Playtimes HK Magazine Winter Issue 2018/2019 | Page 51

Follow the Leader
education
Ruth Benny offers advice on how to cut through a
school’s PR fluff to find out what the school is really about
C
hoosing a school is often
an emotional decision, not
a logical one. More than a
few parents have thrown
painstakingly prepared spreadsheets
out of the window once they start
actually visiting schools and meeting
the heads. This is testament to the
impact personal encounters with
leadership can have on prospective
parents. While an afternoon at one of
Hong Kong’s school fairs may leave you
with an armful of promotional material,
and a sense of choice-induced vertigo,
it’s still no substitute for a face-to-face,
informal chat with a head of school.
Be it in a plush hotel foyer, or in the
corridor of one of the city’s many
international schools fighting for your
patronage, the human contact we
encourage in our kids can best teach
us what we need to know about where
our children might best learn.
According to Mr David Baird, Head
of School at the Canadian International
School of Hong Kong (CDNIS) “Any
school can buy into marketing, glossy
brochures and fancy literature, but
schools are about people”. “An astute
parent can really cut through and find
out what you are really about, what
your core values are. Yes, every school
will have similar mission statements and
buzzwords, but nothing is as powerful
as meeting people in the flesh.
“You are the embodiment of the
school. You are taking the time to form
a relationship. You are buying into what
this person who heads this institution
stands for. Because that’s the most
important thing for a parent.”
According to Brigitte McNamara,
Director of Marketing & Communications
at Australian International School Hong
Kong, the landscape of education
is shifting towards an emphasis on
personal relationships. “We see the
increasing abundance of schools for
prospective parents to choose from,”
said Ms McNamara. “However, whilst
the ‘hardware’ of schools is important,
so is the ‘software’ - the actual learning
environment and culture. Parents
are very discerning and the ethos,
trustworthiness and heart of a school
can be very swiftly gauged through face-
to-face interaction with school leaders.
“In the case of AISHK, we feel
the benefits are mutual. Our Head of
School, Mark Hemphill, will be the first
to admit he likes to have a good chat!
Even before joining AISHK, Mark’s
passion for connecting with parents
and community was widely lauded.
Mark received the NSW Parents’
Council Principal’s Excellence Award for
Parent Engagement, for which he was
nominated by parents themselves.”
Jane Archibald, Director of
Admissions & Marketing at Nord Anglia
International School, is adamant that
Nord Anglia’s presence at events
like the International Schools Festival
can only work with the support and
presence of the school principal.
“Put simply, having the principal
there makes such a difference. It’s
huge. It allows parents to go beyond
the website to see who is shaping the
school. You can ask personal questions
in real time, which makes it more
valuable and more valid.”
For parent Sarah Foo, attending
the 2017 International Schools Festival
led to her children being enrolled
in a school that her family had not
previously considered.
“It was hectic, but a great way to
connect with the schools and ask
about their values, beliefs and teaching
styles,” said Ms Foo. “I found some of
the schools that I thought would be
a good option for our family weren’t
going to be a good fit, and was
surprised about others I met that would
be. It was a worthwhile experience.”
What happens on tour
A school tour can have a powerful
impact on a family’s decision on whether
or not to invest in a school community.
CDNIS runs tours every Tuesday
right through the school year, despite a
lengthy waiting list. “People always ask
us why we bother taking thirty to forty
people through the school every week,”
said David Baird, ”but we honestly love
it. And I always make a point of letting
parents talk to teachers we pass in the
corridors. The teachers aren’t set up,
so it’s very authentic and very powerful.
Parents can really see how we live by
our values.”
Top Tips
• Identify your preferences in terms of
style of learning, ethos and culture.
• Attend a schools festival, such as the
International Schools Festival, to see
what’s out there and where they may
be potential fits.
• Make an appointment to take some
school tours.
• On the tours, pay attention to
teachers and students. Are they
natural and genuinely engaged?
Or does it feel staged? What’s
happening ‘around’ the school?
Compare your child to those in
the classrooms - would s/he fit in?
Does the head/principal make an
appearance? Does the head teach
any classes?
• After visiting 5-10 schools, apply to
three - at the right time and in the
right way. Familiarise yourself with
the procedures and follow them to
the T.
Winter 2018
49