Top 9 Questions to Ask During a Preschool Tour
Knowing what to investigate is the key. This guide will give you a checklist of the questions to ask so that you can look beyond the surface and see how the school truly operates.
1. What’s the Teacher-Student Ratio?
The ECDA sets mandatory minimum requirements for this, but many premium centres will try to provide even smaller groups of students per teacher. Ask specifically about the ratio for your child’s age group, as it may vary by group.
Note that lower ratios are often associated with better social and emotional development, as well as more personalised learning.
2. What are the staff qualifications and turnover rates?
What’s the professional background of the centre’s educators? How long have they stayed at the centre?
Great qualifications can only benefit the children in their care. Meanwhile, high staff turnover can be a red flag for internal culture or management.
Because consistent caregiving and guidance are crucial for little ones still building their first attachments outside of the home, you want staff who are both qualified and emotionally invested in the school.
3. How is the daily curriculum structured?
The best answer here probably depends on your preferences and your child’s learning style. Most preschools in Singapore will balance structured academic preparation with holistic learning, however.
You may want to ask how they integrate topics such as Mother Tongue into the curriculum, or if they follow a specific pedagogical philosophy (e.g. Montessori or Reggio Emilia).
4. What’s their approach to discipline?
Do the school’s disciplinary methods align with your values at home? It’s all too common for conflicts or issues to arise in a toddler playgroup in Singapore, so you’ll have to know how they handle these situations beforehand.
Check if they use positive reinforcement and logical consequences, for example. Try to avoid the centres that rely on outdated or overly harsh punitive measures for order.
5. What’s the protocol for sickness or emergency?
We all know that certain problems are recurrent concerns in local childcare centres, like Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease (HFMD), for instance. That’s why health protocols are non-negotiable in preschools.
Ask if they have daily health screening procedures and how they work. How do they isolate unwell students? Do they have emergency evacuation plans or first-aid readiness schemes? How do they also alert you if there’s been an incident?
6. What kinds of meals and nutrition are provided?
How does the preschool abide by the Healthy Meals in Pre-schools Programme or HMPP? What meals do they serve, and how do they ensure nutritional balance in them?
If your child has allergies or dietary requirements, you may also want to ask about how they can handle those now. Ask about how they avoid cross-contamination and see if they can provide a tour of the kitchen.
7. How do they communicate with parents?
Most preschools now use dedicated mobile apps to share logs, photos, or simply communicate with parents. They can be useful, but aren’t strictly necessary – what matters most is that you have an easy way of getting updates.
It’s good to check in on how frequently you’ll receive updates, and what the protocol is for parent-teacher meetings, too.
8. What’s the typical daily schedule?
Ask for a printed copy of their daily preschool timetable for a detailed breakdown of planned activities for the day. A balanced schedule should ensure your child has plenty of time for learning activities, outdoor time, and also blocks of time for rest and socialising!
What are the total fees per month after subsidies?
Ask for the monthly preschool fee as well as any miscellaneous costs to consider, which may cover uniforms, excursion fees or even holiday programmes!
If Basic and Additional Subsidies apply, ask how to apply for them as well (if they can provide guidance). This lets you compare centres from the financial aspect as well while screening.
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