose from. You have to consider a few things like the type of school, the type of curriculum, whether it should be a private school, public school, international school or a government school. These options leave the parents in a quandary of choices to choose from. Therefore you must consider all the options before making a decision. 

This article will help you make an informed decision on how to choose a primary school in Tokyo.

‍

1. Find a school as per your child's needs

Children learn at different speeds and learn through different approaches. Understanding how your child learns best will help you choose the right school for your child. Some children learn by practising, while some have curiosity and learn a lot independently, and some like challenges.

‍

2. Fee structure

The fee structure of primary schools in Tokyo is different. Depending upon the rating given by Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA), the schools are asked to change their fee structure. If a school improves their curriculum or is equally appreciated by the parents, then the fees can be increased. Also, the fees are different in different schools. The fees depend upon the facilities provided by them. Therefore understand the breakdown of the fees beforehand.

‍

3. Schools should teach necessary skills to survive in the 21st century

The 21st era is known as the digital era, and there are very few children who know nothing about technological advancements. The school should teach them soft skills, creative thinking, learning about coding and new technologies, collaborating, etc. The best education curriculum for this type of teaching is the international baccalaureate. In this type of curriculum, the students are given the freedom to choose their subjects, and there are no restrictions from school or their parents.

‍

‍

4. Look for a school with international recognition

An internationally recognised school can help your child get into any international university. In contrast, some schools are restricted to the curriculum followed by certain countries, such as French or American. An international baccalaureate school can help your child master the art of learning by themselves. The children are given the freedom to research items on their own and then learn about their findings. It is also no secret that many international universities prefer students from international baccalaureate curriculum.

‍

5. The teaching standards of the school should be top-notch

Tokyo has excelled in many fields. Education is also one of them. All the schools in Tokyo are exceptional, and their teaching methods are accepted globally. The teachers should be all well qualified, trained and experienced to handle the needs of children in primary class. The teachers should pay close attention to each child and help the students with any doubts and problems.

‍

6. KHDA rankings

These rankings help you understand how good the school is. These ratings are available online, and you can search for these ratings of all the schools. These ratings are done by taking into account the overall development of the students and also the ratings given by  parent's to the school. The KHDA ratings are also responsible for the fee hike of the schools. A school with good rankings will have all the necessary facilities, the teachers will be experienced and well-equipped, and the overall review of the school will also be good. 

‍

7. Check for a school with an academic counsellor

A school with an academic counsellor speaks volume about how important they are to the children's overall academic and emotional development. The children can consult the counsellor, and they readily help with the problems that the students normally face. Many international baccalaureate schools and other curriculum schools have experienced counsellors to meet the children's demands and help them. The counsellor's main job is to come up with ways to help the students excel in their academic and extracurricular activities.

‍

8. Take a tour of the school

You will get to know a lot about the schools once you take a tour of the school. On tour, you can observe the facilities and the way teachers behave with the students. A tour will help you understand how important the school is to extracurricular activities. You can also interact with the students and get a better understanding of the way teachers treat them. While on tour, you can even meet the principal to know better about the school's vision.

‍

9. Look at the awards school has received

Awards and accreditations can help you know how well the school and the children have excelled. They should not be taken lightly, especially if the government awards them. If a school gets certain awards and accreditations, it speaks volumes about the hard work put behind winning these awards. Sending your child to such a school ensures that your child gets the right guidance to excel in academics and other extracurricular activities.

‍

‍

Wrapping up

International Schools have a rich repertoire of academics and extracurricular activities that help in enhancing the child’s overall development. Hope this list will help you in choosing the right school.