As a parent, figuring out which preschool is right for your child is a daunting task. There’s that feeling of, What if I make the wrong choice? What am I really looking for in a preschool? Will my child be happy here? So many questions, so many schools, so much confusion!
When first looking at preschools for Krishnav (my older one), I remember feeling so unsure of my choices and how to go about the process of selecting schools. But by the time Arjun’s turn came up, the whole process - from researching preschools to enrollment to settling him in - was a completely different experience! The second time around, I was much more confident of what I was looking for in a preschool, what aspects matter most to me, and the kinds of questions to ask during the school tours. Between both my kids, I have visited and evaluated about 20 schools and weighed the pros & cons of local vs international schooling systems in Singapore. I have seen my children through a local Singaporean preschool, a play-based preschool, and a Montessori preschool. I’d like to share what I have gathered through these experiences which can be applied to most places regardless of where you live...questions to ask and things to look out for, in my perspective. For those exploring preschools for their little one and also if you’re in Singapore, here are a few pointers! (Note: The list below pertains only to preschools. When talking about the "big schools" like the international schools, there is a whole additional set of considerations!).
1. Be systematic. Create a notebook or spreadsheet with the list of schools you plan to visit and make appointments in advance. Be sure to jot down your observations and notes about the school within the day of your visit while your memory is still fresh. A lot of this search process is also based on intangible things, such as the vibes you got from the school while visiting. Thus, along with the raw facts and figures about the school, it is important to write your thoughts and feelings down before you forget them.
2. Timing of preschool visits is key: I would suggest making the visits about 6-12 months before you plan to enroll your child in preschool. I understand that it may be hard to think about doing this a whole year in advance. However, these days many schools have long wait lists. You don’t want to be in a situation where you found your ideal school but it has is no availability. At the very least, make the visits 5-6 months in advance.
3. Set the framework for your search: Think about what type of big school your child is likely to enter when they go for kindergarten or grade 1. This is especially pertinent if you’re in Singapore. The dicotomy lies in local versus international school. If local school, you will have a different angle from which you approach your search vs those planning to send their kids to an international school. Both are very different in teaching style so it does become a factor to consider when searching for preschools. I knew my kids would be going to international schools so I mainly considered preschools which feed children into the international school system. This is not a hard and fast rule but just something to be aware of.
4. Determine what type of teaching approach resonates with you and your child. Read up beforehand what the strengths and focuses are of each type of school system/teaching philosopy and visit the different schools. Is it Montessori? If Montessori, is it a true Montessori system or a Montessori-inspired one? (There is a difference, and many schools claim to be Montessori in Singapore but they are not completely so). Reggio Emilia? Primary Years Program which is inquiry-based learning? Is it a local Singaporean preschool (where teaching methods are very similar to Indian schools) with greater academic rigor? This link summarizes some of the main types of preschool pedagogies here.
5. What is the student profile like? (i.e., which proportion of children are locals vs expats/foreigners). I ask this from a diversity perspective as well as using this to understand what kind of feeder school it is. If there are mostly local Singaporean kids, then this school will be feeding into the local system and the preschool’s foundations will have a greater likelihood of focusing on reading, writing, math, and a different approach to teaching. If mostly international/expat kids, then you know this school’s approach might be more experiential-based learning with focus on social skill building and creative arts. (This isn’t a hard & fast rule and there are nuances to this which I won’t go into).
6. Bilingual schools: Specific to Singapore, are you looking for schools with Chinese immersion programs? This means there is a Chinese teacher who speaks exclusively in Chinese with the children. Some schools will just cover 1 hour of Chinese speaking in a day while others will spend more than that (half a day or so).
7. During your visit, ask to see the older class levels and see the work being done in their curriculum (i.e., worksheets, lesson sheets, artwork, etc). Then compare what you have seen from all the schools in your search. You are likely to notice a difference - in some schools, kids may be doing more advanced writing and math, while in others it could be more creative or exploratory-based activities. See which one appeals to you/which one your child will respond to more because this is where he/she will likely be 2-3 years from now.
8. Ask the school how they help to transition children to preschool. Many schools will allow parents to sit in the classroom for the first couple days or so and then ask them to remain out of the classroom. Some are flexible while some strictly ask the parents to stay out. For Krishnav, I switched him out of a local preschool to a play-based one and I saw a stark contrast in his settling in and adjustment process. Meanwhile, the school I chose for Arjun had a gentle approach to settling a child into his new school. They held familiarization sessions for 7-9 days where Arjun attended class for an hour prior to his official first day. I think that really made a difference in getting him comfortable with the classroom environment and his teachers.
9. Cost! Let’s not forget a key driving factor in our decision-making here! Understand where the money for the tuition goes. Does the cost of the school seem justified for what you're getting compared to other schools? I have found that schools which are modest in cost do offer excellent curriculums - it's just a matter of finding one that feels right for you.
10. How much does school “branding” matter to you? Some preschools are very impressive with gorgeous campuses and facilities and may even have several branches around town (Eton House, MindChamps, Pat’s Schoolhouse, etc). Others may be more humble in appearance or smaller in size. For kids at this age, my own opinion is that fancy places don’t really matter. What makes them comfortable is being in a nurturing, safe environment. Sometimes the smaller schools are just as effective as the “bigger” branded ones.
11. Ask questions about how children are treated when discipline issues arise. You can ask something like, If a child is misbehaving in class or isn’t listening to the teacher, how do you deal with that? The type of answer you get will reflect the school’s approach to dealing with children in general.
12. How much outdoor playtime do the children get? It’s important that the kids get to step outdoors for a while everyday. To that end, when you visit the preschools, take a look around to see if there is sufficient space for outdoor play. Some schools have big grounds for outdoor place while others are inside malls and hence have very limited outdoor space.
13. May be a no brainer to do this but it’s worth mentioning: Observe the teachers as you visit the classrooms and how the children are interacting. Do the children look engaged and happy? Do the teachers seem warm and nurturing? How are they responding to a student’s needs? Take the time to observe this during your preschool visits.
14. Ask about the student:teacher ratio and the qualifications of the teachers. (This is a standard question but had to be stated!)
15. Ask how and when they introduce writing to preschoolers and whether they get homework. This is a key indicator of the type of school and its academic rigor, in my opinion. In Krishnav's first preschool which was more academically inclined, the children were getting homework at the age of 3 and were beginning to be practice writing letters and taught "sight words" in order to read. I was surprised at how early they started! Meanwhile at the play-based school and Montessori schools where the boys later went, the approach was different. Homework was not given at this age level and children were taught to hold pencils and practice writing of letters only after gross motor skills and fine motor skills with pencil grip were solidified.
16. Other factors which will play into your decision: School hours and availability of half-day and full-day programs? Proximity of school to your home? Food menu for the kids and whether it aligns with your dietary preferences?
17. Speak to parents who send their children to the preschools you are considering. But here’s the thing: If you ask a general, broad question about the school, you will almost always hear good reviews from the parent because they wouldn't be sending the children there otherwise. Here's a better way to phrase your question: What do you like about the school? What are its strengths? What do you think are its shortcomings? or What do you think it could do better? What was your child's adjustment to the school like? Do you see a difference in your child since they started at this school?
