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Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

Original poster

Telling school we are moving abroad

57 replies

taylorsweet · 02/07/2018 08:10

My daughter is in Year 8 in her Secondary School and I am about to tell them we are relocating to South America.

I need to request her records from the school which I can pass to the new school but just read online that she needs to be enrolled in the new school within 12 weeks of leaving UK otherwise she will be treated as a child missing education. She would be going to a private school but she needs a few months first to study the new language before joining school so I am a bit worried. Has anyone had any such experience? She is also a citizen of the new country we are moving too so she has double citizenship. Why so many rules and regulations? My plan was for her to study the language for at least 6 months and then join school.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks

OP posts:
RustyBear · 02/07/2018 10:23

The school has a statutory duty to notify the local authority when removing a child from the register and provide certain information- this includes the child’s new address and new school ‘where applicable’. The school and local authority also have a joint responsibility to make ‘reasonable enquiries’ to establish the child’s whereabouts. So they have to ask the questions, but they don’t necessarily have to be answered by you. The school would probably then complete a risk assessment for the LA, which would include all the information they have about the move and it would be up to the Children Missing Education officer to investigate if necessary.

As far as the educational record is concerned, I would expect the old school to upload the child’s Common Transfer File to the searchable area on the school2school system, so that it can be found later. Maintained schools must do this, academies are ‘strongly encouraged’ to, so if the current school is an academy you may want to check they will do this.

The school I used to work at has done this in the past for children moving abroad with no school arranged at the time of the move. When we were contacted by the school the child eventually joined, we would refer them to the local authority, so I’m not sure how that part of the process works, but the records won’t just disappear.

DunesOfSand · 02/07/2018 10:41

Are you actually going to finish the school year here? In which case you will get the end of year report as normal, and then fly out.

I'm pretty certain "educated in Brazil" will do - or just give them the name of the school in the small town you have no intention sending her to. I'm 99% certain they won't be contacting them! And if they do, you changed your mind as it wasn't suitable. We did have visas for a country no-one visits, but noone asked for them. I wrote a letter to the head, had a chat to him (he was a very hands on head, and could be found in the school yard most mornings and afternoons), and we walked out of school on the last day with books, and a printout of attendance that year (had a very recent report, so didnt ask for that, and we were primary).

We DID need reports to get into school here (middle east). Attested as well. Might be worth checking if the Brazilian school need attested reports, because that is MUCH easier to do from the uk before you fly!

Homebird8 · 02/07/2018 10:45

The school has a statutory duty to notify the local authority when removing a child from the register and provide certain information- this includes the child’s new address and new school ‘where applicable’. The school and local authority also have a joint responsibility to make ‘reasonable enquiries’ to establish the child’s whereabouts. So they have to ask the questions, but they don’t necessarily have to be answered by you.

That makes sense RustyBear. I think the process must have tightened up since 2011. I was never asked any questions but thought it was so bonkers that there wasn’t a system I covered my own back by writing to the head teachers to explain. I never formally removed the DCs from the register but maybe my letter saying ‘thanks for everything, we’re off to pastures new’ did the job.

user1499173618 · 02/07/2018 10:49

I too would recommend getting translated and attested school reports and documentation before leaving. Schools often ask for 2/3 years of reports for their admissions procedures.

RustyBear · 02/07/2018 10:51

@Homebird8 - the statutory guidance I just checked with to refresh my memory is dated September 2016, so it probably has changed since you moved.

assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/550416/Children_Missing_Education_-_statutory_guidance.pdf

Homebird8 · 02/07/2018 10:51

We DID need reports to get into school here (middle east).

Always worth finding out what is needed. NZ suits us because everything is much more laid back than we expect.

Homebird8 · 02/07/2018 21:36

Good luck in your new location taylorsweet Flowers

Original poster
taylorsweet · 03/07/2018 08:38

Thank you Homebird8 and thank you all for the information. I will provide them with our new address and the local school in the small town as that is where we are going first. As I said she is a Brazilian citizen and practically is going home so the British authorities don't have much say in what happens in Brazil.

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Original poster
taylorsweet · 03/07/2018 08:49

DunesOfSand yes she will finish her year 8 here and as we plan to move in December I wonder if she should start Year 9 and go to school until the very last day before we leave or do you think is better for me to home school her from September? I am thinking of the end of year report that's all

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DunesOfSand · 03/07/2018 11:35

Hmm, I have half a feeling home schooling isn't recognised in Brazil. Check the legal status of it before withdrawing her at the end of y8.
And look at the admissions requirements of the school you are interested in.
Do you normally get a part year report at Christmas? That might be worth getting if Brazil work an academic year as a calander year.

Original poster
taylorsweet · 03/07/2018 12:17

DunesOfSand I was thinking to home school her here in UK between September and December this year. As we are leaving in December I am not sure whether I should just inform school at the end of September, get her end of year report and then say I will home school her until December. Then advise we are moving from UK in December. The reason for that is because i want to get the end of year report and allow her some time here to study Portuguese.

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DunesOfSand · 03/07/2018 12:47

I'm thinking of the other end - you will have a gap in reports from July to Jan. If you can get a partial school report in Dec, there isn't 6 months of education unaccounted for. But, this is biased towards one region, and you are going elsewhere. The poster in NZ had no issues. Id look at the requirements for the school you are interested in.

shouldwestayorshouldwego · 03/07/2018 12:58

Could you home school here but in Portuguese, so do maths in Portuguese, food tech in Portuguese etc. Use some You tube videos in Portuguese to review for an 'English' assignment etc. Depends on whether your dh could mark it. I would ask on the home ed board for advice on how to keep the authorities happy.

myrtleWilson · 03/07/2018 13:07

Hope you enjoy your new life in Brazil!

I probably wouldn't homeschool here - she'll miss her friends etc (I know she can still see them outside of school but school life is a big part of friendship groups) But I would use that time to boost her Portuguese language skills? What MFL is she doing at the moment - if for example German could she drop that and do some private study (Portuguese) during those lessons (if the school were amenable.... no idea if they would/could be!)

Bekabeech · 03/07/2018 13:25

You will be covered by the Country you are in's rules on Home Education. There is nothing the UK can do once you've left.

You have a right (or your DD does if she is 12) to see and take a copy of your DD's education file - but you can be charged for photocopying. However how useful this will be is a mute point. Lots of places overseas ask for a "transcript" expecting something like a US school transcript - but UK school records are not like that, and will often need "translating" (into something understandable, eg. what does 5.4 in Drama mean?) for an overseas school to use.

Original poster
taylorsweet · 03/07/2018 13:27

I think I will let her stay in school here right up until we go as I don't want any gaps in her school report. Come November I will ask them for her school report and that's that. They know we are moving but if we are leaving in December and i take her out of school in July then they will start asking 1000 questions. I best save myself the headache lol

Thank you all so much for your input Flowers

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Original poster
taylorsweet · 03/07/2018 13:31

Bekabeech you have a point! My husband said the school requires a certificate from here...but they don't get certificates in UK?! Not sure how useful this record will be to her new school in Brazil.

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Danniz · 03/07/2018 14:02

She'll be fine if she just starts school straight away. Will learn the language that way.

Homebird8 · 03/07/2018 22:06

It might be worth thinking about how to get a British school record translated into Portuguese. Same goes for lots of documents.

I think leaving your DD in school until you leave is a good idea. It maintains her social and support networks, keeps her engaged with her education in a school environment which is what your are planning for Brazil, and importantly gives you more time to do all the myriad of things needed to make the move a success. If you are spending time in home educating your DD too then you have less for everything else. Don’t forget your daughter is going through a big change in her life, at your choice, and as a teenager. She will need friends and support just as much as she needs Portuguese.

Original poster
taylorsweet · 04/07/2018 07:12

Homebird8 I totally agree with you! Mind you she is the one who wants us to go to Brazil :) It was actually her idea after many long holidays there. If she didn't want to go I don't think i would have gone to be honest.

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Homebird8 · 04/07/2018 11:26

Wow, then you’re all equally in the adventure! Your DD sounds like an amazing young woman being ready to make such a big change in her life. Your decision to go shows where she gets that from.

So hard to balance choices up. I used to rely on what my head told me but now I find that my heart is a pretty good indicator. I’ve never regretted a decision made with my heart although it is happy to have a few facts to guide it!

What do you have in prospect in your new life in Brazil?

Original poster
taylorsweet · 05/07/2018 07:20

Homebird8 thank you for your lovely message :)

Yes she is very gutsy and she is not afraid of change. She absolutely loves Brazil, the people and lifestyle there. We have lots of family and friends and the sun is always shining.

I am hoping to work online teaching English and my husband plans to open a business for computer repairs. He wants to live in a small quiet town (which I also like) but then I worry that the local school might not be able to support my DD and so I want to live in the city. The school in the small town is also a private school and the locals say it's a good school but it might not be the best for my DD as the teachers don't speak much English. So we are a bit divided on that front as to where to live lol...otherwise we are all looking forward to the new adventure :)

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Candyflip · 05/07/2018 07:26

Year 9 is what? 13? Why would she not pick up the language within weeks like other 13 year olds? They are very resourceful you know. I can’t think of anything more miserable or slow-paced than intensive language lessons at home. Nothing compares to complete immersion with peers. We lived in São Paulo and my kids went to local schools and were accepted immediately and were speaking Portuguese fluently much quicker than your time frame.

Original poster
taylorsweet · 05/07/2018 08:10

Candyflip thank you for your message :)

I think I am just being paranoid and worrying too much. I will let her join the local school as soon as we get there and maybe have some extra lessons in the afternoon. Am i being unreasonable thinking the school won't be able to support her because it's in a very small town and they only teach local kids and have never had a foreign child who does not yet speak Portuguese?

My husband's family says the schools in Goiania will be better for her as most of the teachers speak English and can help her.

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Original poster
taylorsweet · 05/07/2018 08:10

And yes she just turned 13 and will finish year 8 this month.

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