Families moving to London England from the United States often worry about their children’s education and rightfully so.  There are many choices in education in England especially in London.  Understanding the distinctions is the first step to making a decision before moving to London England.  Unlike in the States public schools (or schools paid for by the government and free to attend) are called state schools.  If referring to a ‘public school’ in London one means a privately owned and operated school.

Overall the state school system in London does a good job preparing students for college and beyond.  Over ninety percent of London children are educated in state schools.  Families moving to London England should give state schools a serious consideration when making educational decisions.  Although the British state school system is similar to the United States public education system there are a few subtle differences that parents moving to London England need to understand before making decisions for their children.

• Primary Schools: These are the UK’s version of elementary school.  Children ages five through eleven attend primary schools and the curriculum is very similar to a United States public elementary school and most moving to London England will be pleased with this option.
• Middle Schools:  Not all children go to a middle school but there are a few scattered about the country.  They are for children nine to eleven and would be similar to fourth and fifth grades in the States.
• Secondary Schools: Secondary schools are for children ages eleven to sixteen.  Much like in the United States students are placed in levels based on their age, not their abilities.
• A-Level Education:  This is where things get very different from the US.  At the end of secondary school (which is the equivalent of tenth grade) students have the choice to go on to A-Level or join the work force.  A-Level students must take an exam to enter (GCSE exam) and then focus on three or four subjects that they want to pursue at the university level.  They stay there for two years before moving on to a university.

Special education is also available to children who qualify and are separate schools from regular state schools.

When moving to London England with a family deciding on a school is perhaps one of the toughest decisions and should be thoroughly researched to avoid problems down the road.  All families moving to London England should consult with a London relocation agent prior to the move to make sure they are aware of all education options.

Once the job has been taken families often begin to wonder how to move to London and are eager to start their new life in England.  Many though have no idea where to begin and quickly become over-stressed and begin to resent the new move.  In order to prevent a meltdown occurring in your new home follow these easy ‘how to move to London’ steps to make the transition from the US to England as smooth as possible.

How to Move to London and Get Settled Step 1 – Before moving to London families should have completed a detailed list of everything coming with them from the states.  If that has been done, great, if not do it! Pronto!  After that list is created another list of what the family needs for everyday living can be created.  Go through your new home room by room to make sure nothing is overlooked.

How to Move to London and Get Settled Step 2 – At this point families are ready to get some shopping done.  Rather than go crazy at a market or department store try looking for pre-owned merchandise before buying new.  Much of the expense of an international relocation is in settling into a house.  Buying furniture alone can cost as much as an entire month’s salary!

How to Move to London and Get Settled Step 3 – Now that all the necessities are in your new home take the time to organize them.  It is very tempting to live out of a suitcase or box for far longer than necessary.  Spending a Saturday or Sunday thoroughly unpacking everything and creating permanent homes for each item will go a long way in making you feel settled.

How to Move to London and Get Settled Step 4 – As soon as possible upon arriving to London everyone in your family should register with a General Practioner as this is the rule for healthcare in London.  A London relocation agent can help with finding a list of open doctors in your neighborhood.

How to Move to London and Get Settled Step 5 – Once your new home is in some sort of order and a doctor has been chosen it is time to get out and explore your new city.  Regardless of what time of year you are moving to London there is plenty to do.  Try and avoid spending all your time alone in your home.  That only makes the transition that much harder.

Relocation to London – Five Minute Guide For A Successful Relocation - Image by ahhyeah via Flickr

 Relocation to London can be as fast or frenetic as you choose. The key lies in your planning and the getting the best advice and information about the city and country you are moving to. Many people choose to use a professional London relocation services agent to help them with the important aspects of relocation to London.

Three Top Timing Tips for Relocation in London

·      Plan your Time. If you are trying to find a London apartment before you arrive, you will need to start looking about three weeks before you arrive. The rental market in London moves very fast and even if you do find a perfect pad on the internet (not advisable to rent sight-unseen) your new landlord will probably not be prepared to wait for you to arrive. It may be better to use London relocation agents who will have a number of properties for you to view as soon as you land. The advantage of using a London relocation agent is that you are assured that you will be able to sign the lease as a foreigner.

·      Planning Ahead of Time. Make sure that you have enough time to sort out all of your administrative aspects when you arrive. Bring as much paperwork and identification as you can. Get a letter from yours banks back home. Make sure that you do not have any delays caused by having to wait for an important document to be couriered across the ocean. You can do so much to smooth the way before your actual relocation to London.

·      Have a Great Time! You are moving to London; one of the most fascinating, historic and cultural cities in the world. Use your settling in time to get acquainted with your London neighborhood, and spend some time exploring the city as a tourist. Be open-minded about trying new things. There is a lot that will be similar, but even more that will seem different and foreign to you. Be prepared to embrace a new life and a new lifestyle while you are in the city.

Your relocation to London is not something that should be left to chance. With some good planning, a great London relocation agent and your own positive attitude, you’ll be settled in no time at all.

Relocation to London: Preparing Your Children for Relocation to London- Part 4

We’ve discussed the London Pass, and that’s a great way to get them to see the sights and get integrated into the city and all its history. But it’s also important to take them to open markets and throughout the new London neighborhood where you’ll be living. Take them exploring so that they can become more familiar with where they are living in London.  Now that this is home you want them to feel as comfortable in their new surroundings as possible, and that can only happen with repeated exposure to their surroundings.

In our last post in this series we discussed the importance of letting them keep in touch with friends back home through mediums such as Skype and via the internet.  In the beginning this will be more prevalent and something you want to encourage and allow (even though the time difference may keep them up a bit later), until they meet their own new group of friends locally.  Attending places and meet ups with other people who have relocation to London experience and if they have children gives you a built in way to meet people you and your children will feel comfortable around.  It also gives them the opportunity to share with other expatriate kids their own age who have already acclimated after their relocation to London.

The key is to really put emphasis on keeping the lines of communication open between you and your teens throughout the entire relocation to London and afterwards while living in London.  The settling in phase is the most important time and the time of the highest anxiety for them, new friends, new school, new home, new country, it can be very overwhelming for kids, so they will need more positive support than ever. Should your teen take the negative approach to all of it don’t be too surprised, this is just fear of the overwhelming unknown for them, your understanding and patience will be vital at this time for them.

You really need to focus on truly listening to your child. You don’t need to have all the answers or deduce solutions for all that they are feeling and facing, but you do need to listen and be supportive during this time.  Regardless of their attitude keeping communication lines open between you is vital.  The positive emotions of adventure and excitement during your relocation to London can easily be fear and anxiety, let them know this is normal and that you are experiencing these feelings somewhat yourself at times. Again, it’s about opening up and truly communicating with them so they will talk openly as possible, the overwhelming newness and the lack of support or acquaintances outside the family right now leaves them little choices but to lean on you. This can create anger that they feel they have no one, so be understanding and again, take them out places, get them out of the apartment and integrate them into your new London living as soon as possible.  Keep letting them know that you know what a terrific person they are and that soon those they meet their own age will discover that as well.

While this may be a bit overwhelming for you as you have just experienced your own feelings and anxieties about your relocation to London keep your focus on empathy and not sympathy.  Being supportive during this uneasy time for them is so important, they really need your support regardless of the fact that they won’t come out and ask for it directly.  Remember, they are still teenagers and things still come out sideways most often.  Don’t be too surprised if they are rebelling and experiencing a lot of mood swings, this is normal and you will want to prepare for it so you can keep your cool.  Those are really just cries for help that you need to help them through the adjustment period.

A great outlet for them to do that is online support from other teens experiencing their own relocation.  Ask your London relocation agent where there are family meeting places in the neighborhoods surrounding your London apartment.  Many Americans moving to London end up living in just a few boroughs with others from the states.  But for online support, have your teens check out sites like “Teenxpates.com” and “TCKid.com”, these are sites with great resources for teens by other teens, all who have experienced similar situations as your kids who have finished their relocation to London.

Relocation to London- Opening a Bank Account - Image via Wikipedia

 Before your relocation to London it’s a very good idea to start to talk to your London relocation services company about how to open a bank account prior to your arrival.  If you arrive after your relocation UK and try to just walk into a bank and open an account you may be in for a very unhappy experience.  The UK banking system requires an awful lot of paperwork, again some of this can be covered with your London relocation agent, obviously the proof of address would be one thing the relocation agent can verify, and proof of ID you’ll have with your passport.  Still, even if you haven’t arrived and don’t have a London apartment address, you will want to try and open your account prior to your international relocation.  This way you aren’t in dire need of an account and if there are problems you will have time to work them out from home before moving to London.

Your London relocation agent will tell you that there are some basic bits of information your going to need that are different in the UK than in the US or Canada.  Again, they will want formal identification so your passport, verification of your current bank and it’s address, statements from your current bank and then a required minimum deposit amount.  This amount will vary from bank to bank.  Your London relocation agent may advise you to open a joint account if you are moving to London with a partner or significant other as this will reduce replicating the entire process again.  Having a joint account means you will only have to do all of this one time, and the minimum deposit can be split between you both.

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If you haven’t received your passport as of yet and are tackeling this project early, you can use a drivers license, birth certificate, or state identification card as proof of identification.  Again, your London relocation agent can provide the proof of address that you will need for the bank process.  If you have a job in London than providing the bank with proof of employment in London is always a good idea, the more documentation you can provide the bank with up front will aide them in opening the account for you.  Another suggested piece of documentation that is different in the UK than the US or Canada is the need for a credit letter from your current bank.  A credit letter or reference letter stating your good account standing from your stateside or Canadian bank is likely something most of the UK banks will require.

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The faster that you tackle the bank account process the more established you’ll be to hit the ground running after your relocation to London.  Some of the banks you may want to select that service the UK are:

• NatWest
• Royal Bank of Scotland
• Barclays
• Lloyds TSB
• HSBC

You’ll also want to investigate with your current credit card companies from your home country if you intend to keep using them after you relocate to London.  Living in London the credit cards are outfitted with a chip and pin system.  With the current technologies chances are good that your credit cards already have this technology and it will be compatible in London ​so you can still use your Master Card, or Visa, but it’s worth a call to the card holders to be sure.  Living in London is very exciting, and also very expensive, it’s not a place you want to be caught without access to your money.  An ounce of prevention afterall will ease your relocation to London.

Relocation to London: What Should I NOT Bring From My Country? - Image via Wikipedia

So in keeping with the new series of what you should bring when you are ready for your relocation to London, I thought it might be just as helpful to know what you should NOT bring with you if you are an American moving to London.  Namely and this is a big one for a lot of people; all your furnishings.  Now very much unlike what it is here in London, Brits don’t have the attachment to their beds that say American’s do.  You won’t be finding any large four poster canopy beds taking up all the room in your London apartment.  And recall that in London most apartments don’t have closets, so there will be a wardrobe to contend for square footage in your London flat bedroom, that is at least one wardrobe.  But there will be something else to compete for floor space, a commode.  You’re thinking  “what??? A Commode in the bedroom??”   While we here are thinking, “yeah and?”.  That’s because a “commode” here in England is commonly known in America as a “dresser”.  We’ll have to add that to one of Colleen’s lists

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But speaking of Colleen’s post, a couple months ago she mentioned a spot in Chelsea I’m checking out this weekend, Lots Auctions.  Now because of the cost being so great with trying to move an entire household of furniture across the ocean most Americans moving to London don’t try to bring it all with them.  So spots like Lots Auction houses are around the city and fill a perfect need, (like my need for a new couch).  The nicest thing I find about LotsAuction.co.uk is that everything that’s for sale in that week’s auction on Sunday (holidays be damned, they auction every Sunday) is viewable online after 6 on Thursdays.  Nearly 400+ items a week, with a constant complete turn over of their inventory each week you never know what you’ll find there.  Why do I bring it up now on the relocation blog?  Well because if you are an American moving to London and have already been sticker shocked into reality that you have to leave your beloved bed behind, isn’t it helpful to be able to shop online now and see what it will cost you to replace it all?

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Now one of the nice things about using a London relocation agent is that you can also tell them that you want to only look at places that are furnished already.  Though it is not the best of ideas to limit yourself in any way when looking for a London flat, you do have the option of telling your London relocation agent that you must be a stickler on this one item.  Even if your planning on letting a furnished place you will still want to visit the website of Lots Auction house, who doesn’t need just that one thing to add to what they have already?  Their auctions are on Sundays, and the showrooms are open in the evenings on Wednesdays, and during the days until the sale.  Sunday’s at 1:00 begins the auctions on household furnishings such as beds, sofas, mirrors, both new contemporary designs as well as antiques.  But the auction that starts at 4:00 is all the art work, and collectibles and higher priced collections and individual pieces.  So used and new it’s a good price range mix.  I looked today and saw the average prices on couches were 200-300 GBPs.

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The entire point is that the site can be a good guide when planning your relocation to London.  And as an American moving to London, unfortunately your bed will more than likely have to stay home

Relocation to London: What Should I Bring From My Country? - Image by RXAphotos via Flickr

No doubt in your planning of your relocation to London your mind is full of questions as to what you should get in your home country that may or may not be available in London.  As you know the dollar is weak against that of the GBP sterling, so in fact there are a few things that you really want to consider bringing with you before your international relocation is permanent and you’ll be relying on others “back home”, to send you what it is you crave.  Now I’m not speaking right now of food stuff’s for certainly there are American and Canadian brand food items that you CAN buy in England, albeit they are FAR more expensive, but that is a common thing.

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For instance, when you started working with your London relocation services company and your London relocation agent began sending you London flats and London apartments you must have been amazed at some of the lease prices for such small spaces.  Yes rents can be shocking when your first working with your London relocation agent, it’s not the standard North American sized places you’ll be seeing.  Paying 2,100 GBP a week in rent in places like we discussed yesterday, Kensington area is not uncommon.  As a side note, that equates to $3,400 USD for all you Americans moving to London and $3,346 CAD for all you Canadians moving to London, oh yes, and that was a weekly price don’t forget.  Certainly there are rents to be had that are more reasonable, and your London relocation agent is just the person to speak to about it.  Let them know your price range and start by seeing properties in your price range.  But you may want to be prepared to increase your budget when you see the size of London apartments.

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So what is it that you can get back stateside that you will really pay through the nose to buy in England?  Well jeans for one.  Let’s take that all American Jean Levi’s.  I priced a pair of 501′s around town and they are asking approximately 75-90 GBP for a pair of ladies boot cut jeans, which equates to $113-$145 USD, for a pair of Levi’s!  It’s about the same in CAD, $111-$143 for our Canadian expats.  So you see some absolute basics, and I do consider Levis as a basic, can be really quite expensive.  Periodically I’ll continue to update you with items you may want to stock up on while still back stateside, but for now let your planning your London relocation be about where you’ll live instead of what you’ll be wearing.

For a sect of our readers whom I think perhaps don’t get their fair share of posts, I thought I’d begin a series for night spots, clubs, and pubs.  Now regardless of age or gender we all like to go out for a few belts sometimes and living in London affords you more than your fair share of places of opportunity.  I thought it would be good to start with some chaps that know what it’s like to be an American moving to London. Owning directors

Relocation London: Relocate to the Bar

Steve Locke, Rys Oldfield, and Leigh Miller, all American bartenders who worked back in the states together tending bar for TGIFridays, until just over 10 years ago they moved here and started their own bar empire( the first bit there isn’t firsthand, but the empire is right on!)   With 11 locations and one more in the works, I thought even if you’re looking for a place with your mates from work these locations are all about central London( everywhere but North London), and you’ll be close to one no doubt.  Heck, if you are a student, or looking for jobs in London after your recent relocation to London, you’ll not have any trouble finding these spots.

B@1 is likely best known for its 190+ drink menu.  With all kinds of specialty house mixtures the choices are endless.  If you tell your bartender you don’t know what to order, or “what’s good”, they ask you what sorts of flavors or spirits you’re comfortable with.  They actually attend a formalized training for 8 weeks, which I find pretty dedicated, but it certainly helps with all those concoctions and countless recipes’.  If you’re the kind of person who likes to have a plan when you go somewhere than you can’t go wrong with the results of the top five B@1 mix’s as voted by the patrons.

1. Irish Disco Biscuit
2.  Mojito Especial
3. Japanese Slipper
4.  Junebug
5. Beverly Hills Ice Tea

I left the links for the Americans moving to London, in case you want to get a jump on the after work life over here in London.  I couldn’t hardly list something like an “Irish Disco Biscuit” and leave it at that.  B@1’s 11 locations, some of which are likely in areas your London relocation agents may mention, are :

• B@1 Balham
• B@1 Battersea Rise
• B@1 Clapham Common
• B@1 Covent Garden
• B@1 Hammersmith
• B@1 Putney
• B@1 Richmond
• B@1 Soho
• B@1 Spitalfields
• B@1 Shoreditch
• B@1 King’s Cross
• B@1 Monument – Coming Soon!!!

I’m leaving these links for those of living in London now as they have a mighty nice Happy Hour offer.  Two drinks for the price of one, and most locations run it from 5:00-8:00.  And for all those budget conscious students who are living in London and open to suggestions as to what to have, they have a “bartenders special” every Wednesday through Sunday nights.  Any two drinks the bartender chooses are sold for only 5 pounds all night.  I can say that I have been to one or more (not saying how many) of these establishments and I’m kind of partial to some of their more exotic Margaritas.  Irrespective of what you order once you get there, B@1 locations are fun spots to go out for a few after your work or school day.

In our first post in this series, “Preparing  your kids to move abroad”   we started to discuss what and why it is so difficult to move kids in pre-teen and teen years.  At that age, kids whole world revolves around what their peers think and respond to.  They have  interests and activities outside the home, and the teen years provide the most socialization learning opportunities that they have ever had.  This may be good for their friends, but certainly most of us, initially at least, have some overcoming to do.

Relocation UK: Preparing Your Teens for Moving to London Part 2

 You’ve no doubt not been greeted with enthusiastic applause about the great adventure that relocation UK will bring to them and how excited they are to relocate to London where they know not a soul, but will be ready to adventurously meet new and exciting people?  Yeah, I thought not.  As we said and it really does bear repeating, this is a PROCESS you have to take your kid’s through as you prepare them for moving to London slowly over time, and in stages.  So let’s get down to it.

Really how you begin is one of the most important parts, and it will be difficult because likely you are getting the drama that you’re ruining their lives and relocating your family just to make them miserable.  So know they couldn’t feel more out of control and completely scared by the unknown.  Remember, you are the one relocating to London for work, jobs in London, extended schooling, whatever the circumstances, the teens and children know it’s not about them it’s about one of their parents.  So you have to accept they are completely at your whim and don’t have any ownership in the decision making process.  This can feel as though they are being forced and that only adds fuel to the fire.

So the best thing you can do is to share some power with them.  Get them INVOLVED making decisions.  Now of course they aren’t going to embrace this and based on the level of your teens social life this may be harder than you anticipate.  But again, know it’s a process, just keep presenting them with options of choices involved with the relocation to London and let them get involved in the process of deciding how you will be living in London.

Its human nature to accept the decisions and actions that follow that each of us have a hand in making, and it’s no different with children.  As much of the decisions that they can have an instrumental part in making only then will they take ownership of that decision and the actions that support it.  This is hard to do as a parent.  It involves giving up some control and really taking into consideration your children’s input.

There are so many things that have to be done by mom when a family is relocating, let alone moving to London.  But the opportunity is so great to share the world’s most covenant city with your children, you will be giving them the perspective very few are privileged to have at their young age.  You ARE opening up the world for them and expanding their horizons beyond their own world and country to a one steeped in world history, cultural diversity, and brimming with life.  But teens cannot see through our eyes, they won’t see those things, but those are the important decisions you are making for their lives, let them make as much of the smaller decisions for their own daily life once they get here.

The biggest part of children’s lives is their school.  It takes up most of their waking hours a week, and most of their weeks every year.  There are so many schools in London, from private to public and with all different diversities.  All schools are happy to provide as much information as possible to really get a feel for each school academics and campus life.  Get as much information as possible from as many schools as possible and leave them for your children to go through on their own.  Inform them that you respect their right to have as much input into what they want from their new life after the relocation to London, and that you want them to be mature enough to evaluate the choices of schools and see what appeals to them as they will be spending their days there.  Let them know that you are truly depending on their input as to what schools they like and that that will directly influence the neighborhoods your London relocation agent will show you.

London apartments and London flats now have many pictures that you can share with them that can be emailed to you by your London relocation services agent.  Show them possibilities of what their new home could be.  INVOLVE them completely in as much as at all possible.  Do it consistently and without high pressure.  Remember they have to feel safe enough and truly believe that you are going to let them help decide their own future life and living in London.  Only the decisions they have a hand in making will they take ownership of.  Therefor let them start small, leave the school thing in their lap for as much time as possible, and involve them with photos and information about neighborhoods, activities, things that interest them and any choices they can make will empower them to make more of them on their own.  Start small and build and you’ll find this process begins to build steam and you’ll begin to notice changes for the positive slowly as you empower them to help decide how they will be living in London.

As we are a blog about relocation to London, it’s important that we let you know about the neighborhoods so many of you Canadians moving to London end up selecting as a location to be living in London; Camden.  Camden area is a terrific area of London suburb and has great amenities in the local area.

Camden is on the north end of London and bordering Camden is the Royal Regent’s Park.  Regent’s Park has its own underground station on the Bakerloo line.  This outstanding London treasure is 166 hectares (410 acres for you North Americans) and its rose garden is one of the most visited in all of London.  The park has excellent sports facilities of which 100 acres of the park are dedicated to.  It’s the largest outdoor sports area in London, for all of you moving to London with boys or girls into sports (or grown husbands looking for pickup games).  Regent’s Park has the world’s first Zoo opened in 1848.  The amenities of this London playground for families, couples, and singles is a perfect addition to an active lifestyle in which outdoors and exercise is a priority in your living in London. For the health conscious and the nature and theater lovers who are considering a relocation to London should contemplate living near this London treasure.

The Regent Parks Open Air Theatre is one of the most intimate seating arrangement of 1,240 people you will ever be a part of.  Each summer beginning in May they put on the first of four productions that are provocative, dramatic, and very well done by the company of actors.  Being in the final of this year’s four production now playing is likely of great interest to those Americans moving to London, it’s a Charles Gershwin’s’ “Crazy for You”.

For those of you living in London whose relocation to London is already complete, you have two weeks left to catch the production.  Ending in just 15 days, Crazy for You is playing nightly at 7:45 p.m. and is an excellent evening outdoors enjoying something contemporary and immersing yourself in the arts a bit.  It’s also a perfect date night destination J Gershwin’s always light and uplifting to the mood and spirit, a true legend of the glamorous age of Hollywood when productions were the largest form of entertainment in the entire world.

Check out your surroundings while living in London, your London relocation agent can forward or email you more information about the neighborhood of Camden, and we’ll be sure to give you more posts about it and the amenties living in London’s north end has to offer you.  Just respond to this post’s comments if you care for us to send you example London apartment listings and average pricing in the area, oh and please include your name and email.  With that I will leave you of a description of the Regent Park Open Air Theatre’s description on their website, having enjoyed shows there (yes on date night) myself with my significant other, I can tell you that I couldn’t describe it better myself:

Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre is the only permanent professional outdoor theatre in Britain. Its steeply raked auditorium is one of the largest in London with 1,240 seats, yet those who attend say it is one of the most intimate. Each night an incomparable atmosphere is created by the buzz of people enjoying their theatre going in every sense: people setting up hampers on the picnic lawn, filling their glasses with wine or drinking Pimms in the bar as the fairy lights twinkle in the trees.  

Relocation to London: Camden Area and Regent Park