Choosing an elementary school, one question at a time

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• What to look for on a primary school visit

  A practical checklist for visiting an elementary or primary school: what to watch in classrooms, what to ask staff and what to check afterwards.

• Primary curricula compared: IB PYP, English, Cambridge, IPC and American

  How the main curricula used in international primary schools differ: age ranges, structure, assessment and what moving between them involves.

• School starting ages by country

  At what age children start primary school in England, Scotland, the US, Japan, Germany, Singapore, France and Australia, and why it matters when you move.

More guides

• English as an additional language: questions to ask a school

  How international primary schools support children who are learning English, and what to ask before you choose one.

• Class size and adults in the room

  What to ask about class sizes, teaching assistants and specialist teachers when comparing primary schools.

• After-school care and activities

  How after-school clubs and care work at primary schools, what they cost and what to check if both parents work.

• School costs beyond tuition

  The fees and costs that international schools charge on top of tuition: application, enrolment, deposits, buses, lunches, trips and more.

• Choosing a school when you move abroad with young children

  How to plan a primary school place when relocating: timing, documents, curricula and where to start searching by country.

• Inspections and accreditation at international schools

  What school inspection and accreditation mean for international primary schools, and what to read before you choose one.

• Helping a child start primary school

  Simple ways to prepare a young child for the first weeks of primary school, at home or in a new country.

This is a guide for parents, not a school. We do not run, admit pupils to or represent any school.