Schooling while moving????
 

Schooling while moving????

Has anyone emigrated between term time? We're hoping to move either by the end of this year or early next year (visa pending). Our son started school last September, he turns six this December. We haven't decided yet whether to buy something small straight away, (with the intention of keeping it and then letting it out once we move to a permanent home), or renting.

Either way, the first home will be temporary.

My concern is that I don't particularly want to move my son between schools twice, once in Canada.

The idea is to try and find a temp place near a school we would like him to attend and then find a perm place in the same location so he can remain at the same school. But of course, things don't always work out as planned.

I'm wondering if anyone has gone through this dilemma and how did you avoid changing schools when you moved to your perm home?

Also, can anyone confirm if children start school in Canada a year later than they do in the UK? I'm sure I read this somewhere, but it was a long while ago. If that's the case, then problem solved and ignore the above. :D

Any tips and experiences appreciated.
Leila

Re: Schooling while moving????
 

Your best bet would be to contact the school board of that jurisdiction. Where are you planning on moving to? Most cities require that kids attend the schools that they are closest to.
My younger sisters are required to go to a certain high school later on because its location is more convenient, even if they wanted to go to another high school. I am also sure this applies to public schools. Private schools - anyone can go. That's what you pay the big bucks for - i know - my parents did it for m all through school - elementary and high school.
Fluffy

Re: Schooling while moving????
 

Don't buy if it's only short term. The realtor's costs etc are too expensive if you are not going to be stoping long.

Re: Schooling while moving????
 

Kids start at 6 in Canada. We have the same dilemma as yourselves, with our 13 year old. Don't really know what to do for the best. He is dubious about moving schools and meeting new people anyway, without having to do it twice in quick succession!

I gather that in theory, (as the UK) you can choose the school you want your kids to go to, but in practise (as the UK) you might not get your first choice if you are out of the catchment area and the school is popular.

You can get full details of schooling in whichever province you are going to, including what schools are available and details of the curriculum etc , by a simple internet search. There's a wealth of info out there. If you have problems finding it, give more detail of the area you're looking at on this site, and I'm sure somebody will find a link for you! :)

Morw

Re: Schooling while moving????
 

I think that's the case for most Western countries. It's easy enough to find out which school your kids can attend, but my dilemma is do I keep him out of school (eg. home-school him perhaps) until we are ready to move to our perm home or do we stay in one area just because he has settled into a school. I want to avoid the whole private school thing as this is what is bleeding us dry in the UK. Unfortunately, the two local schools are horrendous.

I've stayed in Calgary, (well, Aidrie, but we drove down to Calgary serveral times), for two months and I still do not feel I can make a choice as to which is a good/nice area to live. I need to explore some more. Hence the temp home to start off with. However, once we decide where we want to live, the school my son will have started off at, may need to change. And this is what I'm trying to avoid. Its stressful enough for them to change school just once.

Let's hope someone will tell me that they don't start school until they are six.

Re: Schooling while moving????
 

Ummm I thought I just did! :p

Re: Schooling while moving????
 

OK check this out

http://www.relocatecanada.com/schoolchecker.html

Re: Schooling while moving????
 

Thanks for the tip! I keep hearing this and just as well as this was the initial plan. Would have thought :scared: What have we done!

But we may now consider buying a condo with relatively good rental potential (whatever that may be!!) and then keeping it as a long term investment. What d'ya reckon???

Re: Schooling while moving????
 

Oops! Sorry Morwenna. :o I'm skipping back and forth. Just posted this one and then saw yours.

Thanks for the tips. It is a nasty dilemma especially when they are older. You've made me happy today! Glad to hear they start at six. Saves me the headache. :) :) :)

I've had a good old nose on the website and there is quite a lot of info, but one thing I cannot find is something that resembles our Ofsted reports or anything comparative.

Gonna have a look at your link now.

Cheers.

Re: Schooling while moving????
 

EXCELLENT! :D At last. I've searched for this for yonks! Kept looking at the Alberta Board of Education website. I've even called them up and they said there was nothing like that in Alberta - they don't compare schools! Fibbers!
Thanks again Morwenna.

Re: Schooling while moving????
 

You're welcome :D

There is more to schools than league tables though (obviously), so if you take a closer look at schools you are interested in (most have their own web-site) you can find out if they have a strong music/drama section, or sports or anything else that you feel is important!

Then ring the school maybe, have a chat with the principal or senior staff members. If you can get out there and talk to local parents too before you have to decide. Get a feel for the place.

Morw :)

Re: Schooling while moving????
 

Morwenna,

Not sure what the norm is, if you tell people or not...but just given you some karma! ;) Hope it helps for something. Does the person with the most karma get a cookie or something at the end of the month??? :)

Re: Schooling while moving????
 

Children start school at age 5 in Canada - where did you hear they start at 6? :confused:

Children enter primary or kindergarten if they have reached the age of 5 by December 31 (in most provinces), so many actually start in September when they are 4. When I was in school primary was only a half day, but I believe now it goes for a full day, or at least until mid-afternoon.

Re: Schooling while moving????
 

Well thanks.. just glad to help. I have no idea about karma, but I am partial to choccy-chip cookies! :p

Re: Schooling while moving????
 

Hi Leila

We faced the same dilema last year. We moved to Ontario last April. My son was 5 at the time - turned 6 at the end of December last year. We rented in the south of the city for 3 months and then bought in the north of the city. We knew this would be the case so I didn't send him to school when we lived in our temporary home as I didn't want him to be the new kid twice!

It worked out well to a certain extent although he ended up missing out on school for 5 months as the day we moved into our new house, was the day the kids broke up for summer hols. He has settled in well to his new school and it hasn't done him any harm although if I was to do it again, I would try to move during the summer hols to minimise the disruption!

Chris

Re: Schooling while moving????
 

I am also in the same boat as you are. I am planning to move canada with my kids who go to elementary here in USA. When I called the school their, I found that my kid who is in 3rd grade here in USA, is actually a year behind according to them so. If I go their in May after completeing the term here, as it ends in may here and june in canada. They will acess him for 1 month and and then they will admit in 5th grade . So I think kids start school earlier than age 5 in canada. As in USA they take 5year kid in Kindergarten.
But now my worry is how do they access him. Shall i take report card to school and let them know he was in 3rd grade or just tell them the age of kid and let them admit in 5th grade. Shall i start with last month of school over their or start sending them after summer vacation like in september.

Re: Schooling while moving????
 

Just speaking from experience. It will have cost me $20,000 in the last 18 months just on realtors fees. God that sounds a lot when you put it down on paper.

Not a bad idea, but I'd check out the 'good' part of it and also the hidden costs of renting. No expert on the subject but I bet there's plenty of people on here who do have the knowledge.

Re: Schooling while moving????
 

I wasn't really counting kindergarten, but in Alberta, children will start in grade 1 if they are 6 years of age by September 1st. Kindergarten, where it is offered, is not compulsory I believe.

http://www.education.gov.ab.ca/parents/handbooks/

Other provinces may differ. My apologies if anyone feels I am providing mis-information. :( I think I may just let people find their own from now on. I am fed up with being jumped on.

In any case, a simple telephone call to a prospective school would clarify the matter.

Re: Schooling while moving????
 

I didn't migrate in the international sense as a Canadian kid but my family moved a lot and moving from one province or territory to another, education wise, is similar to moving to another country. I went to school in Ontario, the Yukon, Alberta and BC as a kid and yeah they were all very different education systems BUT my family normalised it. I had no idea until I looked back on it as an adult that my formal education was disrupted several times but it never felt like it was - while I was growing up everything was A-OK because my parents didn't make a big deal of moving about (because it really was and still isn't seen as a big deal in my family). One of my friends has lived in the same house since she was born; nearly 40 years! -- I personally see that as very weird!

I guess my point is - you don't have to make a big deal of it. I went to eight different schools, in four different provinces/territories during my K-12 and I turned out ok :).

Re: Schooling while moving????
 

In most provinces, kids go into JK at 4, SK at 5 (JK and SK are half days only) and Grade 1 at 6. I don't think the atlantic provinces have Kindergarten. They have Primary and then Grade 1 etc. I'm sure some one will correct me if I'm wrong. That is what I can remember from when we were considering moving to Halifax. It was certainly a different type of set up to the rest of Canada.

Chris

Re: Schooling while moving????
 

hmmmmmm........! :p

Re: Schooling while moving????
 

In Atlantic Canada junior and senior kindergarten does not exist. It is simply called kindergarten or primary (the terms are used interchangeably). Children enter kindergarten/primary at age 5, then grade 1 at age 6, etc.

Morwenna, I did not intend to come across as jumping on you, sorry if I did. I was born and raised in Canada and had honestly never heard of a province where kids started school at age 6 instead of 5, and wondered where you and the original poster had gotten that information.

Re: Schooling while moving????
 

Mom?..... :eek:



;)

Re: Schooling while moving????
 

In Quebec children have to be in grade 1 at age 6 although most of them start at 5 in kindergarten. The cut-off date is 30th September.

Look carefully at the curriculum of the school though as the 1st school our daughter attended at 5 so in kindergarten was doing stuff she had done at age 3 in a state nursery in UK. She was therefore very bored and very unhappy and the school board would not allow her to move up a grade. We had to send her to a private school with an advanced curriculum which would allow her to go up a year in order for her to be happy.

We are therefore worse off here than in UK as we are now paying private school fees which we weren't in UK.

Just some food for thought! :)

Re: Schooling while moving????
 

Canada is such a VAST country, as you know of course, and the provinces run themselves so independently in all sorts of respects. Even if one is Canadian, one might not have really looked at the differences unless one had either moved between provinces or considered doing so.

I have spoken to people in Toronto who did not really seem to know where Calgary (or indeed Alberta is)!!! Sometimes somebody who is researching different parts of the country with a view to choosing where to live may have a better insight into certain aspects than even somebody who originates from that country. Eh?

The OP is looking at Calgary area schooling anyway. I accept your apology but I am feeling grumpy and edgy today anyway; it's not just your post ....it's over a year since my AOR and people with my timeline are beginning to get news ...... sorry :o
:beer:

Re: Schooling while moving????
 

That's because they are easterners...I wouldn't expect any different ;)


Hope you get some good news very very soon!!!

Re: Schooling while moving????
 

Thanks for your advice and information everyone. It has been a great help.

I will look into renting and compare it to buying a condo with "good" rental potential - once I find out what "good" amounts to.

I will probably try to move the best time to suit the kid and probably avoid putting him in to school until we're settled, (unless of course we start running into our eighth month), especially if the local school confirms he will be at least a year ahead.

I don't want him to be the new kid twice - some kids respond well to change, some don't. My first certainly does not. My 2nd is as laid back and chilled out as you like and if he were of school age we could move daily for all he cared.

I was more concerned with the official side of sending kids to school. Wouldn't want to be deported for not abiding by the legal system!!! Not too bothered about the Kindergarten age as this is usually not mandatory - and appears to be the same in Calgary. Phew!

Don't stop the advice ANYONE pleeeeeease, even if people respond with something that might offend. Afterall, everyone should know, including me, that forums are really more about getting opinions and personal experience. All information should be checked with relevant organisations. Unless of course we're hearing from the likes of Mr Miller et al. I admit I was being lazy, no, impatient and thought I'd get a quicker response talking to you guys than calling a school in Calgary. And I did. :D Thank you!

My anniversary since our AOR is this Friday and my veins are filling with itching powder. Also, just had "neighbours from hell" move in next door, playing "bashment" and screeching about what "Shaniqua did to Asha and when his baby-mother got banged up for GBH because she found out that Unique was best-friends with Kaneeshka!"


I'M NOT A CITIZEN!! GET ME OUTTA HERE!

Thanks again everyone!!!

Re: Schooling while moving????
 

In Calgary the cut off date for school admission is 28 Feb. If your child is five by the Feb in the middle of the school year he can start Kindergarten the previous september.

If he is six by the feb in the middle of the school year he MUST start school the previous September.

This means some children are five when they start and some are four.

The complication with Calgarian schooling comes from the "right to hold your child back for an extra year". Children with birthdays in the Nov - Feb range have the "right" not to attend school for an extra year. My initial thought was that these held back children would go straight into grade 1 - but no - they have the right to go to kindergarten a year late. The effect of this is that every class has a two year spread of ages in the room. Your split years have a three year spread of ages. My son started grade three at 7 but is in the class with children who are 9 as they were held back for that extra year. Some of the grade 2s are older than my grade three child.

If your child is past grade one already he will be given a test by the CBE to establish the correct placement.

Hope this helps.

Mrs G

Re: Schooling while moving????
 

Good grief....these local rules!! :rolleyes:

....Just goes to show ............ something or other. :confused:

Re: Schooling while moving????
 

Wow! Brain hurts! That IS complicated! I suppose I just have to get there and see what the outcome of the test is. But it does help to know. At least I can plan around it.

Thanks!!!

Leila

Re: Schooling while moving????
 

Just don't move to Alberta, and you'll be fine. ;) (Just kidding!!)

Re: Schooling while moving????
 

You can always do what I did and home school! You may have to register your child as being home schooled so they have them on record. I didn't bother - I just home schooled him straight after arriving in the States until we knew we would be staying. He joined 'real' school the following year. Then when we had to return to England for a short while I home schooled him again until we were ready to move to Canada - that way he wasn't being pulled in and out of classes until we knew what we were doing. His old teacher gave me clues as to what books to buy so I could continue with the curriculum and I documented everything he was learning so that it could be attached to his school notes when registering with the new school. It may take the pressure away from the child while they are learning to adjust to their new surroundings and there's so many programs on the internet to help children with their learning these days that it's really easy to teach from home. Also, many school divisions (both here and in the UK) publish their curriculum by year online so you can try and make sure that the child is at a similair level to their age group. Just a thought from another perspective! I hope I haven't confused you even more!! :)

Re: Schooling while moving????
 

Hi there - when we took our child from England to the US we mentioned that the Brit schools started earlier. They then did an assessment test to see which would be the best year for him. The awkward thing was that he was 6 months ahead of his peer group but 6 months behind the next group up! I was wondering though if they would do a similar thing for your children in Canada.

Re: Schooling while moving????
 

Hi Crazy Daisy,

Thanks for the tip. This was one of the options I was considering exploring. However, I have a toddler who follows his big brother around like most little brothers. I suppose I could always send the little one to day-care and then focus on the older one - if we can afford the day care at that point!

Thanks,
L