Principal's Blog
2019 Term 2
Choosing a secondary school
Every year, a number of children miss a day of school here and there to visit potential secondary schools. This makes me nervous. I am uncomfortable with eleven- and twelve-year-olds being part of this decision, and I worry that including them in this decision places an unneeded burden on young shoulders. Having said that, when the parents have made a decision, it then makes sense for the child to see the school they will be attending, although I would make this visit as late as possible in the year.
Clotilde and I will make the decision of which secondary school our children will attend, and then tell them the outcome. There will be very little discussion up to this point. This is not to say that they may not raise the question of where they are going, which I see as a fair question at this age. However, there will be no hint that they are part of any decision as to their secondary schooling.
Why not? Well, I don’t think that they have the knowledge or experience to make this decision. Schools are chosen for their outdoor education programs, music programs, art curriculum, science enrichment courses, kitchen gardens, faiths, sporting endeavours, NAPLAN scores, ATAR scores, values, sense of community, or a combination of many factors. I am not sure how good an eleven-year-old is at researching, comparing and weighing these up. The life experience needed to make this decision is something that children simply do not have.
I also worry about the impact that giving or including a child in this decision has on the child. My observation is that when we delegate such a decision to a child, we stress them and make them feel insecure. We all, adults and children alike, find it stressful to make important decisions about matters where we lack sufficient knowledge or experience. We feel out of our depth. In handing the decision of choosing a high school to the child, or waiting for their input, we are asking them to be part of a decision that they probably know is beyond them. This may be stressful for them. I have a related concern here. I think children need and want their parents to make the big decisions for them; children can feel that they are in a tenuous place when their parents appear unwilling or unable to guide them.
Another issue that I am uncomfortable with is when children end up at a school that they know is their family’s second or third choice. This seems to happen quite a bit. Similarly, when I speak to prospective parents with children already at another school, I always caution against letting their child know that a move is being considered; if the move does not happen, the connection that their child has with their current school can be undermined. I feel sorry for the child who shares with me that they are heading off to a ‘second choice’ school, and don’t understand why any child would know this.
The way a family affirms their school is so important for a child to really take to it and gain the most from it. This is undermined when the choice is known to be less than optimum. If a child is included in the decision-making process and in early school visits, this eventuality cannot be ruled out. Whatever the merits of the choice of school I make for my child, it will be presented as the best school for them. This position affirms a belief in the school – a stamp of approval.
This is not to say that children should have no say in their lives – but that the areas where they can experience agency are those in which they do not feel out of their depth. Cooking the family dinner, or cleaning up, or going to the shops, or getting themselves to their friends’ places on the tram, are all endeavours that at this age can build confidence and empower children. But being involved in the choice of a secondary school, for me, does not seem a task appropriate for a primary school child.
Timothy Berryman (Principal)