TIPS ON STARTING YOUR PRIVATE SCHOOL
Various countries have different school systems and the requirements for starting schools differ. I will be giving some tips on how to start your private school and my focus will be on what obtains in my home country, Nigeria.
Starting a school is a huge responsibility and a great task. It is a long-term process. We must be mindful of the fact that we are dealing with lives. It is a lot of work but can be very fulfilling at the end of the day if we are starting a school for the right reasons.
You must think through this decision and ensure it is an area you are passionate about.
ARE YOU THINKING OF STARTING A SCHOOL?
DO YOU HAVE A PASSION FOR CHILDREN?
ARE YOU PASSIONATE ABOUT EDUCATION?
If your answer is yes then we must consider the following tips.
Though there are more things to consider, the 10 points below are a great place to start and will surely help.
♦ RESEARCH ABOUT THE RULES, REGULATIONS AND GOVERNMENT APPROVAL WHERE YOUR SCHOOL WILL BE LOCATED.
A good starting point is to research and clearly understand the rules, regulations, government approvals and all requirements needed for starting a private school where you are located or where you plan to start. The rules, requirements and approvals are different in various countries and they may also vary from state to state.
♦ DECIDE ON THE TYPE OF SCHOOL YOU WANT TO START
When planning to start a school you have to decide on what type of school you want to set up. You can decide to start with a creche and preschool and as the children progress gradually you can add the primary, secondary and university or you can decide to start the secondary and then add the primary and preschool.
You can also decide to focus on one;
It may not be realistic to start a school that will offer education to all the different age groups from the creche to year 6. Although it is possible, it depends on your plan or vision. It is possible to combine the groups. There are many different child care and educational options. We have the Creche, Pre-nursery, Nursery/ Kindergarten, Primary School, Secondary School, Sixth form/ A Levels, Universities, Polytechnics, College of Education and so on.
Decide and make up your mind to carve out a niche for yourself in that area.
♦ CHOOSE A NAME
Choosing a name and developing a brand for your school is always a great place to start.
Decide on the name you want to call your School.
♦ VISION AND MISSION
A school’s vision statement gives us a clear idea or direction of where the school is heading and what the school wants to eventually achieve at the end of the day. While the mission statement of a school focuses on today and what the school does to achieve it. They are both important in pointing towards the goals or the aim and objectives of the school.
The Mission and Vision statements play three critical roles: (1) communicate the purpose of the organization to stakeholders (2) Inform strategy development, and (3) develop measurable goals and objectives which will be used to evaluate the success of the organization’s strategy
♦ CURRICULUM
Decide on the type of curriculum you want to use. This should be influenced by the vision and mission of the school.
The curriculum will engage the children’s interests, and encourage and motivate them to want to learn.
When we mention curriculum, we are referring to the academic content and lessons taught in a school or in a specific program or course. It is the knowledge and skills students are expected to learn.
Different educational institutions run different curricula ranging from mono to hybrid curricula. The very common ones in Nigeria are:
- The Strictly Nigerian curriculum
- The Strictly British curriculum
- A blend of the British and Nigerian curriculum
- American Curriculum
- Canadian Curriculum etc.
♦ FINDING A SUITABLE SPACE OR FACILITY
The search for a space or facility should begin months before you plan to open. You should decide on a space that works well for your school. Finding the space or a facility that fits exactly can be a bit overwhelming, but it is achievable. If you are renting the space, but it does not look exactly like what you have in mind, you can modify the space to your taste, the facility should look nice and modern. It should be spacious and comfortable enough for the children. The location should also be put into consideration. It must be good, safe and easily accessible.
♦ HAVE A BUSINESS PLAN IN PLACE
You need to develop your business plan well ahead of time.
Your business plan is a must-have document. It serves as a road map, which is the plan to achieve the goal for your new school. An explanation of what you desire to accomplish with your school and how you intend to execute it. The business plan also includes the blueprint of how the school is going to operate over the first few years and the strategies for expansion over time. Your business plan will also help others have an understanding of how you intend to turn your vision from a dream into reality.
♦ FUNDING AND RESOURCES
The most consistent concern some new school owners have is funding. You have to sit down and draw up a budget. Decide on how much will be needed to start your school. What sources of funding are available? You have to identify the resources you need and what funds you have currently. Let your budget have details of what your income and expenses will be. The financial person on your team should be responsible and work with you in this area.
♦ SETUP A BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Setting up a board of Directors for your school is very essential. You will not be able to manage and oversee the school singlehandedly, it is, therefore, important to have like-minded responsible competent people who can work as board members and help make decisions with you.
♦ STAFFING
Recruiting, screening and selecting the right staff for your school is very important. This should be done before opening the school.
It is important that we carefully find qualified candidates to fill up the different positions in the school. The school staff should be both teaching and non-teaching workers. Some of the staff needed are the head of school, teachers, school nurses, counsellors, accountants, caregivers, janitors, admin staff, secretaries, securities, and some others, although this will all depend on the type of school you are operating and the size of the school.
Training, and keeping the right staff for your school is very key.
♦ MARKETING
Marketing or advertising your school should start months before you open. It is important that you create enough publicity to ensure stakeholders are aware of the new school that is going to open. It’s always good to use the media where you can reach your audience. You can advertise consistently using various media for example radio, television, newspapers, and online. You may also need to consistently do some paid adverts online. Creating a strong online presence is very important. It will be good for your new school to have a website. Accounts can also be created for your school on social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram).
Conclusion
Starting a school is a long-term investment.
Do not be in a rush to make a profit.
The profit will eventually come at some point in time but it is important that you put everything in place to support the children that are coming into your school. Ensure the school environment is conducive for learning.
All the precious children in your school should be valued and safety should be given priority. It is known that children learn best in an environment where they feel safe and valued.
Let the focus of your school be to provide quality education for the children.
