True Life School Knowledge base · A parent question
How do you choose a school? 12 questions worth asking at any open day.
Rankings measure schools; they do not measure fit. The better tool is a short list of questions that force any school — including ours — to answer concretely instead of beautifully. Print these twelve and take them with you.
Reviewed August 2026
About learning.
These four expose whether a school adapts to a child or the child must adapt to the school.
- 1. What happens when my child already knows the material — and when they fall behind?
- 2. How will I see progress: a grade twice a term, or ongoing insight into what is mastered and what is missing?
- 3. How much of the day is real practice at my child’s level, and how much is waiting for the rest of the class?
- 4. How do you prepare for state exams — as a year-long rhythm or a final-quarter panic?
About the people.
A school is the adults inside it. These four check whether any adult will truly know your child.
- 5. Who exactly will know my child well — and how many children does that person watch over?
- 6. How do you handle conflict and difficult weeks: is there a procedure, or does it depend on who is on duty?
- 7. How do you talk to parents — a summoned meeting when something is wrong, or a regular loop of information?
- 8. What do children do between lessons — and does anyone design that time?
About money and law.
The boring questions that decide whether a beautiful choice survives three years of reality.
- 9. What is the full yearly cost — tuition, entry fee, meals, trips, materials — on one sheet of paper?
- 10. Which school issues the certificate and how does my child return to a traditional school if we change our minds?
- 11. How much did tuition rise over the last two years?
- 12. What does the school promise in writing — and what stays a verbal assurance?
Our answers to all twelve live across this site — how it works, the parent dashboard, safety, legal basis and pricing principles. If any answer is missing or vague, write to hello@truelife.school and we will answer in writing.