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Relocation to London – The American School in London

Tuesday, September 27th, 2011

Relocation to London – The American School in London - Image by Krzysztof Pacholak via Flickr

Relocation to London with your family throws an interesting aspect into the mix when planning your international relocation adventure. If you have children and they will be attending school in the UK, the first thing you do is choose a school.

Let your London relocation agents worry about where to find you a home AFTER you have chosen schools for your children. Location and Transportation are the two biggest factors that you have to face when you are moving to London.

There are only about half a dozen American Schools within the greater London area, so if you’re set on staying American after your relocation to London, you may find that your choices of neighborhood are somewhat limited. Over the next few posts we’re going to delve into a number of independent American and International schools and what they can offer your family.

The American School in London. In existence since 1951, this is undoubtedly the biggest and best known American school in London. Fees range from £19,350 – £22,550 per year. It is located in the center of London close to St. John’s Wood, Regent’s Park and a short distance from Maida Vale. The American School in London offer tuition for children from the ages of 4 – 18. The school is run in the same way as an American school both academically, as well as socially and culturally. Classes are small, and for this reason you need to apply for a place as soon as you start planning your relocation to London.

The school offers an American High School Diploma as well as Advanced Placement courses for those intent on further study. They do not offer the IB at this moment. Just over 65% of teachers come from schools around the US, so there is a good mix of international and local exposure for children.

The school has scholars from 45 countries around the world making it a truly international school that is based on firm American principles. It is important to note that being an American citizen does not guarantee your child a place in the school. If you are living outside of central London, traveling to and from school can be a nightmare. The next admissions open house is being held on November 15 2011, from 8.45 am – 10.30 am. You will have to book a place to attend the open house tour of the school through admissions@asl.org.

Planning your relocation to London can be an education in itself. The most important aspect is that you get to share your London adventure with your entire family.

Tags: Adolescence, England, International school, London, london relocation agents, LondonRelocation, Maida Vale, Moving to London, nternational relocation, Relocation service, relocation to london
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Living In London – London Neighborhoods – West London Part II

Monday, May 9th, 2011

Living In London – London Neighborhoods – West London Part II- Image via Wikipedia

Moving to London is not just about moving to a massive city, you can find hidden residential areas with different characteristics depending on your price range and what you’re looking for. West London is the choice of many an American moving to London and most Americans and Canadians living in London tend to stay to the west of the city.

West London – Maida Vale

Maida Vale is a unique part of London in that it right next to Little Venice, an area crisscrossed with canals and waterways. There is nothing like taking a barge up and down the canals and stopping wherever you choose at any of the magnificent pubs and restaurants lining the banks. Again, this is another face and facet to a fascinating city and the atmosphere living in Maida Vale is markedly different from any other area in London. A small London apartment will set you back about £1000 and you’re looking at paying about £ 4000 per month for a three bedroom home.

Council Information: Mayfair falls under the Council Borough of Westminster with annual taxes ranging from £500 – £1400.

Transport: Maida Vale station is on the Bakerloo Line of the London Underground and falls into Transport Zone 2. The closest overland train station is Paddington Station. There are several buses running from Maida Vale into the city and back, and you’re no more than 20 minutes away from all of the top tourist attractions while you’re living in London.

Shopping: Lots of shops and a quaint village atmosphere on many of the streets in Maida Vale, you’ll also find Sainsbury’s and Tesco in the neighborhood and Waitrose a little out of the suburb. Many of the grocery stores deliver to your home in the city of London so be sure to book your delivery through the website, to ensure you’re not hassling with groceries on the tube.

Doctors: The Maida Vale Medical Centre is found on Elgin Avenue and there are a number of surgeries in the suburb. The closest hospital with an A&E is in St. John’s Wood.

Other Amenities: If you’re living in Maida Vale, your right in the middle of three great parks: Hyde Park, Queen’s Park and regent Park, as well as having the canals and waterways as a fabulous way to spend a day out of your new London rental.

Tags: american expats in london, Americans moving to London, Bakerloo Line, England, fun facts about london england, living in London, London, london apartments, London Living, london move, london moving, London Neighborhoods, London Relocation, London Relocation Services, Maida Vale, Moving to London, moving to London advice, moving to London England, Moving to London from US, relocating to London, relocating to london england, Waitrose, west london
Posted in Living in London, London Neighborhoods, London Neighborhoods, London Relocation & What People Say About Us, London Transportation, Moving to London: London Sightseeing, Rent in London: London Apartment Tips | No Comments »

London Bundle: The Residential Roam

Friday, May 28th, 2010

We’re going to move it on up a little North of our Shopping Spree bundle today to some charming residential neighborhoods of London.

Hop the Tube to Regent’s Park Underground station (Bakerloo line). From here, we’re going to walk into, surprise, surprise…Regent’s Park! Explore this vast park to your heart’s content—if you haven’t had breakfast yet, you can grab a bite at either the Boathouse or Garden Cafes, and do stroll through Queen Mary’s Rose Garden, the largest of its kind in London. You will notice the Open Air Theatre as well, which runs performances from May through September, and in the Northern part of the park, you’ll find the zoo!

If you’ve had enough fresh air and are itching for a museum of sorts, just off the lower West corner of the park (near the Baker Street Tube) are the famous Madame Tussaud’s wax museum as well as the Sherlock Holmes museum.

From here, you can walk into Marylebone and acquaint yourself with this neighborhood and either go on foot or catch the Tube at Baker Street or Marylebone Underground stations to St. John’s Wood. This upscale residential neighborhood is home to Paul McCartney and Abbey Road Studios (yes, you can even walk on the famous zebra stripe across Abbey Road as the Beatles did for the album cover of same name). Sports enthusiasts will also find the Lord’s cricket pitch here where the Marylebone Cricket Club plays its matches.

If you follow St. John’s Road toward the West and hang a left onto Maida Vale, you will then gain exposure to yet another delightful and peaceful area—Maida Vale. Here you’ll find the road made famous by Duffy’s song, “Warwick Avenue,” but of most aesthetic interest is Little Venice, so named because of its canals and boats. This is such a fun spot for cafes and pubs, so this might be a good time to stop for lunch or even early dinner, depending on how your day’s been going.

Otherwise, if you hold out for dinner and are open to spicy international food, I absolutely recommend heading down the Maida Vale street, which will eventually become Edgware Road. Here you will find a row of restaurants representing a range of Middle Eastern cuisine for very reasonable prices and can even treat yourself to a shisha and mint tea (hookah) after dinner out on the sidewalk.

The rest of the evening is up to you…if you’re a Paddington Bear fan, one little sidetrack you could make is to see Paddington Station where this little bear from Darkest Peru was discovered. Otherwise, maybe go get some rest after this long, fun day!