Moving to London....need help with International schools

[anjiyer]

Moving to London in about 3 months and wanted to know which is the best international school in London - the American school or the London International?

[Bevdeforges]

As with so many things, the answer is "it depends."

What sort of schooling are you looking for? IIRC, the American school follows an American curriculum aimed at students looking to enter US colleges or universities on graduation. The London International School uses an International Bac curriculum.
Cheers,
Bev

[anjiyer]

We have our child currently enrolled in an International school that offers the American K-12. However, she is just in preschool and we are more concerned about waitlists and how long they can get. The preference is for the K-12, are there any other schools that offer the k-12 in London?

[Bevdeforges]

If you're interested in finding a school that follows the US system, you should probably contact the American Women's Club of London (American Women's Club of London). They should have information about the private schools in the area. (It's also not a bad resource in general for living in London.)
Cheers,
Bev

[anjiyer]

Hi Bev

Thanks a lot for the information. Would you be able to guide us in choosing a place to live in terms of what we can expect in areas near the American school?

[Bevdeforges]

Originally Posted by anjiyer

Hi Bev

Thanks a lot for the information. Would you be able to guide us in choosing a place to live in terms of what we can expect in areas near the American school?

I'm not all that familiar with the areas to live in London. (I lived out in Reading when I was there.) But the AWC should have information available on that score, too. Or try any of the other American expat organizations in the London area. (You can probably find a list on the US Embassy in London website.)
Cheers,
Bev

[anjiyer]

It seems that my spouse will be working near Waterloo station. How far is that from Surrey (Cobham and Egham) in terms of commute?

[Ken Wong]

Hi.

I've recently relocated to UK from the USA on a 2 year assignment. We were in your shoes about 3 months ago, seeking a residence and school system for our 3 children. Our littlest one is under 3, and is not ready just yet. We chose to live in Woking, in Surrey. The American school in Cobham is nearby, but you should contact them to see if there is room in their class before you decide to move to Cobham. The school appears to be very nice and tuition is iaround the £17,000 per annum range.

There are some non-stop trains from Woking or Byfleet that get you to waterloo in under 30 minutes barring any unusal circumstances. I would imagine you could get the southwest rail closer to Cobham, as driving to the station and parking can run around £6 per day- pricey. Expect a monthly rail pass to waterloo to cost around £260. and, closer to £275 if you need to use the Underground (subway).

Surrey is a nice area, similar to Westchester County in New York. Good luck in your search.

Cheers!

[anjiyer]

Hello Ken

Thanks so much...Your info really helps in terms of planning things around the move. Hope you have settled in well and the children as well in school.