School shopping during Detty December: how to see 5 schools in 10 days

December in Accra can be busy enough without adding a school search to the itinerary. For families coming home from abroad, however, the holiday period can be one of the few chances to see schools in person before making a relocation or enrolment decision.

The trick is not to treat your 10-day trip as an opportunity to see every school you have found online. Pick a route, contact schools before you travel and leave room for the fact that December is a holiday period. School offices may have reduced hours or different arrangements, so never assume a tour is available because you are in town.

Start with five schools, not fifty

Build your shortlist before you fly. Begin with the Accra school directory and filter by your child's age, preferred area and the type of school you are considering.

If your child is preschool age, you could start by comparing options around East Legon and Adjiringanor using the dedicated East Legon preschool listings and Adjiringanor preschool listings. If your child is older, start with primary-school options and narrow from there.

Five schools is a useful working target for a 10-day trip. It gives you enough comparison to spot differences without turning the holiday into a school-tour marathon.

Before you book a tour

Send each school a short message explaining your child's age, intended start period, where you expect to stay and that you will be in Accra during December. Ask whether the admissions team will be available during your dates and whether a physical tour can be arranged.

WhatsApp can be practical for initial contact, but keep important information in writing. If the school gives you a specific admissions requirement or appointment time, save the message.

Do not ask only, “How much are your fees?” Ask what the fee covers, what other costs may apply and what the admissions process involves. The exact amount and current availability should always come from the school.

A simple 10-day structure

Days 1–2 should be deliberately light. You have just arrived, traffic and family commitments may be unpredictable, and a December trip is not supposed to feel like a business conference. Use these days to settle in and confirm your appointments.

Days 3–7 are your main school-tour window. Put schools that are close together on the same day. For example, you might dedicate one day to the Airport area, another to East Legon and another to Cantonments or another cluster that makes sense for your shortlist. The exact route should follow where the schools and your accommodation actually are.

Days 8–9 are for follow-up. One school may have answered a question during the visit that you need clarified. Another may ask for a document. Use these days for a second look rather than adding five new schools.

Day 10 is your decision buffer. You do not have to make the final choice immediately, but you should leave Ghana knowing which schools are your strongest candidates and what the next step is for each.

What to look for when school is quiet

A December tour can be useful even when there are few or no pupils around. You can inspect classrooms, outdoor areas, entrances, sanitation arrangements and the general condition of the environment. Ask the staff member showing you around what a normal school day looks like when children are present.

But remember the limitation: a quiet holiday visit cannot tell you everything about classroom atmosphere, teacher-pupil interaction or traffic at drop-off. Ask for videos, photographs or another way to understand the school during a normal term if that matters to your decision.

You are looking for evidence, not a perfect tour.

Questions worth asking on every visit

Use the same questions at each school so you can compare answers:

• Which class would my child enter?

• What does a typical day look like?

• How does the school communicate with parents?

• What documents are needed for admission?

• Are places currently available, or does the school operate a waiting list?

• What additional costs should we plan for?

• How are new pupils supported when they arrive from another school or country?

• What are the next steps if we want to apply?

You can also use EarlyDays' guide on questions to ask before enrolling when building your own checklist.

Do not let December pressure you into a bad fit

Detty December creates a particular temptation: you are finally in Ghana, everyone is telling you about a school, and you feel you need to make a decision before your flight home. Resist that pressure.

A school visit is information. It is not a commitment. If the school cannot answer an important question during the holiday period, ask when you can get the answer and follow up afterwards.

The best use of the trip is to return home with a genuinely informed shortlist, not simply a folder of brochures.

If you are flying in specifically to school-shop and want the research and scheduling handled before you arrive, EarlyDays Concierge is designed for that situation. We shortlist three schools around your child's needs, location and budget and coordinate the visits so you can use one Accra trip efficiently.

December can be both a holiday and a scouting trip. Plan the school part tightly enough that it does not take over the family visit, but seriously enough that you leave with answers. Five thoughtful visits will usually tell you more than fifteen rushed ones.