Choosing a secondary school in Perlis or Kedah: 7 questions to ask on a school visit

1. What will my child study, and in which language?

Ask for the curriculum year by year, not only the final exam. Which subjects are core, which are optional, and when do students choose? Ask which language lessons are taught in and how much support there is for a child who is still building confidence in that language. If Chinese or Malay matter to your family, ask how many lessons a week each gets.

Look for: a clear five-year plan, a sensible point at which students choose subjects, and honest answers about language support.

2. How are students assessed, and what are the real results?

Ask for official examination results for several years, not one good year. What was the pass rate? What share of grades were at the top? Did every student sit the exams, or only some? Ask how progress is checked between exams and how often parents receive written reports.

Look for: results over several years from an official exam board, and regular written reports you can understand.

3. How big are classes, and how will my child get attention?

Ask how many students are in a class and how teachers notice a child who is quietly falling behind or ready for more. Who is your child's main contact? How quickly do teachers reply to parents?

Look for: a named person who knows your child, and a simple way to raise a concern.

4. If my child boards, who looks after them, and what does an evening look like?

Ask to see the rooms, bathrooms and study areas. Who is on duty at night? Is evening study supervised, and by whom? What happens at weekends? How are meals, laundry and illness handled? How is the boarding house kept secure, and how are girls' and boys' areas separated?

Look for: houseparents who live on site, a clear daily routine, supervised prep and good security. Ask a boarder what they like most.

5. How does the school build character, and how are problems handled?

Good results matter, and so does the person your child becomes. Ask how the school teaches manners, honesty and responsibility day to day. Ask what happens when a child breaks a rule, how bullying is prevented and dealt with, and how parents are told.

Look for: clear, written expectations that students actually follow, and a calm, fair approach to problems.

6. Where do graduates go next?

Ask which universities and colleges recent graduates have gone to, in Malaysia and overseas, and how the school helps with choosing a pathway, applications and scholarships. If you can, talk to a graduate or their parents.

Look for: named destinations, real guidance in the final years, and graduates who speak well of their school.

7. What do the fees include?

Ask for the fee guide for your child's year group in writing. What is included in the school fees, and what is charged separately (application, deposit, learning materials, examinations, uniform, boarding, transport)? Can fees be paid termly? Are there scholarships, financial assistance or early-application offers?

Look for: a clear written breakdown, with no surprises later.

Three tips for the visit itself

• Bring your child. Watch how staff speak to them, and ask your child afterwards how it felt.
• See a normal school day if you can, not only an event. Look into classrooms and the boarding house.
• Talk to students. Ask what they like and what they would change. Their answers tell you a lot.

Ask us too: how Harvest answers these questions

We wrote this guide because these are the questions we would want parents to ask any school, including ours. When you visit Harvest Academy Malaysia in Kangar, please ask all seven. Our short answers:

1. Curriculum and language: Lower Secondary in Years 7 to 9, then the International GCSE in Years 10 and 11, taught in English, with Chinese and Malay as subjects. Subjects and curriculum
2. Results: a 100% pass rate in the official Cambridge IGCSE examinations every year from 2021 to 2026, with 100% A* or A grades in 2025. Results year by year
3. Attention: small classes and a class teacher who knows each student, with a written report after the entrance assessment.
4. Boarding: weekday and full boarding, houseparents on site, supervised evening prep, four meals a day and 24-hour security. Boarding
5. Character: the Harvest 55 Practices, taught and practised every day. The 55 Practices
6. Next steps: our 55 graduates so far have received offers from universities in Malaysia and around the world, many with scholarships. University destinations
7. Fees: we send the fee guide for your child's year group in writing, with termly or yearly payment and the current early-application offer. How fees work

Come and see for yourself: book a school visit, or WhatsApp us on +604-970 4884.