Hi
We are hoping to move out to Calgary middle of Septmember. I have a Daughter who is five, I was wondering if anyone can help. I do not want her to return to her English school after the summer break as feel that the holidays would be a good time to make the break, however legally she should return to school if able to. I was wondering if anyone else had been in a similar situation and if so if there is any way around this. Am i right in thinking she doesn't have to legally start till she is six in Calgary therefore this wouldn't be a problem the other end. Thanks Kirsty

If it were me, Id just explain the situation to her school. It would seem silly having her go back for just a few weeks then leave. If they give you a hard time you could always say your going to home school until you leave.

Thanks for that, i have been considering the home schooling angle but am not sure if it is that straight forward. We have had four years of waiting for this moment and now there is so much to think about!! Kirsty

Why dont you book her 2 weeks authorised leave? I work in a school and you are allowed to ask for 10 days leave a year. Just lie and say you are going on holiday. Will cut out the hassle.

Hi, just withdraw her from school and home-ed. (We do.)
visit http://www.education-otherwise.org/index.htm to find your legal position, boilerplate letters, advice on how to proceed, local contacts, etc.
If you are really only going to be a few weeks, just withdraw and duck - they probably won't notice before you go!

Hi Kirsty,

Yes you do have to legally start school at five. But in your sitution when you are talking about two weeks. I would just leave her out. The school will not really thank you if you register her and then book two weeks off and then not turn up at all. I would go and talk to the headmaster and let him know what you are doing so he can get his figures sorted out for the school roll.

Another way to look at it is this. Middle of September is the 15th. I am sure that the british education system is not that great that a five year old who does not turn up on September 1st is hunted down and found within the 15 days and forced to attend the school for a few days. I would bet you any money that they do not notice her not in the system for weeks and weeks.

That's kind of my thinking too. Even if you say you are home schooling her, I suspect it would take weeks (or months) for anyone to actually visit you and check all is ok. Out of courtesy I would let the school know she won't be coming in September - BUT only if you have definate dates for leaving, ie, your PR or WP or whatever route you are using, or plane tickets, or house sold - or whatever your scenario is. You don't want a 6 month delay (for whatever reason) and then not have any place for her locally !!

If you definitely don't intend for her to return, I would definitely advise the school, this will enable them to offer the place to another child to start at the beginning of the school year.

On the other hand, you say you are "hoping" to move by then, but if she takes a 2 week "break", and then you have a delay with your travels, her schooling will be interrupted and she'll have to return to school anyway. If you end up taking her out of the school altogether and have a delay, then you might not get her back in and she'll have to go somewhere else until you leave. I think it's more hassle than it sounds, unless you will have a definite travelling date before this school year ends.

Don't you think that having her back at school would actually be a benefit to you all. She will be in her routine and with her friends, and be out of your way during the day to give you time to prepare for your move. You might actually appreciate the time to yourself to get last minute things done after the long summer holidays. If you end up being delayed, that's a LONG time for her to be out of school.

hi
Thankyou for the advice, with regards sending her back after summer i am reluctant to do this as she will have time to adjust to not having her friends around during the holidays however if she were to return to school for afew weeks and then leave i think she would find it harder as she is a sensitive soul, thanks

After speaking to the school, at their request we wrote a letter to the school explaining that our child was being withdrawn from school as of a certain date as we are emigrating to Canada. The school didn't give us any problems about it.

Just talk to them and explain the situation, I'm sure you won't have any problems.