Choosing an International School – A Parent’s Perspective

School is an integral part of a kid's life, so it is not to be taken lightly. One should not just apply at any school. The selection process demands from parents time and research. Nowadays, international schools are on the rise and rightly so. An international school offers gargantuan advantages when compared to a normal school. Not that local schools are bad, but an international school offers more opportunities for a child to grow. Fortunately, there are several prominent schools in Dubai. In fact, International Schools in Dubai are among the best in the world.

Let us look at the reasons why many parents prefer International Schools in Dubai.

Fosters individuality while being inclusive.

There are different types of children. Some may be open and freely interact while others may be much more reserved and keep to themselves. International Schools in Dubai help the children become more comfortable by letting their individuality sprout even though it is a collective learning process.

Diverse setting

As the name suggests, children in International schools will come from multicultural backgrounds from across the world. A child growing in such an environment will foster friendships that will span the world. It is an immense opportunity to learn and have relations around the world from such a young age.

That being said, choosing an international school is a pretty cumbersome and lengthy affair. To help you out, we discuss what parents keep in mind while going through the selection process.

What are the things to tool out for a while choosing one among the many International Schools in Dubai?

Find out the comfort zone -

For a British national, a British curriculum may fit the bill perfectly. But do not limit yourself. Explore other curriculums. There are a lot of curriculums which may suit your child better and offer greater opportunities according to their personality and needs.

School visits -

There is no substitute for this. Going to the schools, you have shortlisted and getting the feel of their day to day work is the best way to gauge how a school is.

Comparisons

You are bound to have selected several options. Look at the differences between each school. Find out and compare advantages or disadvantages. Comparison factors may include distance, curriculum, teaching methods, individual attention that children get, extracurricular activities and so on.

Reviews -

Talk to parents who have their kids already enrolled in one of the many International Schools in Dubai. Lookup Facebook community pages. Go through genuine school reviews online. People who have had previous experiences will help you to arrive at a better decision. Visit the school sites, social media pages. Compare what kind of image they project and what you see in the school visits.

Some other aspects -

These may not have much of an effect on your children's learning but still, matter a lot. They include factors like

• Safety and security - whether there are proper systems and equipment in place
• Ranking of the school - Higher ranking means definitely a better learning environment both in terms of teachers and also peer groups.
• Proper work and play balance - This is often overlooked but is very important. Your child needs an adequate amount of time for both academics as well as play and fun.

How to finally settle down to one choice?

School visits are the key, as mentioned before. Get a feel of the school, whether the environment is warm and comforting. Ask questions to the person showing you around the schools and see if you get genuine answers. Many times the school visits are very professional and impersonal. Often administrators are the ones showing you about, and they struggle to answer questions other than those related to administration. Make it a pint to talk to teachers as they are the ones who will help your child in the growing up process.

There you have it. Keeping these basic things in mind any parent is sure to find the best school among the many International Schools in Dubai which best suits their child. So now go ahead and make an informed decision!