Moving overseas can mean a lot of disruption in your family life, but ultimately, it can mean you get a better lifestyle and more family time. However, one thing you’ll need to consider is the impact on your child’s education.
You will no doubt want them to get the same level of education they get at home, or even better, so here are some tips to ensure they get the best possible experience.
Choose an international school
For most ex-pats, an international, British, or American school is the best choice, as it provides education in English. Unless your child is already confident and speaks the local language well, going to a local school is usually not a great option for ex-pat children.
It’s easy to find the top international schools in Bangkok and other expat areas, and when your child moves across, there’s usually a better continuity in their education in this type of school.
Let them work towards international qualifications
Another disadvantage of local schools is that your child will leave with locally recognised qualifications. The problem is, if you then go back to your home country, your children may find their qualifications aren’t useful in future.
International qualifications such as the International Baccalaureate (IB) are better because:
- They are recognized as being of a high standard
- Universities around the world will recognize them for admission
- These are excellent programs that often involve useful skills like a second language
If you want to keep your child on an excellent educational path, then qualifications such as an IB are the best way to do so. They give your child lots of options in the future and put them on an excellent path.
Consider using a private tutor too
One good thing about moving overseas is that it’s easy to find private tutors, and they are usually inexpensive to hire. This helps fill in any gaps in your child’s education and ensures they stay ahead of their classmates.
Moving overseas doesn’t have to mean your child’s education is disrupted, in fact, it could be good for them. With many excellent international schools, plus the chance to learn about new cultures and languages, you may find your child gets a better education than they could get at home.
They may even find a new enthusiasm for school and their extracurricular activities when you move to a new place, as there’s usually a lot more on offer.
