Deciding whether to change your child’s school is never an easy one. I listened to my friend talk about how bad her child has been performing at school, and her hubby is now so worried that he is considering a switch. This feeling is not uncommon among parents, especially when the report sheet comes at the end of the session. 

Just as most schools in Lagos state are closed for the summer holiday, 9ijakids conducted a poll on its Instagram page and asked parents to rate how satisfied they are with their child’s result, the school and the administration. Surprisingly only about 15 per cent of parents ticked the excellent box, with the majority wishing they could change school. There are many reasons to change your child’s school, and they often manifest in their attitude and performance. If any of the following points resonate with you, it may be time to consider changing your child’s school. 

Your child is unhappy

As a parent, it is important to be very observant. Suppose your child is unhappy and reluctant to go to school or generally feeling unexcited about school. In that case, something is wrong somewhere, and you need to deal with whatever is creating the unhappiness. It could be bullying, physical, sexual, or even verbal abuse. Ask some questions and talk to your child’s teacher to identify what is causing the problem. If nothing seems to change then,  it may be time to change your child’s school. 

You are not satisfied with your child’s performance

If you have been observing a steady decline in your child’s performance in school, it may be best to check with other kids there if their results are as bad as your child’s result. If this is peculiar to just your child, you may need to focus on finding expert advice. In most cases, it could be a result of attention deficit or difficulty understanding the work.  Work with the school management to find a therapist to work with your child for improvement. However, if a considerable degree of the kids is having similar issues, it may just be that the teachers are doing subpar work, and you need to consider a change. When you are school hunting, one thing you look out for is the school’s performance history. Check out past results of their students, the quality of the teachers, environment, and check if they have a flexible curriculum that fits your child’s learning style. 

Your financial circumstances have changed

If you can’t afford it, then you leave it. We all can relate to fluctuating economic circumstances. You may have thought you were all set financially when suddenly boom! Your reality has changed significantly. If you find yourself unable to pay school fees, here’s what to do: discuss your circumstances thoroughly and frankly with the school authorities. They might be able to help by scheduling a more flexible payment method for you. It never hurts to ask for help. You can also change your child’s school to the one you can afford if the former option fails.  Remember there are many schools around that will be within your financial range yet still offer excellent quality education. 

Your child’s current school is not just a good fit

Have you started to notice some new behavioral patterns in your child that you didn’t teach them? Worry less; they picked it up from school. Peers influence most kids, and this is often what you could easily solve by discussing with the teacher. In some cases, you need to dissociate your child from the environment entirely. If you think the school environment negatively affects your child, consider scouting for a good alternative. 

Whatever your decision is, do not forget to talk to your child and consider their interest and opinion. Also, ensure that the transitioning goes as smoothly as possible so that your child would be able to cope with the readjustment in a new learning environment’.

Our article on 8 factors to consider when selecting a secondary school for your child and Seven important things teachers wish parents knew about helping their child succeed in school will also interest you