Moving to Shanghai

[IMentionedtheBisque]

I've been offered a new job based in Shanghai.

I'm already in SE Asia and have travelled to China a lot, so I'm not too worried about culture shock, but wanted some advice about living in Shanghai.

I've seen there are branches of UK schools (Harrow, Dulwich, Wellington) based there. What kind of reputation do they have? Do they have long waiting lists? Which schools have good reputations for pastoral care?

How's COVID now? Are there any restrictions still in place?

Any other advice?!

Thanks!

Hopeful bump!

Despite the name I don’t live in Shanghai, but lived in China for 12 years and relocated back to the uk last year.
I have many friends in China and there are minimal restrictions in place with school as normal, sports competitions, restaurants, hotel stays etc. I think museums and tourist sites many still have restricted numbers. However, if you want to leave China you will face a two week mandatory quarantine on your return. Rules are also subject to change if outbreaks occur. I have friends who completed 2 weeks hotel quarantine last September followed by two weeks home isolation- this was a local requirement.
In the city I lived in, number of expats had dropped significantly in the last two years and most pupils at the international schools were chinese and Korean which can have some negatives eg more difficult to form friendships as many Koreans go to Korean academy after school and Chinese students seem to be involved in a lot of extra tutoring, instrument lessons etc.leaving very little ‘unmanaged’ free time.
I don’t have experience of the schools you mention, but be wary of the brands offering world class education, world’s finest teachers, oxbridge guarantees...it’s all about image and marketing and often very little substance.

Thanks @ShanghaiDiva that's really helpful.

I'm already dealing with schools in Asia, so know the issues with lack of substance!

Shanghai is a massive city so you're better deciding which part of the city you will be based in before looking at schools. Puxi or Pudong?

I know someone teaching at the British International School in Puxi and has been there many years.

Why would anyone move a child to live in a dictatorship that's currently committing genocide?

@IMentionedtheBisque

Thanks *@ShanghaiDiva* that's really helpful.

I'm already dealing with schools in Asia, so know the issues with lack of substance!

Good luck with the move. I visited Shanghai many times during my 12 years in China (90 mins by train from my city) so feel free to message me. 🇨🇳

I was about to comment since I went to international high school in Shanghai. However, I just realized that it has been 15 years so I'm out of the loop and some of the schools you mentioned didn't exist😅 But if you are into out of date info, I'm happy to respond!

What do you mean by pastoral care regarding the schools? I agree with pp that deciding on Puxi or Pudong is the first step or if it matters. Are you planning on living in a compound?

I live in Shanghai and have been here for nearly 5 years, but don’t have school-aged kids. My LO is a toddler and we’re moving back to the UK before school starts, partly due to the cost of international schooling here. Hopefully you have subsidised school fees as part of the job, otherwise it really adds up.

Decide where you want to live - Puxi (older, more vibrant, West bank) or Pudong (modern, closer to many businesses, a bit sterile? East bank)
That decision will likely be informed by work location, and school options will then be more obvious. There are school buses to pretty much all the big international schools, but the ride can be long (1-1.5 hours if you’re in a faraway neighbourhood and with after-school /rush hour traffic)

There is a great FB group Trailing Spouses SH - even if you’re not a trailing spouse it’s a good place to ask questions before you arrive. There is also Shanghai Mamas, but their website is a little out of date as most is on WeChat. It’s the main way to connect here, but I hear it’s harder to set up outside of China these days.

Feel free to PM me with any questions about Shanghai life!

Thanks everyone. I'm not sure where I'll be based yet. There are 2 offices, one in Puxi and one Pudong. I might be able to negotiate which one.

I much prefer Puxi for going out etc but I think a lot of the British schools are in Pudong. (Cost is covered thank goodness!)

Thanks for all the tips, very useful.

Re pastoral care. I mean I'd like a school that cares about whether there's bullying/has support for individual differences etc, not just one that cares about academics and sport at all costs.

I only spent a year in Shanghai and have been back here for two years now, but do still keep in touch with friends.

I know people with kids at Wellington and Yew Chung who rave about the schools. Also know some teachers at Yew Chung and think that it would be the school I’d pick if I had the choice.

I also know people with kids in some of the smaller, newer schools who are also happy with their choices. A lot of it just comes down to affordability and availability of places.

Get the school place first, then figure out where to live based on travel time to school and office. Shanghai is really fun and social and it’s easy enough to get around and experience all of the city.

None of my friends have left Shanghai because of Covid and life (apart from travel) has reverted to mostly normal and has been that way for a while.