25 Questions to Ask on a Preschool Tour (South African Edition)

A preschool tour is a sales pitch. These questions get you past the pitch to the substance. Print this, tick as you go.

Registration & safety

1. Is the programme registered with the Department of Basic Education? May I see the certificate?
2. Have all staff been vetted against the National Child Protection Register and the National Register for Sex Offenders?
3. Who is allowed to collect my child, and how is that controlled?
4. How many staff hold current first-aid certificates?
5. What is the procedure if a child is injured or falls seriously ill?
6. What is your fire/emergency evacuation plan?

Staff & ratios

1. What is the adult-to-child ratio in my child's age group?
2. What qualifications do the teachers hold?
3. How long have the current teachers been at the school? (High turnover is the red flag.)
4. Who covers when a teacher is sick?

Daily life

1. Can you walk me through a typical day, hour by hour?
2. How much outdoor time do children get daily?
3. How do you handle nap time — and what if my child no longer naps?
4. What does the school provide for meals, and can you accommodate allergies?
5. How do you handle toilet training and accidents?

Learning & discipline

1. What curriculum or approach do you follow?
2. How do you handle conflict between children?
3. How do you discipline? (Any mention of humiliation, isolation or physical punishment ends the tour.)
4. How will I know what my child is learning — reports, portfolios, app updates?
5. How do you prepare children for Grade R?

Money & logistics

1. What are the fees, and what do they not include?
2. Is there a registration fee, and is it refundable?
3. When were fees last increased, and by how much?
4. What are the hours, and what does late pick-up cost?
5. Do you close for school holidays, and is holiday care available?

Reading the answers

Great schools answer everything without flinching and volunteer documents before you ask. Vague answers about ratios, staff vetting or discipline are not gaps in communication — they're the answer.