Choosing a School Abroad A major cause of concern for
families moving abroad is the provision of education for their
children. Many worry that schools in the destination country may not be
able to offer the same standard of education that has previously been
available in the country of citizenship. Research is vital prior to any
move abroad in order to make the best decision for your family. Many
countries around the world, particularly those with a high proportion
of expatriates, have a number of international schools which use
familiar models of education such as American, British or other
systems. These schools generally follow the curriculum of their chosen
model and teach in their native language. A growing number of
international schools follow the International Baccalaureate which is
accepted as an entrance for university around the world. International
Schools tend to be located in the major cities of the world, although a
few are located in green spaces and these tend to offer boarding as an
alternative to a long journey from home to school. Most good
international schools offer a wide range of extra-curricular activities
that broaden your child’s education as well as providing new interests
and hobbies. As well as the international school option, it may
also be possible to enroll your child into a local bilingual school.
The advantages of this would be that your child will quickly develop
new language skills and would better assimilate into the local
community. A downside however would be that the bilingual school would
most probably follow a different system than your child is used to and
there may be problems reintegrating back into schools at home or
universities. An international school would be a safer choice, although
these do tend to be more expensive than bilingual schools. Whilst a
school may describe itself as an International School, it is important
to check out the nationalities of the students on role as some
international schools can have a student population comprising almost
entirely of local students. In these situations overseas students can
often feel isolated and unable to join in with the rest of the school
community. Careful Planning Before enrolling your
child in any school abroad, make a visit to the school and determine if
the school offers the best for your child. Take your child with you on
each visit so they also get a feel for the school. Some international
schools will be selective and others may have long waiting lists. Make
sure that the school you select is within traveling distance from home
and there is adequate provision for transport to and from school. It is
often quite beneficial to decide on a school first and then look for
housing after. Schools.ac - View details of
International Schools around the world at www.schools.ac
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