SEA is a time of transition for primary school students, and part of the transition process is the selection of schools. For some parents, this can be intimidating because of limited information and fear surrounding the situation. In this article, you will find seven things you need to know about selecting schools for SEA that will help to calm you and make an informed choice.

1. Before students are assigned a school, they are ranked according to their composite score.

Students are ranked according to their composite scores from highest to lowest.

The composite score is a unique number calculated using a formula which includes 100% of the Math score, 60% of the ELA score, 40% of the CW score, the standard deviation, and the mean. The standard deviation and mean are based on the population of students writing the exam for a particular year. It’s a complex process based on mathematical principles that are best left up to the experts.

Think of the ranking system as simply the student with the highest composite score will be number 1 and the next highest will be ranked number 2 and so on. And as this ranking is done according to gender, you’ll find that there’s a “top boy” and a “top girl”, even though there will also be a “top student”.

Consider the following group of eight students and their scores.

• Jasmine (girl) – 216.495
• Horatio (boy) – 217.693
• Fiona (girl) – 196.962
• Aldwin (boy) – 199.032
• Christopher (boy) – 229.140
• Edwina (girl) – 248.381
• Florence (girl) – 230.752
• Ignatius (boy) – 245.357

Ranking for these students will look like this:

2. Placement is based on the availability of space and demand for the school.

Every school has a limited amount of students they are able to accommodate in form one. School A may have 105 places, School B may have 250 places, School C may have 60 places available.

As you can imagine, if there are 6,000 students who selected School A, there would be stiff competition for getting into that school. As a result, students may need higher composite scores to get in.

So, if there is one more space left in School A and both Ignatius and Christopher select the school as one of their choices, then Ignatius will get the last space as his composite score is higher than Christopher’s.

3. The 20% List applies only to government assisted schools and is a right afforded to these schools since they are sharing their private space.

Some people believe that the 20% list is a privilege that allows for unfair practices and this misconception should be revisited. The main thing to consider is that this 20% list does not apply to all schools, and it is not an opportunity for principals to simply do as they please.

Government assisted schools are, just as the name implies, assisted by the government. They are not considered government schools because the administration and management of the school are not handled by the government. That is handled by the board of education appointed by the religious denominations which founded the schools. In essence, these schools are privately run schools that are assisted by the government. In exchange for that assistance, the boards of education have agreed to allow the government to select 80% of the form one student population. The boards have reserved the right to select the remaining 20%.

So, if a government assisted school can accommodate 100 students at form one, the spaces available through SEA placement are 80. The board of education decides on the remaining 20.

As a result of this, the idea isn’t that these principals are doing their own thing with some of the available places. It’s really that those 20 places aren’t available to the public in the first place. If you are not a member of the denomination running the government assisted school, then your access to the education they provide is based on the spaces available after the 20% is allocated. That is a reasonable expectation.

4. There are excellent schools within range of most districts, so your decision about selection can factor in location.

Some people believe that there are only a few great schools in Trinidad and Tobago and they are all located either in San Fernando or Port of Spain. As a result, many parents choose these schools regardless of where their families are situated. This can result in extended commute time to and from school, and create many logistical issues.

The truth is that there are many schools that perform well and afford students high quality education located in other parts of the country. You are not bound to a life of substandard education if you select schools that also offer convenience for transport.

Education is influenced by many factors, and certainly fatigue and distress caused by having to experience traffic and long travel time every morning and evening can have a toll. Additionally, more commute time means less time for other things such as extra-curricular activities.

So, as you make selections, consider what schools are within a reasonable commute from where you live.

5. Schools have various strengths based on their access to resources and other factors, so consider your child’s desires when selecting schools.

Even though school selection is a parent’s responsibility, we must remember that the child is the one who has to spend the next 5 to 7 years at this institution. It’s important, therefore, that you consider your child’s temperament and life goals while making a selection.

No two schools are the same. Some schools may focus more on art, some on science, some others on business, and even others on a vibrant sporting programme. Depending on your child’s skills, desires, and dreams, one school may be more suitable than the other. Factor in all of these issues while making a school selection.

Take some time to find out about the schools you select. Visit them if you have the opportunity and look at the environment. Talk with teachers, past students, and current students if you have the opportunity. Get to know where your child would possibly be spending the next five years of their life.

6. When selecting schools, consider the distance between the cut off scores as this could affect how your child is placed.

The way the system works, if a child’s first choice school is filled, then the next option would be the child’s second choice school. If that is also filled, then the choice will be the next one and so on. If all four schools of choice are filled, then the child will be placed in the school nearest their location that has room. That last option is what most people consider “being zoned”. That’s because the selection is a school within the same zone or the nearest zone to where the child lives.

Those schools are not on the child’s preferred list and may not be what parents’ desire. To avoid this situation, consider how close the selections are in terms of their cut off scores.

For example, look at the selection with cut off scores below.

First Choice – School A: 249

Second Choice – School: B 248

Third Choice – School C: 247

Fourth Choice – School D: 246

With that kind of choice, Ignatius, who scored 245.357 will be zoned because his mark did not allow him to fall within range of any of his choices. On the other hand, Edwina, who scored 248.381, would have access to her second choice if it still has room. If it doesn’t, she will likely be placed in her third choice.

Ideally, you want to choose schools that have a gap of 4 points. So, a more prudent spread would look more like this:

First Choice – School A: 249

Second Choice – School: B 245

Third Choice – School C: 241

Fourth Choice – School D: 237

In the second scenario, Ignatius would not be zoned. He would have access to his second, third, and fourth choice, all of which are schools he and his parents are comfortable with.

7. Since there are co-educational and single sex schools among the options, pay attention to the cut off scores for boys and girls if you are selecting a co-ed school.

As discussed in the first point, there are different cut off scores for boys and girls for co-educational schools. This is because these schools aim for an even number of boys and girls. If a school has the capacity for 200 form one students, then they will aim for 100 boys and 100 girls. As a result, a girl selecting that school will be competing for one out of 100 spaces, not one out of 200 spaces.

As such, if your child is a girl, then pay attention to the cut off scores for girls. If your child is a boy, pay attention to the cut off scores for boys.

Conclusion

There are other factors that influence school choice, but these seven discussed here are among the top considerations. Once you understand the process, there is no need to be anxious about how things will turn out. As parents, we do what we believe is best for our children and we do what we can to ensure they have bright futures. Having a plan that is based on accurate information is the best way to bring all of this into being. However, when things don’t go according to plan, being informed allows for effective adjustment and pivoting.

So, take heart and work with your child’s teachers and your child to make selections. You and your family will be ok.

Sources

The ‘Principals’ 20% selection’ in the SEA. October 8, 2022.

What is the 20 per cent? July 19, 2019.

Conversations with teachers and school principals