When the first day of school rolled around and I watched my little girl walk into pre-school for the first time as I waited outside, it took everything not to rush in after her. It wasn’t that I thought she was in danger or anything. It was just so hard to let go of my baby as she starts the next chapter of her life and trust that I have chosen the right school with teachers and staff who will look after my daughter with the loving hearts of golden retrievers and protect her from danger like momma bears.
When choosing a school, whether it’s for the first time ever or a new school in a new city, it’s easy to fall in love with every shiny, well-equipped campus you see. School tours are designed to show you the best a school has to offer, and marketing materials only highlight what each school is most proud of. Now, it’s not to say that you shouldn’t believe anything you see or read, but it would be wise to do a bit more research before committing your child to a school. Get all the basic facts about each school by checking out the school profiles or by visiting our website www.beijing-kids.com.
How do you find out more about these schools, you ask? By digging a bit deeper and making use of your (as well as our) connections within the city to get yourself the real scoop.
Every year in our school choice guide we stress to parents that when it comes to choosing a school, the decision is different for each kid. Whether it’s the price, distance from home, curriculum, or a really good friend they just can’t leave, nothing is more important than your child truly loving her school and connecting with her teachers and peers.
In this year’s issue of the annual Jingkids School Choice Guide, we take a look at some real tips from students and parents about attending an international school for the very first time (p. 10) and find out why a few real teens in Beijing chose the school they did (p. 16) because one of your best resources for what a school is really like is talking to its students.
If you’re a parent with a special needs child, there are multiple resources at your disposal, including SENIA, an organization comprised of doctors, educators, and parents in Beijing that specializes in special needs assistance for children. We also talk to a special education facility about their mission of inclusivity on p. 100.
And finally, when it comes to international schools, the level of involvement for parents will vary depending on where your child attends. If you’ve got a tight schedule outside of your child’s activities or if school involvement just isn’t your thing, it’s best to ask the school how much they actually expect the parents to do. Don’t sugarcoat the question only to be overwhelmed later on. Check out a few of Beijing’s international schools’ biggest PTA accomplishments in the past year to get an idea (p. 20).
Jingkids International was created to help international families in Beijing get the most out of their lives in Beijing.
If you’ve got a specific question you want to ask, email our editors at webeditor@beijing-kids.com.
Best,
Mina Yan
Editor-in-Chief
Images: Dave Hanssen
This article appeared in the jingkids 2023 School Choice Guide
