Choosing A Daycare That Will Bolster Your Child's Private School Application
Posted on: 11 May 2015
If you want your child to get into a prestigious private school, you need to be thinking about that process during every step of your child's first five years, and that includes choosing the right daycare. The right daycare experience can bolster your child's resume and help them pass the admissions process. Here is what you should look for in a day care:
1. A Focus on Games and Activities Involving ERB-Related Skills
Many private or independent schools use the ERB, a skills test, to see if children are ready for their curriculum. While you can hire a coach or coach your child yourself, the best preparation is an integration of the skills tested in their day care – that gives your child daily practice and preparation for the ERB.
For example, the ERB tests things like pattern recognition, comprehension, and vocabulary. So your child is prepared, his or her daycare should have lots of toys and games involving patterns. The teacher should read multiple stories a day, and they should have relatively complex storylines and new vocabulary words.
2. A Well Connected Director
In many cases, the director of your child's daycare can play a large role in getting your child connected to the right private or independent school. Look for a daycare lead by someone who knows a lot of private school headmasters, who does a lot of volunteer work, and who is a prominent force in the community.
When your child starts applying to schools, the daycare director's opinion and connections could be invaluable.
3. A Low Child-to-Staff Ratio
In addition to networking through the preschool's director, you may also want letters of recommendation from the child care providers at the school. Letters of recommendation from people who know your child are often a huge part of applying to a private school.
If the daycare you select has a low child-to-staff ratio, it ensures your child will really get to know his or her teachers. That makes it more likely they will know your child well enough to write a detailed letter of recommendation on his or her behalf.
4. Diverse Activities
In addition to the skill-building activities mentioned above, you also want a daycare that offers a diverse range of activities. The activities on offer should include music, art, gymnastics, wilderness survival, volunteer work, and whatever else you think would look impressive on your child's private school application.
To learn more, try contacting a company such as Rainbow Montessori with any questions or concerns you have.
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