In India, over 18,000 public and private schools are affiliated with the CBSE curriculum. Given this abundance, how do you choose the right CBSE school for your child? More importantly, how do you ensure that you don’t send your child to the wrong school?
These questions are tough to answer. Most schools will not turn out to be half as good as you expected. As such, choosing the right CBSE school for your child demands that you are confident about what to look for in the first place.
In this blog, we will help you choose the best CBSE school for your child. Read on to learn the top 7 things you should consider while selecting a CBSE school.
Look for an English-medium school.
When choosing the ideal CBSE school for your child, go for one that is English medium. English language instruction will ensure that your child is equipped to communicate in an international language widely spoken across the world. This privilege is not enjoyed by CBSE school students who study in Hindi-medium schools as the medium of instruction in these schools is not English.
Go for a school with excellent teaching staff.
Since it is teachers who educate your child, it is your responsibility to ensure that your child goes to a school where the teachers are qualified and professionally trained. It would be helpful to get a sense of the recruitment criteria for teachers in the school that you have shortlisted.
Interacting with teachers can give you an insight into their calibre and expertise. So make sure that you put teacher interaction in your to-do-list for finding good CBSE schools.
Choose a school that values multi-disciplinary learning.
Multi-disciplinary or interdisciplinary learning can be defined as a comprehensive learning methodology that focuses on different approaches, perspectives, and viewpoints to study and understand a topic.
The idea is to enroll your child in a school where they are allowed to think and use their minds to solve a problem or understand a concept – not merely rely on rote learning.
This again depends from school to school. While some schools actively promote rote memorization, others encourage students to understand a topic, not just blindly memorize it. Your goal here is to find a school that promotes the latter and enrolls your child in it.
Prioritize the infrastructure capacity building.
Of the many things you should look for in a CBSE school, infrastructure is also of prime importance. Private schools tend to have better infrastructure than government-run schools in India. Ensure that you choose a school with a basic infrastructure to support your child’s academic growth and learning.
The lack of good infrastructure facilities like proper classrooms, washroom facilities, computer rooms, libraries, and science laboratories can stall your child’s progress and keep them from attaining their full potential. So you must factor this in before you commit to enrolling your child in a school.
Go for a school that effectively handles critical transitions.
As we all know, studies get incredibly challenging in 9th grade. This is the stage in a student’s life when they are first introduced to the pressures of excelling in the 10th class board exams. Learning becomes more sophisticated and exhaustive.
The pressure of transitioning from secondary school to higher secondary school can become overwhelming for any student. It is a school’s responsibility to ensure that this transition is smooth and effective. A school can ensure this by identifying focus areas and prioritizing a student’s learning needs.
Pick a school that accommodates students with learning disabilities.
The best thing about a CBSE school is that it is accommodating children with special needs. Children with learning disabilities enjoy many exemptions in a school that is affiliated with CBSE.
For example, in CBSE schools, children suffering from dyscalculia: a learning disorder, are exempt from taking maths. Instead, they are given the option to study another subject in its place. Similarly, students suffering from dysgraphia can now use the word processor instead of availing a scribe.Your goal here is to look for a school that implements the CBSE board's protocols and guidelines. Make sure that you inquire about a school’s provisions for students with learning disabilities. Enroll your child in the school if you’re happy with the response.
Look for CBSE schools with in-house counsellors.
The pressure to excel in academics is one of the biggest challenges that students face today. This has triggered mental health issues in many students – pulling them into the black hole of insecurity. The need of the day is to address these issues head-on. The school plays a prominent role in ensuring it. So when you’re out to look for the best CBSE school, try to get your hands on one that prioritizes its students' mental health and has in-house counsellors to aid your child’s psychological needs.
