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Features
Carl Esposito,
Director of
Admissions &
Marketing from
The British
International
School of Kuala
CHOOSING AN Lumpur, gives
his advice on
INTERNATIONAL choosing an
international
SCHOOL school.
he three things that parents need to keep in Few decisions frustrate and confuse parents as
mind when choosing a school for their child much as choosing a new school, but there are some
Tare its academic curriculum and experience, universal tips that can make it easier.
how they fit into their child’s needs and the future
they promise. A proper evaluation of a school must An A and 2 F’s (AFF)
take into account its values and ethos, its facilities No, we are not talking about A Level results, but
and how they are used, the staff and how they see rather three simple categories that describe what
themselves as being part of the school community most parents are looking for when choosing an
and how they are likely to enrich your child’s international school – academics, fit, and future.
experience in that school. The simple AFF framework can help you think about
what’s important to you. By carefully considering
You need to look out for evidence of their values in what is important to you, you will be better positioned
action. So visits to the school, real and virtual, and to evaluate potential schools.
communication with parents and others involved
with the school in one way or another are essential. Academics
Smiling faces, confident first steps, and wide-eyed It is easy to look at the curriculum and a few key
wonderment – these are what parents look for on metrics and move on, but understanding a school’s
their child’s first day at a new school; the tangible academic offer is deeper than knowing which
results of the new school selection process. subjects they offer and how many A*’s their students
earned.
26 www.EducationDestinationMalaysia.com
Here are some questions to help you understand Evaluating Schools
and narrow down what’s important to you about The above questions certainly do not cover every
academics: topic, they are just a starting point, and all can be
• What curriculum is offered and how does it adapted to address what’s important to you for
compare to what I am used to? physical school or virtual school. Even if you use AFF
• What is the school’s experience with transitioning to develop what is important to you, you still need
students between curricula? tools to evaluate the answers. Luckily, international
• What academic measures are important to me schools will be happy to help. Here are some tips for
(grades, international exam results, university gathering the information you need.
offers, etc)?
• What are the teachers like? How are they trained? School websites, social media and school guides like
• Does the school provide the right resources for this one provide a lot of valuable information. You
learning? should quickly be able to answer all the descriptive
questions about a school. You might have to dig a
Fit little deeper to understand things like their school
Pandemic aside, your child will spend more time
at school then they will spend at home. A school values and if they operate with a shared sense of
purpose. A great website will make that clear, but a
should fit well, but a school is not a pair of shoes. Fit school should not be judged solely on their website.
encompasses not only what will feel comfortable, but The school visit, even virtual ones, remain the best
also how a school will fuel personal growth.
tool for you to learn about a school and apply your
Here are some questions to help you best AFF assessment. You should not just see facilities,
understand fit:
but see how they are used. You should not just meet
• How will the school get the best out of your child? people. You should understand how they feel about
• Will the learning be personalised and what does
• Are the school’s values aligned with your beliefs? being a part of the school community and how they
that look like?
will enrich your child’s experience. You should see the
school’s values in action and you should walk away
• Is the community international and welcoming? knowing a clear set of next steps.
• Will you feel supported?
Listen within your community. You probably added
Every family will have a different budget for school a school to your list based on the recommendation
that is a part of finding the best fit school for you, but
of a friend or colleague. Do not close that line of
no matter what you can afford you should feel like
the school provides value for every ringgit you spend. communication once you have made your short-
list of potential schools. After your visit, confirm
your thoughts and feelings with their first-hand
Future experiences. If you have visited a school where you
The intersection of academics and fit should prove do not know anyone, ask the school to provide a few
that a school is focused singularly on your child’s parent references.
short and long-term future.
Be open. Every parent will have concerns and worries
Here are some questions to consider: about selecting a school. Do not be afraid to share
• Does the school continually invest in their teaching, these thoughts with your admission professional.
learning, and facilities? The right admissions officer will understand and
• What focus is placed on skill-building in areas be empathetic to your concerns while providing
that are important to universities and employers, information they feel addresses your needs.
like communication, critical thinking, creativity,
collaboration, and resilience? Choosing the right international school can be
• How do the school’s co-curricular activities daunting. Be honest with yourself during the selection
enhance their learning? process. The best parent-school partnerships begin
• How do they handle student transitions from year with a clear and mutual understanding about who our
to year, or primary school to secondary school, and children are and who we would like them to become.
secondary school to university?
For more information, please visit
www.britishschool.edu.my
EDUCATION DESTINATION MALAYSIA: Guide to International & Private Schools 27