For families relocating to Europe, the school decision usually shapes everything else: which town, which neighbourhood, even which country. It is better to treat it as the first decision of the move rather than the last. A lease can be broken; a child's school year is harder to recover.
Decide how long you are staying
The single most useful question is the expected length of stay. A two-year posting, a five-year plan and a permanent move point towards different schools.
- Short stay (up to about three years): continuity matters most. An international school that follows the curriculum your child already knows, for example British, American or IB, reduces disruption and makes a return straightforward.
- Medium stay (three to seven years): a hybrid is often sensible, such as an international or bilingual school with strong local-language teaching, so that your child is not a stranger to the country when you eventually leave.
- Long-term or permanent: local integration becomes more attractive. Many families in this position choose a bilingual school, or a national-system school with strong support for newcomers, because language fluency opens the most doors.
Be honest about uncertainty. If plans might change, prefer the school that keeps the most options open.
Curriculum continuity
Children moving between systems face two risks: gaps and repetition. Gaps arise when topics are taught in a different order; repetition when a child is placed in a younger year because of the age cut-off.
Two points are worth checking before you arrive:
- Year placement. Countries define school years by birth date differently. Ask each school which year your child would join and on what basis, and whether placement can be reviewed after a term.
- Qualification pathways. The qualifications at 16 and 18 differ widely: IGCSE and A-level, the International Baccalaureate Diploma, the European Baccalaureate, or national leaving certificates. If your child is in the second half of secondary school, a change of system mid-course is the hardest move to manage. Sometimes the better decision is to choose a school that runs the same programme as the one your child is already studying.
The IB is designed to be continuous across ages 3 to 19, through the Primary Years, Middle Years and Diploma or Career-related Programmes, which is why it is common among internationally mobile families. A British-style school offers a similar thread through the English year groups.
Language: plan, do not hope
Children often pick up spoken language quickly, but academic language takes much longer. Ask every school:
- Is there structured support for pupils who do not yet speak the language of instruction, and for how long?
- Is the child taught in a separate group, or integrated with support?
- Will the mother tongue be maintained, formally or informally?
- How are children assessed while their language is still developing?
If your child is older, a school that teaches mainly in English with the local language as a strong second subject may be more realistic than full immersion. If your child is under about seven, immersion tends to be easier, although this depends on the child and on the quality of the support.
Know what accreditation means
Before paying a deposit from abroad, confirm independently that the school is what it says it is.
- For British-style schools, check whether the school is accredited under the Department for Education's voluntary British Schools Overseas scheme, and whether it is a member of COBIS.
- For IB schools, check the school's status on the International Baccalaureate Organization's own list of authorised schools.
- For the European Schools, remember that there are two kinds: the schools set up by the member states themselves, and national schools that hold "accredited European School" status. The Secretary-General's office lists both.
Then ask the school which of these they hold and for how long. See our separate guides for what each label means in practice.
Timing and admissions
Popular schools can be full a year in advance, and many have waiting lists, particularly in capital cities and financial centres. Mid-year entry is possible at many schools, but places are fewer and vary by year group.
Our advice is simple: contact your shortlist as soon as you have a probable date of arrival, even if the move is not confirmed. Many schools allow registration without commitment, and a place on a waiting list costs little. Ask specifically:
- the application deadline and the entry assessment, if any
- whether an offer can be held until your visa or contract is confirmed
- whether previous school reports must be translated or legalised
- the deposit, and whether it is refundable if the move falls through
Documents to gather early
Requirements vary by country and school, but plan to have the following ready, with certified translations where needed:
- passports and, where relevant, residence permits
- the child's birth certificate
- school reports for at least the last two years
- vaccination records
- any assessments for learning support, such as educational psychology reports
- a reference or leaving letter from the current school
Gather these before you leave. Obtaining records from abroad after the move is slower and more stressful than it seems.
Choose the location with the school in mind
If you have flexibility, shortlist the schools before the neighbourhood. Many European cities have school catchment patterns, and some international schools are a long journey from the most popular expatriate districts. Check the travel time at the real hour of the school run, and check how a child would travel independently at 14 or 15.
If your children are of different ages, check that the school covers the full range, or that a sensible route exists between schools of different phases. A split between two schools in different parts of a city is a common source of daily strain.
A visit is worth the cost
If at all possible, visit before committing. A short trip to see two or three schools, with your child, will tell you more than any online research. If travel is impossible, ask for a video tour and a conversation with the head of admissions and, ideally, with a current parent from your own country.
Supporting your child through the transition
Practical planning is half the task. Children settle better when they have been involved early. Talk about the move honestly, let them see photographs and, if possible, meet a future classmate. Ask the school what their induction involves: buddies, a gradual first week, or an early meeting with the form tutor.
Expect an adjustment period of a term or longer. Dips in confidence or marks during that time are normal. If problems persist beyond a few months, speak to the school early rather than waiting.
A short timeline
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| 9 to 12 months before | Decide length of stay, shortlist curricula, contact schools |
| 6 to 9 months before | Apply, arrange assessments, request records |
| 3 to 6 months before | Confirm offer, pay deposit, translate documents |
| 1 to 3 months before | Settle the home near the school, arrange induction |
| First term | Review progress and language support with the school |
These intervals are a practical guide, not a rule. Many families move faster, and good schools will help where they can.
Sources
- Council of British International Schools (COBIS), home page: https://www.cobis.org.uk/
- Department for Education, British schools overseas: inspection reports for accredited schools: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/british-schools-overseas-inspection-reports
- Office of the Secretary-General of the European Schools: https://www.eursc.eu/en
- Wikipedia, European School system (accredited schools since 2005): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_School_system
- Wikipedia, International Baccalaureate (programmes and age ranges): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Baccalaureate