As Kent Test results come out, the round of senior school entrance examinations and interviews begin and class chats are awash with tips about how to get your child into the school you want for the next steps in their journey, it’s enough to leave a parent or guardian who is yet to traverse this rocky landscape feeling apprehensive. Dr Emma Margrett, Head of the Prep School at Radnor House Sevenoaks suggests some tips for how to navigate the way forwards.
- Include your child in the conversation, but make the decision yourself
Pupils who fall into the primary, or Prep age group, are very keen to please their parents and families. They want to take the course of action which they perceive will make the ones they love the happiest. Asking a child of 10 or 12 to take responsibility for their choice of school is a huge weight to place upon their shoulders. Include them in the conversation but ultimately explain that whilst you value their view, it is your role as their parent to make the best choice for them using the evidence you have at your disposal.
- Praise for effort rather than achievement
Praise a child’s preparation and work along the way, and if you want to give them a present or a treat for their work, then do this before the examination or scholarship takes place to show them that you believe that they have done all that they can do, rather than after the outcome is announced.
- Talk to your child’s class teacher
They will be a wealth of knowledge about your child’s current level of attainment in academic subjects and their wider talents in areas such as sport, drama, music and art. Whilst they will not be able to control events on the day itself, they will be able to help you to understand whether your favoured course of action is likely to have a successful outcome for your child.
- Know your non-negotiables
An important point to consider is that not all schools are the same, so be very clear about what you want for your child. Knowing your non-negotiables can mean that you may come to the decision to reject a choice of school that is favoured by the parents in your child’s friendship group; however, you are the one that knows your child best, so try to listen to your inner voice.
- Let your child make mistakes
The most important piece of advice that I would offer to parents, is not to be frightened to allow your child to make mistakes from a young age and grow from them. We all feel under pressure to be the best parent we can, and to perhaps even resolve our child’s issues or take responsibility for them rather than allowing a child to learn from them.
www.radnor-sevenoaks.org
