Off to Oxfordshire - European School

Hi all,
This week we are moving to Oxfordshire, near Abingdon, as Sophie has got a place in the French section at the Culham European School, starting in September. We have found a very nice house very near the School, which we will be sharing with a friend and her son, who also attends the School. I will commute to London once or twice a week for work, working from home the rest of the time.

It's all very exciting, and rather nerve wracking: will I manage to pack everything on time for when the removal people arrive? Will Sophie enjoy her new school? How will she adapt to being taught in French after 2 years in an English school? Will we get on with our new housemates? So many questions....

I will keep you posted!

That sounds very exciting and I am looking forward to hear more about your new experience. In the meantime I wish you all the best for your move

Well after a couple of months and a few teething problems it is going very well.

Sophie had a few problems at first with making friends, as most of the children in her class have been at the school for a couple of years and know each other well, groups were already formed etc, but these are problems she would have encountered in any new school. It is now fine, she has made friends and seems very happy.

She is doing very well in her school work, although she was complaining at first that it was difficult, but she has adapted fantastically quickly to doing everything in French. It does help that they are one year behind English schools, so, in maths for instance, she is re-doing in French what she did last year in English.

Her German has also come leaps and bounds, as she started not knowing any German at all and can now read a few words. She has learned lots of songs and can count to 20, knows the colours and the parts of the body. I have to say I am astonished, and so was her German teacher.

So far so good!