Finding a 'good school' for your child

Choosing a ‘good’ school for your child is not as simple as it used to be. Living in city with access to a number of schools doesn’t mean that the closest school is necessarily the best school for your child.
Most parents want to enroll their children in a ‘good’ school. But what defines a ‘good’ school?
If using measurable parameters and public opinion, a ‘good’ school will have a sound academic record, excellent sport and cultural facilities, access to the latest technological enhancements for teaching and pupils who excel in academics, sport and cultural activities.
Surely you cannot go wrong with a school of this caliber? A recent study of 150 000 Grade 9 learners who attend public schools in Chicago found that this is not necessarily the case. Schools that focus on the emotional and social dimensions of learning, had higher graduation rates than schools focusing primarily on test scores. In fact, learners who are able to build lasting relationships with peers and teachers and experience a sense of belonging, tend to perform better at school.
These finding emphasise how important the non-measureables are when it comes to finding the best school for your child.
When choosing a school for your child, keep the following in mind:
Your values It’s worth having a serious conversation with your child about what is important to both of you when selecting a school, so that you can choose a school that fits your family va lues.
Boys’ school/Girls’ school or co-ed
Some parents have clear ideas about this, feeling, for example, that co-ed schools provide a more authentic preparation for real life, or that single-gender schools are better academically. Where some boys and girls thrive in single-gender schools, others find the competition overwhelming.
Location
It might be necessary, or worthwhile for your children to travel some distance to a school – many children do it. Do the trip in rush hour at least once before you commit to it for years. Find out where most of the families live. It might be difficult to arrange play dates if you live far from the other families, and play dates can be important for successful social integration. If the school is far from where you live, you’ll probably need to travel to social events, parent evenings and birthday parties.
Costs
School fees vary from R30 000 to R200 000 per year. Beware – the school fees are rarely all-inclusive, so make sure you ask for a list of extra expenses that will come up during the year, including sport, stationery, extra-murals and fund-raising activities, so that you can budget adequately. Check what deposit is payable when and whether or not it’s refundable.
Catering to different needs
How does the school cater for a diverse range of children with diverse needs? If your child is struggling academically or socially, what support can they provide? If your child is not being challenged, do they have the resources to meet your child’s specific needs?
Sense of belonging
Is there a good fit between your family values and parenting style and the values and teaching style at the school? Will your child feel like he or she belongs? This is probably one of the most import factors to consider, but unfortunately not that easy to gage before enrolling in the school. The best advice would be to arrange for a guided tour of the school, or if possible, to attend and open day. Your child will then get a better idea of how things work at the school and usually there will be instant feelings of ‘like’ or ‘dislike’ of the environment. Although this is a very important decision to make, remember that your choice of school is not a life-sentence. If your child is really unhappy or not thriving, consider other options. Remember though that children are also incredibly relisient. Give your child the opportunity to settle in and find his or her space in the new school before you jump to the next one.

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Woman writing math equations on a chalkboard, holding a notebook, with a thought bubble of the pi symbol.

Preparing for Maths Assessments

By Estelle Barnard • October 22, 2025

Mathematics rewards practice with purpose: spaced revision, plenty of self-testing, making notes, checking with feedback, and calm, consistent routines. Below you’ll find exactly how to do this at different stages of school. The Big Three for All Learners Space it out Short, regular sessions beat last-minute marathons. Plan 20–40 minute slots across the week and revisit topics before you forget them. This is known as the spacing effect (Cepeda et al., 2008). Retrieve, don’t just reread Close the book and try to solve or recall from memory. Use past questions, quick quizzes, and “write-from-memory” summaries. Retrieval practice strengthens long-term learning, especially when you check your answers (Roediger & Butler, 2011). Think about your thinking Teach learners to plan, monitor, and evaluate how they study. Simple questions like, “What will I practise today? How will I know I’ve improved?” turn revision from passive to purposeful (EEF, 2018). Primary School (Grades 4–7) Goals Build number sense and fluency (times tables, fractions, decimals). Understand why methods work, not just how to perform them. Study Rhythm Mon/Wed/Fri: 20 min mixed practice (across old and new topics). Tue/Thu: 20 min facts fluency (typically something like time tables or fractions) Weekend: 25–30 min “Teach-Back” session: learner explains one concept aloud (e.g. “How do we find a common denominator?”). High School (Grades 8–12) Goals Strengthen algebraic fluency, geometry, trigonometry, statistics, and calculus. Build exam stamina and the ability to select appropriate methods. Exam Preparation Plan Weeks –4 to –3: Cover all topics and create a spaced schedule. Weeks –3 to –2: Attempt past-paper sections; very important to check with detailed memos. Prepare an error log of frequent mistakes. Weeks –2 to –1: Interleave topics and focus more on challenging topics (e.g., trig, functions, geometry). Final Week: Short, focused recall sessions from your “error log.” The Value of Writing Your Own Notes and Step-by-Step Summaries One of the most effective yet overlooked study habits is summarising key procedures in your own words . Mathematics is full of repeatable processes: simplifying fractions, expanding algebraic expressions, finding derivatives using first principles, or completing the square in a quadratic equation. Writing out the steps helps learners form mental blueprints they can rely on in tests. Why this works Research shows that encoding information through writing and explaining strengthens understanding and recall (Dunlosky et al., 2013; MIT Teaching + Learning Lab, 2020). When learners create their own step-by-step summaries: They engage in sense-making, not just copying. They uncover misconceptions early. They connect formulas with reasoning (“why does this step come next?”). They create a quick reference guide for revision. Examples: Simplifying fractions: Find common factors → Divide numerator and denominator → Check if it can simplify further. Completing the square: Divide so that x squared stands on its own →Take the constant term to the right-hand side →Add half of the coefficient of x squared to both sides → Factorise the left-hand side to form a perfect square → Simplify and solve for x. Visualisation and Trigonometry Trigonometry can be tricky until you visualise how angles behave on the Cartesian plane . Remember: in trigonometry, angles are measured from the positive x-axis , moving anticlockwise for positive angles and clockwise for negative ones. (See the labelled diagram above, showing where each trigonometric ratio is positive or negative, including the reduction formulae.) Using StudyChamp Resources Effectively StudyChamp’s detailed memos and step-by-step worked examples make maths study easier: Compare your solution to the memo. Highlight key reasoning steps. Add the process to your “Maths Procedures Notebook”. By exam time, that notebook becomes your own personalised study guide: practical, and written in your own words. References Cepeda, N. J., et al. (2008). Spacing effects in learning: A temporal ridgeline of optimal retention. Psychological Science, 19(11). Dunlosky, J., et al. (2013). Improving Students’ Learning With Effective Learning Techniques. Psychological Science in the Public Interest. Education Endowment Foundation (EEF). Metacognition and Self-Regulated Learning Guidance Report. Roediger, H. L., & Butler, A. C. (2011). The critical role of retrieval practice in long-term retention. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 15(1). MIT Teaching + Learning Lab. (2020). Note-Taking and Sense-Making Strategies. Massachusetts Institute of Technology.