Suitable school for returning expat

[PKPopsy]

Hi all
I have found myself in the situation of having to return from abroad unexpectedly with my two DD's (9 and 11). Husband is staying behind. I am confused about what school to go for. I am afraid that because this is really the middle of the year no decent school (state or private) will have places to offer us. Even if we need a place in September it seems to be a problem. My children have been in the French system so I am not sure they will pass tests with flying colours either. Any advice for me? I want to put them in a school they can stay in afterwards, not change them again.
Thanks

Welcome back.
Maybe more answers will follow if you say where you plan to live? Or is it any private school anywhere?

There is a french school in London. Is your 11 year old due to move to secondary this year?? Born between 1/9/99 and 31/8/2000. If so things could be tricky because the closing date for applications was 31/10/2010. Saying that the education authority where you move to will have to find them a school place but it might not be the school you would choose. Where do you think you will live

We have moved mid year before and we always find a place, not always for all 4 in the same school but if they give you 2 schools apart from each other you start the eldest at their school then put the younger on the waiting list as a sibling (bumps you up a little). Sometimes it takes a little digging around, currently we have a 10min drive to a tiny village school. Our experience has been to go to the village schools as they are not always oversubscribed and usually pretty good. Some private schools will still have space, I know the one my eldest 2 go to have just had a new child in my DDs class yr5. I guess it will depend on where you are going to live.

Good Luck :)

Are you transferring from a French public or AEFE school? If so call the lycee CDG in London and ask them about mid-year spaces. It has been done and spaces do crop up mid-year. Even if you can only get one of them in you will have priority for applications for the other.

There will be spaces in various schools, the best thing to do is narrow down your location and look at schools around.

You might home educate them for a little while in order to give yourself time to look around for a school properly. Since you are taking a long term view, it sounds like you want to make sure you choose the right school without having too much time pressure.

If you have other commitments at the moment, you could have the children looked after by a childminder in the daytime and educate them yourself in the evenings, or get a tutor in for an hour a day. With one-to-one attention, the education needn't take all day so it should be easy enough to fit in. This might also give you the opportunity to help the children make the transition to the different education system here, focusing on whatever they most need to work on.

Feel free to post on the home ed board if that option interests you.

Just look at the schools near where you will be living. Don't worry too much about if they have spaces at first AND definitely do not worry about tests, tests at 11 are to judge schools not pupils (unless it is 11+).

See if you can really afford private, before going down that route.

Lots of schools get pupils coming from other countries, and their knowledge of French will be helpful. At the ages they are it is worth appealing for a place if you find the right school/schools. Others can give you help if this is the route you decide to take.

A little break homeschooling, and getting used to the UK will do them no harm.

Relax!

Hi PKPopsy,

I did this (from another European country) when my DC were slightly younger than yours and it was fine. It's worth taking the time to look at a few schools before you choose one. Perhaps it might be best to focus on September as a fresh start and as Saracen suggests, either home educate or use a tutor between now and then. Most DC find it easier to start a new school at the beginning of term, when there are always other newbies.

If you can't find a school that will help your DC continue with their French, you can always do this yourself (if you're able to) or find other families locally to converse with. I made a huge effort to do this with my DC, only for my younger child to 'drop' his second language. However, my DD has persevered and has just chosen it as a GCSE option.

If you're going to be living on your own with your DC, also think about what new areas have to offer you all in terms of settling in, friends and family nearby etc.

Wishing you good luck with your move