Choosing a School When Relocating.

• I want a school just like the one my children are leaving so they don’t have to go through a difficult transition
• Which is the “top” school?
• What is the school with the “best” results?
• My colleague’s children go to the X school?  How can I get my child in?
• We want our child at a school where he will get into a top university – do you have contacts that can help us with that?
• We want a school where the facilities are excellent, and the materials are up to date

These are the kinds of questions we face every day when working with relocating families.  It is natural for parents to be concerned about the welfare of their children, and, in fact, most view schooling as the paramount decision they will have to make in their move.  The school will determine whether the child is happy, makes friends, learns successfully and is prepared for the next level of education, whether it be re-entry upon repatriation or university. Furthermore, schools often become the primary source of social connections for the non-working spouse, and therefore must match the family’s values and be a comfortable community for the entire family.

Despite the importance of educational concerns, these questions can be not only challenging for HR professionals and relocation companies, but quite frustrating, especially during a time of such high anxiety for the family.  In most cases, simply trying to give parents what they are asking for doesn’t work and in many cases simply isn’t possible.  Parents may be asking for inaccessible information. For example, in the US, where education is the prerogative of the states rather than a national curriculum, rankings only can be compared within a state, not between states.  Or data may be unavailable because independent schools are not required to participate in any ranking schemes.  Beyond providing information, HR may be expected to find and successfully utilize connections that are unavailable, or that only can be used on limited occasions when multiple employees are being transferred and have the same school objectives.  Housing also plays a role as it must complement schooling, compounding the disappointment that parents experience and may blame on HR when they cannot seem to match one to the other.

The most successful approach we have found in working with our families is to refocus the attention of the parents, from the school to the child, in order to assess what they are really seeking.  This works for a variety of reasons.

• Most parents can be convinced to talk about their children, even when under time pressure and stress.  Talking about their offspring is calming, particularly compared with thinking about a terrifying unknown like schools in a new area.
• Finding out what is really important to the family, from their values to the child’s strengths, weaknesses, intellectual and extracurricular interests can ensure that the conversation targets schools that are likely to yield a good match rather than those that do not have places or may not be appropriate for a particular child.
• Entering into this dialogue helps parents to be more open to options other than those they initially proposed, as the child is at the heart of the conversation.  This can be helpful when parents have expectations about specific schools to which admission is not going to be possible.

Although parents do not want to sacrifice educational quality in the transition, most can be refocused by direct questions. To parents seeking a top tier school, “Will your child thrive in the top school?” will remind them that this is about their child, not about their colleague’s child.  When a family is fixated on facilities, just a simple,” How old is your child?  Does he care as much about facilities as you do?” can remind them that they will not be attending the school, and that parents tend to care more than children do about buildings, grounds and new equipment.

Once a family is ready to begin a school search, the process can be simplified into the following steps.  Based on the needs of the child, parents should be encouraged to use materials supplied by HR, the relocation company or the educational consultant provided by the firm to assist with the following process:

• Generate a list of criteria based on the child’s needs, strength’s, weaknesses, family values (religious, non-denominational, single-sexed, coed, progressive, traditional, large, small, early childhood vs. ongoing) and geographical logistics;
• Identify a manageable list of schools to consider based on the criteria above, generally a list that can be viewed during the look-see visit;
• Research these schools through the school’s own website, any local reference books, or the internet to determine the ethos as well as basic facts about each school;
• Include a range of schools on the list, such as public, independent, large and small, reach schools as well as safety schools, essentially all that might meet the needs and interests of the child; families can learn as much about what they are seeking from considering schools that do not suit their child as ones that are a perfect fit.
• Call or email the school to find out about availability, deadlines, required testing and the application process;
• Schedule visits for the week of the look-see trip as there is no substitute for seeing with one’s own eyes;
• Ensure that applications and supporting materials are submitted prior to the visit, and that appointments are secured for tours, interviews and other desired appointments;
• Use the interview to find out about the school.  No question is a bad question and this process is not just about getting in, but about finding a good match.

After acceptances are in hand, a thoughtful process should be undertaken before a choice of schools is made.  The purpose of this is to ensure that the family understands the culture of the school they are choosing, how newcomers are welcomed, how curricula between old and new school compare, and how the school assists children who may be behind in some areas or ahead in others.  If possible, families should visit at invited times (open houses, tours, interviews) as well as impromptu times such as drop off, pick up, sporting events, fairs, PTA meetings, plays, concerts or any other times when it is possible to get a real flavor for the school in action.  Families need to know that getting into a school is only half of the process.  It is in their interest to do their homework beforehand to be sure that their children will be successful and that their family will fit in.

Parents are often overcome by guilt about moving their children, and may not be comfortable moving unless they can feel secure about the school decision.  However, a mid-course move actually can be an unparalleled opportunity for families to re-evaluate their children, to assess whether or not the current school is the best learning and social environment for the child at present, and to make an even better choice for the future.  When HR can assist parents to reframe the inevitable into an opportunity for growth, the school search process can go much more smoothly and can actually become a positive aspect of the relocation.

Source: School Choice International