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Choosing the best private school in Cyprus
What should parents look for in a private school in Cyprus?
Parents often approach us with the same challenging question:
“ When choosing the best school for our child, should we prioritize the school facilities, or should we prioritize school philosophies, teaching approaches and the curriculum? ”
When choosing a private school for your child, you should focus on elements that nurture long-term academic success, emotional well-being, and a genuine love of learning — moving beyond the building façades that many schools try to sell parents (instead of actually placing importance on the core values of their educational systems).
Here are the 3 most important things to look for, drawn from what truly makes a difference to a child’s educational journey, with real examples from leading Cambridge International Schools like Golden Oak Private School.
1. Teaching Philosophies:
Nurturing Lifelong Learners: The Power of Love, Connection, and Joy in Education
At Golden Oak we genuinely believe that: “Happy learners are lifelong learners.”
If children love the environment they are in and feel loved by their teachers, they will be much more positive towards learning and will have a higher academic success rate thereafter; hence initiating their journey towards life-long learning. It is only in such happy family-orientated environments (where every single child is loved, accepted and valued) that students can truly thrive.
It is universally acknowledged that the Early Years are of the utmost importance. The Kindergarten and Preschool years set the basis for Primary School and Secondary School respectively. The transformative power of love and connection in early education allows children to reach their full potential and leads to a love of learning that lasts children a lifetime.
It is natural that as children get older, academic expectations will increase, but if they already have a love of learning instilled from their early years, a good teacher can maintain this spark and use it to enhance the child’s knowledge and performance throughout both Primary School and Secondary School. And at Golden Oak we pride ourselves in having the most inspirational teaching team to successfully do that – the children’s only disappointment is that the lessons come to an end; after every session, they’re left eager for more! This is how true success is measured.
Look for Child-Centered Teaching Philosophies (especially in the Early Years)
A school’s underlying philosophy shapes everything — from daily routines to how children grow emotionally and intellectually.
In Kindergarten, Montessori-inspired philosophies are particularly powerful. This child-centred philosophy uses hands-on, kinesthetic, sensorial techniques that let children explore and develop at their own pace, building concrete understanding before moving on to abstract ideas and textbooks. It promotes true independence, curiosity and builds a love of learning that will last them a lifetime.
Transitioning well towards a more academic-centered curriculum as the child progresses towards Pre-School and Primary School.
It is essential for children to learn the competitive academic skills that will secure them a spot in a good university in the future. At Golden Oak, this is a process that we have taken into careful consideration and each class adequately prepares children for the next.
At Golden Oak, we blend Montessori principles into our Kindergarten classes, creating a joyful, nurturing space where children develop naturally and independently to ensure they reach their maximum social and emotional potential before introducing academic study in Preschool. Every day we see vibrant, interactive moments that capture diverse, engaging learning and strong teacher-student bonds.
This then seamlessly prepares the children for the Cambridge International Curriculum that they will follow in Reception Class, Primary School, and Secondary School thereafter, making our students holistically successful on a social, emotional and academic level. Transitions like this are essential to the long-term personal, social and academic success of the children – and Golden Oak prides itself on having the smoothest transitions for the children as they progress from class to class.
2. Teaching Approaches for all Student Learning Styles
Look for Personalized, Engaging, and Inclusive Methods
The best private schools emphasize student-centered teaching that adapts to each child’s needs, incorporates diverse learning styles (especially kinesthetic), and fosters strong, supportive relationships in a family-orientated environment. Key signs include hands-on experiential learning, passionate instruction, real-world connections, open discussions, movement/brain breaks, viewing mistakes as growth opportunities, and full inclusivity.
These approaches boost engagement, critical thinking, emotional resilience, and emotional well-being — especially important amid trends like AI integration and holistic student care.
Golden Oak shines here: Our passionate teachers use varied teaching styles to appeal to all types of learners, as well as offering kinesthetic hands-on experiences, fun real-life links across all subjects, and inclusive practices with optimized educational programs for each individual child when needed (through our dedicated SEN department) — ensuring every child feels valued and reaches their full potential in a happy, supportive classroom with a zero bullying tolerance. Thus, as a family-orientated school, teachers and parents work together for the benefit of each child.
3. A Rigorous International Curriculum:
Choose a Globally Recognized, Tried & Tested Curriculum in Cyprus
A strong curriculum is the roadmap to future success, university admissions, and global opportunities.
Nowadays, while there are emerging trends in Cyprus toward adopting a variety of international curriculums, sticking with a tried & tested option like the Cambridge International Curriculum often provides the safest, most reliable path for families. It is one of the most trusted international curriculums, not just in Cyprus but Worldwide, with a proven high student success rate. It has global recognition for its balance of academic rigor and real-world relevance; it is flexible, confidence-building, innovative, learner-centered, challenging, and inspires deep curiosity. It prioritizes critical thinking, problem-solving, real-world application, and smooth progression from Early Years through Primary, all the way to IGCSE, and A-Levels. It promotes collaborative learning within a highly-organized syllabus structure, and students actively apply and transfer this theoretical knowledge from year to year due the impressive thematic continuity of the curriculum. This thematic continuity is an invaluable resource as children go from class to class each year.
Leading schools (including Golden Oak) adopt the Cambridge International Curriculum not only for its global recognition and academic excellence, but because it is perfect for multilingual families or those who may wish to relocate to other countries futuristically. There are Cambridge International Schools all over the world (so children literally pick up where they left off any time they transfer schools) and this curriculum is amongst the most highly regarded by top universities internationally.
Golden Oak blends the academic excellence of Cambridge International with nurturing child-centered teaching philosophies to create confident and happy lifelong learners in a family-orientated, inclusive English-speaking environment.
In Conclusion:
By prioritizing these three elements — (1) a solid child-centred philosophy; (2) engaging and inclusive teaching approaches; and (3) a strong curriculum — parents can choose a school that truly engages and holistically educates their child, preparing them to thrive in today’s competitive world and emerge as the leaders of tomorrow.
