~Emma Thomas
When you are planning a move overseas the list of things to organise can seem frighteningly long, and when you’re moving abroad as a family there’s even more to consider. One of the first things families intending to emigrate have to consider is what education option would best suit their expat children, but making the right choice can be tough.
To help make the decision that little bit easier we’ve taken a look at the pros of the three most common overseas-education options: local schools, international schools and homeschooling.
Local Schools for Expat Children
The majority of local schools conduct their teachings in the local language (although English may be taught as a second language). For children who don’t speak the language of their host nation attending a local school can be difficult at first, and they may be put in a lower ability group until they can communicate effectively. For many expat parents this is a huge drawback, but if your move abroad is of a permanent or semi-permanent nature the pros of sending your children to a local school may outweigh the cons.
~ As a rule, children pick up languages more easily than adults and generally the younger the child the more quickly they learn. Children of pre or primary school age may learn to speak the language of their host nation within just a few months of attending a local school.
~ Many expat families have advised that the best way to settle into a new environment is to become completely immersed in it. By sending your child to a local school you will be encouraging them to make friends from the same area and helping them to view their host nation in the same way as local children.
~ Although cost isn’t usually the motivating factor behind parents settling on an education option for their child, it’s a fact that international schools cost substantially more to attend than local ones. In the vast majority of nations local schooling is free until the child reaches tertiary (or post-secondary) education.
~ However, there is one con relating to local schools which parents will need to seriously consider. Some academic qualifications gained overseas may not be transferable, meaning that children could struggle when it comes to gaining admission to colleges/universities in another nation.
International Schools for Expat Children
While international schooling may be one of the more costly education options, it is becoming an increasingly popular choice among expat families. The number of international schools is on the up in nations like the US, Canada, Spain and France, meaning there is usually one a reasonable distance away no matter where you settle. But there are many pros to internationals schools beyond their availability.
~ In an international school children are able to grow up in one of the world’s most culturally diverse environments, benefiting from mixing with a range of global lifestyles.
~ The majority of international schools follow a globally-recognised curriculum, like the International Baccalaureate. As the IB model is accepted across the world the child has the option of being able to continue their education in a huge choice of other countries.
~ Many international schools place a stronger emphasis on extracurricular activities than mainstream schools. As the aim of international schools is all-round development, children are not only encouraged to learn academically but socially and creatively.
Homeschooling Expat Children
If your stay overseas is for a limited time period you may wish to avoid the upheaval involved in enrolling your child in a new school. If that’s the case, homeschooling could be a good route to go down. While it certainly isn’t for everybody and obviously requires a significant commitment from the parent/parents, there are many positives to homeschooling.
~ Although homeschooled children usually follow a preapproved curriculum, there is typically more educational freedom involved in this form of education. How and where subjects are taught are largely up to the parent, and rather than having to stick rigidly to traditional school hours, work can be done according to the schedule which most fits in with family life.
~ Bullying is one of the aspects of mainstream education which parents and children find most difficult to deal with. In a home-school environment the risk of bullying is eliminated.
~ Furthermore, the vast majority of homeschooling advocates have argued that it helps to build strong family ties.
As homeschooling a child is a full-time job, families have to consider whether they are in a financial situation where they can afford to live on one wage. That being said, homeschooling can actually save money as it eliminates the need to buy school uniforms, PE kits etc and means parents don’t have to pay out for transport costs, school trips and lunches.
Hopefully this brief look at the pros of the most popular education options for expat children has given your family a good starting point to work from. For further information regarding education in specific countries check out the education sections in these country guides.
This post was provided by The Expat Hub, a top online stop for expatriate advice, support and information.
Has your family ever lived abroad? Which school option did you choose for your expat children? Have you ever considered going abroad?
A crucial point to be added is that homeschooling is illegal in many countries (Germany for example). In others it is accepted but is very strictly regulated, frown upon and not at all the norm if you want to integrate.
I think I heard that before- is it also illegal in Spain?
More here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homeschooling_international_status_and_statistics
That is a huge eye-opener!!! Thank you for sharing it Annabelle- a must-see article for expat families researching their options.
My family came to live in Bolivia when my older children were 11 and 12 and we put them into a local school as learning the language and culture and full immersion was our priority. They are both now completely bilingual and were top in their class the first year. In no time at all they were speaking like the locals and often people are amazed that they have no foreign accent. The older kids continued with NZ education by correspondence and other than being frustrating completed their school from both countries. They are both in university here now – 20 and 21 and marrying and staying here.
Our littlies (5) are in the local school and speak Spanish just like the other children. In 3 months we move to NZ (forced due to work) and they will be in a local NZ school where I am certain their English will take off. They understand it totally and speak it when they feel like it or need to. With the girls I will take all their school books and carry on with the school each day/week so they can keep up for when we come back!
That is such an incredible story- I would love to do an interview with you about your experiences! I love that your older kids are marrying and settling in Bolivia- a testament to how deeply they are rooted in the country. Do you plan to go back to Bolivia in the future? Do you have any bits of Bolivian culture you would like to share? 🙂
Hi. Yes, we plan to return when we have saved enough money for my husband to start a business (so he only has to work in the morning – probably teaching in an International school) and I can start my Orphan/Adoption ministry.
My bigs kids are very rooted in this culture now and have only been back to NZ to visit their grandparents twice in 8.5 years. My littlies were adopted here in Bolivia.
There is so much culture here that is interesting, much of it is Catholic or Quechua but always very colourful. Almost every month we have Statutory holidays and parties and parades for various reasons. There are many foods and special traditions. I am happy to give more information – we lived in a marginalised community for 7 years and set up a work with kids whose mums had to go to work to support their families. Ask away..
Greetings from Bahrain! I’ve been a Brit expat in the Middle East for the past 6 years. Currently my 4 kids attend an excellent British School, which has facilities and test scores as good as some of the top UK private schools but at a much lower price.
In the past, my 2 older kids spent 1 year in an American school in Saudi but in the end we switched them back to the British system.
A few years back I put my preschoolers in a private arabic language kindergarten (we’re not Arabic speakers) One immersed himself in the whole experience and the other hated it!
My advice is not to be scared to experiment with different educational options and see what works best for your children.
That is such good advice- thanks for sharing your experiences. I really appreciate your perspective- it makes sense that every child learns differently and will react differently to new situations. How cool that your son has excelled in the Arabic kindergarten! What an amazing opportunity for him!!!
Hello from Germany! We moved here with our 3 year-old and have found the preschool/kindergarten options fascinating, frustrating, and now ultimately working out well. Something for those moving with young children to know is that every country has different expectations for when their youngsters enter school full-time. Here they start at 3, though it isn’t required. However, the social pressure was quite unexpected and gave me a shock when we first arrived. Our son had only been in preschool 5 hours total a week in the States and I do a lot of educational play, play dates, etc. with him. I’ve heard many other ex-pat moms express the same feelings or surprise, though I know very few who have not put their 3 year-olds in school 5 days/week. The pressure really is great.
We adopted our son from Ethiopia two years ago, therefore missed the first 10 1/2 months of his life, plus he had a bit of a language delay with English. So, we had some circumstances to take into account! I would advise parents of young children to respectfully stay strong in your convictions and not feel that you must follow the norm. We had to be our own advocates, do A LOT of searching, and finally found a great international school willing to work with our situation. There they keep his English growing, he can meet native and ex-pat friends alike, pick up some German from the German-speakers, and they allow us to make up our own (vastly) reduced schedule. I still get strange looks and comments, but my days are precious with my boy no matter where I live!
P.S. Absolutely love this site and especially your Ethiopia resources! Thank you!
I am SO excited to meet you!!!! 🙂 Our son also came home a couple of years ago, at age 3. I will continue to add more Ethiopia resources:)- we love to incorporate bits of his culture and teach him about his rich heritage!!! I’m so jealous of your experience living abroad- that is our dream! I’m so glad that you were able to find a school situation that works for your family- what a wonderful experience for your son:). If you are ever interested in doing a guest post about an aspect of expat living, I would love to “host” you here:).
I would love to do an expat post and am equally thrilled to come across your site, truly! A wonderful resource. I have your Ethiopia page bookmarked to show Levi. He is all about looking at pictures of “where God made him,” as he likes to say ;). I did an expat post actually for another blog about the trials/tribulations/advice re: moving with a child who doesn’t understand time or place quite yet, haha. Would love to collaborate if you ever need someone! Thanks for all you do!