To move family abroad temporarily

It wasn’t so much that I needed to practice English (mother tongue), more that I struggled in French and Dutch. It was also a very good point to make a change for my older siblings, and no problem for me younger sibling.

All these stressy comments. Goodness, as if there are no schools outside the UK. Age 10 is fine. Your DC will simply start at a different secondary school abroad (and a British one at that). International schools have experience with children moving in and out at different times. If there is a worry about the GCSE years (and it sounds like you'd be back before that anyway), have their international school check with their "home" school. They are usually able to adapt and help prepare children for a transition back.

I currently have a Year 9 pupil, who has just joined, who will stay until the end of the academic year, then move to Canada for Year 10 and then come back to us in Year 11. All good. We're flexible and can deal with that.

Hope you'll have a great time. We're stuck here at the moment, but I'd love to move to a different part of the world at some point when things are more settled and my kids are a bit older (currently 9 and 2).

No need at all "to do secondary schooling in English" if English is spoken at home and children can already read and write in English.

I was a child in this situation. We lived abroad when I was 6-8 and 10-11. Being abroad was fine, it was the coming home that was rubbish. I went back into the sane school every time. I was bullied both times I came back, by the same group of girls, who’d built up their following in my absence. We came back when we did so I could do my secondary schooling in the UK in English.

Do it lovely - we lived away for 20 months in Copenhagen - great experience - I often think a lot of negative comments are from people who haven’t had the opportunity or took the opportunity and are keen on living within a mile of their mothers . However you might have to sell it to your 10 year old - see you in Amsterdam !!!! we are just doing visas now for it . ( hoping to live in Haarlem or Amstelveen)

You might get more relevant (or at least less risk-averse) advice on the Living Overseas board.

I’ve known international families in all of those cities. It’s a fantastic opportunity for all of you.

There’s really no guarantee that your 10 yo would have the same friends at 15 even if you stayed, and with support and planning for the moves in both directions it will likely build confidence and resilience in her that other kids just won’t have.

Whoa some of these comments! As someone who was moved at age 7, older sibling 9, younger 4, I can only say do it! It was to be temporary but it became permanent, and too far away to be able to maintain any friendships. Sure there were times that my sister may have wished they hadn’t, but I don’t think any negative long term effect at all.
I guess as we didn’t come back that I can’t speak to that aspect, but if you are able to keep them to the English curriculum then that’s not a big issue. And friends? How many of us have friends from school? I have one, my older sibling none. My own DD (20) hadn’t kept in touch with any school friends, my son (22) only one. I changed friendships a lot then, there is usually a big shift around 12/13/14 as kids become more defined in their own tastes and interests.
It sounds a fantastic opportunity to learn another language, get to know another society and immerse yourselves in another culture.

You can't move a 10 year old for 5 years. You'd be tearing them away from a school half way through one of the most significant periods of their education.

Also what do you mean by your husband putting their career on hold? There's no way I would put my career on hold for 5 years!

So your eldest's education would be jeopardised and your husband's career would be jeopardised... it seems the only person benefiting is you.

If the schools in your area are oversubscribed, I wouldn’t move because of not getting a school place on your return. Most people tend to keep their children in the same secondary school from year 7 onwards if they possibly can.

My 9 & 6yr olds would absolutely hate this. They love their home & where we live.

You know your children best, to know if it would work for them or not. I think at 2 they'd be fine, but I definitely couldn't do it with my 10 year old. I think it would be really hard on friendships too, even if you keep in contact it's an age where they change so much.

I think its too disruptive for your 10 year old.

Would your older daughter get a place in one of the catchment schools on your return? Usually you apply in Year 6 to start the September of year 7. I don’t know if you’re guaranteed a place for joining in year 8,9,10 for instance?

I think it would be disruptive for your now 10 year old.

It sounds fabulous, but your eldest is a bad age for living elsewhere for 3-5 years. So I wouldn't from that point of view.

It sounds great. Just be sure it’s not 5 years. 3 would be ok. Make sure you are back for your eldest to do their GCSES.

unless your oh does not want to pause their career for the duration then it does need to be fair to them. But the misandrist in me says women do this for their husbands career all the time so have at it

It is if you return in year 10/11. You’ll have missed so much of the GCSE learning.

When you say locations, do you mean you would be moving around cities?

It is an issue if you return mid way through either though. You need to arrive before Y10 or after y11 but before y12.

Missing GCSEs is really not a problem if children have been educated in other systems.

If you'd be back in 2 years, the 10yo might be OK.
Returning in 3-5 years, they'd miss GCSEs (or most of) and struggle to get them in their age cohort. Have you considered this?

2 and 10 are both fantastic ages to move abroad. Obviously you need to make a plan about how long you will be abroad and how you will move back and your children slot back into schooling in the UK (and this is likely to be a lot more complicated that moving to an international school).

So potentially, your 10 year old will be back in the UK permanently when they're 15 with GCSEs a year or so away. Yeah, that would be a hard no from me. I'm not convinced you'll be able to maintain their friendships either.
Your 2 year old... no problem.