Hi,
My family and I are thinking of re-locating to Vancouver Island to work at the air base in Comox. However, I'm starting to get second thoughts because the schools seem a little backward. We have a 4 year old and would like any advice as to where to live and which school is the best in the area? We're looking at Aspengrove but that means moving South to Parksville area.
Its a reasonably well paid job ($100k pa) and looking at the housing market it seems more reasonable than the UK. We love the outdoor life, sailing, kitesurfing and skiing etc.
Any comments welcome.
Thanks,

Simon

They start a year later than in the UK, but the end results are pretty much on a par.

"the schools seem a little backward"

WTF does that mean???

We have friends who have moved to the Island with kids aged 10 and 14....the kids are enjoying school on the Island much more than they did their UK ones and have excelled so far. I personally wouldn't worry, especially with a 4 yr old. It's different but that doesn't make it bad.

The whole family love their new life!

Hope that helps....

Thanks,
The only information we have to hand is a few posts from expats who stated they "regret the move" based on the standard of schools in the area. When we look online at Comox there's a few alternative and christian schools which aren't what were after. The state schools aren't rated very highly. Its a genuine concern. I understand the system is different which i'm fine with... Its just that these schools within that system don't seem very good. Does anyone have any first hand experience in the area?

There are no "state schools". Canada has provinces.

I think taking your information from a few posts from expats who state they regret the moves is your first mistake. What else are you basing your statement that those schools within that system don't seem very good on? Have you looked at any hard evidence or just people's moans about differences in school systems?

If you plan to stay in Canada forever then the schools will be just fine as everyone goes through the same type of system so there's little competitive advantage. If you or they want to go back to UK then I'd say it'd be a problem schooling them here.

A four year old? And you're worried about Canadian schooling? Seriously? Maybe if your kid is a teenager.

Everytime expats bring this up it makes me wonder why they would every consider leaving the best school system in the world

Best in the world? Not so, apparently.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-20498356

All understood - the worry would be returning to UK education 10 years from now... Schooling aside, where within an hours commute would be nice to live?

Aren't rated highly by whom?

Don't seem very good compared to where? By what metric?



I suggest you start worrying about that, say, 9 years from now. One of the nicest things about Canada is that hardly any parents stress about which school to send the sprogs to. The one's that do are invariably new immigrants either from the UK or China.

Sarcasm on my part

Yup

Damn, now I've been quoted so I can't go back and edit that rogue apostrophe.

The UK schools obviously didn't teach me a thing.

Your kid's performance in school will be determined (in order) by:
Their attitude
Their ability
Your attitude
The school
If I were you I'd bite their arm off at the shoulder for a job paying that on the Island. If you are still in two minds about it send me your picture and I will see if I could pass as you and I'll turn up on the first day instead. (Never mind what sort of job is; I'll just make things up as I go along).

We have some friends who live in Parksville who have 2 kids (11 and 8) in one of the local schools in Parksville. They have genuine concerns about the quality of the schooling the kids are receiving. There seem to be quite a lot of social and family issues and problems which have an impact on the schooling. I'm not from the area so can't comment personally. Certainly the "general" perception on the islands from Canadians is that the quality of the education available diminishes the further North from Victoria you go/live.