Education is an important part of life for any child. As a parent, it can be stressful and difficult to decide what school to trust with your child and where your child will get the best education.
Today, there are so many options for parents including preschools, elementary schools, secondary schools, with both public and private school options. Each type of school comes with its own advantages and disadvantages, but it’s important to remember the ultimate goal is to provide your child with a great experience and the best possible education.
Here are some things to look for in schools in the Brampton area:
Things to Look For in a Preschool Facility
When looking into a preschool facility for your child in Brampton, here are some things you should consider:
1. Reputation
It is always a good idea to research the preschool before going to see it, and again when you are deciding which preschool your child will attend. You want to ensure that the preschool has a good reputation.
Remember that people will sometimes post reviews on the internet in anger (perhaps because they missed out on a spot that they wanted) and it may not always be 100% accurate. It might be a good idea to ask the preschool if there are any parents you can contact, in order to see if they would give a reference about the preschool.
At the end of the day, if you don’t hear many good things about the preschool or it doesn’t feel right when you walk into the facility, it is probably a good idea to keep looking for other options
2. Daily Schedule
It is important that a preschool has a daily schedule that allows children to have time for physical activity, quiet time, group programs, crafts, individual activities, and, most importantly, free time. You want to have a schedule and curriculum that will not only encourage independence, but also inspire creativity.
When you go to visit a new preschool, ask to see a copy of their current daily schedule. Try to find out what other activities the children can expect throughout the year — for example, whether they will take any field trips around Brampton. This will help you gauge if their daily schedule will provide the right type of engagement.
3. Qualified and Caring Staff Members
When picking a preschool facility, you want to find staff members who will love and care for your child as if they were their own. The staff members should be engaged, enthusiastic, and well-prepared for the children each day.
This is something that you best judged based on observation when you enter the facility, although you can sometimes get a sense from the recommendations too!
4. Clean and Safe Facility
As a parent looking at a preschool facility, it is important for you to see that the facility is clean and that all safety measures have been taken to ensure the protection of your child. If the preschool meets your standards, then you know that your child will be safe while they are away from home and you will be able to go about your day stress-free.
5. License and Credentials
When visiting a preschool facility, you should always ask to see their license and credentials. If the preschool is licensed, it means that they have met the Ontario Ministry of Education requirements for a preschool facility. You should not put your child in a preschool facility that has not met these requirements.
Things to Look For in an Elementary School
When looking into an elementary school facility for your child in Brampton, here are some things you should consider:
1. Student Needs
It is important that the school you choose will not only meet the needs of your family, from a practical standpoint, but also from the needs of your child.
If your child is struggling in a particular area of curriculum, you should ask if there is additional support at the school to help them succeed. If your child is currently participating in certain programs that they enjoy, you will want to find out if they can continue with these programs.
2. How is it different from other schools?
Many public and private schools have special focuses. These can range from technology and media programs to sports programs to language-immersion programs to arts, music, and theatre programs.
Sometimes schools have a yearly focus or goal to improve a particular subject area throughout the school. Some years it might be mathematics, while others it might be language. Ask about what sets this particular school apart from others in the area — and make sure you talk to current parents as well as teachers and administrators.
3. Stimulating Curriculum
It is important that a school has a curriculum that will allows your child or children to have time for physical activity, quiet time, group programs, and individual activities. You want to have a schedule and curriculum that will not only encourage independence, but also inspire creativity in elementary age children.
4. Great Facility
When you are looking at a school facility, you want to make sure that your child is comfortable within the school and classroom environments. When students feel safe, they are comfortable and able to give their full attention to learning.
You also want to look for things like gymnasiums, playgrounds, science labs, libraries, and more to see that the facility provides resources to help your child succeed in different areas. Finally, you will want to ensure the facility is clean and appropriate safety measures are in place to keep your child protected while at school.
It may be difficult to decide which preschool or elementary school is the right fit for your child. The best thing you can do is find someone who knows the area and provide advice on what types of schools will fit your child’s individual needs.
If you are moving to the Brampton area and you’ll looking to find a home near the right school, contact the Paula Mitchell Group’s team of real estate agents today.
Leave a Reply