How to Compare Preschools Side by Side (Without Getting Overwhelmed)

Keep the list to three

More than three schools becomes hard to hold in your head. Use distance, age eligibility and daycare hours to cut your list down before you compare anything else.

Compare the same eight things

• Commute at drop-off time
• Class size and adults per class
• Timings, including daycare and Saturdays
• First-year cost, all charges included
• Safety and pick-up process
• Outdoor space and daily outdoor time
• How the school communicates with parents
• Your child's reaction on the visit

Score, then weigh

Give each school a simple mark out of five on each line. Then pick the two or three lines that matter most to your family and look at those again. A school that scores slightly lower overall but wins on your top priorities is usually the right choice.

Use the gaps

Where a school has not published something, treat it as a question to ask, not as a mark against it. Missing information is common, and a quick answer from the admissions team tells you a lot about how they communicate.

Let SchoolCove do the layout

On SchoolCove you can add up to three schools to Compare and see area, curriculum, youngest age, daycare, timings, fees and safety details in one table.