Private Schools' Allure

Our school, The International Montessori School of Prague, together with the research company GfK, made a unique survey in January 2011 that allowed us to bring a concrete picture of the current situation to the market of private and state schools in the Czech Republic.

The main objective of this research was to learn more about how receptive  the attitudes of Czech people and people living in the Czech Republic are towards private schools and kindergartens.

We focused primarily upon private international schools, assuring that all the questioned respondents have children visiting a private school or kindergarten. The survey was carried on-line with 100 respondents participating.

Besides IMSP, PORG, the English International School in Prague, the International School in Prague, Riverside, Parklane, Prague British School and the Christian International School were the most mentioned and contemplated schools in Prague.

We have learned that the main source of information about schools are friends, acquaintances and the Internet. Surprisingly, special literature and publications are not highly accentuated and only 15% of Czech respondents gave them attention.

Why do we actually choose a private school? Understandably, foreigners living in the Czech Republic do not have any other choice. They are looking for a school where the prime language is English and these schools are, aside from a few exceptions, purely private. It is also important for one fifth of questioned foreigners that a school offer a standardized system of education recognized all over the world. Montessori schools are a good example. If a foreign couple decides, after living for a few years in the Czech Republic, to move to Holland or the United States, for example, their child will not have a problem changing schools.

The atmosphere and prestige of a school is important for many foreigners, whereas it is less of a consideration for most Czech citizens. Both groups agree that in private schools, the ultimate importance is in providing an individual approach to a child; that the child´s development and education are individually adjusted. For Czech people, it is also crucial whether the school is near the place where they live. If they commute, they often choose a private school. They also significantly prefer the quality of the education and teachers in private schools.

It is interesting that in the process of considering other schools, approximately half of the respondents did not contemplate state schools at all.

Looking at the fulfillment of parents´ expectations for a school, we can see that only 15% of the Czech respondents are fully, without any doubts, satisfied. On the other hand, 75% of questioned respondents say that the school fulfilled their expectations rather well or well. Foreigners are either less critical than Czech people or their children visit better schools, because 35% of them cannot see any imperfections regarding their schools and 40% claim that their expectations are fulfilled quite well.

Regarding the recommendation of the school, foreigners are less conservative. 70% of them are willing to recommend the school their children visit and 20% would likely recommend the school. 30% of  Czech respondents would certainly recommend the school and 50% would very probably do it.

The total awareness about IMSP reaches a high standard, although it is one of the schools with a small capacity. Among Czech respondents it is immediately known to 30% and almost 70% will recollect it after a little help is provided. IMSP is well-known thanks to the consistent application of the Montessori method.