A reader wonders if the local school would be best for their child.
QUESTION:
There are so many hard parenting decisions to make. Lately I’ve been reading that book called Free Schools to try and decide about kindy and school. But I’m starting to think the local closest kindy and schools seem fine. Why make things harder by checking out all the options and potentially travelling further twice a day, every day, to get a possibly slightly better education?
ANSWER:
You are quite right. Parenting requires a lot of decisions and a lot of them are hard. However, choosing a school for your child need not be one of the hardest. You have read David Gillespie’s book Free Schools and he is certainly right about one thing, the benefits from education do not necessarily relate to its cost.
The best way to assess whether you would be happy with your local school is to talk to some parents of current students. If they are generally happy the panel believes that you should go ahead and enrol your child in the local school. There are considerable advantages in going to a local school. As you mentioned the ease of travel is one. Even more important are the social benefits for your child in attending school with children from your own neighbourhood. The friends made at school will also be neighbourhood playmates. In addition you will become part of the parent network in your local area.
Remember that the decision is yours. You know your child best so do not be overwhelmed by a plethora of outside advice. If at some future time you find it necessary to change schools that will not be the end of the world. The panel supports your feeling that “the local closest kindy and schools” will be fine.
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