
The O’Sullivans knew they made the right decision with Australian International School after seeing how much their boys enjoy attending school. Read on to find out why their kids love it…
A child who genuinely enjoys attending school is one of the clearest indications that you’ve found the right school for them. This is exactly what the O’Sullivans observed in their two boys – Oisin and Fionn – who attend Australian International School (AIS). Oisin, now in Year 1, has been attending AIS since he was two, whereas Fionn is currently attending P2 at the school’s award-winning Early Learning Village.
As the HoneyKids team recently had the chance to speak with the O’Sullivans, we couldn’t help but ask what is it about AIS that the boys love so much? Here’s what the family had to say…
Hi Nancy and Michael! Can you share Oisin and Fionn’s favourite things about AIS?
Oisin is very happy to learn new things from his teachers. He loves reading, visiting the school library, as well as organised school activities: Book Week dress up, walks in the park, etc. He also enjoys his extracurricular classes (ECAs), which allow him to explore a number of different things, like swimming, football, music, arts, science, coding, and even race car engineering! Oisin has made quite a lot of good friends, and his circle of friends continues to grow as the classes rotate each year.
The Early Learning Village, where Fionn is, has lots of excellent facilities, which he loves. There’s the water play area, sand-pit, scooters, and playgrounds that are suitable for his age group. He has also made many friends and loves going to school every day.
Sounds really fun! What were some of the factors that you had when choosing a school for your children?
First and foremost, the school should have a good reputation among parents. We wanted a school that had a strong educational background, excellent teachers, and a reputation for producing great academic results. It should have rich lessons and a variety of ECAs (sports, music, arts, etc.) for students to participate in and develop their talents.
We were also looking for a school that has a friendly and sincere community that can create a sense of belonging for not just the students but parents as well. Basically, a school that cares about each of its students, values parents’ feedback, has good interaction between teachers and parents and responds fast and positively to issues raised by their students and parents. It’ll be great if it has a system that reports a student’s progress regularly to their parents.
Last but not least, we wanted a school with a comfortable learning environment for our boys.
What led you to choose AIS for your sons?
We’d heard lots of positive feedback from parents with children at AIS. We also found out that the school has produced some outstanding students who have achieved amazing academic results. It also has great sports facilities as well as ECAs.
On top of that, we find that AIS has a strong management team who communicates openly with parents and is quick to resolve any issues or queries we’ve raised. This shows that the school cares about their students and puts them first, which contributes to the sense of community we’ve felt at the school.
With all these, we’re confident that AIS is the best choice for our sons.
And has the school lived up to your expectations?
Yes! We’re very happy with both Oisin and Fionn’s progress. Their teachers are really welcoming and friendly. Both they and the school management team accept feedback from parents positively and are always trying to improve. They ensure that each child reaches their potential; and that the school meets parents’ expectations.
That’s good to hear! What do you value most about AIS?
That it’s very open to everyone, always paying attention to parents’ voices, and continuously improves itself. We also feel that our children have grown socially and academically. They’re very open to exploring new subjects and sports. AIS facilitates this as it offers holiday care, like summer camps, where children can try out different courses like soccer, super chef, coding, science, and more.
How does the school make your family feel welcome?
We love the fact that the teachers remember our sons’ names and welcome them upon arrival. They remember Oisin and Fionn’s birthdays and even celebrate them in class with their friends. Another thing is that the teachers are always in a positive mood when engaging with the boys, which reinforces positive behaviour. Both our boys love their teachers very much. Their classmates are also very welcoming, and they’ve made many new friends throughout their AIS journey.
As for us parents, there are quite a few community groups that the school has helped build under AIS Parent Association. Each class has a Class Parent Group, and each country has a Country Ambassador Group. There are also interest groups for parents, such as yoga, tennis, walking, foodie, adventurers, sketching, etc. They often organise social events: like Morning Coffee Gathering, Kids’ Play Day, International Culture Day, even Fish & Chips event and Daddy Breakfast! Parents can easily find a community group to join and get connected with other families with similar interests.
How would you describe the level of communication you receive from the school?
We’re very satisfied with it. We often receive weekly reports from the class teachers and the school. They also conduct a parent survey each term, along with a face-to-face with the teachers who will highlight our children’s strengths and areas for improvement.
Thank you for taking the time to share these with us! Lastly, any advice for parents who are trying to choose a school?
Going on a school tour with your child is one of the best things you can do if you’re in the country. This will allow you to gauge if your child likes the school’s environment. Take your time to speak with the school’s Admission Team so you understand what the school can offer your child and family. It’s important to see what the school offers in the social and academic aspects. Parents can also send their queries to the schools and see how quickly they respond and whether the questions are answered satisfactorily or not.
Thank you, Nancy and Michael!
This post is in partnership with Australian International School.