Open days are essentially just as the name suggests – days when schools open their doors.
It’s also when the school principal is available for questions when teachers get to showcase their classrooms, senior learners act as guides, and academic accomplishments are touted.
Crimson Education offered some guidance for unsure parents on the process of open days:
There’s no doubt that these days are incredibly valuable resources in that they give you and your child an idea as to what their potential ‘second home’ looks and feels like.
They also provide parents the chance to accumulate information beyond what is available in school documentation and on websites. Open days are opportunities for parents to ask specifics about the educational records, sport and other extracurricular programmes, pastoral care, and community spirit.
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That being said, there may be a few more important questions that are missing from the obvious. They should examine primary feeder schools and high-performing high school companions and a primary school’s educational record with their senior school options insight.
Some questions to ask:
- How diverse are the courses and universities your learners get into?
- Do you know how many of your learners drop out or transfer during university?
- What is your record for getting your learners into top universities – both domestic and international?
- How does your careers advisor support learners who may wish to pursue an education overseas?
On the last two questions, it is important to note that most schools express their ability to prepare their learners to be ‘global citizens. But if this is not the case, parents need to know that their child’s prospective school expands their focus beyond the often singularly prioritised Australian Tertiary Admissions Rank (ATAR) or International Baccalaureate (IB) score.
There is no doubt that academics are important, but so is a learner’s extracurricular passions, leadership accomplishments, prowess in personal expression (as displayed in personal essays), self-esteem and ability to see their possibilities beyond the high school classroom.
For more information visit www.crimsoneducation.org/za/
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