21 July 2025

Open Days and School Tours

By Crawford International

Open Days and School Tours: What Parents Need to Know

As parents consider the best school for their child, Open Days and school tours present a valuable opportunity to experience a school’s ethos, environment and offering beyond the website or brochure. With Crawford International’s Gauteng campuses hosting their Open Day on 6 September, now is an ideal time for families to prepare meaningfully for this milestone in the admissions process.

Why Open Days Matter

Open Days give prospective families the chance to walk the grounds, meet teachers and school leadership, observe students in their learning environment and get a genuine feel for the school community. These visits provide insights that go beyond test results and academic reports; they reveal whether the school’s values, communication style and approach to learning feel right for your child. Research shows that school visits play a significant role in influencing parents’ final decisions and improving satisfaction with school placement outcomes (OECD, 2021).

What to Look For

When visiting a school, pay close attention to the atmosphere in the classroom. Are students engaged? Is the space warm and welcoming? What role does technology play in day-to-day learning? At Crawford International, families often notice a culture that encourages students to ask questions, challenge assumptions and explore content through real-world connections.

Facilities can also tell a story. Whether it’s a well-resourced science lab, a digital innovation hub, inviting sports fields or performance spaces, the layout and design reflect the school’s broader vision. According to research by Edutopia (2020), school infrastructure directly impacts student learning, motivation and wellbeing. At Crawford, we’ve created environments that support future-focused learning. You’ll find spaces designed to inspire collaboration, creativity and independence.

Questions to Ask During a Tour

To make your visit count, come prepared with a few thoughtful questions. This helps you gain a clearer sense of what matters to the school and how your child might be supported there. You could ask:

• How are students supported academically and emotionally?
• What enrichment and extra-curricular programmes are available?
• How does the school encourage positive discipline and wellbeing?
• What are the communication tools used between teachers and parents?
• Are there opportunities for leadership, service and global engagement?

If you are also considering boarding, it’s a good idea to ask about daily routines, support structures, supervision and how weekends are spent. The South African Council for Educators (SACE, 2022) notes that transparent communication and pastoral support are key markers of quality educational institutions.

Crawford’s Open Day

At Crawford International, Open Days are more than a walkthrough. They are a chance to see how we live out our values. Across all phases from Pre-Primary through to College we encourage students to take ownership of their learning. Our aim is to nurture curious, confident, and capable young people who understand their role in the world around them.

On the day, families have the chance to speak directly with teachers and students, explore classrooms where technology is integrated, and learn more about how we personalise learning to meet individual student needs. It’s also an opportunity to see how we build critical thinking, collaboration and character into everyday learning experiences.

Choosing a school is about more than academics. It’s about finding a community where your child feels seen, supported and challenged in all the right ways. Open Days are one of the most important steps in that journey.

So come prepared. Ask questions. Walk through the spaces. Speak to students and teachers.

Crawford International Gauteng campuses open their doors on 6 September[UB2] . Our North Coast campus in KwaZulu-Natal, which offers boarding facilities, welcomes families throughout the year; every day is an Open Day. We invite you to take a closer look and see how we are helping students grow into their fullest potential both in the classroom and beyond