Overseas education: Choosing a boarding school for a child

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Choosing a boarding school for a child, is a pivotal decision that significantly shapes their academic and personal development.

Reports indicate some parents send children to boarding school overseas, believing it will give them the greatest advantage in life.

However, decision making becomes complicated and stressful when parents do not have extensive knowledge of the boarding schools, says Academic Families, a leading UK-based education consultancy.

It even becomes more complex for parents who would like to have their children study in boarding schools overseas.

Academic Families at a recent Overseas Boarding Schools Expo in Kampala shared key tips on selecting an overseas boarding school for a child. Here’s what you should know:

Get expert guidance: Distinguish professional advice from informal suggestions

While it’s common for parents to seek advice from other parents whose children are studying overseas, this advice is often informal and may lack professional expertise. Instead, seek insights grounded in professional knowledge, ensuring that each child’s educational journey is tailored to their individual needs.

Tailored school selection

Everything starts with the child and their aspirations. It ensures that the shortlisted schools align perfectly with each child’s unique strengths, weaknesses, and preferences, say overseas education experts.

Seek expert guidance on the overwhelming abundance of good schools

The abundance of excellent international schools can overwhelm parents, making the decision-making process challenging. But an expert can guide parents through the overabundance of options, ensuring they make well informed choices that align with their child’s unique needs.

Get an accredited guardian

For instance, in UK students are required to have a UK based guardian to support them. However, not all parents have a support network near their school. But accredited guardians offer the highest standard of care. It includes, among other pastoral care, emergency support, arranging transfers, and getting a friendly family to stay with during short holidays when not at school.

Avoiding reputation driven decision making

In some cases, parents may prioritise a school’s reputation or name recognition over its alignment with their child’s specific needs. However, look beyond reputations as a parent and consider the compatibility between the child’s personality and educational requirements, ensuring a more holistic and successful educational experience.