Choosing a Secondary School for your Child - A Mom Shares What Matters
Friday, November 27, 2009
Isaac (far left) and Gillian (far right) with their mother Mrs Pat Chong and their younger siblings.
One fine day, you wake up and realise that your child's six years of primary school are almost over. All of a sudden, you find yourself worrying about the next important step: choosing a secondary school that would support your child's learning needs and maximise his potential.
Granted, many parents start to think about their options in good time. But the questions are still the same: how do you decide which school is most suitable; how important are a school's non-academic strengths and CCAs; and how much say should you give your child in choosing a secondary school?
It's said that experience is the best teacher. If so, Mrs Pat Chong, a MOE Parent Ambassador and mother of five, should prove a reliable guide for parents who'd like to hear how one parent approached the task with the varying needs of her children very much in mind.
Looking beyond academic results
Mrs Chong's two eldest children are currently in Sec 1 and Sec 2. Like many other parents, she pays close attention to a school's academic track record before making her decision. But good results aren't always good enough; other facets also come into play.
As a Catholic who studied in a mission school, Mrs Chong and her husband wanted their children to share the kind of schooling environment she herself enjoyed. "We liked schools that shared the same Catholic values and had a long tradition behind them," she explains. "Our children's primary schools had affiliated secondary schools. So those were our preferred choices."
Together as a family, both during vacation and in making their choice of schools.
Distance also matters. In the case of Isaac, Mrs Chong's second child, their first choice school wasn't available and the next school down the list was located too far away. In the end, he enrolled in St. Gabriel's Secondary School, a mission school closer to home with comparable academic achievements.
The Chongs' eldest daughter, Gillian, has Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and is dyslexic. So it was vital that her secondary school is able to cater to her special needs. The school that she now attends, CHIJ Katong Convent, has a Special Needs Officer who can provide support for dyslexia. During school hours, Gillian would attend coaching sessions with the Officer and counsellor in place of Chinese lessons, from which she is exempted.
Choosing as a family
At primary level, most parents select a school they think is best for their child. But at the brink of secondary school, many children would have some inkling of the kind of environment and activities they would like to have in their new school.
Mrs Chong has no qualms about giving her children a strong say in selecting their secondary schools. Together, they would check out the schools' websites and visit the schools to view the facilities and feel the ambience for themselves.
"In fact, all the children, even the younger ones, were involved in the discussion," reveals Mrs Chong. "They would offer suggestions, alternatives and throw up issues for us to think about."
Inevitably, differences do arise. For instance, Gillian did not want to go to her affiliated secondary school, opting for another mission school much further away and with a slightly less impressive academic record. The crux of her choice? The school offers bowling, a CCA Gillian was keen to take up.
Mrs Chong believes her children should have a say in their choice of secondary schools.
"Sometimes when our preferences clash, we would debate the different factors," says Mrs Chong.
But try as they may to be thorough and methodical about the whole process, sometimes it all boils down to one's gut feel. When they visit a school and find that the children like it instinctively, that would usually be the place they choose.
Thankfully for the Chongs, the choices so far have gotten the green light of every family member. Indeed, decisions that were slightly doubtful have thrown up pleasant surprises. Gillian has not only picked up bowling as a CCA, she has become so skilled that she now represents her school in competitions.
A chance to develop one's talent
Mrs Chong also points out the importance of CCAs in the Direct School Admissions (DSA) exercise. Under DSA, Pri 6 pupils who excel in certain non-academic areas can apply to a niche programme school even before they sit for their PSLE. Niche programme schools are mainstream schools that offer well-developed talent development programmes in specialised activities such as the arts or various sports.
"I think DSA presents opportunities that many parents might not know about," shares Mrs Chong. "I did not really take DSA seriously until my children were busy selecting schools at the end of Pri 6!
"Now that I know more about DSA, I would be interested to see which CCAs my children would shine in and give them every opportunity to develop themselves early on," she adds.
For Mrs Chong, it's clear that a well-rounded education is not just about academic results. As she has discovered, choosing a school that matches a child's needs, interests and talents can offer wonderful opportunities for your child to grow and blossom as an individual.