Top 25 Questions to Ask When Looking at Preschools

Finding the right preschool for your child is exhausting, no doubt about that – the preschool research, the second-guessing, the school tours and the Open Houses are all a necessary step of finding out if a facility is good enough for your child to enter.

At the end of it all, though, being part of your child’s first step into the big world is intensely rewarding; there’s nothing quite like seeing the excitement on your little one’s face as he gets ready for preschool, or the way he bounds down the steps to your waiting arms after a great day of learning and having fun.

To help you get to this precious moment, here are 25 questions to keep in mind when you’re looking for the perfect preschool.

School history

How long has the preschool been in business?
Is it MOE-registered?
Is it SPARK-certified?
Has it received negative publicity from the media in the past, and if so for what reason?

Enrolment

What is the school’s total capacity?
Are vacancies available?
If not, can I get on a waiting list, and how long is it?

Costs

How much are the fees, and what is the fee structure like?
Is there a late-pickup fee?
How and when would you bill us?

Preschool-parent communication

Will parents receive regular progress reports or assessments from the school?
How frequent is the parent-teacher meet?
Is there a regular school newsletter, or a notice board?

Size

Are the children grouped by age, or are classes mixed?
How large is the group my child would be in?
What’s the teacher-child ratio in each group?
What is the maximum class size?

Staff

How many full-time teachers do you have?
Would assistant teachers be present in class?

Philosophy

What is the school’s educational philosophy?
Is the program developmentally-based or academically-focused?
What benefits would the approach confer my child?

Curriculum

What is a typical day like for the students?
Are enrichment programmes or extracurricular activities part of the curriculum?
Are students taken out for field trips?

Health and Hygiene

What is the school’s sick-child policy?
What happens if my child needs medication during the day?

Nutrition

What kinds of meals or snacks does the school provide students with during the day?

Nap Times

Are children required to sleep during the day? If so, for how long?
What is the nap schedule like?
Where do the children sleep?