How do we choose our children's school? Three families share their experiences.

BarcelonaIf it's February, it's more of an open house. During this month, we must make one of the key decisions as parents: choosing the school where our sons and daughters will spend at least nine years, if they start in the first year of primary school (I3) and it's a public school. If they begin the first year of secondary school or high school (Bachillerato), their time there won't be as long, but it will be equally significant. During childhood and adolescence, children not only acquire knowledge and skills, but also values ​​and lessons that will help them become self-reliant in the not-too-distant future. Doing so in a school with a cohesive educational project and a management and teaching team committed to their work and to educational quality is fundamental to ensuring a successful transition from childhood to adulthood in every sense.

Now that the countdown to school pre-registration has begun and families are participating in open house events, three families share with the Creatures What factors and feelings guided the choice of school for their daughters?

Julia Gutiérrez is in her third year of primary school. She is the second child of Anna and Andrés, which lessened some of the anxiety surrounding the decision of choosing a school. They were both certain they would enroll her at Can Fabra School in the Sant Andreu neighborhood of Barcelona, ​​where their eldest daughter, Maria, also studies. However, looking back, Anna remembers how, when they had to make the decision with Maria, it wasn't all smooth sailing: "It's weeks of many doubts and nerves, and the choice is often complicated because you have so much information that gets mixed up, and you often confuse details from different schools." With their eldest daughter, the family also had "the bad luck" of having to choose a school during the pandemic and were only able to visit a couple of schools in person. "The rest held online open houses, which isn't the most advisable thing to do," she emphasizes. Nevertheless, their daughter was accepted into their first-choice school, and they are very happy with it. "Therefore, with Julia, we didn't have to relive the anxiety and unease that comes with the pre-registration process until you finally find out which school you'll be attending," Anna points out.

In both cases, the family's first requirement was that it be a secular school. This presented a challenge, since all the private schools in the neighborhood are religious. "So, we had to go to the public school at all costs," Anna notes. The second condition was that it be close to both the family home and the grandparents' home, since they would often have to pick up or drop off the girls. Then they considered the schedule. At the public school, if the children don't stay for lunch, they leave at 12:30 and return at 3:00, finishing at 4:30. With this schedule, Anna points out, "we were pretty sure they would have to stay for lunch."

In contrast, Julia's school has a compact schedule, from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., and if the children stay for lunch, they leave at 4:30 p.m., like in the rest of the public schools. "This was also a key point in our choice," she says. Regarding the curriculum, Anna and Andrés say they haven't found significant differences between schools, at least not among the public schools in the neighborhood. "They are very standardized programs that do have nuances from one school to another, but in general, they all follow a fairly uniform approach, based on experiential learning, very much adapted to the needs of each child," explains Anna, for whom one aspect that should be taken into account in a public school is the Parents' Association (PA). "The PA is key to work-life balance and extracurricular activities at the school; a strong PA fosters greater cohesion, work-life balance, and leisure activities both during and outside of school hours," she emphasizes.

Breathe in the school atmosphere

Anna points out that, during open house events, "beyond considering the practical and educational information about the school, you should go and experience the school's atmosphere." "You have to feel if the place gives you a good feeling and if you think your children will be comfortable," she adds. "As parents, we want to choose the school that best suits our needs, and we often make the mistake of visiting too many schools," she acknowledges. After her experience with two children, Julia's mother advises that to narrow the search and facilitate the process, "it's important to be clear from the outset about the criteria you want to follow and choose a school based on proximity, values, and verified opinions from other families with children at the school." And finally, she emphasizes that, "although the choice should be based on rational factors, you should also give some weight to that feeling that will make you lean more towards one school than another."

Bruna Calpe is starting her first year of secondary school at a new high school. In the weeks leading up to the school selection, however, her parents, Bernat and Meritxell, recall not being particularly anxious. "That said, we knew it would be a change in many ways because we had been at the same school, La Maquinista School, for nine years," Bernat points out. The only non-negotiable aspect when choosing a high school was that it be a public school. As is the case with most public primary schools, they had two affiliated high schools, Doctor Puigvert and Martí Pous, "where they guaranteed us a place if we only put these two options on the application, which we did," he remembers. Bernat also notes that if either of the two schools had offered afternoon classes, they would have been interested in seeing the cafeteria. Bernat and Meritxell knew some families who had attended both high schools. "We had heard good things about both, but what made us decide was the open doors," she says. Furthermore, the school where Bruna had attended primary school organized visits for the children during school hours to see the secondary schools from the perspective of the students already in their final year of secondary school.

Bias between open doors and reality

"The main doubts we had when we went to the open house were about the teaching methodology used, the available equipment, and the student-teacher ratios in the classrooms, as well as how the transition from primary to secondary school was managed," recalls Bernat, who admits to having left with some questions. "Even so," he clarifies, "over time we're discovering that what you see at the open house has a significant bias compared to what you actually find."

When the school placements were made, the family's first choice had more applicants than available places. Bruna was ranked 91st, out of 90 places offered. "After waiting through the withdrawal and final placement periods, we were hoping to have a better chance, and besides, her main group of friends had gotten in there," Bernat explains.

The parents admit to having been a little worried about that unwanted separation from the group, "but Bruna gave us a lesson in maturity by saying that, deep down, this situation would allow her to meet more friends and that it would enrich her, making it clear that she doesn't follow any of her school friends." Finally, Bruna is enrolled at the Institut Martí Pous, the family's second choice, and they admit to being delighted with the school. "We've learned about activities, initiatives, and ways of working that, for one reason or another, weren't mentioned or that we didn't see during the open house; and, as a bonus, it's right next to our house," they say. In the end, Bernat concludes, "chance has placed Bruna in a very good school."

Nahia Jaime is in her first year of high school, specializing in social sciences, at El Calamot Institute in Gavà. It's the same school where she completed her compulsory secondary education (ESO), but not where her two older brothers studied. Her brothers completed their ESO at the high school in Begues, where they live, but, as Nahia's parents, Verónica and Enrique, point out, "there's a general dissatisfaction among families with the school." After the family's negative experience there with their middle son, they decided that Nahia should also complete her secondary education (ESO). "Despite having to start commuting to Gavà every day at just 12 years old," Verónica notes. But they also had the experience of their eldest son, who completed his intermediate and advanced vocational training in computer science there and had a very positive experience. "That was also a plus," she says. Another factor that influenced their decision was the school's policy regarding the use of mobile phones and other smart devices, such as tablets or smartwatches. The use of mobile devices is prohibited inside the school, and currently, they are not allowed to be brought into the building either. However, in Nahia's case, "since she doesn't live in the same town as the school, she has to carry her phone with her in case she needs to contact us," explains her mother. The way to comply with the regulations, she adds, is to keep it switched off inside the school. Interesting and necessary visits

This time, Verónica and Enrique didn't have to attend the open house events, as they did with their two older children, to make their choice. However, they point out that these visits are "interesting and necessary." According to Verónica, they serve "above all to get to know the school, see the facilities, and meet the teaching staff, the principal, and how the school is managed." Verónica also emphasizes that, a term and a half after starting high school, Nahia's adjustment process is still ongoing. "It's not the same as doing middle school," she notes. Her classmates are new, and the teachers aren't the same either. They are also expected to do more than in previous years, so Nahia is still in the middle of adapting. "I thought it was all going to be faster, but I was wrong. In any case, she's happy, and that's the most important thing," Verónica concludes.