I'm Worried!

[acoad]

Right, I might sound like an over anxious mother, BUT, the completion of our house in England is taking alot longer than anticipated and we are now looking at arriving in France (Dordogne/Correze border) in the last week in September.
The children ( 5 & 7 years) are not attending school in England from the start of the Autumn term as they have said their goodbys and are ready to start their new school in France, when we get there! Are there any laws that say :
1: They have to start at the new term date
2: Will it be too much for them starting perhaps 3 weeks into the term?

I know for most of the 'old' hands this might sound very stupid but this is one of the main worries for me. That is apart from we have packed 38 boxes and the house still looks the same!!! (Where did it all come from!!!)
Or have I found another problem to worry about?
Please help me on this, I have a feeling I will be going to the doctors for something to help!!
Waiting in anticipation and on top of numerous boxes!!!
Amanda

[Les Maids]

LAST EDITED ON 23-Aug-03 AT 07:42 AM (GMT)

I don't know about any laws etc saying they need to start on the first day so don't worry about that too much.
An idea could be for one of you to go ahead and find somewhere to stay so the children can start at the beginning of term. Someone in the area may be quite pleased to get another months booking for their gite and offer you a good price!
(Not self promotion as I'm not in your area - and don't have a gite to rent!)
If that's not possible then I imagine if you let the school know they'll arrange their introduction when you (and the boxes) finally arrive.
Good Luck -Keep Calm
Fiona

[Jongleur]

Hi JOngleuse here,

Calm down. It shouldn't be a problem if your children are enrolled into French schools. It would be courteous to let the school know there will be a delay and give them an idea of the new start date. Teachers usually go back a day or so before term starts, so you could ring the school then. Beyond that only you will be worrying that the kids are at home, under your feet!!

Good luck, only 38 boxesso far????????? Multiply by 100!!!!!!!
Jongleuse

[opas]

I thought i had writen your posting in the middle of the night when I should be fast asleep and not worrying my self to death, as your writing echoes my thoughts ,so take consolation in that your not on your own in your thoughts. We had also planned to arrive en famille en france for the rentre but as you know ` best laid plans `and all that!, so my husband in his wisdom decided it would be a brilliant idea for me to go to france with our two girls aged 5 and 10 and book them into school, we are in a small village whee no one speaks English ( and wht should they ?), I do speak french but not as good as hubby and even then we tend to work as a double act ! I know exactly what you mean about all those boxes ,as to throwing things away I have filled two wheelie bins every week for the past month with junk we had amassed.we go this tuesday so think of me on wednesday when I am trying to book my girls on the school bus, school diners,buy insurance etc let you know how we go on !!!!!!!!

[Teamedup]

I would be worried too, won't the UK authorities be after you for not sending your children to school. A week I would imagine was OK, but a month? sounds rather too long to me for it to be in any way legal.

[acoad]

Hi
I thank all of you for your answers - either way. I have spoken to the 'powers that be' and thankfully they agree that the move itself, even though the children are young, this may be unsettling, more so if they went back to school for 2 weeks.
Even though they are not at school we keep the same 'school times' at home. they get up like they were going to school and we 'try' and teach them french words for an hour, then break , and follow on from there etc.
Again thank you for your replies

Amanda