The prospect of a new life abroad can be exciting and daunting in equal measure. If you have children, the question of schooling is likely to be among the biggest issues in making your decision. Here we look at some of the options.

An education overseas may offer a wonderful opportunity to experience life in another culture; on the other hand there may be disadvantages, especially if there is little choice of provision in your new location.

There will be many factors to consider. Is there a British school? How long do you plan to be abroad? How does your child feel about the move? Is boarding school an option?

Your child's age and the timing of your move will also be important. If there are important exams not far ahead, how can you minimise the disruption to your child's studies?

Where are you going?

Some locations are well served with British schools or schools with a British or international-style curriculum. No two schools will be the same, and you may find that the student profiles vary widely.

Some schools may be specifically for British expatriates; others may educate a large number of international expatriates as well as British nationals. Some may have a significant number of local students; indeed some may offer teaching in the local language as well as in English.

To some extent your choice will be influenced by the length of time you plan to stay. Schools with a high proportion of expatriate students are used to teaching children who are in the school for a relatively short period of time and generally have good systems for integrating new arrivals.

A school with many nationalities also offers opportunities for your child to make friends from all over the world. A British curriculum will clearly offer better continuity and easier re-integration back into the UK at a later stage.

In some parts of the world there are associations of British-curriculum or English-medium schools. You may find it helpful to get in touch with these for further information about member schools in the area in which you will be living. A list is given at the end of this article.

It may be appropriate for your child to attend a local school, i.e. a school teaching the curriculum of that country. Important factors here will include your child's knowledge of the local language and your longer-term plans. If you are planning to return to the UK before your child takes General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) or A Level exams, he or she will need to be prepared accordingly.

International Baccalaureate

The International Baccalaureate (IB) is a curriculum which is recognised internationally and is taught in over 1,420 schools in 117 countries, including the UK. The IB Diploma, which forms the last two years of secondary school, is accepted for the purposes of entry by universities worldwide while also allowing students to fulfil the requirements of their national education system. The IB also has a Middle Years Programme and a Primary Years Programme, providing a continuous curriculum for students between the ages of 3 and 19.

Because the IB is available internationally, it can be an attractive option for students living away from their home country or required to move from one country to another during the course of their education. It is not widely available in the UK, but is offered by a number of maintained and independent schools and colleges. Details can be found on the IB website at www.ibo.org.

Boarding schools

If there is no suitable provision in your new location, or if you feel that a boarding education could benefit your child, you may want to consider looking for a boarding school in the UK.

If you are new to boarding, don't be deterred by what may be outdated images of boarding schools. Good boarding schools offer outstanding facilities, comfortable accommodation, excellent teaching and pastoral care, and a range of activities and opportunities which parents could not possibly provide at home.

Most boarding schools are members of one of the constituent associations of the Independent Schools Council, which demands the highest standards of teaching and care. Boarding schools must also comply with National Boarding Standards, which are the agreed minimum requirements for good practice in independent and maintained boarding schools and cover all welfare, health and policy issues.

Boarding offers continuity and stability in a safe environment, and you may find it a better alternative if your new destination is poorly served by schools or if you are concerned about the safety of your new location.

If you are moving abroad as your child approaches critical stages of education such as GCSE or A Level, a boarding school will enable your child to continue his or her education without additional disruption. For students aged 16+ boarding may also be attractive as a step towards independent life away from home.

However, boarding does not suit all children, and you may feel that it is more important to keep the family together. Consider what would suit your child best.

Most schools operate some form of selection, usually the Common Entrance exam taken at 11+, 12+ or 13+. However, if your child is to join a school outside the normal ages for transition, he or she will still be expected to fulfil the school's normal entrance requirements, which will vary from one school to another.

Fees for boarding schools vary widely, but as a general rule in 2005-2006 parents can expect to pay annual fees of £10,000-£15,000 for a preparatory boarding school and £18,000-£21,000 for a senior school.

In addition to the many independent boarding schools throughout the UK, there are also some 35 maintained schools which accept boarders, although day pupils are usually in the majority. UK and EU nationals and children from outside the EU who have a right of residence in the UK can be accepted as boarders. They pay only for the cost of boarding and are not charged for tuition, which means that fees are closer to £6,000 per year.

If you plan to send your child to a boarding school while you are living abroad, you will be asked to appoint a guardian living near the school who can offer your child a home at weekends and half-terms. You may have family members who are willing to take on this role. Otherwise you may want to contact a professional guardianship service provider such as Gabbitas, which is fully accredited by the Association for the Education and Guardianship of International Students (AEGIS) and offers a service specifically designed for the children of British expatriates as well as full guardianship support for children from other countries.

The timing

Generally speaking, the younger your child, the easier he or she will find it to adapt to a new school environment and to pick up a foreign language. Re-integration back into a UK school may not be too difficult while your child is still in primary education, but the transition may be more complicated later on.

Independent schools in the UK are unlikely to accept a pupil into the second year of GCSE or A Level studies (Year 11 or 13) and will probably expect the pupil to repeat the first year of the programme. If your child has a birthday late in the school year, i.e. July or August, this may not be so much of a problem, but an earlier birthday means that your child will be significantly older than his or her peers, which may lead to difficulties in social integration.

Keep in mind that there are a number of independent colleges which are used to teaching students who arrive at different stages of education and who may be able to offer more flexibility.

Special needs

If your child has special needs, you will need to look carefully at the implications of a move abroad. Depending on the nature of your child's needs, and your destination country, you may find that educational and medical provision is not the same as it is in the UK. In some cases it may be less good; in others it may be better.

If your child has a Statement of Special Educational Needs, you should be clear about the implications of a move away from the local education authority which maintains that statement and you will need to be confident that your child's needs can be met in your new location.

Useful websites

Gabbitas Educational Consultants (see below for further details)
www.gabbitas.co.uk

British Schools in the Middle East (BSME)
www.bsme.org.uk

Council of British Independent Schools in the European Communities (COBISEC)
www.cobisec.org

Federation of British International Schools in South and East Asia (FOBISSEA)
www.fobissea.org

Latin American Heads Conference (LAHC) of schools reflecting British practice
www.lahc.net

International Baccalaureate Organisation
www.ibo.org

What Gabbitas does

The Independent Schools Guide is the UK's most comprehensive directory of independent schools and offers parents a wealth of information and advice on choosing the right school. It is available to buy on-line at www.gabbitas.co.uk or by telephone on +44 (0)20 7734 0161.

If you would like more personal advice, Gabbitas experts can provide a free selection of independent schools tailored to your child's needs as well as in-depth consultations on any aspect of education.

Gabbitas offers parents and students independent advice on all stages of education and careers. The advisory team assists thousands of families each year in the UK and overseas.

A personal selection of independent boarding or day schools is available free of charge. One-to-one guidance on school choice, education planning, choice of A Levels/IB and other sixth form options, transferring to the UK from overseas, university applications and careers is available in person and by telephone. Gabbitas also offers full educational assessment by qualified educational psychologists.

Gabbitas Guardianship cares for overseas students at UK boarding schools. For each child the Guardianship team carefully selects a suitable family who will offer a safe and happy home-from-home for exeat weekends and half-term holidays. The team manages all aspects of finance and travel, and closely monitors welfare and progress.

The Independent Schools Guide and Schools for Special Needs provide comprehensive directories of schools in the UK as well as authoritative guidance for parents and advisers.

The Staff Recruitment and School Management division acts for leading independent schools worldwide in the appointment of Heads, senior and assistant staff and as independent advisers on all aspects of school management, leadership and development.

More info

Gabbitas Educational Consultants

126-130 Regent Street, London W1B 5EE

Tel: +44 (0)20 7734 0161

Fax: +44 (0)20 7437 174

Email: admin@gabbitas.co.uk