Sending your child off to primary school can be a big change and you need to make sure that you choose the right school so that they have a smooth transition. You have to look at the application form dates of your local council so that you know when to apply for a place. There are many potential primary schools in your locality so you need to make a list of schools and a list of the requirements that you are looking for so that you can narrow it down.
You can also visit the sunshine Coast primary schools to get an idea of the atmosphere and the demeanour of the teachers. This will give you some idea of whether your child will feel comfortable in the space. You have to read the admission criteria of the school carefully to understand whether your child can get in or not. There is a booklet that will be published by the local council regarding the criteria different schools are looking at. You can visit the school or contact them to get this information as well. You also have to look at how well the school is performing and this information can be easily found on the school website. You can look at how the school is performing academically and in other areas as well.
It is best to speak to other parents you know so that you can get their input on the matter as well. If their child is the same age as yours, they will be looking for schools as well and this is something that you can discuss together. You have to get an idea about the school by looking at whether there are a lot of staff changes, how the school is doing lately and what the management of the school is like. If you know any parents whose children attend that school, you will be able to get a clearer idea about how the school operates. You have to visit the school on the open day so that you can clarify any questions that you have and get to meet the teachers who will be working with your child.
You may meet the head of the school on the open day so you will be able to observe how the staff members and the students act around them. You can get a tour of the classrooms as well to see whether there is a lot of artwork hung up on the wall, how organised the classroom is and what amenities are provided to the classes. You can observe how the students interact with the teachers and whether they are engaged in the lessons. Check whether there are drinking water fountains or readily available drinking water on the school premises as well as enough sanitisers in common areas that the children can use. You can ask about what playtime in the school is like and whether there are different programmes or special attention given to students that are a bit behind.
