Parents often ask me what to look for in a new school. Helping parents to select a schoool in the UK state sector was an important part of my role as a school leader in three large comprehensive schools in the UK. Parents needed to choose from a wide range of schools, specialist schools and academies, often quite close together physically and often with very little, on the surface, to distinguish them from each other.
On the international circuit it’s also a complex and potentially difficult process, as schools use an increasing variety of curriculum frameworks and have very diverse student populations. In Prague, as in most parts of the globe, the British and American systems tend to be the most prevalent, but many other systems are represented, as are international options like the International Baccalaureate.
You should of course try to gather as much information as you can, both directly from schools and from independent sources (such as websites like www.expats.cz). Personal recommendations are often a highly valuable source. Most schools will be happy to put you in touch with current parents from your home country to give you an insider’s view of the school and its performance.
I would say to be aware of assertions that cannot be backed with evidence. Mark Twain may have said that we should be wary of “lies, damned lies and statistics”. However, the best schools today do keep a lot of information and data about their performance and that of the students. You should, of course, use this, but always be prepared to challenge the school critically on its claims.
There is nothing wrong with the rigour that, in particular, the English National Curriculum brings to students’ learning in this respect. I think it’s vital that young people should be able to speak confidently about their academic strengths, weaknesses and progress, and about specifically how they can improve.
Something that cannot, and should not, be measured by hard data is the value added by the school. You should ask schools to convince you about the academic progress of young people, which will often be measured in grades and levels. However, schools are about more than just a young person’s academic achievement. Personal progress and development is absolutely crucial, and IBO schools in particular are great at developing the so-called softer skills, such as teamwork, enquiry, risk taking, respect and compassion.
This is often best seen in the atmosphere around the school, the general conduct and manners of the students and the variety of activities they enjoy. However, the very best schools are becoming adept at evidencing this too without ticking boxes and turning everything into statistics. Ask them about this evidence – it’s a good challenge.
It is often (and I believe rightly) said that schools stand or fall by the quality of their students. Are young people at the school successful, confident, making a real contribution to their community and well prepared for the next move, wherever that may be? If the answer is ‘yes’, you’re almost certainly looking at a high quality school.
How can you best find this out? My advice is to visit on a typical working day and ensure that you see the school as it is with no restrictions.
Make sure you talk to as many students and staff as you can. Ask that this be the case – don’t just settle for the standard tour or even the principal’s speech. Ask lots of questions, and make sure you get full and convincing answers on issues that are important to you and your family. During your visit, also ask yourself some questions. Would you be happy to entrust your children’s education and wellbeing to the people you meet? What is the atmosphere like? Is it purposeful? Are pupils and staff respectful of each other and communicating well? Are the pupils happy? Would you be pleased if your children conducted themselves in the same fashion?
Ultimately the best way to judge the school is based on a normal working day with no show and sell. If possible, ask whether you can tour the school on your own (as well as with a guide). Ask also whether your child can come for a taster morning or whole day – the best schools will always oblige on both counts.
In addition, be wary of schools which simply tell you what they have – most schools have the same things in the final analysis. The best schools listen to the needs of the family and the children and show if and how they can cater for those needs. The very best will even be honest in telling you sincerely which needs they cannot match!
Be wary about a school’s facilities – they can be used to seduce prospective parents, and can be very influential in the decision-making process. However, it doesn’t necessarily follow that a school with outstanding facilities is of high overall quality. Facilities are of course important, and most good international schools boast excellent extracurricular facilities. Most schools these days also have significant ICT infrastructure in terms of suites or laptops and interactive white boards. A word of caution is once again in order. Are these facilities used well? Do they support high quality teaching and learning? I strongly suggest you ask to see examples of student work in order to examine the sort of progress being made by students and supported by the facilities.
There are other considerations apart from the school itself, such as the proximity of expat housing and facilities, and travel time from home and work. These issues cannot be ignored, but usually (and certainly in the case of the English International School Prague) there is no shortage of high quality housing stock in the vicinity of the school.
The single most important factor, I suggest, should be the attitude and quality of the people involved in the organisation. To be successful, a school has to have high quality professionals across the age range and the subject areas, dedicated to the task of bringing out the best in the children in their care. The best staff do not focus purely on exam results, despite their obvious importance. They also concern themselves with their students’ all-round development. Most successful people are able to communicate and interact successfully with others. Interpersonal skills such as polite conversation, good behaviour and social graces and understanding and appreciating other people and cultures are therefore all-important attributes.
The people create the right environment, and are role models with a hugely important role in inspiring and developing children in many different ways. Good staff cater for each child’s individual needs and understand how best to motivate and support the children in their care, thus bringing out the best in them. Great staff are intelligently passionate and give unstintingly of their commitment and time.
Ultimately it will come down to your gut reaction. Does the school feel right to you? And, if your children are mature enough to be involved in the decision, does it feel right to them? If the answer to these questions is yes, and the school provides the right curriculum in your language of choice, you have probably found the right school. However, if there are a number of things you immediately take against or that conflict with your own core values, then I strongly advise you to keep looking.
For more information about schools and education in Prague please visit the site of the English International School, Prague.
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