A school visit in Dakar is the best opportunity to turn a list of criteria into a concrete impression. You can see the spaces, meet some of the team, and get precise answers about your child’s everyday experience.
Before the visit: define your priorities
Prepare basic information: your child’s age, usual languages, needs, your schedule, and what matters most to your family. This helps the school present suitable options rather than a general explanation.
Observe children and spaces
Take time to notice the atmosphere. Do children seem engaged? Do adults speak respectfully? Are spaces clean, accessible, and organised? The aim is not a silent classroom, but an environment with room for both activity and calm.
Questions about bilingual learning
Ask how French and English are used during the day, how children discovering a language are supported, and how educators share progress. Ask what families can use at home without turning family time into homework.
Questions about everyday life
Ask about morning arrival, meals, rest for younger children, safety, activities, and communication with parents. Clear explanations of routines help you imagine your child’s day and organise your own.
After the visit: compare calmly
While impressions are fresh, note the welcome, team answers, spaces, and your child’s reactions. Compare schools against your own priorities rather than looking for one solution identical for every family.
Would you like to discover BSA Schools? Book a visit and discuss our bilingual Montessori programmes for children from 18 months to 12 years.
Look beyond the first impression
A beautiful room or polished display is not enough to understand a school. Observe how children use spaces: can they access materials, move comfortably, ask for help, and concentrate? These details often give a more accurate picture of everyday life.
Questions that open a real discussion
Rather than simply asking “Is your school bilingual?”, ask concrete questions: “What happens when a child does not understand instructions?”, “How does the day begin?”, “How do you discuss progress with families?” Answers reveal how the school actually works.
Bring your child if possible
When circumstances allow, your child’s presence offers valuable information. They may look, listen, ask a question, or need to stay close to you—all are normal reactions. There is no need to test them. The aim is to see whether they can imagine themselves there and whether the team welcomes them attentively.
After the visit
Keep useful documents and write impressions within twenty-four hours. If an important question remains unanswered, request clarification before committing. A serious school welcomes these questions and helps you understand the pathway offered.
