When moving abroad with your family one of the most important factors of your move should be getting your children the education that they require.
Adjusting to school in a foreign environment can prove testing for children of all ages so it is vital that you take a few steps to ensure a smooth transition.
Here is a list of things to consider before the move to guarantee there is as little disruption to your child’s schooling as possible:
Finding a school
Contact the country’s education authority or Schools Information Service well before you are due to move. They will help you to understand the choice of schools available and prepare you for what is involved in the application process.
Local or International School?
This decision is perhaps the most important of them all but what you opt for should depend entirely on your personal circumstances.
If you have young children and plan on living in the country for the duration of their education, it might be best to send them to a local school. Young children pick up languages a lot quicker and this will be a good way for them to make friends, get used to the culture and adjust to the way of life. They may even adjust faster than you!
Older children and teenagers can find things more difficult and may adjust better to an international school. International schools are becoming increasingly popular with local families who want their children to benefit from an education that could help them to get the best education possible and go on to win a place at one of the world’s most prestigious universities. International Schools allow children to continue to follow the curriculum of their home country or opt for an international baccalaureate programme which is valid across the world. If it is likely that you will move on again, this may just be the best option.
Another benefit of choosing international schooling is that both you and your child will be instantly infiltrated into a group of people with similar interests. This will help you to make friends in your new home and ease the transition.
Is home schooling an option?
If you are moving to a country where you believe that the curriculum is not suitable or not of a high enough standard, it is worth investigating your options for home schooling. In order to do this you will need to contact the education authority of your chosen island to see whether home schooling is accepted by them as “real education”.
Prepare your children
If it is possible to pay your new home a visit, take the time to take your children to where they will be going to school. This will help them to gain a better understanding of where they are going, what they can expect and who they are going to meet.
Time your move
Ideally you want to cause as little disruption as possible to your children’s education. If they are of exam age, it may be best to delay your departure until after they have finished their exams or move before they start studying for their next ones. Try and time your move to coincide with the start of the new school year. This will mean that there will be a lot of other children starting at the same time and your child should not feel too out of place.
Documentation
In order to get a place at a school you will need to provide a birth certificate or a passport. In some cases you may need to pay to have this translated into the language of the host country by a certified translator. The school will be able to advise as to how you get your hands on a certified translation. In some countries you might have to provide immunisation certificates to prove that your children are covered for things like meningitis and measles.
It is clear that there are a lot of things to consider when it comes to your child’s education in your new home. It is important to remember that your choice should reflect your objectives for your children, their age, your plans, your child’s personality and of course, his or her wishes.
For details of property for sale around the world, visit the overseas listings on Rightmove Overseas. One way to save money when buying or moving abroad is to use a currency specialist when transferring your pounds into a foreign currency. For more information on this, contact Smart Currency Exchange.
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