Vicki recently transitioned her family from the heart of New York to the UK; she shared her experience on how Nord Anglia International School New York prepares children for an international relocation. NAISNY works hard to be a pivotal part of their students' educational and personal development, no matter whether they have spent their whole lives in NYC or just arrived from another country. British families considering a move can feel confident that NAISNY not only equips children with the academic level needed to seamlessly transition into the UK school system but also fosters the emotional and social skills necessary for adapting to new environments. Below is a personal account of how NAISNY supported Vicki's family through this transition.
"Our kids had been at NAISNY for over 6 years when we moved to the UK in January 2025. Our two children, aged 5 (Y1) and 10 (Y6) relocated with us to a new school and joined part of the way through the year.
NAISNY's staff were very helpful with the interview process with our new school, and also with sharing all the information with the new school that they needed. The NAISNY teachers took the process in their stride and I could tell that they consider it to be very much a part of their everyday job - not anything out of the ordinary - to be helping their students find a new school that they like, succeed in getting a place there, and then settle quickly after the move. The teacher of our youngest son even offered to let him show some photos of the new school and talk about where he would be going, so he could share it with his classmates, which was a really sweet and thoughtful approach.
Academically, our kids were well prepared, particularly to return to the UK: following a very British-style curriculum with great teachers ensured they were up to speed, and the NAISNY curriculum keeps pace with that of schools in the UK. Additionally, the different programs such as the collaborative work with Juilliard and MIT ensured that they can adapt to a variety of teaching approaches and are willing to grasp a wide variety of opportunities with enthusiasm.
In terms of preparing the children emotionally and socially for the move, it certainly helps that NAISNY is an international school with so many nationalities represented, so the kids are used to making friends with others from all over the world. Moreover, the international focus of the curriculum means they already have a very worldly view, so they were able to take the move to a new country and culture more in their stride. Also, moving to another country is something that had already happened to other kids in the school, so it didn't seem like such an unusual plan when we told ours about the move.
My advice to other families who will also be making a move is to think carefully about the kids' schools first and foremost. I'm always told you're only as happy as your unhappiest child, and if they settle well, it makes the whole process much easier. With that in mind, sorting out that aspect first enables the rest of the process to flow more easily.
We look forward to coming back to NAISNY on our return to NYC and can't wait to reconnect with the community there - we all miss our friends!"
