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How do you know if you’re choosing an Opportunity Class that’s right for your child? Here are some things you and your child should consider before making a decision.
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Is your child about to take the OC Test? Not sure where to begin with choosing an OC school that’s right for them? Here are 5 key considerations you may wish to take into account when deciding which 2 schools are the best for your child.
Choosing an OC school that’s suitable for your child and your family isn’t as easy as it sounds. There are a limited number of schools with OC classes around Sydney and it’s competitive to get a place.
Before you jump in and apply and start helping your child prep, you must weigh up the pros and cons. In this article, we’ll help you with that.
It is very important to consider the location of an OC class and the time required to travel every day.
For your child who’s been going to their local school all their life, they might not be used to travelling long distances. As a result, this leads to longer times spent travelling to and from school, which can be tiring for your child.
Furthermore, consider what else could have been done that was spent on the road. For example, the time spent going to school could have been spent on activities and extracurriculars your child enjoys, such as sports and music.
Although there should be focus on academics, extracurricular activities are also very important for your child’s development.
Make sure to talk about the move with your child in a positive way. Answer their questions and offer reassurance.
Your child may have developed strong friendships prior to making it in OC, so it is important that they are on board with the decision to shift schools.
Friends are important to everyone, not just children.
Let your child make their own decisions, as sometimes, they are hesitant and reluctant to leave the friends they have made over the years. Understand that your child will be with the same class for Year 5 and Year 6 once they enter an OC class, which may impact their social interaction with other students.
There may be 1 or 2 OC classes depending on the school so make sure to do the research before accepting an offer. Also, be aware if your child’s current school offers OC classes.
However, if your child is happy and motivated to make new friends in a new environment, then there is a great opportunity ahead! Don’t forget to encourage your child to get photos of their current friends and contact details so that they can stay in touch.
There are many aspects to school life other than academics. These can include playing sports, learning an instrument and enjoying time with friends.
However, for those who have greater academic goals in the future, such as making Selective or Scholarship Classes, OC class is a great opportunity to work together with like-minded people.
As your child is surrounded by peers who share similar academic goals, your child is in an ideal scenario for maximising their learning potential. When your child spends more time with like-minded students, they will develop good study habits which will be highly beneficial as the Selective Test approaches. Friendly competition within the classroom can also motivate your child to higher levels of success.
Is regular class work too easy for your child? One of the main benefits of OC class is the increased difficulty of classwork. Content will be taught quicker in comparison to regular classes, and there are often extension options. This provides your child with greater opportunities to learn about content before most other students, allowing them to be more ready as Selective and Scholarship Test comes around.
All things come at a cost. As many benefits as OC class offers, there are also negative aspects.
Although, as a parent, you might emphasise that academics is essential for your child’s development and should be the priority. However, your support is the greatest factor for your child’s development and wellbeing.
The difficulty of work will be harder than usual so there often will be greater workloads which can take time out of other activities. If your child has a passion for playing sports, ensure attending an OC class won’t take that opportunity away from them.
Make sure you and your child are on the same page in terms of their goals. Understand what their goals are and support their decision. Their happiness and wellbeing should always be the main priority.
OC is challenging. There are only 1,700 places for approximately 11,000 applicants who take the exam. Be realistic with your child’s school selections. Make sure to consider every schools’ entry scores when selecting preferences.
The ultimate goal for your child is to perform well in the Selective Test to be able to attend a Selective School. Keep in mind that making an OC class doesn’t guarantee a spot for Selective so it is important to maintain good study habits throughout Year 5 and Year 6.
Now that you have selected the top 2 preferred schools for your child, find out how you can prepare for the OC Test! If you’re looking for more help with your child’s OC preparation, check out our Year 4 course.
Written by June Heo
June launched the popular Matrix Blog in 2011 to make high-quality resources accessible to all students. Before working at Matrix she was a news producer at Sky News.
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