By Amanda Ferrari
For many country families, the school interview can feel intimidating. You might drive hundreds of kilometres, put your child in their best clothes and walk through gates wondering if your child is “good enough” for the school.
Looking back after three children and twelve years of boarding school life, here are four things I wish I’d known before that very first interview.
1. Was I being interviewed… or was I interviewing the school too?
The biggest mindset shift I had was realising that the interview isn’t a one-way street.
Of course the school wants to get to know your child and your family, but you’re also deciding whether that school is the right fit for your child.
Will they be supported when they’re homesick?
Will they be known and valued?
Will they thrive there?
The interview is as much about your family’s confidence in the school as it is the school’s confidence in your child.
What I wish I’d known: You don’t need to sit there hoping they’ll choose your child. You need to work out whether you’d trust them with your child.
2. What actually happens during a school interview?
One of the biggest sources of anxiety is not knowing what to expect.
Every school does things differently.
Some interviews involve the whole family. Some spend time speaking directly with the student. Some include a tour, lunch or meeting with boarding staff.
The simple question I wish I’d asked before arriving was:
“Can you tell me what the interview process looks like at your school?”
Knowing the format ahead of time helps both parents and children feel far more comfortable and prepared.
What I wish I’d known: It’s perfectly okay to ask exactly what will happen before you arrive and our Expo events are a perfect forum for this question.
3. What questions should I have been asking?
I spent so much energy worrying about whether we’d say the right things that I forgot to ask the questions that mattered most.
Questions like:
- How do you manage homesickness?
- Who notices when a child is struggling?
- What does pastoral care look like day-to-day?
- How do you handle friendship issues?
- What happens if a child isn’t settling in?
- How do you communicate with parents?
These answers often tell you far more about a school’s culture than any brochure or website ever could.
What I wish I’d known: The best interviews often feel more like conversations than interviews.
4. How should my child feel when we leave?
This is the question nobody talks about.
When the interview is over and you’re back in the car, pay attention to how your child feels.
Did they feel welcomed?
Did they feel seen?
Could they imagine themselves there?
Sometimes a school can look perfect on paper, but the connection just isn’t there.
Trust your instincts and trust theirs too.
Because boarding school isn’t simply about academic results. It’s about finding a second home.
What I wish I’d known: The right school should leave both you and your child feeling confident, comfortable and excited about what’s ahead.
Final Thought
If you’re heading into your first school interview, remember this:
Your country kid is an asset.
They bring resilience, independence, perspective and life experience that boarding schools value enormously.
Walk in with curiosity. Ask the questions. Trust yourself.
And remember – you’re not asking a school to do you a favour.
You’re looking for the best possible fit for one of the most important people in your life.
