Parent Orientation Booklet A guide to moving to

2019-2020 2 PARENT ORIENTATION BOOKLET Contents

WELCOME TO LONDON

Part One: General Information About London A Brief Guide to London 6 Transportation 6 Weather 9 Language 9 Public Holidays 9 Part Two: Before Leaving Your Home Country Visas 12 Flights 13 Shipping Goods to London 13 What to Bring 14 Part Three: Settling In Health and Medical Information 16 Accommodation 17 Utilities 19 Banking 21 Children 22 Further Resources 22 Part Four: Transitions The Process of Transitions 24 Adult Involvement 27 4 PARENT ORIENTATION BOOKLET DPA Chair Angela Bridge I lookforward tomeetingyousoon. Rachel [email protected]. If youhaveanyideasabouthowtomakethetransitionprocess betterdonothesitatetocontact find outmore information, [email protected]. Classlist site,westrongly recommend thatallnewfamiliestakeadvantageofit.Ifyouwouldliketo is entirely GDPRcompliant&ICOcertified.Makesure youdownloadtheapptojoinourschool’s communities. Every school has its own private site. Parents are verified before they can join and it Classlist isatrustedandsafecommunitywhichprovides asecure platformbuiltforschool • • • • • But whatcanyouuseClasslistfor? • • • This appiscurrently: today. helps parents connectanditallowsyoutobethere for eachother!Joinyourclassgroup onClasslist school gatewherever youare. Itisaninclusiveand secure waytocommunicatewithallparents, it Parent Associationhavesetupgroups onClasslist. Classlist allowsyoutotapintothesupportof community. To assistourfamiliesinhavingasmoothtransitiontoboththeschoolandLondon, Our Parent Association enables our families to build friendships and get involved within the school stress associatedwithmovingoverseas.We dohopethatithelps. entitled “Transitions, what is all the fuss about?“, which will help you understandthe emotional in Londonandfortheearlymonthswhenyoubegintosettlein.We havealsoincludedasection school. We haveputtogetherabroad rangeofinformation tosupportbothplanningforyourarrival A verywarmwelcometoDwightLondon.Thisbooklethasbeendevelopedbyparents andstaff atthe Stay incontrol ofyourcontact details.You decideexactlywhichcontactdetailsyouwishtoshare. Send free, secure messagestootherparents viatheapp. sign up. All theclassgroups inone place.Parents are automaticallyaddedtotheirclass group whenthey know everyone’s contactdetails. Meet up&makenewfriends.Organise aparent meetuporchildren’s playdate,evenif you don’t Find atrustedrecommendation. Askotherparents ontheMarketplace. Recent award-winner atthe world’s biggesteducationtechnologyevent! platform builtforschoolcommunities. Used forParents toshare information,exchangehelpandmakefamilyfriendsonasecure Used byhundreds ofthousandsparents, inover2500UKschoolsand30countries! Parent Information Orientation

5 PARENT ORIENTATION BOOKLET 6 PARENT ORIENTATION BOOKLET about London Information General Part One: Woodside Avenue. Friern BarnetLane,turn leftontoHighRoad,turnrightontoWoodside Lane andthenleftonto the UpperSchoolJubilee buildingandthenwalkforapproximately 15minutes.(Continuealong public transportyoucan takethe234bustoWhetstonePoliceStation(approx 5mins)from outside To travelbetweenUpperand LowerSchoolinacartakeslessthan10minutes.Ifyouare using Lower School,thenearest tubestationtotheUpperSchoolisArnosGrove, onthePiccadillyLine. Northern Line. The Upper School Campuses are in ,approximately 2.2KMfrom the Dwight LondonLowerSchoolisinNorthFinchley, veryclosetoWoodside Park tubestationonthe school-life/transport. Transport information for Dwight School London can befound at theatres. TheLondonUnderground istheoldestunderground railwaynetworkintheworld. including theBritishMuseum,NationalGallery, Tate Modern,BritishLibraryand40West End home tonumerous museums,galleries,libraries,sportingeventsandotherculturalinstitutions, Piccadilly Circus, StPaul's Cathedral,Tower Bridge,Trafalgar Square, andTheShard. Londonis 0° longitude, and GMT). Other famous landmarks include Buckingham Palace, the London Eye, settlement ofGreenwich (inwhichtheRoyalObservatory, Greenwich marksthePrimeMeridian, the Palace of Westminster, Westminster Abbey, and St Margaret's Church; and the historic London containsfourWorld HeritageSites:theTower ofLondon;KewGardens; thesitecomprising 1925. metropolitan region at21million.Londonwastheworld'smostpopulouscityfrom around 1831to with 13,614,409inhabitants,whiletheGreater LondonAuthorityputsthepopulationof to the 2011 census.Thecity's metropolitan area is theoneofmostpopulous in Europe urban area isthesecondmost populousintheEU,afterParis,with9,787,426inhabitantsaccording any municipalityintheEuropean Union,andaccounting for12.5%oftheUKpopulation.London's within Greater London. The region had an official population of 8,416,535 in 2013, the largest of London hasadiverserangeofpeoplesandcultures, andmore than300languagesare spoken the firstcitytohostmodernSummerOlympicGamesthree times. form the largest concentration of higher education institutes in Europe. In 2012, London became has the world's largest city airport system measured by passenger traffic. London's43universities is aworldculturalcapital.Ittheworld'smost-visitedcityasmeasured byinternationalarrivalsand the fifth-orsixth-largest metropolitan area GDPintheworlddependingonmeasurement. London transport allcontributingtoitsprominence. Itisoneoftheworld'sleadingfinancialcentres andhas fashion, finance,healthcare, media,professional services, research anddevelopment,tourism, London is a leading global city, with strengths in the arts, commerce, education, entertainment, conurbation formstheGreater Londonadministrativearea governedbytheMayorofLondon. the termLondonhasalsoreferred tothemetropolis developedaround thiscore. Thebulkofthis resident populationof7,375,makingitthesmallestcityinEngland.Sinceatleast19thcentury, of London,largely retains its1.12-square-mile (2.9km2)medievalboundariesandin2011hada back to its founding by the Romans, who named it Londinium. London's ancient core, the City on theRiverThames,Londonhasbeenamajorsettlementfortwomillennia,itshistorygoing London isthecapitalandmostpopulouscityofEnglandUnitedKingdom.Standing A Brief Guideto London A Brief Transportation http://www.dwightlondon.org/ https://earth.esa.int

7 PARENT ORIENTATION BOOKLET 8 PARENT ORIENTATION BOOKLET Beckenham Junctionduring thedayfrom Monday toSaturday. Fares workthesameasonbuses, Elmers Endand every sevenminutesto NewAddingtonandevery10minutestoWimbledon, Croydon, BeckenhamandNewAddington.TramsLondon –betweenWimbledon, runabout London’s tramnetwork, Tramlink, wasintroduced in 2000andrunsinselectedpartsofSouth Public Transport -Trams Several different railcards are availabletoo,providing discountedfares totheirholders. suburban trains stopping in Zones 1-9 – exceptHeathrow Express and a few otherselectservices. in turnlinkingtothenationalrailnetworkand the Eurostar. You canuseyourOystercard onall Eastern Railway, Southern Railway, London Overground and Greater Anglia, with these local lines many points.Themaintrainoperatorsserving London are Silverlink,First CapitalConnect,South As wellastheUnderground, Londonhasitsownlocaltrainnetwork,whichconnectstotheTube at Public Transport Trains -Local Oyster cards. boarding or on board (depending on the service) – discounts are available with Travelcards and Modern, andthejourneybetweenLondonEyehistoricGreenwich. Buyyourticketbefore Docklands RiversideandCanaryWharf,theTate toTate boatbetweenTate BritainandTate and Woolwich Arsenal.PopularservicesincludeThamesClippersroute betweenHiltonLondon There are six different routes, which start at destinations along the riverbank – between Putney Public Transport -ThamesRiver Bus can usetheDLR. to 11.30pmonSunday. Fares are thesameasthoseonTube, andOysterTravelcard holders same asontheTube, andtheDLRrunsfrom 5.30amto12.30amMondaySaturday andfrom 7am Canary Wharf. It also connects to the Emirates Air Line cable car at Royal Fares Victoria. are the Bank, Tower Gateway(Tower Hill),Shadwell,Stratford, Bow, Heron Quays,CanningTown and The DocklandsLightRailway(DLR)servesEastLondonandconnectswiththeTube networkat Public Transport Light -Docklands Railway concessions (discounts)are availableforchildren, students,theelderlyanddisabledtravellers. cheaper withanOystercard orcontactlesscredit card thanbuyingpapertickets.Various depending onwhichofLondon’s sixtravel‘zones’youthrough, thoughtheyare considerably for London’s onlineJourneyPlanner, orappssuchasGoogleMapsCityMapper. Fares vary Plan yourroute bypickingupafree Tube mapfrom anyUnderground station,orusingTransport https://tfl.gov.uk/ offer a24-hourserviceonFridaysandSaturdays. are Jubilee,NorthernandPiccadillylines.TheNightTube nowrunningontheCentral,Victoria, will midnight from MondaytoSaturday, withareduced serviceonSunday. ThefirstNight Tube services to the Docklands Light Railway (DLR) and local rail network. The Tube usually operates from 5am to There are 12Underground or‘Tube’ linesservingGreater London,whichconnectatvariouspoints Public Transport -Tube Freedom Passesallowdisabledandolderpassengerstotravelforfree. children under 16 travel for free, though 5-15 year olds need to show a proof-of-age photo card. night busesoperatesthroughout thenight,withmostroutes passingthrough Trafalgar Square. All at larger Tube stationsoruseTransport forLondon’s onlineJourneyPlanner. Areduced serviceof your wayaround thenetwork,pickupaCentralLondonBusGuidefrom travelinformationcentres and tramservices.Seven-day, one-monthandannualbuspassesare alsoavailable.To navigate simply ‘tap in’ when you get on the bus – and there is a daily cap of £4.50 if you’re using only bus service. Ifyouare usinganOystercard orcontactlesscredit card, asingletripcosts£1.50–you London’s busnetworkstretches rightacross thecapital,andprovides afrequent andaccessible Public Transport -Buses co.uk/ where youlive,workorplay. Formore detailsgotowww.zipcar.co.uk orwww.enterprisecarclub. includes fuel,insuranceandcongestioncharges. Carscanbefoundinconvenientlocationsaround without thehassleorcostsassociatedwithcarrental orownership.Your carsharingmembership A ZipcarorEnterpriseCarClubcarsharingmembershipgivesyouwheelswhenneedthem andZipcar Enterprise CarClub Mini cabsare recognised bythelicensestickeronfront screen. be takenifbookedinadvanceandforsafetydonotgetintoaminicabcarunlessitisprebooked. cab nearyouandtheUbersmartphoneappcanbeusedtofindlocalminicabs.Minicabsshould only minicab andoneblackcab)bytext.TheHailosmartphoneappisanothergreat waytofindablack Transport forLondon’s apportextCABto60835receive free three CabWise numbers(two – theseare unmetered socheckthe fare whenbooking.To find alocal, reputable firmdownload a meter, withaminimumcharge of£2.60.Londonalsohasmanyprivatehire vehiclesandminicabs spacious ride.Hailacabinthestreet orpickoneupatataxirank.Your journeyiscalculatedusing Riding inoneofLondon’s iconicblackcabsisamust–andmakesforverycomfortable and Taxi packages are alsoavailable. at eitherendoftheline.Multi-journeyboarding passes(£17for10singletrips)andprivatecabin pay-as-you-go, oryoucanbuyareturn journey(knownasa‘360°tour’)for£8.40from theterminals provides anamazingbird’s eyeviewoverLondonandtheThames. Thefare is£3.50usingOyster Peninsula andtheRoyalDocks.Aswellastakingyouacross theriverinlessthan10minutes,it Cross theThamesinstyleonboard theEmiratesAir Line,London’s cablecarconnectingGreenwich Public Transport -Emirates Air Line the TFLwebsitehere: http://www.tfl.gov.uk/modes/cycling/santander-cycles/find-a-docking-station journey, simplyreturn thebiketoyournearest dockingstation–youcanfindoutwhere thatison increasing according tohowlongyouusethebike forthenafterwards. Whenyou’vefinishedyour bike foraday, weekorevenayear. Thebikesare free touseforthefirst30minutes,withprices you’re never far away from one. After you’ve paid your registration fee (from £2), you can hire a The popular red bikes can be foundin more than 550 bike docking stations across London – so Hop ona“SantanderCycle”andziparound Londonusingthecity’s publicbike-sharing scheme. Public Transport -Cycle Hire Scheme students aged16-17,under16sandolderdisabledresidents carryingarelevant photocard. on trams,andbuspassesincludeuseofthetramnetwork.Travelling viaTramlink isfree forLondon with aflat-ratecostof£1.50anOystercard orcontactlesscredit card. Travelcards are alsovalid

9 PARENT ORIENTATION BOOKLET 10 PARENT ORIENTATION BOOKLET http://www.englishforum.com/00/schools/orgs/arels.html. authorities. Always lookoutforARELS certifiedprogrammes. More informationcanbe foundat There are manylocalprogramme modelsoffered by highereducationinstitutionsandlocal English: http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/. iPhones, iPods/Pads,or MacsandtheBritishCouncilalsohaveawebsite dedicatedtolearning and tabletAppssuchas Duolingo.TheAppleiTunes Store hasawealthofresources, somefree, for There are manywaystolearnEnglish,through localclasses,privatelessons,onlineandviasmartphone borough. London isaverydiversecityandmore than100different languagesare spokeninvirtuallyevery weather/2643743. up onyouanytimeofyear. Uptodateweatherinformation canbefoundathttp://www.bbc.co.uk/ climate, however, isthatnothingcanbetakenfor granted –heatwavesandcoldspellscansneak offers somebalmydayswith pleasanttemperatures averaging22°C.Themainfeature ofLondon’s freezing pointinmid-winter (DecemberandJanuary)theheightofsummer(JulyAugust) the seasonsare well-defined, temperatures donotruntoextremes. Thethermometer rarely reaches London, incommonwiththerest ofEngland,hasatemperatemaritimeclimate,meaningthatwhile city isgenerallywarmertemperature-wise thantherest oftheUK. While Londonweatherisunpredictable, theaverageannualrainfallisnotespeciallyhigh,and The generalperception of Londonweatherbeingeternallywetandgrey isactuallynotdeserved. ultra-low-emission-zone. or motorcycle). Formore information, visittheTFL website here https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/ must payadailycharge todrivewithinthezone.This isa£12.50charge formostvehicles(car, van Most vehicles, including cars and vans,need to meetthe ULEZ emissions standards or theirdrivers a week,everydayoftheyearwithinsamearea ofcentralLondonastheCongestionCharge. To helpimprove airquality, anUltraLow EmissionZone(ULEZ)nowoperates24hoursaday, 7days Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) http://www.tfl.gov.uk/cdn/static/cms/documents/congestion-charge-zone-map.p http://www.tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/congestion-charge/congestion-charge-zone following website: inclusive, orbetween18:00and07:00onweekdays.More informationcanbefoundonthe There isnocharge onweekends,publicholidays,betweenChristmasDayandNewYear’s Day the CongestionCharge zone. You have to pay an £11.50 daily charge if you drive between 07:00 and 18:00, Monday to Fridayin charge. Congestion https://www.gov.uk/exchange-foreign-driving-licence https://www.gov.uk/driving-nongb-licence Norway, Iceland,LiechtensteinandSwitzerlandare validintheUnitedKingdom. the UKformore thanayearafterarrivinginthecountry. Drivinglicencesfrom theEuropean Union, licences after a year. Driversfrom the USA, however, must take a British test iftheywishtodrivein Many foreign driving licences permit one to drive in the UK, but must be exchanged for British Driving UK. inthe Language Weather df following Monday. *If abankholidayisonweekend,‘substitute’weekdaybecomesholiday, normallythe Monday, 28thDecember2020 Friday, 25thDecember2020 Monday, 31stAugust Monday, 25thMay2020 Monday, 4thMay2020 Monday, 13thApril2020 Friday, 10thApril2020 Wednesday, 1stJanuary2020 Thursday, 26thDecember2019 Wednesday, 25thDecember2019 Monday, 26thAugust2019 Public holidays for 2019/20include: Public Holidays Boxing Day(substituteday)* Christmas Day Summer bankholiday Spring bankholiday Early Maybankholiday Easter Monday Good Friday New Year’s Day Boxing Day Christmas Day Summer bankholiday https://www.gov.uk/bank-holidays 11 PARENT ORIENTATION BOOKLET 12 PARENT ORIENTATION BOOKLET Country Your Home Before Leaving Part Two: You willalwaysneedatleastthefollowingdocuments: How to apply for aUKvisa? residence (tofindtheaddress andphonenumberoftheonenearest toyouclickhere). Applications forentryintotheUKshouldbemade atanyBritishDiplomaticPostinyourcountryof United Kingdom. is nowaytomakeanapplication on arrivalandthelikelihoodisthatyouwillberefused entrytothe Northern Ireland needtobeobtainedprioryourarrivalinGreat Britain.Ifyourequire avisathere andotherformsofentryclearance (suchasanentrycertificate)forEngland, Visas Wales, Scotlandor Where to apply for aUnited Kingdom visa? time youleavethecountry. for a multiple-entry visa. If you only have a single-entry visa you will have to apply for a new visa each leave andreturn totheUK withinthedurationofyourvisa,itwillsaveyoualottrouble ifyouapply the UKlongerthansixmonths,youmustleavecountryandapplyforanewvisa.Ifwish to Tourist visasare issuedforamaximum stayofsixmonths.Ifyourequire avisaandwishtoremain in visit andcountrylocation,bygoingtotheForeign Office page,https://www.gov.uk/check-uk-visa. You canfindoutwhattypeofentryclearanceyouneedbasedonyournationality, purposeofthe normally abletojoinDwightSchoolLondon.) Singapore, SouthAfrica, Korea andtheUSA.(Notethatstudentshere onatouristvisaare not the UKlongerthansixmonths:Australia,Canada,HongKongSAR,Japan,Malaysia,NewZealand, Nationals ofthefollowing10countriesnowneedtoapplyforanappropriate visawhenstayingin You willalsoneedavisaifyou: Home Office currently hasthree categoriesbasedonentry requirements: If youare notaBritishcitizenyoumightneedentryclearance(thatispermission)toentertheUK.The you anoverviewofwhatdocumentationmayneed. all therequired visasanddocumentationoryouwill berefused entry. Thissectionisintendedtogive The UKhasverytoughimmigrationlaws,whichare enforced. Before travelling,makesure youhave Who How avisa? needs doyou apply for one?

• • • • • • • • • • Iceland. Swissnationalsalsofallunderthiscategory. you candownloaditfrom www.ukvisas.gov.uk ) nationality orcitizenshipofthecountrythatissuedit) settle. ThiscategoryprimarilyconsistsofCommonwealthcitizens. European Economic Area (EEA) includes all EU countries plusNorway, Liechtenstein and hold apassportissuedbyanauthorityunrecognised intheUK. hold anon-nationaltraveldocument(awhichdoesnotgiveyouthe are stateless(youdonothave anationality) Nationals:NeedavisatoentertheUKforanyreason.Visa Nationals: Only requireNon-Visa an entry certificate when going to the UKtowork or to European EconomicArea Citizens:Donotneed entryclearancetoentertheUK.The the visafee (which willbepaidforin localcurrency) two (sometimesthree) recent passport-sized(45mmx 35mm), colourphotographs a validpassportortravel document a visaapplicationform(you canobtainitforfree at yournearest Britishmission overseasor Visas

13 PARENT ORIENTATION BOOKLET 14 PARENT ORIENTATION BOOKLET your applicationwillprobably beturneddownagain. Instead ofappealingyoucansimplyapplyagain,butifthereasons fortheinitialrefusal stillapply, cases youwillhavetherighttoappealdecisionandassuchbegivenadviceonhowdoso. If you are denied a visa you will be notified in writing ofthe refusal andthe reasons for it.In certain concerned aboutarrivingintheUKforaspecificdate. case. It is recommended that you allow ample time for you application to be processed, if you are Although straightforward visaapplicationscanbeprocessed within24hours,thisisnotalwaysthe There are currently 14domesticdestinationsservedbytheairportsand396international destinations. Supporting documentsmayinclude: Diplomatic Transhipment Services Santa Seven Links Relocation: Fe: Eurasia: http://www.en.eurasia-intl.com http://www.santaferelo.com Seas: Crown Relocations: Allied Pickfords: www.sevenseasworldwide.com Our staff andparents haveused thefollowingcompaniesinpast: United Kingdomare known. you doselectisdoor-to-door andthatthecontactdetailsforshippingcompany’s office inthe The schooldoesnotrecommend anyoneparticularshippingcompany. Itis essential thattheservice International Airports and CityAirportsforconvenience. airports. Dwight parents may wishtolook into international flightsavailablefrom Luton,Stanstead The metropolitan area ofLondon,Englandisservedbysixinternationalairportsandseveralsmaller

• • • • • • • • • • • the UK,i.e.bankstatements,aletterfrom yourbank. London City Luton Stansted Gatwick Heathrow evidence that youwillbe able tosupportyourself and your dependants duringyour stay in evidence ofyourqualifications:i.e.diplomas,certificates, references a letterofacceptancefrom auniversity a workpermit the supportingdocumentsrequired forthevisacategoryyouare applyingfor. Southend Shipping Goodsto London www.dts-lgw.com www.linksrelo.com www.crownrelo.com/web/relo.nsf/index.htm www.alliedtoallied.com Flights

For fulldetailsoncustomsandimporttaxgotohttps://www.gov.uk/moving-to-uk You mustpayExciseDutyifyoushipalcoholortobacco. [email protected] whowill bemore than happyto helpyou. If you have a special need or have questions, please contact the Parent Buddy Coordinator – notputin your relocation shipment. marriage certificates,vaccination records etc),theseshouldbekeptwithyou whenyouflytoLondon The mostimportantthings tohavewithyouare yourpersonaldocumentation(birthcertificates, Most itemscaneasilybe foundinLondon,thoughyoumaynotfindthe brandsyouare usedto. There are alsoexpress mailservicesavailable,including DHL,FederalExpress and UPS. within shops. from 9.00am to5.30pm and Saturday from 9.00am to 12.30pm and sub-post offices canbe found website post apackage,drop intoanypost-office –youcanfindyournearest branchonthePost Office Postage stampsare available across Londonfrom postoffices, newsagentsandsupermarkets. To of thePetTravel Scheme(PETS).Fulldetailscanbefoundathttps://www.gov.uk/take-pet-abroad.. You canbringyour dog, catorferret intotheUKwithoutquarantineaslongthey meet therules please checkbefore youfly. Baggage Allowance:baggageallowanceswilldiffer according totheairlineandticketclass,so You mustfollowtheruleson: abroad. You havetaxandcustomsresponsibilities whenyoumoveyourpersonalbelongingstotheUKfrom • • • • • goods sentbypostorcourier arriving withgoodsorcash vehicles andboats food, plantsandanimals banned andrestricted goods http://www.postoffice.co.uk/branch-finder Customs andImport Tax What to Bring Mail/Posting Baggage Pets . Postoffices are generallyopenMonday-Friday 15 PARENT ORIENTATION BOOKLET 16 PARENT ORIENTATION BOOKLET Settling In Part Three: need aprescription from aGP, whileothers are availableoverthecounter. most UKcities canhaveitordered in within 24to48hours.For certaintypesofmedicine onewill Most medicinesare easilyavailable.Ifacertaintype ofmedicationisnotavailable,pharmacies in high streets andinshoppingcentres, lookoutforagreen +sign. Pharmacies, orchemists astheyare more commonlyreferred tointheUK,canbefound onallmajor Medicines and pharmacies UK inthe comparison inorder tofindthebestpolicysuiteachindividual’s healthcare needs. therange ofhealthinsuranceproducts onofferWith itisbestto doafairamountofresearch and their homecountry, orwhentravellingoverseasingeneral. Many healthinsuranceproviders alsooffer internationalcoverageforwhenexpatstravelbackto and, crucially, freedom from the long waitingliststhatmanyNHSpatientscomplainabout. Private healthcare and dental care in theUK can be expensive but do guaranteepreferential treatment best specialistsare locatedonHarleyStreet incentralLondon. Private hospitalsare plentiful andlocatedthroughout thecountry. However, someofthecountry’s Private healthcare UK inthe Those whoregister withtheir localNHSdentistgeta25percent discountoff dentaltreatment. doctors appointmentsare setat15minutes,therefore youmayneedmore thanoneappointment. in thecaseofanemergency theNHSdoestreat patientsspeedilyandefficiently. Pleasenotethat be in about aweek. It isimportant to note that thelong waiting listsare fordoctor’s appointments; Technically itispossibletodemandbeseenwithin48hoursbutmostlikelytheappointmentwill which israrely successful, alternatively onecancallandbookanappointmentforadateinthefuture. Once registered expatseitherapplyforasame-dayappointmentbycallingat8aminthemorning, a localGP’s surgery. post withinacoupleofweeks.Whenanexpatreceives thispieceofinformation,theycanregister at fill outthenecessarypaperwork.TheywillthenbeassignedanNHSnumber, whichwillarriveinthe In order toregister foranNHSnumber, expatsmustmakeanappointment,sitforinterviewand specialist NHSservices. (GP) or dentist. GPs are the first point of contact for most people and can refer patients to other here mustregister foranNHSNumberinorder tomakeanappointmentwith aGeneralPractitioner Although emergency hospital treatment isgenerallyfree foranyonevisiting the UK,expatsmoving Using National the (NHS)as an expat UK Health inthe Service going toprivatehospitals,ifpossible. at privatehospitalstendstobepretty high,sounlesstheyhavehealthinsurancemostpeopleavoid hospital tends to be better and patients will be seento much quicker. However, the cost of treatment Private hospitalsintheUKtend to specialisein a particulartype of care. Theserviceataprivate appointments. Expats lookingtotakeadvantageoftheNHSshouldbeprepared forlongwaitsandhard-to-get citizens are exemptfrom healthcare payments. a rangeofforeign countries,includingAustralia,NewZealandandmembersoftheEU,meaning depending onwhere theyare from. TheUKhasnegotiatedreciprocal healthcare agreements with (NHS) hospitals,butsomeexpatswillbeliabletopayforin-patienttreatment anddentalwork, services. AllexpatsintheUKare entitledtofree emergency treatment atallNationalHealthService The UnitedKingdom’s NationalHealthService(NHS)isrecognised asonetheworld’s leadinghealth Health 17 PARENT ORIENTATION BOOKLET 18 PARENT ORIENTATION BOOKLET ehic.aspx. details canbefoundathttp://www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/Healthcareabroad/EHIC/Pages/about-the- and routine maternitycare, providing thereason foryourvisitisnotspecificallytogivebirth.More treatment untilyoureturn totheUK.Italsocoverstreatment ofpre-existing medicalconditions (EEA) countries,includingSwitzerland,atareduced cost,orsometimesforfree. Itwillcoveryour An EHICwillcurrently enableyoutoaccessstate-provided healthcare inEuropean EconomicArea European Health Insurance Card accident andemergency unitforimmediatetreatment. a 999 emergency. If it is less critical, expats can make their own way to the nearest hospital with an location oftheincident.Alternativelyonecancall111whenmedicalhelpisneededfastbutit not Emergency callsshouldbe madeto999.Theoperatorwillthendispatchanambulancethe with acuteillnessesorinjuries. Emergency medicalservices intheUKare provided free toallandprovide immediatecare topeople UK inthe services Emergency medical than others. person chooses to live won’t be too much of a problem; although some areas are better serviced Thanks toLondon’s excellentpublic transportnetwork,gettingaround thecityfrom wherever a own country. over the globe. Many expats choose to live in areas which are populated with fellow citizens of their London isagreat cosmopolitancityandexpatswill havetheopportunitytomixwithpeoplefrom all art andculture loversandhi-flyingbusinessexecutives. There are areas andsuburbs of Londonthatare perfect fortheyoungprofessional, families,students, background. The bustlingLondonmetropolis hasaccommodationoptionstosuitevery budget,lifestyleand are recommended: No specialvaccinations are required forexpatsmovingtotheUK.However, theseroutine vaccinations Pre-travel restrictions and vaccinations for UK the to suitthevariousneedsofexpatsmovingUK. International healthinsuranceproviders likeAxaPPP, BupaandAllianzprovide anumberofoptions will needtopayfortheirownhealthinsurance. While someemployersmightmakecontributionstowards privatehealthcare, inmostcasesexpats Employers intheUKare notobligatedbylawtoprovide medicalinsurancetotheiremployees. Health Insurance UK inthe Service-Search/Pharmacy/LocationSearch/10 Many pharmaciesintheUKstayopentillmidnight,someare open24hours.http://www.nhs.uk/ sell beautygoodsalongsidehealthandmedicalproducts. are fastdisappearing in theUKandbeing taken overbychainssuchasBootsandSuperdrug, which Expats will often find a pharmacy located close to a GP’s surgery or hospital. Independentpharmacies • • • • Hepatitis B Diphtheria Tetanus Measles, MumpsandRubella(MMR) Housing areas differ intermsoflocal amenitiesandpricewithEastFinchleybeingthe mostaffluent. Separately intofourareas; EastFinchley, West , Finchley CentralandNorthFinchley. All Finchley: : Wood, , Southgate and Barnet. and Whetstone, Hampstead, West Hampstead, , Maida Vale, Kilburn, Hill, Mill St. John’s Many families live Dwight Finchley, inEast Central, Islington, Finchley Highgate, Muswell Hill, , agents isthattheyoftenhaveaccesstoproperties thatare yettomakeitontopubliclistings. area or suburb of London that an individual is interested in. The major advantage of liaising with the professional services ofanestateagent who isfamiliarwiththeproperty marketintheparticular and infactstartthesearch before leavingtheirhomecountry. Newarrivalsfind it veryusefultoenlist Finding suitableaccommodationinLondonisnoteasyandexpatsare advisedtodosomeresearch websites foranideaofcostsorcontactarelocation agency. prices vary enormously depending on the location within London. Check outlocalestateagency dropped marginally, particularlyforthosepayinginaforeign currency. Bothrental pricesandhouse A positiveconsequenceoftherecent economiccrisisisthatLondonrentals andhousepriceshave city centre andcommutetoworkwillfindthattheycanmore spaciousaccommodation. will findthataccommodationsizeisgenerallyverysmall.Thosewillingtolivefurtherawayfrom the will findthatspacecomesatapremium. Apartmentslocatedinareas closertoLondon’s citycentre Expats wishing to experience the true essence of city life in London by living close to the city centre in thecityare amongstsomeofthehighestinworld. property. Expats looking to settle in the United Kingdom can opt to buy property, buthouse prices relocating to the city to take up a job offer will find thattheiremployerwill findthem a suitable rental The majorityofexpatsmovingtoLondonoptrent property ratherthanbuyit.Manyofthose • • • • • • • to theirlittlecornerofLondon! Friendly people–‘MuswellHillbillies’are afriendlybunch,ready andwaitingtowelcomeyou Line), theyhaveLondoninthepalmoftheirhand! short distance to Highgate station (Northern Line) and Finsbury Park (Piccadilly and Victoria station, theyassumeitmustbehard regular togethere. busestakingyouthe Notatall!With Great transportlinks–whenpeoplediscoverthatMuswellHilldoesnothave anunderground Everyman Cinema:https://www.everymancinema.com restaurant), andaMiller Carter’s. Hill has somegreat places tochoose from, including Toff’s (votedtheUK’s bestFish & Chip The cafés,restaurants and bars–ifyouare meetingafriendformealordrink,Muswell sells traditionalteaandcoffee. Martyn’s, a traditional shop that has been owned by the same family for over 100 years, and shopping streets inBritain, butitalsohassomeamazingindependentshops,including The shops – Muswell Hill Broadway has some great chain stores that you will find on many have thewholecityinfront ofyou. the OlympicPark,orjuststandattopofHillsideGardens (ontheBroadway) andyou’ll Great views–youcango toAlexandraParkandtakeintheviewsofCityLondon classic red brickexteriorthatlookssimplystunning Beautiful houses – many of the houses in Muswell Hill are large homes, with their Victorian http://www.excelenglish.co.uk/2013/03/5-best-places-to-live-in-london/

19 PARENT ORIENTATION BOOKLET 20 PARENT ORIENTATION BOOKLET that savedthe cinemafrom closure in1985. of newreleases, classicandarthousefilms.Uniquely, itisrunbyacharitabletrust forthecommunity Cinema: ThePhoenixCinema isoneoftheoldestpurposebuiltcinemas intheUKandplaysamix performances, talksand classes. Jewish communitycentre and artsvenue,offering abusy scheduleoffilmscreenings, exhibitions, spaces, dance and drama studios, gallery and cafe. JW3 on Finchley Road is London’s pre eminent Arts: ArtsdepotonTally HoCornerisamultipurposecommunity artscentre, comprisingtheatre the garden atgastropub TheBald FacedStagisfilledwithlocals. walk onHampsteadHeath,offering aselection of real alesaswellexcellent pubgrub.Insummer, fare, try the Two Brothersfish restaurant. The Old White Lion pub is perfect for a pint or two after a Genzo isregularly namedoneofthebestrestaurants inEastFinchley. Formore traditionalBritish an IndoOrientalconcept.Meateaterslovethe chicken dansakatBengalBertie’s, whiletheGreek and diversediningsceneisLa’zeezonNorthFinchley’s busy HighRoad,avegetarianrestaurant with culture, andit’s neverdifficult tofindakosherorhalaleatery. Aperfectexampleofthe area’s unique Eating: Finchleyisacentre ofculinarydelightswithrestaurants servingfoodfrom everyregion and out Going Architecture and property Fact file strong Jewishcommunitywithanumberofsynagoguesandculturalcentre inthearea. couples whohavesoldtheirfamilyhomesanddownscaledtothearea’s luxuryflats.There isalsoa young singles and professional couples who come both to rent and buy. The area also attracts older an increasingly mixedbunch,varyingfrom familieswhoare lookingtojoinastablecommunity Finchley. Itisaspopulareverwiththepeopleworkinginarts,butFinchleyresidents are Charles DarwinandSpikeMilliganwritingsomeoftheirgreatest worksfrom secludedhomesin Finchley hasattractedartisticandintellectualluminariesforcenturies,withsuchdiversetalentsas transport options,asthearea isservedbytheNorthernLineandnexusofmanybusroutes. orbital leading to the M40, M4 and west of England. Even those who don’t drive are rarely short of the northwestofEngland,A1(M)whichheadstoHertfordshire andthenorth,NorthCircular commute bycar, asseveralmajorroads passthrough thearea, linkingtotheM1forquickaccess a farcryfrom thelandscaped parks of central London. Finchley is the perfectlocation for thosewho picturesque periodhomes.Itswellpositionedlocationallowsaccesstoseveralbeautifulwoodlands, Finchley residents enjoyacalmandsoothingenvironment madeupofquietleafystreets linedand Finchley overview-What’s itallabout? • • • • dominate inWest Finchley. and Edwardian homes line the streets of Central Finchley, while 1920s and 1930s properties they were severely damagedinWorld War II,todaytheyare highlysoughtafter. Large Victorian incongruous 11storey blocksofflatsonProspect Ring.Builtto replace thearea’s cottagesafter multi millionpoundmansionsonTheBishop’s Avenue are justaround thecornerfrom three West Finchley. Nowhere isthisdiversitymore prominent thaninEastFinchley, where styles, from thegrandhouses ofHampsteadGarden Suburbtothemore modest terracesin Property in Finchley is remarkably diverse, encompassing a huge range of architectural platform ofFinchleyCentralTube station. 1931, lived in Finchley. A copy of which can be foundalongside a plaque on the southbound Draughtsman HarryBeck,whocameupwiththeoriginalversionoficonicTube mapin several partsare GradeIIlisted.HenryCroft, theCapital’s firstPearlyKing,isburiedhere. grounds. It’s poignantmixofoldand new gravesalsomakeitoneofthemostbeguiling,and Historically StPancrasandIslingtonCemeteryisoneofLondon’s mostimportantburial Finchley wasMargaret Thatcher’s parliamentaryconstituencybetween1959and1992.

hour, butbeprepared fortheuphill return journey. Cycle: EnjoythedownhillcycleintocentralLondon. It’s possibletoreach LondonBridgeinunderan which theM1issixminutesaway. Road: HenlysCornermarksthejunctionbetween theA1andNorthCircular (A406),andfrom (to Trafalgar Square). Tally HoCornerisa particularly busy hub. There are also two night buses: N13(to Aldwych) andN20 Bus: Severalroutes runthrough thearea toallcornersofNorthLondon,aswelltheWest End. East FinchleyisinZone3,andCentral,West Finchley, andWoodside Parkare inZone4. Tube: FinchleyhasfourUnderground stations,allontheHighBarnetbranchofNorthernLine. Transport has aselectionofimpressive homes. and homesbeingbuilttosuitindividualsfamiliesofallsizes.AdevelopmentatImperialSquare Finchley hasbenefited from aswatheofnewproperty developmentsin recent years,withapartments Changing times areas forchildren andalovelycafe. Woods, CherryTree Wood andWoodside Parkisafavouriteforfamilies,withplay Park.Victoria those whodon’t wanttotravel,FinchleyboastsseveralofitsownsmallerparkssuchasColdfall andAlbertMuseumwithitscharmingcafe.For beautiful KenwoodHouse,abranchoftheVictoria has sportsandrecreation facilities, while tothesouthlieleafyHighgateWood andHampstead’s green spaces in London, many of which are just a short drive away. To the north west, Park While muchofFinchleyretains anurbanfeel,itssurrounding areas havesomeof themostpicturesque Green spaces amenities Local • • • • • of whichare free. BothEastFinchleyandCentralstationhavecarparks. Car parksare muchmore easilylocatedinFinchley than inmanyotherareas ofLondon,some the EastFinchleyLibraryUsersGroup. beautiful ArtDecolistedbuilding.Itisacornerstoneofthecommunityandsupportedby Opposite EastFinchley’s award winningallotmentsliesthepubliclibrary, situatedina North Finchley. outdoor sportingfacilities,asaunaanddancestudio.There isalsoaDavidLloydgymin Iyengar Yoga Studio.FinchleyLidoLeisure Centre hastwoswimmingpools,indoorand The area hasseveralgymsandleisure centres, aswellexcellentyogastudioslikeThe head tothelocalFinchleyGolfClub,deemedbeoneoftrickiestcoursesinLondon clubs, includingtheMillHillGolfClubandMetro GolfCentre. Ifyou’re lookingforachallenge Finchley’s locationonthenorthernmostedgeofLondongrantsitgreat accesstoseveralgolf retail therapy, thevastBrent Cross shoppingcentre isonlya10minutedriveaway. of Waitrose, AldiandSainsbury’s are alllocatedaround thejunctionoftheseroads. Forseriousr high street shops, locally owned boutiques, specialist food stores and supermarkets. Branches For shopping,localsmakefortheHighRoadandBallards Lane,whichare packedfullof https://www.kfh.co.uk/north-london/finchley/

21 PARENT ORIENTATION BOOKLET 22 PARENT ORIENTATION BOOKLET There isanEverymanCinemainBarnetandaNutfields GyminFriernBarnet. countryside. , northofTotteridge andWhetstonesouth oftheM25andHertfordshire Barnet is11milesalmostduenorthofcentralLondon. ItsitswestofCockfosters,eastArkleyand politely givewaytooncomingtraffic passingthrough thegapinawhitepicketfence. There, thepicturesque littlechurch ofStMarytheVirgin isafavouriteweddingvenue,andmotorists Hadley Commonwithitsduckpondsandhilltop views,andtheruraldelightsofMonkenHadley. in thecountryside.From bustlingBarnetHighStreet itisbutashortwalktotheopenheathlandof The mainattractionofthenorthLondonsuburb Barnetisthatithasonefootinthetown,other Barnet Garden Suburb,passingthrough Totteridge onitsway. isa10-milewaymarkedwalkstartinginMillHillandendingHampstead Open space: Totteridge is all about open space, ideal for walking, cycling, horse riding and golf. The out andwatchtheworldgoby. TheHavenisapopularlocalbistro whichputsonjazznights. Whetstone High Road, north of The Griffin pub, is a pleasant tree-line boulevard with places to sit Store. There isalsoaSainsbury’s ashortdistanceaway. and restaurants innearby Whetstone,includingalarge Waitrose andMarksSpencersFood open onSaturdays. TheOrange Tree isapopulargastropub, andthere are plentyofshops,cafés Shops andrestaurants: Totteridge itself doesn’t haveanyshops,exceptforafarmshopwhich isonly invincible beltofgreenery around thecity, toTotteridge’s lastingbenefit. to the 1947 Town and Country Planning Act, which limited London’s urban expansion by placing an waterways, theDollisBrook andatributary, theFollyBrook. Itowesitsruralfeelandsylvansetting This well-heeled suburb lies on a high ridge between two of the capital’s lesser-known natural from centralLondon Totteridge hasastrong countryfeelwith bighousesandpretty woods,despitebeingonly10miles here willleaveyounochange from £30 which isperhapswhyitattractsthestuffed walletsofwealthyCitychiefs.Themostexpensivehouse Indeed, Totteridge feelslikeseriouscountryside,eventhoughitisonly10milesfrom centralLondon, village green, andpretty woodsforweekendwalks. Totteridge hasacertainruralcharm,withitsbighousesoverlookingthecommon,fishponds, Totteridge and Whetstone Mill Hill • • • • • • • from MillHillBroadway. There are alsoplentyofbusroutes. Looking attransport,thetubeisonNorthernlineandyoucancatchtrainsintoStPancras Gym: Virgin Active country park)orMillHillPark. For openspacesinMillHill,youhavethechoiceofScratchwood(a55hectare wooded Mill HillEast. For supermarkets,there isn’t alotofchoice,butthere isaWaitrose supermarketlocatedin This isalsowhere you’llfindthepubs,winebarsand restaurants. street shopssuchasM&S,BootsandWHSmiths. The retail hub in thearea is centred around Mill Hill Broadway –itcontains a varietyof high Mill HillislocatedinNorth-West Londonintheborough ofBarnet. million. independent agent. of corporaterelocation support,contacttheAdmissionsDirector foranintroduction toalocal Mobility advisorbefore youstartyourownproperty search. Forfamilieswhodonothavethebenefit services of relocation companies. Be sure to check with your corporate HR department/Global Relocation Services-manyfamiliesbeingrelocated totheUKbytheir companieswillhavethe tax billswhilerenting intheUK. Tenants willalsocertainlybeliablefortheirowngas,electricity, water, phone,Internetandcouncil and lettersofreference from theiremployer and previous landlords tosecure arental agreement. Note thatexpatswillalsoberequired toprovide uptotwelveweeks’worthofrent asadeposit, rental agreement early, andgetnewtenantsin,tocharge themahighermonthlyfee. are attachedtomarketprices intheUK,shouldthesefluctuate,landlord mightlooktobreak the notice. Expatsmustbewaryofthisclause,however, asitcutsbothways–andsincerental prices for 12-monthleases,allowingthetenanttobackoutoffulltermaftergiving30or60days to renew theleaseshould thetenantdesire todoso.A‘sixmonthbreak clause’ canbenegotiated Lease agreements in the UK are generally signed on a six-month or one-year basis, with an option As farasfindingaplaceto rent goes,expatscanlookintoone(ormore) ofthefollowingoptions: sorted out. (equivalent of one week’s rent) will be enough to secure the property while the rental agreement is even benecessarytocommittheproperty duringtheinitialviewing.Usually, a‘holdingdeposit’ a placetheylike,asthecompetitionforgood-valuerentals canbecut-throat. Insomecases,itmay by thespeedatwhichmarketmoves.Expatsshouldbeprepared tomovequicklywhentheysee Finding aplacetorent inLondonisastraightforward process, thoughitcanbemademore difficult Renting property more urbanareas. All theseformsofhousingare widespread, withflats, maisonettesandbedsitspredominating inthe Accommodation intheUKisgenerallydividedintofollowingclassifications: Types of accommodation

• • • • • • • • list ofapproved agencies andlandlords. best deal.Expatsare urged tochecktheNationalApproved LettingScheme’s websitefor a their listingswitheachother–socheckalltheagenciesinarea, toensure onefindsthe rental agreement through them.Bearinmind,also,thatUKreal estateagenciesdonotshare for aplacetorent –though theywillcharge afeefortheirservicesshouldonearrange Real estateagentsare adependable source ofinformationandhelpwhenitcomestolooking Websites andinternetproperty portalsregularly publishrental adverts. or landlord directly toarrangeaviewing Local newspapersandmagazinescarryprivatelistings–tenantswillbeabletocalltheowner Bedsits (one-room apartments/studios) Maisonettes (flatswithmore thanonestorey) Flats (orapartments) Bungalows (houseswithonestorey only-theseare foundparticularlyincoastalareas) Houses (detached,semi-detached,terraced) http://www.totteridgelocksmiths.co.uk/page26.htm

23 PARENT ORIENTATION BOOKLET 24 PARENT ORIENTATION BOOKLET moneysupermarket.com/gas-and-electricity/. out themost competitivesupplierin yourarea youcanusea comparisonsitesuchas http://www. consumers compare different energy supplier prices in an area. One such comparison site is To find around forthebestdealsbefore settinguputilityaccounts.There are quiteafewwebsitesthathelp Do bearinmindthatone doesnothavetostaywithexistingutilityproviders. It isagoodideatolook Administration Service(MPAS). who thesupplierisbycontacting thelocalelectricitydistributioncompany. AskfortheirMeterPoint The estateagentorlandlord shouldinformyouofthecurrent supplier. Ifnot,itispossibletofindout Electricity property is.TheMNumberEnquiryLinenumberis08706081524. Line’ (formerlyTransco) willbeabletoestablish whothecurrent registered gassupplieratthe The estate agent or landlord should inform you of the current supplier. If not the ‘M Number Enquiry Gas The estateagentorlandlord shouldinformyouofthecurrent supplier. Water Your estateagentorlandlord shouldinformyouabout thelocalcouncil. TaxCouncil Accounts canbesetuponline:http://www.tvlicensing.co.uk. Thisisarequirement intheUK. Licence TV following points: When contactingautilitycompanyexpatsneedtohavetheinformationnecessarysatisfy the may wishtocheckitemsare compatiblebefore youbringthe. Great Britainhas230-volt/50cycleelectricity. You willneedatransformerfor110-voltappliances.You property, theyonlyownitfortheamountoftimestipulatedonlease(usually999years). purchases afreehold property intheUK,theyownitoutright;whileif expats purchase aleasehold majority ofproperties are classifiedasfreehold. Thedifference betweenthetwoisthatifone A finalnote,isthat–intheUKproperties are classified eitheras freehold orleasehold.Thevast supply themwiththeappropriate documentation(evidenceofearnings,lettersreference, etc.). can besoughtthrough anybankorbuildingsociety–provided, ofcourse,thatexpatsare ableto some buyersprefer toenlisttheservicesofaproperty lawyertohandlethissideofthings).Mortgages Once thebuyerfindsalikelyproperty, theestateagentcanalsohelpwithconveyancing(though surveying services–whichare provided toprospective buyersforfree. agent. Theestateagentwillassistthebuyerinfindingasuitableproperty byproviding valuationand Foreigners lookingtobuyproperty intheUKwill need tobroker theservicesofareliable estate Buying property tax

• • • • • • alone usually get a 25 percent discount. Full time students are exempt from paying council The numberofpeoplelivingattheproperty toinformtheCouncilTax office. Peopleliving Recent meterreadings forgas&electricity The address towhere correspondence willbeposted Bank detailstosetupdirect debitpayments The moving-indate the newowner Name offormeraccountholdertochangetheproperty ontothenameof Utilities

deducting moneyfrom thesecuritydeposit. when inventorychecksare carriedoutattheendofcontractandthiscould result inthelandlord landlord before installationtakes place.Thisisbecausedamagetothewindowframewillbenoted It isimportanttonotethatifyouare renting property youshouldgetwrittenpermissionfrom the white boxtothewallbywindowsothat cables canrunfrom it. through awindowframesothecablescanenterproperty. Theengineerwillthenattachasmall home. Iftheproperty isnotalready connectedtocabletheengineerusuallydrillsasmallhole Cable broadband usesa special cable connectionwhichneedstobeinstalledintothecustomer’s done byphoningVirgin Mediaorcheckingontheirwebsite.. It isimportanttobeginbycheckingthatcableservicesare availableinthelocalarea. Thiscanbe Cable broadband you willneedtohavethissortedbefore arrangingforbroadband installation uses anexistingtelephoneline.Therefore, ifahomedoesnothaveanactivetelephonelinesetup, ADSL broadband isbyfar the mostpopularchoiceofUKbroadband. However, thistypeofbroadband ADSL broadband recommendations orviaonlineagencies. Household helpinLondon isavailableataprice.Thebestwaytofind helpisthrough personal immediate accesstotheinternetduringset-upprocess theycanreduce theinconvenienceby: with severaldepartmentsoftherelevant broadband provider toorganise set-up.Ifexpatsneed Setting upbroadband can beaslowandfrustratingbusiness,itisoftennecessarytodeal Broadband is touseafree internetvideoservicesuchasSkype, http://www.skype.com/en/. example, youcansetupa1899accountwhichbeusedfrom ABTphoneline.Anotheralternative There are manyproviders supplyingcheapphonecallsabroad tosuitvarious requirements. For Cheap international phone calls packages availabledependingonyourrequirements, forexampleSkyandTalkTalk. reactivate a landline from their control centre. There are other providers that have good telephone during thisperiod.Sometimesit’s notnecessaryfortheengineertovisitproperty andBTcan between 8amto5pmonthedayofinstallation.Someonewillneedbewaitingatproperty reactivate thelandlineifthere isalready aBTlineinstalled.willgivecustomerstimeslotof An engineerwillhavetocomeouttheproperty toinstallthelandlineifitisanewbuildor through themotionsofsettingupalandline. will havetoalandlineiftheywouldlikeADSLBroadband intheirhome,sowillstillneedtogo not want alandline especially if they are planning on only using a mobile phone. However, a person BT isthenationalcompanyfortelephonelinesandrunsnetwork.Somepeoplemay Telephone insurance/ Packages canalsobecompared onthecomparisonwebsites.http://www.moneysupermarket.com/ when newpeoplemovein.There are manypackages availabletosuitanindividual’s requirements. Home insuranceisnotessentialbutyoushouldconsideritasproperties attractalotofattention Home insurance • • Setting upallofcommunicationaccountsatonce-telephone,Broadband andtelevision bought from mostmobilephoneshops Purchasing amobile broadband dongleonapay-as-you-goprogramme, whichcanbe Household Help

25 PARENT ORIENTATION BOOKLET 26 PARENT ORIENTATION BOOKLET Expats mustcompleteform A86,downloadablefrom www.hmrc.gov.uk, andsubmitittotheirlocal which apersonpaysno tax. Thetaxyearendson5April.(allowancesfor theTax Year 2016/2017) GBP 150,000(allowances forTax Year 2016/2017).Themainpersonal allowanceisGBP11,000,under annual gross income,40percent foramountsoverGBP32,000and45percent foramountsover overseas-generated income.Tax ratesvaryfrom 20percent foranincomeofuptoGBP32,000 Expats whohavelivedintheUKforover183days across thetaxyearmust paytaxontheirUKor Taxes United inthe Kingdom cards foreventhemostminorpayment. More andmore peopleintheUKavoidcarryinglarge sumsofcashandretailers acceptmajorcredit in theUK.Mostbankandcredit cards issuedintheUKare basedonaChipandPin system. using foreign-issued bankcards theyare likelytoincurbankcharges foreachtransactionatanATM can usetheATM ofanyotherUKbankwithoutincurringadditionalchanges.However, ifyouare ATMs are readily availableinallmajortownsandcitiestheUK are operation24/7.Customers ATMs and credit cards services operateoveranextendedperiodoftime. Banks intheUnitedKingdomatgenerallyopenfrom 9amto5pm.However, telephonebanking actually offer someofthebestrates. Currency can be exchanged at most banks, bureaux de change and even at postoffices –which and changingaccountsintheUKmaytakeawhile. regularly. Itmayhelptoopen anaccountinyourcurrent locationbefore moving totheUKasopening option those who have banked with these institutions in their home country or for those thattravel Banks withamore prominent internationalpresence suchasHSBCandSantanderare anexcellent can quicklyaddup). generally offer thebest exchange rates(transactioncharges doexistforinternationalcard use,and Most debitandcredit cards are acceptedintheUKandATMs canbefound nearlyeverywhere, and 100 pence. The official currency intheUnitedKingdomisBritishPound(£).Onepound(GBP)dividedinto Money United inthe Kingdom everyday finances really simple. Online bankingisastandard feature offered byallbanksintheUnitedKingdomandmakesmanaging some banksevenoffer incentivestoencouragepeoplechoosethemovertheircompetitors. Unlike in other countries, most banks in the UK do not charge customers to use their services. Instead, require proof ofincomeandemployment,aswellevidencealocaladdress. Opening abankaccountwillbepriority. Althoughthisisafairlysimpleprocess, foreigners will can alsousewebsitessuchashttp://uk.fr\.org tohelplocatesomeonecollectitemsfrom you. such aswww.gumtree.co.uk. If youboughtoveritemsthatdonotfit,ornolongerneed,cansellonlineusingsites • • Coins: £2and£1,then50,20,10,5,21pence Notes: £5,£10,£20and£50 Many charityshopswillcollectunwanteditemsfrom youdirectly. You Unwanted Items Banking

Focus: https://www.focus-info.org/ between someEnglishwords. Books suchasThe (very) best of byMikeEtherington,may beafunwaytolearnthedifferenceBritish London Town :http://www.londontown.com/ Expat http://www.expatarrivals.com/the-united-kingdom/moving-to-the-united-kingdom Arrivals: Timeout: http://www.timeout.com/london website:School www.dwightlondon.org please remember thatopinionsandexperiencesdiffer. You mayfindthefollowingwebsites useful: There isalotofinformationabouttheUnitedKingdomandLondonon internet:havealook,but available inyourarea ishttp://www.netmums.com. lessons, gymnasticsetcare alsoavailable.Agreat resource tofindmore informationonactivities Bowling, cinemasandextracurricularactivitiessuchasballet,sportsclubs,dramaclasses,instrument You canalsofindswimmingatcouncilrunleisure centres aswellprivatelyownedhealthclubs. Wonderland inHydeParkisalsoagreatWinter activityforchildren, withlotsofridesandactivities. House, MarbleArch, and outsidetheNationalHistoryMuseuminSouthKensington.London’s A topwinteractivityisiceskatingwhichcanbedoneattheAlexandraPalaceIceRink,Somerset coasters andwaterslides. A littlefurther afield is theChessington World ofAdventures - a theme parkcompletewithzoo, roller get tolife-threatening animalsinBritain. Another goodoptionisthewellmanagedandfascinatingLondonZoo,aboutclosestkids will Lion King,AladdinandPottedPirates. The West Endoffers arangeoftheatre experiencesaimedatchildren. ClassicshowsincludeThe Museum are justsomeof themuseumsavailabletoLondoners. Victoria andAlbert filled: theNaturalHistoryMuseum,ScienceMuseumandcharming London Dungeon, with its gory recreations of London’s medieval past. Museums for kids are fun- Other great activitiesforexpatkidsinLondonare theLondonEye,especiallyatnight,and people, andHamleysToy Shopforthesingle bestcollectionofwallet-sappingtoysintheworld. In the event of cold or rainy weather check out Madame Tussauds, with its wax sculptures of famous and HydePark. options forfuninthesunincludeexploringwonderfulroyal parkslikeStJames,Regent’s Park also includesaThamesRiverboatridethattakestouristspastnumerous cityattractions.Other On summerdays,takethekidsforarideonhop-onhop-off toplesssightseeingbuses;theticket and do,regardless oftheweather. Expats movingtoLondonwithchildren intowcantakecomfortthefactthatthere isplentytosee latest information. * Tax regulations changeregularly andexpatsare advisedtoconsultataxexpertfindoutthe higher rateoftax(“Emergency tax”)butthiscanberefunded oncetheyacquire fulltaxstatus. assigned a temporary insurance number to establish their tax level. This will mean they will pay a tax office, forthepurposesofdeterminingtheircorrect taxstatus.Untilthisisdoneexpatswillbe More Resources Children

ref: http://www.expatarrivals.com 27 PARENT ORIENTATION BOOKLET 28 PARENT ORIENTATION BOOKLET Transitions Part Four: Transitions Part Four: David Pollock for theAdvancementofInternationalEducation),wasderivedfrom amodeloftransitionbythelate “An Emergent Mandate” This chapterisbasedonanarticleentitled“Transition Programming inInternational Schools: dreary daysofwinter.) for manyfamiliesmovingtoLondoninthesummertime,thiscancoincidewithBritain’s long,dark, start two-to-six months after arrival. Suddenly everything familiarseemsunfamiliar. (Unfortunately, after theinitial‘honeymoon’periodwhennewsettingisinteresting, unusual,exciting,andcan different culturalenvironment. There are manysymptomsandsignsofculture shock thatcansetin defined asthefeelingofdisorientationonemovesfrom afamiliarculturalenvironment toa Part of the transition process entails understanding about Culture Shock.Culture shockcanbe international mobilityiscommon.AllofDwight’s studentsare CCKs children whoare livingorstudyinginenvironment where there isstrong culturaldiversityandwhere Kids (TCKs). Over half of Dwight London’s population are TCKs. Cross Culture Kids (CCKs) are Children whomoveinternationallybecauseofaparent’s occupation are nowknownasThird Culture student’s previous learning,academicandlifeexperiences internationally-mobile students in mind, and teachers and students are encouraged to draw on each country andculturalheritage.TheInternationalBaccalaureate Programmes were designedwith students tostayengagedwiththeirmothertonguelanguageswhichconnectthemhome The school provides a flexible admissions programme, and recognises the importance ofencouraging Good internationalschoolslikeDwightare accustomedtoservinginternationally-mobilefamilies. extensive, regular turnoverisnotunusual. of anygivenstudentpopulationtoturnovereveryyear. Whilefacultyandstaff mobilitymaybeless Student mobilityisadefiningcharacteristicofmostinternationalschools.It’s notuncommonfor30% emotional challengesthatmaybeexperiencedwhenmovinginternationally. 2 . IthasbeenincludedinthisHandbooktohelpparents gainanunderstandingofthe by Barbara F. Schaetti (originally publishedin1996,bytheAssociation 29 PARENT ORIENTATION BOOKLET 30 PARENT ORIENTATION BOOKLET known and of knowing others. Time tostartover—again. known andofknowingothers.Time been transferred yetagain.There shewas,facinglossofreputation, lossofposition,being involved inhercommunityaftertheirlasttransfer, came homeonedaytolearnthatherhusbandhad to legitimise its professional relevance to hoped-for future employers. This multi-mover, finally re- volunteer). Unlike other expatriatespouse volunteer positions,shewould not havetosearch forways a positionwhichshecouldputdirectly on herc.v. (resume), a credible position with status(albeit in thecommunitysuchthat she waselected to theboard of her children’s school.Atlast here was lived inoneplaceforseveralyears,toldmehowshehadfinallybeenabletobuilda reputation begin alloveragainfrom thebottomup.Amulti-movernon-salariedspouse,havingattime Of course,theflipsideofthisisalsotrue:dolike reputation you’veworkedhard tobuild,now transfer. you have?—changeitatyournextschool.Want tostartfresh?—wait forthatnextinternational advantage ofmovingisthatyoucanre-invent yourselfinyournewlocation.Don’t likethereputation For some, a transfer can be a big relief. International school students are quick to saythat one transferred on. beginning tofigure outhow thingswork,thethird year—justasyou’re becominginvolved—youget does notreally allowfor it: thefirstyearyou’re intheconfusionofarrival,secondyearyou’re recent experienceofthis phase ofthetransitionexperience.Thewell-known3-yearexpatriatecycle location. It’s importanttoremember that multi-moverstudentsandtheirfamiliesmaynothavea The experienceofinvolvementtypicallyrequires thatapersonspendtimeingivengeographic what isgoingonnow. Although theyofcoursethinkaboutthepastandfuture, theirprimaryorientationisintermsof not thinkingaboutwhere theyhavecomefrom norare theythinkingabout where theyare going. The involvement phase means people’s time orientation is to the present. Those in this phase are claustrophobic, theynonethelessknowwhatisexpectedofthemwithoutquestion. by theworldaround theminwhotheyare. While theymayalso,ofcourse,feelconfinedand responsible andresponsive. Theirinternalexperienceisoneofintimacy. Theyfeelsecure, confirmed People intheinvolvedphasetypicallypresent themselvestoothersascommittedtheircommunity, around and50yearsback.’ living inaruralcommunityforthirteenyears,beinginvolvedmeans‘everyoneknowsyou50miles point Bdependingontheweatherortraffic conditions.Asanadultglobalnomadputittomeafter the firstflowersinspring,where togogettheirshoesfixed,multipleways frompointAto strengths. Theyhaveasimilarknowledgeaboutthecommunityitself.knowwhere tolookfor They are knownbyothersandtheyinturnknowthepeoplearound them:histories,weaknesses, as beingpartofagroup, withareputation—for good orill—andasocial/professional position. People whoare involvedintheircommunityhaveasenseofbelonging.Theyare perceived byothers Phase 1:Involvement The Process ofTransitions people leavingmustdisengage,theydosoinatimelyfashion:neithertoolatenorearly. can disengagingfrom all academic andsocialroles immediatelyuponlearningofatransfer. While truth ofwhathesaid.Formulti-moversespecially, notfeelingfeelingscanbecomeasurvivalskill.So not tofeelfeelings”.Theotherstudentslaughedwithhim,buteveryoneinthatroom knewthe skills theyorthoseknewhadgainedfrom movinginternationally. Oneyoungmanreplied, “how a riverinEgypt”.)Iaskedgroup ofsecondaryschoolstudentswithwhomIworkedrecently what uncomfortable feelings.(There isabumperstickerintheUnitedStateswhichreads “denialisnot Leaving, one’s ownorafriend’s, isatimefraughtwithemotion.Onecommonresponse istodeny this otherpersonagain—iswhenit’s mostimportanttoreconcile differences. to settleintoanewcommunity. Justwhenitseemsleastworthoureffort—after all,we’llneversee six monthslater, theregret overharshwords oncespokencanverymuchimpede aperson’s ability angry withhimorherthanotherwise.Unfinishedbusinessgoesus,however. Three monthslater, an impendingtransfer. Forsomereason humansseem tothinkit’s easiertoleaveafriendwhenwe’re students creating conflictand rousing angerwithone anotherasawaytoeasethesenseoflossfrom International schoolteachersoftenreport anotherdimensiontodisengagement.It’s commontosee understand whenfriendsplanfuture activitiesanddon’t includethem,butithurtsnonetheless. part, to feelings of rejection and resentment. A child or adolescent —or indeed an adult—may behind, sotoomustthoseremaining disengagefrom peopleleaving.Thiscanlead,oneveryone’s While thoseintheleavingphaseofatransitionmustdisengagefrom peopleandactivitiesbeingleft otherwise betornanddamagednotabletotakefirmholdagaininthenewlocation. Just aswhentransplantingaplant,however, aperson’s roots mustbecarefully disengaged;theywill loosen ties,letgoofroles, disengage.Inorder to transplantaplant,onehastopullupitsroots. Inevitably, however, one’s socialposture necessarilybecomesdistant.Inorder toleave,onemust and activities. going andwhen. It’s atimeofrecognition, of farewell parties andofbringing closure torelationships celebratory fashion.Friendspaythemalotofattention,askquestionsaboutwhere theyare People intheleavingphaseoftransitionare typically(andhopefully)perceived byothersin the present tothefuture—where are wegoing,whatwillitbelike,Ifitin...? When peoplelearnthattheyare abouttobetransferred, theirtimeorientationsuddenlyshiftsfrom Phase 2:Leaving 31 PARENT ORIENTATION BOOKLET 32 PARENT ORIENTATION BOOKLET fermentation, outofwhichcomesthecreative future Bridges, in his book Transitions, writes about the chaos of transitions as a necessary phase, a necessary is essentiallyoneofsteppingoutsidethetriedandtrueintosomethingnewdifferent. William However uncomfortablethisphasemaybe,itcanalsobeatimeofgreat creativity. Thecreative act than packedinahouseholdshipment. wherever he or she may be. Sacred objects are best taken on the airplane, in a carry-on bag, rather parents about“sacred objects,”thosefewthingswhichremind apersonofhomeandcommunity the only real continuity outside the immediate family. Teachers andstaff can educate students and is notonlywithoutfamiliarpeopleandplacesbutalsothehouseholdgoodswhichmaybe in one’s own domain. The loss of continuity brought on by a move is extreme during this phase; one friends andfamilyfavouriteplaces,livinginhotelsorotherpeople’s homes,ratherthanbeing The experienceofthisphaseaschaoticmaybeexacerbatedbybeingon“homeleave,”visiting are statuslessandunknownbyothers. a time of psychological anxiety. There’s often a loss of self-esteem as the reality sinks in that you truly may mostwanttoisolate,theymustself-initiate: get up,out,meetothers,keepbusy. It’s typically their children duringthistimeandcertainlythereverse istrue.Atthesametime,justwhenpeople foremost ofthemselves.Despiteallgoodintentions,parents maybelessemotionallyavailableto The transitionphaseisatimeofself-centeredness. Peopleinthisphasenecessarilythinkfirstand to thefuture: howwillthissituationresolve itself,williteverend. orientationforpeopleinthisphaseistypically turned upsidedown,oftenrightontopofthem.Time in Tokyo. Theirinternalexperienceistypicallyoneofchaosandisolation.Thewholeworldseems knowledge—such as where to go to get shoes fixed in Copenhagen—which is totally without use When people find themselveswithout status,unknownandunknowing.They havespecial Transition Phase 3:Transition they havemuchpoweroverfuture possibilities. people intransition,evenforthenon-salariedspouseanddependentchildwhomaynotfeelthat the lesscreative are thefuture possibilities.Thisisanimportantperspective andconsiderationfor 1 . Themore thisexperienceofchaosisresisted, 2 1 especially effective forstudentstohearfrom theirpeerson thistopic. should alsobeaddressed however, givingaslightlydifferent twisttothefocusofwork.Itcanbe those described earlier in the discussion of “leaving”. The particular characteristics of re-entry Transition activities and education specific topreparing students fora re-entry experienceinclude experienced re-entry whichiseasier, enteringanotherinternationalpostingorre-entering one’s more oftentheexceptionthanrule.Askanyinternationalschoolmulti-mover studentwhohas another beennew. Thisismuchlessthecaseinalocalschoolcontextwhere studentmobilityis be veryaware ofhelpingnewstudentsmakefriends—afterall,everyone there hasatonetimeor local ratherthaninternationalschools.Studentsandteachersinansettingtend to Entering one’s passportcountryisalsochallengingbecause,oncethere, studentstypicallyattend resemblance totheCanada ofhisfamily’s myth. on hisparent’s mythology”aboutCanada. TheCanadawhichheeventuallyre-entered bore little or periodicvacations.ACanadianwhogrew upinPapuaNewGuineaandIndiaspokeof“riding term internationalsojournerwhoseexperienceof“home”maybebasedsolelyonfamilystories a holetheythinkshouldbefamiliarbutisn’t. Thisisallthemore trueforthe multi-moverorlong- same way. They’vebecometosomeextentlikeasquare pegtryingtosqueezeintoaround hole, however, theirinternationalexperienceshavere-shaped themenoughthattheydon’t fitinquitethe a brief time abroad may expect to fit right back into their old friendships and daily patterns. Typically, enough tochangeperspectiveandoutlook.Peoplereturning totheirpassportcountriesaftersuch the assumptionthatoneis“goinghome.”Evenashortortwoyearinternationalsojourn is Many factorscomeintoplaytomakere-entry suchachallengingtransition,notleastofwhichis As such,itrequires specialattentioninanydiscussionofinternationalschoolstudenttransitions. Re-entry, moving to one’s passport country, is typically found to be the mostdifficult of all transitions. KindA Special of Transition: Re-Entry committed andsecure, affirmed bythecommunityinwhichtheylive,work,study, andplay. being known.Theyagainhaveareputation andapositioninsociety. Theyexperiencethemselvesas People whohavere-involved themselvesagainhaveasenseofbelonging,knowingothersand the cycle.Nowone’s timeorientationisagaintothepresent, thistimewithasenseofpermanence. The mostfortunateofthoseintransitionstaytheirnewlocationlongenoughtofinallycomplete Transition Phase 5:Re-Involvement new environment. than tosocialize,needhaveatleastonefriendbefore anymeasure ofsecurityisreached inthe school istomakefriends.Evenstudentsinthemidstoftransitionfatigue,more inclinedtoisolate Students at all grade levels repeatedly tell me that their first self-imposed task upon entering a new memory ofwhere homeoncewas. it mayalsobeonlytemporaryastheylookrepeatedly tothepastand(oftennowidealised) be ambivalent,fearful,andeasilyoffended. Whiletheirtimeorientationmayagainbetothepresent, The entering phase of a transition is usually one of great vulnerability. People in this phase can often society andlookingforawayintothecentre. for grantedbyothers.Enteringisoftenatimewhenpeoplefeelmarginalized, ontheedgesof positions withinthenewcommunity, theymayeasilymisinterpret nonverbalsignalsandmovestaken People in this phase of transition are constantly having to introduce themselvestoothers.In uncertain Transition Phase 4:Entering [email protected]. on theseareas are invitedtocontactMary Langford intheAdmissions Office: Parents with questions about Transition, TCKs or who want tipson strategies and more information Publishing Company, 1980. Pollock, DavidC.,TheTransition Model,AlbanyNY: Interaction Inc.,1990. Transitions:Bridges, William. Making Sense ofLife’s Changes.ReadingMA:Addison-Wesley 33 PARENT ORIENTATION BOOKLET 34 PARENT ORIENTATION BOOKLET acitivites basedorganisation aimedtoshowyouthebestaround London. St John’s Women’s Club:https://www.sjwwc.org/, theStJohn’s Women’s Club(SJWWC)isan is amultinationalsocialorganisation forwomenlivingintheLondonarea. Hampstead Women’s Club: http://www.hwcinlondon.co.uk/, information onwhatsinyourlocalarea. Another great websiteis:http://local.mumsnet.com/find-a-local-site,here youwillfindawealthof community, includingclubs,culture, eventsandactivities,findingemploymentopportunities. Groups suchasFocus:http://www.focus-info.org/ school’s parent association. This ispossiblethrough schoolbyvolunteeringtohelpintheclassroom orbygettinginvolvedinthe too. Once yourchildren are settled,youwillneedtofind thingstohelpyouenjoyyournewlifeinLondon Adult Involvement are agreat resource forgettinginvolvedinthe the Hampstead Women’s Club (HWC) For more information,[email protected]. London hastooffer. Detailscanbefoundintheparent newsletterandontheschoolcalendar. London with friends, whether this be a walking tour, a museum exhibit or a hidden gem that with twochildren intheUpperSchool.TheDPA OutandAboutCluborganise activitiesexploring The DwightParent AssociationOutandAboutClubisrunbyMicheleO’Neill,aDwightparent DPA Club OutandAbout 35 PARENT ORIENTATION BOOKLET 36 PARENT ORIENTATION BOOKLET

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