The International Schools Review Forum

I know my last post was long and some readers don't comment about those who are asking if their qualifications looked "good enough" to possibly obtain an international teaching position, but I would like to know if anyone has had any experience with the following schools regarding their "family-friendliness." Since I have two young sons and am married, I would like a school that doesn't particularly shy away from that.

Thank you so much, and I hope to hear from some of you regarding either of my posts!

International School of Prague
Park Lane International School in Prague
The Riverside School in Prague
The American School of Budapest
Budapest International School
The American School of Warsaw
International School of Krakow
International School of Brussels
St. John's International School
American School of Paris
Copenhagen International School
International School of London
American International School, Vienna
Danube International School
International School of Vienna
International School of Ljublijana, Slovenia
Stockholm International School
International School of Helsingborg
International School of Amsterdam
International School of Estonia
International School of Stravanger, Norway
Kronsberg International School, Norway
International School of Zurich
International School of Zug and Luzern
International School of the Basel Region
International School of Berne
International School of Genoa
Sutton Park School, Ireland

You must be careful in Europe with your children's tuition. In several countries it's a taxable benefit, which means you will have to pay a chunk of it yourself. You should ask this question at interview.

Several of the cities you mentioned (Prague, Vienna, Budapest, Warsaw...) are all wonderful during the summer with kids. However, living in these places with little ones when it's -15 might be a problem. If they are old enough, you can go skiing, sledging and take part in snowman building, so it wouldn't be a problem. But if they are a bit younger, it might be an issue. We lived in Germany from the time my daughter was born until she was 20 months old, and if we didn't go to a rather expensive indoor playground (which were really quite awful), we were stuck indoors...

Another issue you'd have to consider is your housing. Only a few international schools in Europe offer housing allowances (Int'l School Prague offers a pretty decent one. Visited friends with two kids and their flat was amazing!). If they don't, you will be paying out of pocket for a place that is suitable for a family of 4. Considering the weather, you would want to have a nice enough place where staying indoors won't seem like being under house arrest. These kind of flats will eat into your pockets and will serioulsy affect your savings potential. If your husband is employed, it would be differet.

I don't mean to put you off, but now that I have a kid and will probably have another one soon, I feel that these issues are important. I wouldn't live in certain European cities and work at certain schools under my present circumstances.

I'm just wondering which schools you wouldn't apply to (from my list) in your family situation (or you can just name the cities). London? Paris?

Thank you so much!

-Nicole