A good preschool should feel safe, welcoming, and manageable for your family. A website is a useful starting point, but a visit tells you far more. Use this checklist to compare schools in Ibbgamuwa, Maduragoda, or elsewhere in Sri Lanka without getting lost in marketing claims.
Start with your child, not a ranking
Think about your child's age, confidence in groups, preferred language, and usual daily rhythm. Consider the journey too: an appealing school can be difficult to sustain if the trip makes every morning stressful. Write down two or three things your family needs most before you visit. For example: a gentle settling routine, easy communication with teachers, or a location a caregiver can reach reliably.
What to notice on a visit
- Relationships: Do adults speak to children warmly and at their level? What happens when a child needs help or comfort?
- Play and learning: Can children explore, talk, move, make things, and ask questions? Ask how the school balances guided activities with free play.
- Space: Look at toilets, handwashing, shaded or indoor play areas, and where children rest. Ask how children are supervised when moving between spaces.
- Daily routine: Ask about arrival, snacks, outdoor time, pickup, and what happens if a child is upset or tired.
- Communication: How will you hear about your child's day, progress, or a concern? Is there a clear contact person?
- Practical fit: Confirm current fees, hours, holiday dates, transport arrangements, and availability directly with the school.
Questions worth asking
Instead of asking only “What is the curriculum?”, try specific questions: “What might a typical morning look like for a new child?” “How do you help a child who is reluctant to join?” “How do you use English and Sinhala during play?” “What do you expect families to provide?” The answers should be clear and consistent with what you see.
Ask how teachers share concerns with families and how parents can raise their own concerns. If a policy matters to you, request the current written version. Check who collects children at pickup and what the school does when an unfamiliar adult arrives.
Compare schools fairly
After each visit, write down what you actually observed and what still needs confirmation. A simple three-column note—what felt right, what to ask again, and practical details—helps more than trying to remember everything later. A school's own photos can show its activities, but current conversations and a visit are more useful for a decision about your child.
Your next step
Shortlist a few places you can realistically reach, book visits, and take the same questions to each one. Include your child where appropriate: their comfort with the space matters. If you are deciding between age groups, see our program overview and ask the school which group is the best fit.
