Choosing the first step in the education of their children can be a stressful and exhausting process for parents. By understanding the parents’ needs, you can both improve and adapt to attract more parents and make them satisfied when choosing your academy.
Parents are extra careful when choosing their child’s first preschool. Safety and security are really important to them when making this choice. Hence, the parents will usually take their time to do a lot of research and check out different options.
By understanding what they are looking for in that process, you can stay ahead of the curve and give those parents the feeling that you are their best option for fulfilling those needs!
Let’s look at five things that parents are looking for when choosing a kindergarten!
1. Curriculum Program
When you’re planning your academic program, it’s important to know exactly what you want your students to achieve at each level.
A common mistake many schools make is sticking too closely to the textbook. What we mean is that you don’t want to solely depend on the program. Adding real-life stories and examples can make the materials more relatable and engaging. When the learning is interactive, the students will also learn better, as research has shown.
Sometimes, when teachers use the same teaching method for everyone, some students might struggle and be left behind. No parents want to see their child in that position, so, by using a variety of teaching methods or addressing these concerns, you can ease parents’ worries.
Pro tip: Parents often feel safer if they see their child’s teacher is an experienced one, especially has a background with different learning and teaching methods. So look for them when hiring!
Nowadays, parents like it when their kids are engaged in activities outside of regular classroom learning. This helps children to grow into better characters. It teaches them soft skills like how to get along with others and makes their bodies and minds stronger.
These are all parked under the term extracurricular activities. They can be all sorts of things like playing sports, reading books, playing board games, doing arts and crafts, celebrating festivals, or helping out in the community (you can find more examples here).
If you add some of these fun activities to your program, more parents will be interested in what you offer.
2. Learning Environment
The environment plays a big role when talking about learning and parent decisions. Often, if the environment is not optimum, children will be closed off and won’t learn much, and parents will be discouraged from choosing that academy.
So what is considered a good environment for them?
- Active listening: Not only will they be more engaged, but you will also avoid filling up your board or dictating constantly, which can become tedious quickly.
- Tracking progress: Most parents love seeing their kid’s progress. Showing the learning progress in a fun and natural way will not only encourage the child but also make parents happy and proud.
- Giving a sense of safety: Kids spend a lot of time in school, away from home, which can be tiring and demotivating. Help them feel safe and comfortable, as this will improve both their learning and morale once they return home.
- Friendly approach: Constant rules can be discouraging for kids. Instead, cultivating an open-minded culture where the students are allowed to make mistakes helps to build confidence and a friendly environment.
3. Near or Far?
The location of a kindergarten is super important for parents. It’s all about making their life easier and safer for the kids. Parents like kindergartens that are close to home or work. Why? Because it means less time stuck in traffic and they can easily fit into their daily routines. Besides, in case of emergencies, they can get to the kindergarten promptly.
Plus, local kindergartens are awesome for kids as they get to hang out and make friends with their neighbors. It also helps the community bond, creating a more enjoyable childhood experience.
So, how can you make sure the parents find you? We recommend using the internet, especially local SEO. It helps you to be easily discoverable by the parents nearby your area. It’s like a treasure map for parents looking for kindergartens nearby. If they search ‘kindergarten near me’, your name would likely pop up on the front page. That’s crucial because most folks (59%) only check out the first page of results in a recent study.
So look into local and general SEO, as it can be a cost-effective tool in a competitive market.
4. Value of Money
When parents choose a kindergarten for their kids, most of them are willing to spend money, but they want to make sure they’re getting good value.
They will look at various factors to ensure it’s worth the cost. This includes the teachers’ quality, the size of classes, how inclusive the school is, safety measures, after-school activities, and the review from other parents. Also, it’s crucial to maintain transparency about all expenses to build trust with the parents.
In short, parents aim to strike a balance between tuition fees and the quality of education their child receives. This should be the same for the academy. Different parents have different spending power, hence, understanding the financial background of your target audience and tailoring your offerings to them will make your effort of searching for new students more efficient.
5. Parent Communication
As parents are usually more concerned about their child in early childhood, they wish to be involved closely in their child’s growing process. Hence, they favor academy centres that provide timely and regular updates on their child.
Besides, communicating is also critical in maintaining a healthy relationship with parents. Both in person and online, by constantly updating and informing parents about school-related news, the progress of their child, or anything in between, you give them a sense of involvement. Which in turn, boosts parents’ satisfaction and keeps them sticking with your school.
More than ever, it’s important to keep your communication channel up to date with the trends. An estimated ¾ of parents use technology to be informed about their children as most parents nowadays are so used to getting on the internet and using digital devices.
6. Parent FAQ
Here’s a list of some frequently asked questions (FAQs) from parents. This will help you get ready:
- What is the daily schedule and routine?
- What is the fee structure?
- Is there a trial session or an open day?
- What is the policy for sick days and absences?
- What is the teacher-to-student ratio in a class?
- What are the qualifications of the teachers and staff?
- What are the safety and security measures in place?
- How does the school handle discipline and behavior?
- What is the school’s approach to parental involvement?
Final Thoughts
Parents don’t make their preschool choices lightly, so understanding their decision-making process is crucial for staying competitive.
Parents’ needs change with each new generation, so staying current with their expectations is vital. Besides addressing their concerns, consider incorporating technology, like a kindergarten management system, to streamline your center’s operations. Technology is increasingly common today, so adopting it early can give you an edge over your competition.
This not only simplifies your workload but also presents your center as modern and up-to-date. If you’re looking for the best kindergarten management system, explore AOneSchools!
