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This article has been updated to reflect 2026 data and recent developments.

If you live in New York or San Francisco, you probably already know how difficult it is to get your toddler into a good primary school. You almost have to register for a place before she is born. The problem is that primary schools are extremely limited in places in most major metropolitan areas. Consequently, parents will do almost anything to get their children into a desirable school. Back in the 50s and 60s, when I was growing up, pre-schools and nurseries were hard to find. That's because most mothers were stay-at-home mothers. Looking after the children was just part of the job description of a mother then. That began to change as more mothers began to work outside the home. In the 70s and 80s, preschools and nursery schools became a hot commodity. So, how do you position your child so she has the best chance of getting into a good primary school?

In 2026, the basic advice remains the same, although admissions procedures vary widely by school and market. Families should check each school's current age requirements, application dates, interview or observation procedures, and admissions priorities. 草榴社区 School Review's 草榴社区 School Admission Process: 2026 Complete Guide provides a current overview of the process.

In this video, Denise Pope offers advice on finding an elementary school.

1. Make sure your

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Safe schools are everybody's concern these days. Remember how years ago, we only worried about keeping the dormitory doors locked at night and ensuring the trip to New York City was properly chaperoned? It was so simple. But everything has changed. According to the , over 900,000 reported incidents of violence in U.S. public schools in a single school year. This statistic underscores the importance of understanding and ensuring school safety.

The Importance of School Safety

Now, parents, teachers, and students have to deal with cyber-security, stalking, substance abuse, bullying, suicide, and a host of other really tough issues. School safety is more than just preventing violence. School safety encompasses measures designed to protect students from threats, including bullying, natural disasters, and health emergencies. Parents and school community members expect us to provide a safe environment. That, after all, is essential for fostering the academic success of students and the emotional well-being of every member of the school community. When students feel secure, they are more likely to thrive academically and socially. How does a school community implement a robust, effective safety program? Let's take a look.

Improve your communications

In a very small school -100 students or less- you might be able to get away with the old-fashioned telephone tree where one person calls five others and so on. The problem with this method of alerting the community is that there are always a few people who don't get called. Install

One of the reasons we parents send out children to private school is discipline. We have grown concerned about our children being in large classes where the teachers spend much of their teaching time dealing with discipline issues. That's not the education environment we want for our children. We want them to go to school to learn in a safe, supportive environment where they can learn.

As you investigate private schools at any level, review how the schools handle discipline. Because each private school is a stand-alone entity, how it approaches the matter of discipline will vary from school to school. Be ready for that. How a school handles discipline is one of many factors which will influence your choice of schools.

What is a code of conduct?

Discipline in private schools generally begins with a . A code of conduct is a document which has been produced by the school administration and approved by the board of trustees or other governing body. The code of conduct is generally read and signed by parents and students at the time of admission to the school. It becomes part of the contract between student, parents and the school which governs your attendance at the school. Since you have already agreed to the school's code of conduct beforehand, when you commit an infraction of the code, you will be disciplined accordingly.

It will be difficult

If you had to choose when to send your child to private school, would you send her to private school for the primary grades or high school? It's a tough call. The expense alone is a significant consideration for many parents. Another consideration is the market where you live. Do you have several private school options to choose from? Using the search tool on 草榴社区 School Review, I asked it to list schools within 25 miles of my zip code in Raleigh. There were 119 schools to choose from. Not all would meet my requirements, but at least I had some material to work with. Investigate your local private school options and see how those schools meet your requirements.

Could you send your child to primary school through 12th grade in the same school? Or would you have to consider individual schools for the immediate, middle, and high school grades? Would it make sense to send your child to public school for primary grades and then consider private school for high school?

Frankly, I always feel that the high school years are where things can go off the rails. I wanted my children in a well-disciplined, severe learning environment. That's what I got when I sent my two daughters to boarding school. They both attended private pre-schools. One attended a private primary school, and the other went to an excellent, tiny K-6 elementary school, which happened to be right across the street from our home in our northwest