Now that PSLE results are out, here's the ultimate guide to secondary school open houses 2020

Time spent in secondary school plays a huge part in shaping your child’s personality and character, and in influencing his/her life choices.

When it comes to choosing a secondary school, discuss the school choices with your child. Consider schools with an environment and cultural values that resonate with your child’s character and style of learning. Focus on schools with programmes that best cater to your child’s strengths and interests.

If you and your child haven’t made a choice for your child’s secondary school, there may still be a chance for open houses to choose the best school for their kids.

Due to the ongoing pandemic, schools have made available open houses via their official website so parents and their children can still check out the school’s environment and culture.

To make planning easier for you and your child, we’ve provided a secondary school open house 2020 guide. 

Since secondary school is an essential part of your child’s education, parents should ensure that their child is in an environment they are comfortable and can thrive in so opportunities to join open houses are a must.

Some schools are even arranging e-Open House events and live engagement sessions for those interested so make sure not to miss them!

But before entering any secondary school open house in 2020, make sure you’re asking the right questions so you and your child can find the best place to enrol in.

ALSO READ: Top secondary schools in Singapore 2019 based on PSLE COP 2018

Questions you should be asking 

What to ask the staff

• How do you allocate classes in this school?
• What are the subject combinations offered for upper secondary classes? 
• What makes this school different from others?
• What are the strengths of this school?
• Does this school offer any extracurricular opportunities for the kids? 
• How would this school support children who have academic, social or emotional difficulties? 

What to ask students

• What classes do you enjoy? Why?
• What classes do you find difficult? Why?
• What do you like about your teachers?
• Do you have any favourite teachers? What do you like about them?
• How does this school deal with bullying?

What to ask about CCAs

• Does my child’s participation in this sport or activity count as a CCA? 
• Will students be selected for the school team if they try out for a new sport or activity?

Tips for choosing a secondary school

1. Know more about your child’s strengths and learning styles

It’s important to discuss with your child first what their strengths and preferred learning styles are so you can both choose the best school that would meet these standards. Find out what activities they enjoy and check if any of the school options offer them in their curriculum.

Learning more about what environment a school has is also essential in choosing which one is the most compatible for your child. 

2. Make a checklist in what you and your child are looking for in a secondary school

Since every school offers different programmes and subjects, you and your child can lay out what particular things you both think are ideal for a secondary school. Listing down what you both are looking for can help you be more organised in your choices. 

3. Make use of the SchoolFinder site 

For an easier decision-making session between you and your kid, you can always refer to the SchoolFinder website to list down potential school choices. You can explore various options for secondary schools and shortlist those you are interested in.

Make sure you list down enough options that you find suitable for you and your child to choose from. 

5. Find out if the location is accessible

Don’t forget to check the locations of the schools you find and consider your child’s transportation options. Find out beforehand if the location is accessible and add it to the list of things to review on when choosing a school. 

6. Consider your finances 

Financial considerations should not be left out when choosing a school for your kid, especially if you’re leaning more towards an independent school. Familiarise yourself with the school’s fee structure before finalising anything.

There are also financial assistance and scholarships available for Singapore citizens that you can check out on the MOE website. 

Secondary school open house 2020

Here are the available secondary school open houses for you and your child to check out and start planning!

This article was first published in theAsianparent.