Playtimes HK Magazine The School Book 2019-2020 | Page 16

prefer a different style of education,” Top School’s founder
Ruth Benny shares. Some parents choose to move their child
from a small, less well-known school to a top-tier school. And
other times, it becomes necessary to move – if the school
doesn’t have a secondary school, for example.
If parents are considering a switch because a child seems
unhappy, Ruth encourages parents to not make decisions in
haste. “We advise parents of primary school children not to
react too quickly to the first sign of a child seeming unhappy,”
says Ruth. “Young children can be extremely fickle about
school. The first course of action would be to get in touch
with the class teacher, make an appointment to discuss the
issue and take it from there,” she advises.
Try to understand what your child is experiencing
before you conclude that the school is not right, advises
Ann Bridgewater, a psychologist at Central Health Medical
Practice Child Development Team.
“There are so many other factors that can make going
to school challenging for a child. It could be one particular
teacher or a subject they dislike; it could be difficult
friendships or academic challenges. Sometimes, a child may
simply need more time to settle in,” she says.
However, if a child is in an inappropriate school, switching
schools may be the best course of action. “When a child is
an inappropriate school, they can become unhappy, anxious
or lose their motivation to learn. They will become stressed
by having to attend school on a daily basis, and this might
present itself in a range of behaviours depending on the age
and temperament of the child,” says Ann, who has supported
multiple children experiencing school angst.
Where to next?
Finding a new school for your child can be a major source of
angst. What steps can you take to ensure the next school is a
better fit than the last?
Carol Larkin, Principal of ESF Sha Tin College notes that
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every parent she meets invariably says they want their child
to be happy. She believes a school’s environment and culture
play significant roles in a child’s wellbeing at school.
“We believe that a warm, caring and supportive
environment which allows students to feel valued and
respected are key ingredients in ensuring they are happy at
school. Being respected and being able to be themselves
leads to an accepting environment and an environment
where children can thrive. Finding a school environment that
will nurture a child to be confident in themselves, to try new
things, and to confidently explore and question the world
around them will also likely be one that will challenge and
engage them academically,” she shares.
A school’s website can tell you a certain amount about the
values of a school, but nothing compares to a school tour,
Carol advises.
“Seeing not just the buildings but getting a sense of the
culture of the school when it is in session will tell you a lot.
Hearing children laugh and interact with each other and with
the teachers and staff will tell you quickly if the environment
of the school is right for your child and your family. And if you
get the opportunity to ask students who attend the school
or other parents what it is really like, that can also be very
informative,” she says.
But don’t rely on positive testimonials alone, warns Ruth.
“The absolute worst way is to take advice from parents
recommending the school their own children attend,” she
says. Recommending the school’s website, a school tour,
and online forums, she also stresses the importance of
trusting your gut instinct. “We want parents to feel as though
they belong and that their child will fit in.”
To help children’s social development, Ann reminds
parents to think about the location of the school. “The farther
from the school you live, typically, although not always, the
less convenient it is for your child to socialise with school
friends after school. Also, although Hong Kong is small,
children can spend many hours commuting and travelling
between school, home and activities and this can be
exhausting.”
Class size is another consideration. “Some children learn
much better with small class sizes, but schools with small
classes often come with higher fees,’ she says.
How easy is it to switch schools?
“At a young age, children can settle in a flash at a new
school. They are quite resilient; the earlier you make the
switch the better,” Laura says.
For local or mainland Chinese parents – or children not
speaking native-level English – finding a new school can
be a challenge. But for children who are both a holder of a
foreign passport and a native English speaker, it is no longer
challenging to move to a new school, Ruth advises.
“The ‘challenge’ has changed; it’s now a matter of
choosing the best-fit school,” she concludes.