International schools are fee-charging schools which have the benefit of offering a wide and varied curriculum, ranging from the American and British system to the full International Baccalaureate (IB) programme. Take a look at The Benefits of an International Education, on Smart Move.

Admissions criteria
Most international schools are non-selective by ability, but make their decisions based on access to previous school records and teachers' recommendations.

Some require a certain level of ability in the English language, but extra tuition is often available. It will be important to determine the level of English that the school expects and what additional support is available.

Registering
International schools will ask for prospective pupils to be registered in advance of application. This does not guarantee a place, but a non-refundable fee is paid, to indicate that parents wish their child to be considered.

Location
It is not necessary to live in the immediate area of the school, but, again, careful consideration will need to given to the distance between school and home. With international schools being concentrated in London and the South East (but don't forget Aberdeen), it is even more important to think about transport issues, given the heavily congested traffic in these areas. However, many of the international schools have exceptionally good bus services, which can influence the choice of expat family homes.

Fees
Fees are often higher for international schools than for many independent schools, so parents are advised to look carefully at the fee structure before making an application.

A word of advice
Rudianne Soltis, dean of admissions at ACS Hillingdon International School, says, "The most important thing to consider when relocating with children is that you make contact with schools as soon as you become aware that you might be relocating. With this in mind, families should prepare an educational portfolio as soon as possible, including three years' worth of report cards, work samples and teacher recommendations. This saves stress further down the line, when they are dealing with other elements of the relocation."