britmomma

Great to see you reply. We are on a June-July 2011 dedline and are thinking that jobs need to happen first before going back. Maybe we need to rethink the whole thing and just put the house and business on the market and GO!!

How long were you away and how well did your children settle into the UK school system? We unfortunately have a 14 and 15 year old both in prep schools in the US system. State school in the UK looked scary (we already own a home in Kent so we would be based there) and public are a nightmare to get into at that age. Any pointers anyone?

paranoidandroid

State schools in Kent aren't scary at all, it depends on where you live and where they will go. I went to a State school in Kent and did well enough to get my degree. Two of my cousins have both left a Kent school recently with good A level results, one has just graduated university and the other just completed her first year.
Of course if you want them to be "privileged" then that's your perogative but
... IMO if you wrap your kids in cottonwool you aren't really preparing them for the real world anyway.

mbike

Time for an update on our move back from Perth to UK...

30/03/2010 - gave notice at work
16/04/2010 - gave notice on rental
30/04/2010 - left work
07/05/2010 - son stopped class 1
11/05/2010 - Wrappers arrived and packed for 2 days
13/05/2010 - container packed & lifted
15/05/2010 - handed back rental keys
16/05/2010 - flew from Perth
17/05/2010 - Arrived in Europe. Holiday
27/05/2010 - Flew to uk. Wife and kids stayed in Europe
05/06/2010 - found nice rental after seeing a couple of no-no's
12/05/2010 - signed rental (6 month lease)
13/05/2010 - flew back to europe to collect family. Holiday
24/06/2010 - family flew to uk
25/06/2010 - moved into rental (3 suitcases, begged & borrowed bedding)
25/06/2010 - afternoon interview with recruitment agent in London
29/06/2010 - first interview with potential employer
06/07/2010 - sons interview for class 1 at school
08/07/2010 - son offered place in class one
14/07/2010 - second interview
15/07/2010 - container arrived (254 boxes in the house)
15/07/2010 - references requested
19/07/2010 - job offer
26/07/2010 - accepted job offer
09/08/2010 - started job
10/08/2010 - started looking at properties with a view to buying late 2010.
23/08/2010 - found property we liked
28/08/2010 - preliminary approval on a mortgage
03/09/2010 - 2nd offer accepted on house
08/09/2010 - conveyancing begins
16/11/2010 - exchanged contracts on house
17/11/2010 - gave notice on rental
05/12/2010 - completed
12/12/2010 - Moved into new house. (250 boxes - where did the other 4 go?)
17/12/2010 - Returned keys on rental.

charleygirl

Thanks for the update, I am happy for you all and love the area you have moved too, family in brighton myself and lived there and hove for many years!
Congrats on the new home.

paranoidandroid

Good update mbike, congrats on the whole process Gives us all hope!

pommybird

Totally agree with this. We will be applying for secondary schools this September for my daughter. While I understand parents' concerns some of the parents I know have been totally over protective (don't mean anyone on this thread) stating that their little darlings couldn't possibly attend (insert entire list of state secondary schools in a 5 mile radius) as these schools are too rough/not academic enough/full of Polish immigrants etc etc etc. In my mind your kids should go a school that will reflect a cross section of society who they will inevitably have to deal with everyday in adulthood.

I have to say though my daughter is a mouthy madam and would probably scare the living crap out of an indolent bully twice her size (must take after her dad).

brits1

Well done.....we are still renting as we rented this home for a year but has given us plenty of time to look around the areas/counties....so far Derbyshire is winning but Cheshire is a close second.....all the best and nothing beats the feeling of having your own home again....

paranoidandroid

Absolutely right on that "cross section of society who they will inevitably have to deal with everyday in adulthood" comment. It doesn't make sense to suddenly have it dropped on them when they arrive in the real world. IMO it not only makes it difficult for them to adjust, but it gives them an eliteist attitude towards people in general.

Yeah of course of course your daughter takes after her dad And anyway, if she can cope with an aussie school, I'm she'll do just fine in an English one.

brits1

Have to agree with this one....when our "little darlings" were young and I wanted "the best"...my Dad said....if your child wants to learn they will where ever they attend.....and for 99% of the time that has been the case....with our friends and family....our sons went to public schools and are off to Uni.....while my friends children went to private all the way until they ....well they did not graduate....and one does not work the other in a shop....(nothing whats so ever wrong with working in a shop by the way....just their mother things so....)

pommybird

Tbh you could drop her into a school in the middle of Moss Side and she'd still turn out to be 'cock of the walk'.

quoll

Good to see what amazing progress you have made! I am so glad that it has turned out well for you!

britmomma

Paranoidandroid, I meant state schools in the UK look scary. Kent does have some great grammer schools which both of the kids have been accepted in. As for cotton wool, well I guess that is your perogative as well. All I know is it is unacceptable to me for my kids to go to a school where the expectation level is YTS or the local college if you are the brain in the class. And keeping your kids away from a bunch of yobs is no worse than keeping your kids away from a bunch of toffs.

paranoidandroid

No arguments from me for what you want for your kids, everyone with sense wants the best for their own children.
There are extremes to both sides of the scenario's you mentioned. I just know that I did ok in the Kent school system.
Cottonwool was a relative term made in regards to preparation for life in the adult world. No offence intended.

paranoidandroid

A gobby cow, then?

pommybird

Yeah OK - like I said, SHE GETS IT FROM HER DAD, ALRIGHT