I encourage you to personally tour the school and meet the educators and students, form your own opinion and leave a comment here.
Best of luck with your search for the perfect school!
I started touring schools in 2022 when my daughter was in grade one. During a casual conversation with another parent about high school plans, they asked which high school I had enrolled her into. I looked at them blankly. I felt like she’d only just started primary school and secondary was far in the distant future. They proceeded to tell me I was probably already too late to secure a spot at a good school if she wasn’t on a waitlist already.
I panicked. Had I ruined my only child’s chance at a good education? That conversation sent me on an unexpected journey: touring secondary schools to try the find the right fit for my child who was only 6 years old at the time.
Schools are more different than you think
I started touring schools, and I found them absolutely fascinating. Each school was entirely different from the last in every aspect. Two schools could be in the same sector – public, private, or religious – and yet be completely different in every other way.
As well as different facilities, programs, size and demographic, schools can vary dramatically in their culture, values, leadership, philosophy, pedagogy and experiences they offer their students. Attending each school tour felt like meeting a unique person with their own personality, vibe, traits and ideas.
Even though the same curriculum is taught across schools, the way it’s taught differs, the environment differs, and the people and organization differ. School could have an entirely different vibe and culture which you wouldn’t know by just looking at results on a ranking table.
As someone interested in child developmental psychology, I believe that a child’s environment shapes them. They way they are brought up and nurtured makes a difference. Although school is obviously not everything, it forms a big part of their lives when they are young.
Children spend some of their most impressionable and vulnerable years at school ( ages 5-18 ), and their school environment will inevitably help shape them into the people they become.
Why I started writing about schools
I started writing about school tours because I felt this information was missing online. The articles document my experience of the school tour I took. It’s what I saw and heard on the day that I took the tour, which will hopefully give some insights into the school culture and values and what they think is important.
The articles aim to give some clues about the environment created for students as well as other information that isn’t readily online, so that parents can assess if they think it may be a good fit for their child and take a tour themselves.
It’s not a review of the school nor are they meant to replace touring the school in person. They can’t be ‘reviews’ as I obviously don’t have a child enrolled in each school. No one source can summarise all the experiences all students have of each school. These tour articles are just another source of information to help with the big decision.
It also must be kept in mind that schools use these tours to entice students to enrol so there is often an element of marketing and promotion on the tours.
Having said that, I still think that the information gleaned is useful to help choose a school. After starting the Melbourne Schools website, I started the Melbourne Schools Discussion Group on Facebook to connect with other parents and get even more insights into schools from their perspectives. The project grew from there to the newsletter and podcast.
What to listen for on school tours
Often parents ask me what questions they should ask on school tours.
Honestly, I mostly just listen. I feel like if the school thinks something is important, they’ll bring it up. Then you can decide if their values align with yours.
If you value inclusion: Listen to how the leaders talk about accommodating students who don’t fit into the mainstream mould. For example, I heard a principal speak about how the school library allows students to bring in their lunch for the students who find it hard to find friends on the school grounds outdoors at lunch time. I really like hearing about this thoughtfulness that goes behind the policy.
If discipline and respect are important to you: Listen to see if the principal focusses on discipline and respect in his address. For example, are students disciplined with detentions or is a more restorative approach taken?
Watch the interactions: Observe the interactions between staff and students. Is it friendly or more formal and does that fit your values?
Notice the facilities: Buildings and facilities give you an idea of what’s important to the school. New STEM buildings may indicate a focus on STEM education. Extensive sports facilities suggest opportunities for students to try and excel in many sports. Investment in well being hubs and therapy dogs may indicate the school takes mental health of students seriously.
For a list of questions to consider asking, visit: https://melbourneschools.com.au/melbourne-schools/questions-to-ask-on-school-tours-a-parents-guide/
What I believe matters
Leadership is important I believe what the principal thinks and talks about matters because the vision should translate into reality. Visions don’t always come true, but there’s a better chance of it becoming reality if there’s a vision in the first place.
Culture matters more than buildings. While orchestra pits and rock climbing walls are impressive, I’m more focused on the culture of the school and how it’s fostered with students.
Size can be a factor. Smaller schools may be more cozy and nurturing, where teachers know students individually, but subject choices and friend choices may be more limited. Larger schools may have a broad variety of extracurricular activities, subjects, and friends to choose from, but some students may find they get lost in the crowd. Which one suits your child, only you can assess.
Fit for your student matters. Schools often have a particular “bent”. For example, more or less sporty, more or less academic. Finding a good fit for your child is important.
So which school did I choose?
Honestly it doesn’t matter which school I chose for my daughter. I chose one that I thought suited her interests, personality, strengths and weaknesses. I also had to take into account where we live and what I could afford.
After visiting 30 schools, my biggest takeaway is every school offers something different. There is no universally perfect school for every child. The right school for my child may not be the right one for your child – fit is everything.
Schools are a lot more than just rankings on a table. There are values, personality, environment, and opportunities to take into account as well as the education offered.
In the end, we can only make the best decision with the information we have, and only time will tell if we got it right. So be gentle with yourself as a parent – you’re doing your best, and that is enough.
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Thank you so much for the insights into schools. We are about to embark on looking at high schools in the outter east.
Thanks Dani! Best of luck with it! Cheers, Crystal