Expert encourages parents to ‘identify’ their child’s strengths before choosing the right school for their child

Since there was a good public school nearby, it seemed a logical decision for parents Sue Phoo and Ambrith Abayasekara to enroll their children in the same school.

But it soon became clear that what worked for their oldest child didn’t work so well for their youngest.

Their outgoing and sporty son Rufus, now 12, enjoyed the atmosphere at the local primary school, but their quiet and creative daughter Rosie, now 10, felt “a little overwhelmed” there.

“It was the start of a conversation at home about what would be the right place or school for Rosie in the future, because she had such different needs than her brother,” Phoo said.

Finding the right fit

After visiting a number of schools, the family decided to send Rufus to a local state primary school and Rosie to a Steiner school, which focused on an educational philosophy that emphasised creativity and individuality.

“When I walked into the school yard, I knew right away that this was the best place for Rosie,” said Phoo.

In Australia, primary schools are broadly divided into public and private systems. The private system includes religious and independent models.

Some schools have specific areas of interest, such as sports or music, while others have specific educational philosophies.

For some families, choices are limited.

Many public schools fall within catchment areas, meaning that students who live outside the catchment area may not be eligible to enroll.

Although private schools often have no geographic restrictions on enrollment, the costs can still be prohibitive.

But even if families do have a choice, it can be difficult to find the educational opportunities they want.

So what is the best approach to selecting a school?

Raising Children Network, a government-funded educational organization, advises parents to choose a school that best suits their child’s personality, talents, needs and interests.

This includes class size, programs, extracurricular activities and facilities.

The network also recommends examining the extent to which schools connect with family, personal and cultural values, and with practical matters such as location, before and after-school care and boarding facilities.

When comparing schools, the Raising Children Network recommends looking at academic performance over time, communication with parents and management of student behavior.

According to Derek McCormack, the network’s director, parents are “more aware that there are different factors” to consider when choosing a school. The organization’s website has seen a growth in traffic to the topic over the past decade.

According to Mr McCormack, the choice of a school ultimately depends on what is important to each family.

“Things like cost, location, the atmosphere and culture of a school, academic performance, all of these mean different things to different families,” he said.

School trips are a good place to start

“When I took my kids on a tour of a school, I noticed that you get a good sense of the culture of a school,” McCormack said.

Although sending her children to separate schools doubled the travel time, Ms Phoo said it had actually given Rufus and Rosie more confidence in their separate environments.

Rufus has joined several sports teams and Rosie’s social skills have improved.

“My advice to parents is… identify your child’s personality and the way they learn and really research what’s available in your area to see if there’s a system or school that would work best for them,” Ms Phoo said.