As a parent about to relocate, your child’s education will be a main concern. From our experience, parents moving to France find it hard to decide between international and local schools. The outcome is always different as each family’s needs vary. First thing’s first, do your homework! Before making any decision, consider the child’s age, the length of your stay, nationality and the costs. If you’re only planning to stay for a couple of years, an international school could be the better option, so on your return home your child can continue their education without disruption to their development. If you are planning a long-term stay, calling France your home, or if your child was born in France, selecting a local school with a French curriculum could be the best option. As the child gets older, there is a higher chance that adapting to the new educational system will take longer. When considering a local school remember the language barriers and if the French educational system will fulfil your expectations. Another important issue is the cost, you may pay around 500€ ( 650$)per year for a local primary school, expect an increase of up to 2,000€ (2,595$) for a lycée (private school). International schools in France are usually located in the high profile areas, such as Paris, normally costing 12,000€ (15,557$) to 24.000€ (31,115$), depending on the school and area. If you have children at a younger age, use the opportunity to mix them with a new culture and surround them with a new language. During their younger years, they are much more susceptible to picking up language skills. International schools also offer fantastic learnings and extracurricular activities, they will certainly have fun while learning. As Lisa Johnson, Global Practice Leader of Crown World Mobility’s Consulting Group, stated: “The key to the success of finding the right school for assignee children is for global mobility professionals to remember that, in addition to the company, there are three vital stakeholders in the process: the child, the family and the school. To satisfy the needs of each, you have to be well informed: Know as much as possible about the child (needs, interests, previous experiences and current situation), have a thorough understanding of the family’s needs and preferences, have a good knowledge of the available schools (size, philosophy, availability, approach to teaching and approach to new students). This is one of the most important decisions for a parent expat. To help we have provided lots of research you can find more information here.