Blakesters

Hi All
Arrived in Canada a couple of weeks ago. I attempted to register my child at a local school (which we thought was the norm) to be told we had to go through the school board as our child was an international student (he has a study permit) OH has a 12 month work permit but we are applying for permanent. The school board have come back with a school which is an hours drive away, they said there were no vacancies at any of the schools in the area where we are living. After making enquiries about vacancies through the schools there are vacancies??? I cannot get my child to this school, there is no bus and we have no transport at the moment. We are british citizens and I did not think our child would be classed internatonal, that is not the issue, his permit says he can study in any primary/secondary school. I feel really sad about this as there are 6 schools withinh a 15 mile radius of where we live. I dont know what to do, do I fight the decision?? am I able to do this?? please can someone advise?? many thanks x

The4BellsLondon

Why would they not be classed international if they are British??

Go to the school you want them to go to, if they have vacancies ask them to call the shool board to confirm that they can go there . . . thats what we did in Van.

crg2704

Hi, We came to Canada on work permits and our children on study permits and we had no problem registering our kids in school, all they needed was copies of our work permits and the study permits, The study permits give your children access to the free Canadian educational system which basically means you can register in any school, Where abouts are you and has the school come across this before as I don't think they understand what these permits mean and what they give your children access to, Personally I would fight the decision.

PMM

Hi

Note the OP was told there are no vacancies at the schools in their area at the moment.

Blakesters

Hi Thanks for your reply, we are in Walnut Grove, Langley

The4BellsLondon

But the school themselves told them they did have vacancies! ??

Blakesters

Yes we inquired and they said they did have

The4BellsLondon

What part of Vancouver are you in ?

Blakesters

were in Langley :-)

The4BellsLondon

hmm ok - we were Van school board - but we went to the school we wanted- they didnt have space , so then went o next school - they rang school board - we went to school board and then next day school board said yes kid could go to that school.

I think if there is a space at the school you want you should go back to the school - get then to ring the `Board" while you are there .

BCgirl

Hi

We came to Langley on a work permit, and my eldest had a study permit. We had to register him as an International student and go where they said. This is the procedure that Langley School District follows. They put us in our local school. The lady at the school district (at their offices in Murrayville near the hospital) said that without the study permit we would have had to pay international student fees ($10000 per year). Perhaps you could talk to her and explain your transport problem? Which school did they put you in?

As a point of interest, Langley school district is running a large deficit at the moment and money will be tight for the next 3 years while they try to clear it

Also, Langley (particularly the Willoughby Slope which is the bit down the hill south of Highway 1 as far as Costco / Home Depot) is one of the very few areas of Metro Vancouver with expanding student numbers. This is causing massive overcrowding in alot of schools in North Langley, and a number of schools are capped now, no more spaces available. Maybe Walnut Grove schools are having to keep some vacancies for the newcomers who will be moving into all the development currently being built east and west of 208th Street over the current school year?

I would talk to the school district international department. They are in charge of where your child goes, not the individual school (who may not be accepting international students)

Hope this helps
Good Luck

Aviator

They can go to any school only if there is room. The SD will find the nearest school with room. Often the only exception is Special Needs (disability). No bus or you not having a car is unlikely to sway the decision, a taxi may be suggested. Have you checked public transit? Many kids are registered in Feb/March for the coming year, and spaces fill up fast. After June any spare places go to out of catchment.

Have you spoken with the SD transport dept? I understood that if a child was sent out of catchment due to no room, they provide transport.

As has been pointed out, being a British Citizen offers no more privileges than any other nationality.

Piff Poff

In our experience, if you are here on a work permit then the child does not need a study permit. I can't remember the actual wording and reasoning BUT when we went to CIC London to get a study permit, we got told by the CIC that it wouldn't be issued as the parents (Us) had Work Permits and that's all we had to show at the school.

The4BellsLondon

BUT the op has spoken to the nearest school and thy have said they have places!!

BCgirl

That may well be so, but Langley School District are VERY particular about it - and Langley schools have to do what the School district say - if a parent cannot provide proof of permanent residency / citizenship when registering a child at a school, the parent is referred to the school district where the parent needs to to provide a valid study permit for the child to study for free in a Langley school. The school does not deal with it, the school district office does and will assign a specific school for the child to attend, informing you and the school in writing. If the study permit is for a specific time period (eg 1 year) they require that a new valid permit is submitted prior to expiry of the existing one, otherwise the child is no longer entitled to free education, and fees will be charged.
I know this, because I have dealt with Langley School District on this very issue. I know other school districts in BC and other provinces seem more flexible, but this is my experience of the school district the OP is dealing with.

Also of note, is the CIC said we didn't need a study permit, but we decided to pay the approx 50quid fee 'just in case' Glad we did, otherwise we would have had a problem here in Langley.

Just my 2c worth....