International schools?

[NoIdeasForUsername]

Am considering a move, so would like some information about international schooling. The minimum is three years, but other expats (with and without children) have in general liked it, apparently. I don't know if we will stay longer or if we really won't like it and will jump at the chance to move back so no real expectations as far as that goes.

The education is a factor in the move, the city we'd move to has a Montessori school, an American international school and a British one, our ideal would be the British one.

It's called The British School (imaginative name ), from Early Years-Yr13. DC are 14, 13 and 4, nearly 5 (in Yr9, Yr8 and Reception) and if we do move, DS would enter the year he'd start his IGCSEs.

If we move, DS would be given tuition during one of the language lessons (due to not studying one of the IGCSE languages compulsory there) in the language he's currently being taught and hopes to study if we did GCSEs here, so could carry on. DD would be given extra tuition within school for one of the compulsory (at the school we could move them to) KS3 languages to catch up, however she loves languages and is generally good at them and has told me she'd like to learn it. Tbh, even if it wasn't compulsory, she'd need to learn it to get around in daily life, so it's easier that way, if we were to move there.

The pros are, it's multicultural and a great experience, I hope, for them. Their schools are very multicultural at the moment however (in a very mixed area of London, if it matters). I previously haven't considered a private school for financial reasons, but due to the cost of living going down significantly if we were to move and the cost being fairly low in terms of private schools in the area we live in now, I am starting to warm to the idea.

They are all fairly happy in their schools, however I would jump at the chance for a better school for my eldest two as results are generally low and teaching can be poor (although, saying that, the majority are great!) and result wise, this is better. However, it would require moving them from their friends (although both of them, due to moving around when younger, are quite sociable/find it easy to find friends, unlike me!).

Also, it would require us to be fixed for more than the minimum contract imo- if we returned after three years, then both DS and DD1 would be in sixthform so it would be a bad time to have to move.

As well as that, a possible problem is that there's little competition for the school in question iyswim, as it's a small city, in a country which really isn't a prime destination for expats (with kids, especially) so it might mean that standards are lower, as they have barely any schools to compete with for immigrants or expats, and none for people from Britain/ the Commonwealth (due to their admissions procedure).

Currently, the move seems to be a good idea for other aspects, but I'm undecided about the education side.

Any thoughts? Are your DC in international schools/have moved back from one and has the transition been easy or hard, in general?

[Stressedbutblessed]

Hi no idea
We are moving back after 20 years in Hong Kong and China with DC having attending and still attending International schools.
Most importantly check the curriculum followed. in HK for example each Int. school follows " broadly" the country curriculum it represents uni destinations reflect the nationality.
We chose English curriculum schools as we knew at some point DC would likely attend UK secondary or tertiary education.
American international schools and Asian based international schools target towards Canada and the US.
The overall standard of education is high. international schools out here tend to balance the cultural mix so that one ethnicity does not become dominant. We have loved our DC having this balance.
Feel free to PM if you want more info.

[NoIdeasForUsername]

It follows the English National Curriculum on everything barring Nepali and some local history. Am going to look back over the handbooks for KS3 etc; and for the IGCSEs. The balance sounds interesting but good. and will probably take up the PM offer!

[NoIdeasForUsername]

*and the reception handbook

[basildonbond]

If you're hoping for your dc to go to british universities check that you're not going to fall foul of the rules governing who can be considered a home student as fees for international students make private school fees look like chicken feed...

We were considering a move a while back but this put us off

[crazymum53]

Are you considering moving to Katmandu OP? If you do we have friends who are currently out there (children now aged 14 and nearly 12) who have been educated in an international school there from early years onwards and seem to be having a high standard of education.
If it is please pm me for more details as I know the name of the school they are using.
HTH