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Features

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
Carl Esposito, Fit little deeper to understand things like their school
Pandemic aside, your child will spend more time
Director of 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
Admissions & should fit well, but a school is not a pair of shoes. Fit school should not be judged solely on their website.
Marketing from 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.
The British tool for you to learn about a school and apply your
International 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
School of Kuala • 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
CHOOSING AN Lumpur, gives • 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
his advice on
school’s values in action and you should walk away
INTERNATIONAL choosing an • Is the community international and welcoming? knowing a clear set of next steps.
• Will you feel supported?
international
Listen within your community. You probably added
SCHOOL school. 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
he three things that parents need to keep in Few decisions frustrate and confuse parents as your thoughts and feelings with their first-hand
mind when choosing a school for their child much as choosing a new school, but there are some Future experiences. If you have visited a school where you
Tare its academic curriculum and experience, universal tips that can make it easier. The intersection of academics and fit should prove do not know anyone, ask the school to provide a few
how they fit into their child’s needs and the future that a school is focused singularly on your child’s parent references.
they promise. A proper evaluation of a school must An A and 2 F’s (AFF) short and long-term future.
take into account its values and ethos, its facilities No, we are not talking about A Level results, but Be open. Every parent will have concerns and worries
and how they are used, the staff and how they see rather three simple categories that describe what Here are some questions to consider: about selecting a school. Do not be afraid to share
themselves as being part of the school community most parents are looking for when choosing an • Does the school continually invest in their teaching, these thoughts with your admission professional.
and how they are likely to enrich your child’s international school – academics, fit, and future. learning, and facilities? The right admissions officer will understand and
experience in that school. The simple AFF framework can help you think about • What focus is placed on skill-building in areas be empathetic to your concerns while providing
what’s important to you. By carefully considering that are important to universities and employers, information they feel addresses your needs.
You need to look out for evidence of their values in what is important to you, you will be better positioned like communication, critical thinking, creativity,
action. So visits to the school, real and virtual, and to evaluate potential schools. collaboration, and resilience? Choosing the right international school can be
communication with parents and others involved • How do the school’s co-curricular activities daunting. Be honest with yourself during the selection
with the school in one way or another are essential. Academics enhance their learning? process. The best parent-school partnerships begin
Smiling faces, confident first steps, and wide-eyed It is easy to look at the curriculum and a few key • How do they handle student transitions from year with a clear and mutual understanding about who our
wonderment – these are what parents look for on metrics and move on, but understanding a school’s to year, or primary school to secondary school, and children are and who we would like them to become.
their child’s first day at a new school; the tangible academic offer is deeper than knowing which secondary school to university?
results of the new school selection process. subjects they offer and how many A*’s their students For more information, please visit
earned. www.britishschool.edu.my

26 www.EducationDestinationMalaysia.com EDUCATION DESTINATION MALAYSIA: Guide to International & Private Schools 27