The transition from primary school to high school for every child is very crucial. Different children will respond or react to the change depending on a number of factors; key among which is the child’s personality and attitude towards academics. For some, it might be anxiety, excitement or outright indifference.

To ensure a smooth transition, it is imperative that parents consider a number of factors when considering their child’s high school bearing in mind that most children are pre-teens at the time and are more vulnerable at this time as well as highly inquisitive. Therefore, parents should choose high schools where their children will eventually graduate in flying colours and found worthy in learning and character. The following ten points discussed below should be considered when choosing a high school for your child:

 Day or Boarding School: Given the increased number of cars on the road and narrower road networks in metropolitan cities like Lagos State, the traffic is usually off the hook and children are not exempted from long hours of traffic causing discomfort and lost time so it might not be a bad idea to consider enrolling your child at a boarding school that have adopted strict rules and regulations which must be adhered to and ensures the proper monitoring of your child. At this point, I should state that a safe and secure location should be of topmost priority when considering a boarding school. However, if your child is easily distracted or too playful, a boarding school might not be the best option as the child would need to be properly guided academically.

 Success rate of students: It’s important to consider the success rates of students presented for external examinations; both local and international. Do they have excellent academic records? Have students failed or passed consistently in the last three years? You should pay particular attention to core subjects like Mathematics and English Language.


 Attitude of the student body: Take note of the attitude and disposition of students whilst touring the school facility. Are they polite and well-behaved? Step into a classroom whilst a teacher is teaching and observe the students; their body language will tell a lot about their response to the subject and if the teacher has a grasp of the subject being taught.

 Staff turnover: Is there a new teacher for each subject every other term? You can get a hold of this information while touring the school facility by asking questions. If teachers leave a school every other term, it reflects the leadership style of the school’s leadership and shows lack of job satisfaction or reward for services being rendered; this could in turn affect your child’s learning due to lack of stability.


 Active PTA: It’s essential that there is a feed-back platform in place where parents can air their views, concerns and suggestions. One of the pointers of a good school is an active PTA platform where the school is open to constructive criticism, feedback and suggestions where strategies are put in place and solutions implemented for all to see.
 Extracurricular activities: Education is a total package and not limited to academics alone. A school should have activities in place to engage children and expose them to other skill sets that will prepare them for the real world irrespective of the path they choose; either paid employment or entrepreneurship.

 Single sex or mixed sex-school: Different parents have a variety of opinions on this factor; some take it very personally based on past experiences or religious convictions while some are indifferent. It is important that you are unbiased when making a decision as regards this point and look at the bigger picture. Study your child to see what works for him/her as regards this.


 Do your research: It is always advisable to find out about a school’s reputation by asking questions from friends, office colleagues, online findings etc. There are other people out there that have gone down this road and will more than willing to share what they know with you. BE INQUISITIVE!

 Attitude of the leadership: The attitude and disposition of the leadership of the school will give you an idea of how the school is being run. What leadership style does he/she possess? How are teachers/staff being treated? Does the head of schools have a clear-cut vision/focus for the school? Does the school preach positive core values your child can imbibe? Are there signs of innovation and creativity? This factor is often undermined and should be given top priority as the leadership and decisions taken by school management affects your child as well.


 Most importantly, you should speak to your child and have an idea of what your child values. Your seemingly little oversights can affect your child’s stay in the school; It could range from your child’s love for sports, excursions, ICT etc. It would be nice to integrate some of what they value into the school search. For instance, a child that loves sports will appreciate a high school that has a big sporting field that offers a variety of sporting options; that way, your child will know you had him/her in mind while “school shopping”.

In summary, every child is different and it’s important that they are carried along in the decision making process. What works for your best friend’s child might not work for your child. It is your duty as a parent to help them make the right decisions and ensure they are truly happy and comfortable at their new school while putting the above factors into consideration.

Written by Jessica

Fantastic write up. Above all pray for Gods guidance cos some people have done this before and their children are still nothing to write home about.

You should also consider your pocket.

Thanks @mrdba. You are right @catalin