To help your child, you could buy revision books and work on improving your language skills at the same time as them - this may give them a headstart with learning and also help them to become familiar with the school curriculum. These can be found in bookshops, newsagents and supermarkets, or you can order them online - one publisher of these so-called "Guides Pedagogiques" is Hachette, website at http://www.hachette.com

For anyone moving to France, learning French (or improving your existing fluency) is absolutely vital, both to your success in the workplace and in daily life. A good level of French will help you integrate better and reduce the chances of you returning disappointed to your home country.

Some options for learning French are:

- Self-study - many books and tapes are available to buy, though it may be both convenient and effective to opt for an online French course. Some have free tutorials and exercises, for example the BBC's resource at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/french/ and the sites: http://www.languageguide.org/index.jsp and http://www.frenchtutorial.com Many companies offer online courses, for which a fee is payable - these include Linguaphone: http://www.linguaphone.co.uk

- Private Tuition - if you learn better at your own pace and on a one-to-one basis, then private lessons with a tutor may suit you. These can be expensive because you pay by the hour (usually 15-35 Euros), so ask friends and neighbours if they can recommend anyone. Alternatively, you could advertise in local papers, supermarkets or even university notice boards.