Parents about school choice: ‘What a maze!’.

Parents about school choice: ‘What a maze!’.

I recently visited the parents' room of a Utrecht primary school. The coordinator invited me to explain to parents what is happening with the school advice and the school choice for secondary education. Their children are in group 6 and 7 and are already starting to look at their school choice after group 8. What do parents say about the school advice? I like to share some notable points.

‘What a maze!’

‘I don’t know where to start!’, ‘How do I choose a school that suits my child from all these different schools?’ The reactions clearly show that it is important yet difficult for these parents to find a suitable secondary school for their child. Information is hard to find. It would help a lot if the school made a handy overview of this. Two mothers whose children will almost certainly receive a vwo recommendation clearly say that choosing a school is very difficult. One school gives 15 minutes of instruction and then lets children work independently in class. It is hard to decide what fits your child.

What counts in the school advice?

The mothers want to know what factors are considered in the school advice. The teacher of group 8 makes the school advice in consultation with colleagues. Performance, results, effort, and perseverance are part of the final advice. ‘So the time in group 6 when many different teachers taught the group also counts?’, a mother asks surprised. Her child had a lot of trouble then and clearly performed worse. ‘If they put that in the school guide,’ a mother sighs, ‘then we at least know what to expect.’ Another parent has often been told that her son shows little interest. ‘My son is interested, he is just a child who does not talk or tell much. But he does have a lot of interest; at home he tells a lot about what he learns at school and wants to know more.’

‘What good is a reconsideration?’

If a student scores higher on the final test than the earlier advice, the primary school must reconsider. It is really nothing else but seriously looking again at the student’s data next to the final test result to see if a higher advice is possible. Parents react differently, surprised like ‘what good is it if it is only reconsidered and not required to adjust.’ Some parents see it as a chance to talk again with the school.

Start with a point on the horizon

If one thing is important for the school advice and school choice, it is that parents and their child get the chance to say what their own expectations are about further education. Start with a point on the horizon: where do you want to go, what is needed, and who can help?

No pressure, but involved

At the meeting it was clear again how involved parents are in the school choice for secondary education for their child. They are looking for good information and want to come to a school advice in good consultation with the school that does justice to their child’s qualities. I encourage parents to keep talking and tell their story. That is fine, that is involvement, and totally right! If schools involve parents like this, it is no longer about pressure from parents, but about involvement of parents, that is a very different approach!