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Independent Education
anything but Standard
The parents of the new century have an opportunity to buy into
a wide variety of educational life styles for their children
and what is more they are often in the driving seat when it
comes to making that choice. In a changing world when purchasing
power rules, it is not surprising that when contemplating a
large investment we comparison shop and take considered advice
from a variety of ‘consumer experts’. Never has
there been such a proliferation of purchasing gurus pushing
us all towards products ranging from healthy foods to the designer
car. Opting for private education for the first time buyer (over
60% of current families) can likewise be a walk into the unknown.
Even for the more familiar, the world of education has changed
so much in recent years. Brand names may have changed their
product range or perhaps, more surprisingly, are no longer on
the shelf.
Few of us would consider buying a new car with a price tag in
excess of £50000 without some careful thought, and certainly
while still considering past experiences, we would still want
to see and test drive the new model.
One of the hardest things that parents new to independent education
have to face up to is the great variety of schools that are
on offer in most parts of the country. This diversity empowers
parents to choose the right school for their child – not
to be sent to an establishment purely on the basis of a geographical
location. Parents however, need to be helped to find the right
educational home for their child and this is where the Independent
Schools Information Service (ISIS) can help. This service represents
those schools that have been accredited to The Independent Schools
Council (ISC). All Independent Schools in the UK are registered
with the appropriate government department, but that simply
means that the school has met basic legal requirements, such
as the suitability of its buildings and staff. Accreditation
by ISC indicates the quality of a school – not just its
basic provision and this is assessed and confirmed by rigorous
inspection.
So, we now know what sort of standards to expect BUT which is
the right school for my child.
ISIS can provide a list of questions to ask when visiting a
school and you need to be sure that you know about: Cost, Discipline,
Class sizes, Examination results and Extra-curricular activities.
Certainly visitors would wish to meet some current pupils and
a variety of staff in addition to the Headmaster/Headmistress.
League table results are often not the most reliable tool in
selecting a school – a good guide may be to ask the question
– Where did last years leavers go?
Remember that no one can make this decision for you –
but that does not mean that parents have to become OFSTED inspectors.
Selecting a school is a little like choosing a home. We can
spend a lot of time discussing the merits and faults of our
prospective purchase – the cost, the state of the roof
and the quality of the neighbours may all be up for discussion
but usually some one says something to the effect- but this
house could become a home for us. The same principle works for
schools – which school will be right for our child? When
you have that feeling go with your heart.
ISIS offers a free service to families who are seeking advice
in finding the right school for their children. In the North,
Don Hutton, The Regional Director, has 30 years experience of
visiting the over 200 schools on his patch and while not pointing
parents and children to one particular school, he will help
them in drawing up a short list of possible options for them
to consider. The ISIS North office is on-line every weekday
and all enquiries are welcome. For many parents the first step
is to look at the ISIS (North) handbook, which gives information
on all the accredited schools in the North. Remember that in
ISIS terms the north of England stretches from Berwick to Carlisle
to North Wales to Hull, and does not include Birmingham or Leicester
despite what people south of Watford may think!
This myriad of choice is then available to parents and ISIS
is there to help, they can be contacted at:
ISIS NORTH Ltd.
Southwick Grange
Finghall
Nr. Leyburn
North Yorkshire
DL8 5NB
Tel:01677 450139
Fax:01677 450140
Regional Director: Don Hutton B.A.
Website: www.isis.org.uk
E-mail: regionaldirector@isis-north.co.uk |
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