NEI Service Partner Spotlight - Bennett International
This month’s NEI Service Partner Spotlight features Bennett International’s President, Timothy Dwyer, discussing the challenges associated with coordinating school and home selections for all relocating assignees and their families.
What to Focus On?
It’s the mobility world’s equivalent of the “chicken or the egg” conundrum: when preparing to move to a new location, should the family focus first on schooling or on housing? In an ideal world, the child would be placed in a school with an appropriate curriculum that is a good match for their learning style and needs, while the family’s housing would be in a vibrant, safe neighborhood not too far from both the school and the parents’ work locations. That ideal world can be tough to achieve.
Making the right choices for both housing and schooling are crucial to the success of an international assignment, but getting there often requires expertise in both areas and simultaneous, closely coordinated searches. And when the intention is for the children to attend public (free) schools (as opposed to fee-based Private or International Schools), the challenge becomes even more complex.
No Guarantees
Perhaps the most common misperception is that residing in a particular neighborhood— within the “catchment area” of a desired school—will result in the child attending that particular school. A "catchment" is a defined area of a community within which a school will normally accept students. Depending on the country and specific location, living inside the designated catchment area may improve the child’s chances of attending a particular school, but it is rarely a guarantee. There are several factors that might come into play:
- Limited Space. The school might not have enough room. Neighborhoods with “good” schools tend to attract residents, resulting in schools being filled to capacity. Last year, in the greater London area, almost 20 percent of secondary school students did not receive a place at their preferred school because of limited space.
- Special Needs. The child might have a special education need which is not adequately supported by the nearest school, and they may therefore be directed to a school better equipped to address their specific need. This could also happen if the child is not sufficiently conversant in the host-country language; many cities have public schools dedicated to supporting students with significant language needs.
- Barrier to Entry. The nearest school might be a charter, magnet, specialized, or other type of selective school which has a barrier to entry. This might consist of academic prerequisites, a required examination, academic achievement and/or nomination from the child’s current school, some schools even employ a lottery system for entry.
Often the first steps of the admission process and related exams for these schools begin long before the start of the school year. Newly arrived families are at a distinct disadvantage when competing with those who have already been navigating the process for months or sometimes even years.
At the same time, finding suitable housing in the right location that is within the employee’s budget can also be difficult in many major cities. Often, desirable properties are on the market only briefly before they are snatched up. Yet a relocating family can be hesitant to commit to a property until schooling is settled. The challenge in that situation is that many public schools can require proof of long-term residence (such as a signed lease) before they will allow a child to enroll.
Close Collaboration is Key
When housing and schooling both pose challenges for relocating families—a situation we see in many high-volume destinations—the most effective answer is for the home-finding and education advisement experts to work closely together throughout the relocation process. They must be able to form a team, balancing the priorities and requirements in each area while keeping the family’s best interests front and center. Few things can be more frustrating for a family going through the stress of relocating than receiving contradictory guidance from different members of the team assembled to support them.
When Bennett is part of a relocation support team, we embrace good coordination with our settling-in and real estate partners. We have seen how thoughtful, friendly, and creative collaboration between all players on a relocation team is the key to a seamless and positive experience for the relocating family. Indeed, it’s the well-woven safety net of expert service providers that can transform the assignee and family experience from one of uncertainty and stress to one of clarity and excitement. Our goal is for the assignee to not only realize that an assignment can “work”, but to welcome it as a rich and thrilling next chapter—for them and for their children.
If you have questions about the support available to relocating families on international assignments, please contact Mollie Ivancic, VP International Services at NEI Global Relocation.
NEI Service Partner Spotlight - Bennett International
This month’s NEI Service Partner Spotlight features Bennett International’s President, Timothy Dwyer, discussing the challenges associated with coordinating school and home selections for all relocating assignees and their families.
What to Focus On?
It’s the mobility world’s equivalent of the “chicken or the egg” conundrum: when preparing to move to a new location, should the family focus first on schooling or on housing? In an ideal world, the child would be placed in a school with an appropriate curriculum that is a good match for their learning style and needs, while the family’s housing would be in a vibrant, safe neighborhood not too far from both the school and the parents’ work locations. That ideal world can be tough to achieve.
Making the right choices for both housing and schooling are crucial to the success of an international assignment, but getting there often requires expertise in both areas and simultaneous, closely coordinated searches. And when the intention is for the children to attend public (free) schools (as opposed to fee-based Private or International Schools), the challenge becomes even more complex.
No Guarantees
Perhaps the most common misperception is that residing in a particular neighborhood— within the “catchment area” of a desired school—will result in the child attending that particular school. A "catchment" is a defined area of a community within which a school will normally accept students. Depending on the country and specific location, living inside the designated catchment area may improve the child’s chances of attending a particular school, but it is rarely a guarantee. There are several factors that might come into play:
- Limited Space. The school might not have enough room. Neighborhoods with “good” schools tend to attract residents, resulting in schools being filled to capacity. Last year, in the greater London area, almost 20 percent of secondary school students did not receive a place at their preferred school because of limited space.
- Special Needs. The child might have a special education need which is not adequately supported by the nearest school, and they may therefore be directed to a school better equipped to address their specific need. This could also happen if the child is not sufficiently conversant in the host-country language; many cities have public schools dedicated to supporting students with significant language needs.
- Barrier to Entry. The nearest school might be a charter, magnet, specialized, or other type of selective school which has a barrier to entry. This might consist of academic prerequisites, a required examination, academic achievement and/or nomination from the child’s current school, some schools even employ a lottery system for entry.
Often the first steps of the admission process and related exams for these schools begin long before the start of the school year. Newly arrived families are at a distinct disadvantage when competing with those who have already been navigating the process for months or sometimes even years.
At the same time, finding suitable housing in the right location that is within the employee’s budget can also be difficult in many major cities. Often, desirable properties are on the market only briefly before they are snatched up. Yet a relocating family can be hesitant to commit to a property until schooling is settled. The challenge in that situation is that many public schools can require proof of long-term residence (such as a signed lease) before they will allow a child to enroll.
Close Collaboration is Key
When housing and schooling both pose challenges for relocating families—a situation we see in many high-volume destinations—the most effective answer is for the home-finding and education advisement experts to work closely together throughout the relocation process. They must be able to form a team, balancing the priorities and requirements in each area while keeping the family’s best interests front and center. Few things can be more frustrating for a family going through the stress of relocating than receiving contradictory guidance from different members of the team assembled to support them.
When Bennett is part of a relocation support team, we embrace good coordination with our settling-in and real estate partners. We have seen how thoughtful, friendly, and creative collaboration between all players on a relocation team is the key to a seamless and positive experience for the relocating family. Indeed, it’s the well-woven safety net of expert service providers that can transform the assignee and family experience from one of uncertainty and stress to one of clarity and excitement. Our goal is for the assignee to not only realize that an assignment can “work”, but to welcome it as a rich and thrilling next chapter—for them and for their children.
If you have questions about the support available to relocating families on international assignments, please contact Mollie Ivancic, VP International Services at NEI Global Relocation.
