Mhut

Hi All,

I need advice on the following: we are planning to move permanently end of March 2012 and am wondering what my son will do till September 2012 as I have been advised that he would integrate and fit in more easily if he was to start at the beginning of a new school year when there are other new students starting at the same time. Besides the schools likely to be in our catchment have said that they only take new intakes in January and September.

The thought of him sitting at home 6 months in a new country.

Any advice and thoughts appreciated.

Mhut

Cookie

The second semester will have only just started (February) so put him in school for sure. He needs to make friends and school is the best place to start. School year begins in September and that's too long to wait. (My younger son waited a few weeks until he started at the beginning of the second semester and he was so bored he was glad to start school.)

club_biscuit

definitely start him in school. not sure where you're going, but to my knowledge, public schools aren't allowed to refuse to educate a child in their catchment area simply because they've arrived at an inconvenient time. In Ontario, children must be in school until they're 18 years old, so I don't think they have much ground to refuse (unless you're looking at private schools).

Zap0ne

Summer camp is also a great option

Alberta_Rose

Are you SURE they won't take him in March .... as others have said, I don't think they can actually refuse him can they? They probably reckon it might be a hard time for him to catch up on the year ...... ... but they should allow him to attend classes, even if just for socialisation purposes.

Try talking to them again.

Alternatively ...... can you start him in January??? We landed and I left hubby and boys here to start school in September, while I went back to UK to finish packing up and selling the house. No it wasn't easy, but none of us died from it

kazbob

We are moving in the middle of February and our 14 year old will be starting on 20th Feb, we had no problem with this. I can't see how they can refuse your son a place when he will still have 4 months of schooling left to do for that year.

Karen

ann m

Our kids started at the beginning of June - only three weeks left of the school year but it was great for fitting in and finding a few playdates for over the summer!

Get him into school as soon as possible - otherwise he will brood on Facebook and Skype and not feel like he belongs anywhere.

Oink

Call your district School Board office and speak to the assistant superintendent. If the school in your catchment area is full they will find him a place in another school until a spot opens up. Its illegal for them not to place your child in a public school.

Mhut

Thank you so much for all your replies. I will get hubby to go to the two schools tomorrow as he is still in Canada.

Might take the option of sending son over earlier to start in January and I will catch up with them once I wind up here in UK.

The younger one will be five in January and there was no problem for him to start any time we get there.

Am so nervous for my teenager starting half way through the year and not knowing anyone at the school.

Thanks once again for your time in replying back.

Mhut

Aviator

Why not delay moving until the end of the school year to minimise the disruption on your child's education?

Mhut

We feel because he will be choosing his options for GCSE subjects for next year, its almost wasted time to do that when he will be in a completely different school system next year. Also thats the way things are panning out regarding housing and jobs etc etc ending.

Cookie

2nd Semester does not start until February 1st and in the week(s) prior to that there may be exams so he may not get to start school until they are finished. Not long to wait though.

Mhut

Hi Cookie,

Thanks for that, will look at sending him by middle of Feb to start once I get reply back from hubby as to what the schools are saying.

Mhut

ninaDGBCA

My kids are too young for school but my friend's children (then 12 and 8) started in mid April just when they arrived here and my other friend's (then11,7 and 5)started in late November. We are in Ontario btw.

Mhut

Thanks Nina, we will be in Ajax ON, have confirmed with school board that the school will take my son whenever we return for good.

Mhut