Easing the transition to a new home and school


Though it brings a host of opportunities, relocating to a new country can be stressful, particularly for children, who must cope with a change of school as well as unfamiliar surroundings. Members of the International School of London UK Schools’ Transition Team share their tips for achieving a soft landing.


F


or any child starting school, the first day can be an exciting time, but also an anxious one. However, for families relocating to a new country, there can be an


extra level of anxiety. Helping a child through this transitional stage has a pedagogical underpinning. Children need to feel settled and happy before they can learn. Children who are emotionally secure adapt to school life faster. Parents can do many things to minimise potential concerns and help their children to experience successful transitions, such as selecting the best school for their child before the family reaches the new country,


If the child is moving to the UK and does not have English as a first language, seeking a school with a mother- tongue programme not only makes a softer landing in the new school, but is also in the child’s best academic interests. Research over the past three decades has increasingly demonstrated that continuing language and literacy in the first language builds a strong foundation for development of the new language. Additionally, this approach is important for overall personal and educational development. Curricula like the International Baccalaureate (IB) and the International Primary Curriculum were designed with the needs of internationally-mobile children in mind. Drawn from best practice worldwide, they have a holistic view of child development, and take a global approach to topics like history, promoting history as a discipline, including the nature and diversity of sources, methods and interpretations. Students transferring from one international curriculum to another will find a sense of continuity, both in the curriculum and in the shared values of teamwork, collaboration, critical


thinking, international-mindedness, and an understanding of enquiry-based education. Though this may provide a different approach to education from that employed by some parents and national systems, current research highlights that the IB programmes are frequently sought by universities and employers. Whilst academic rigour is an important part of programmes such as the IB Diploma, universities, and increasingly employers, are looking for embedded values. According to Professor Tony Wagner, of the Harvard Graduate School of Education, “Tomorrow’s school-leavers will need critical-thinking and problem-solving skills, the ability to collaborate and work in a team, advanced oral and written communication skills, agility and adaptability.” These skills and values


are IB Programme. HAPPY LANDINGS International schools are also concerned about the social


and emotional health of their globally-mobile students, and have identified that specialised transitions training helps them not only to survive such transitions but also to thrive and appreciate the valuable experiences they are having. Programmes are in place to help not just the students but also their families to integrate quickly into their new community. Ideally, after the student has been accepted, but prior to starting school, the family will have had contact with the school, learning about the new classes and teachers. Some schools have picnics over the summer, so that children can visit their new school. Often, before term starts, an


at the heart of the


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