Getting a peek into the school grounds, meeting the teachers and students, experiencing each school’s culture – open houses provide opportunities for you and your child to choose a secondary school most suitable for him/her. Here are some points to keep in mind as your child embarks on this exciting new chapter.
1. Have a conversation with your child about their strengths and interests
Find out what appeals to them and what worries them most about going to secondary school. Ask them about their favourite lessons and activities in primary school and let them share what they think are their strengths and interests.
You can also ask them to list what they enjoy about their school experiences in order of preference. This could range from the learning environment to academic programmes to CCAs and even the canteen food! This will give you a better understanding of what matters to them and what they would like to have in their secondary school life.
2. Think of different aspects of the school experience
When discussing possible secondary school options with your child, consider the school’s distinctive programmes, culture and ethos, subjects and CCAs offered, as well as the distance from home. These will all impact your child’s experience.
3. Shortlist a range of schools
After having a conversation with your child, use the checklist on SchoolFinder to explore and shortlist the options together. Find out what each school can offer your child and whether it seems to be a good fit for your child’s strengths, interests, and abilities. This exploration can better inform the 6 choices that you and your child indicate after the release of the PSLE results. If you need help navigating SchoolFinder, read this article for tips.
4. Check out the open houses before you make a decision
Visit the schools’ websites and their virtual/physical open houses. Please see the table below for details.
Should you and your child be at a physical open house, participate in the activities to feel the pulse and energy of the school. Encourage your child to ask the students questions about what they enjoy most about their school life and observe if your child enjoys the interaction with the students there. After the visit, have a discussion with your child what he/she liked from the visit and take their views into consideration.
When shortlisting schools, do use all six options to increase your child’s chance of being posted to a school of their choice. Include two to three schools where your child’s PSLE Score is better than the school’s previous year’s Cut-Off Point. Ranking your child’s preferred school higher in the school choice order will increase the chance of your child being posted to that school, if tie-breakers are required.
