Raising kids in London/greater London area/Cambridge

[lolo]

Some of you will likely remember me. I lived in London for a little over 3 years, which included a year of grad school (MSc) and two years of working in the UK. While my company offered to sponsor us, MH and I both got better offers in the US, and made the decision to move back. 

Now we have a 2YO and have been thinking of moving back again. I don't need visa advice--we would get company sponsorship--but I would like to hear about raising kids in the London/greater London/Cambridge area. (DH's office will be based in the King's Cross area and mine is on the train line to Cambridge, which is why that's included as a possibility.)

Specifically, tell me about:
- how you've found the NHS experience, especially vs the US experience. I had no issues with it as an adult but also had limited experiences.
- how vaccines work/transfer--anything I should be aware of there
- schools--how you've navigated this, public vs. private, main differences to expect or any resources to describe it
- any favorite blogs on kids in London/greater London?
- anything else I should be thinking about

ETA we returned to the US in 2012, if that's relevant.

[fbf2006]

I hope I can help. I'm on my phone so I'm just going to quickly make comments on each point you raised.
- how you've found the NHS experience, especially vs the US experience. I had no issues with it as an adult but also had limited experiences. -
I have a 2 year old as well. I moved here in August 2014 and our NHS experience has been ok. Compared to the US, I did think it was different because his first 15 months, we had been seeing a pedi obviously and when we moved here it was now a family doctor or nurse, as pedis are considered specialists. So that was weird to me. His 2 yr check up was also with a health visitor/nurse and not a pedi, like it would have been in the states. Also my husband requested a speech referral and we're still waiting on that. It's been 2 months? Thankfully I never thought we needed it so haven't really done anything about it (we can go private since we have private insurance).
- how vaccines work/transfer--anything I should be aware of there -
When you move here and register with a surgery, you're supposed to request a red book. It contains all the information as to when vaccines are given and lots of other health info for kids. My NHS surgery took a copy of my son's vaccination records and I actually set up an appointment with the GP to go over it and to see if he needed any additional vaccines.
- schools--how you've navigated this, public vs. private, main differences to expect or any resources to describe it
So far, he's in a private nursery/daycare. My neighborhood has a bunch so I just visited them and chose the one that worked best for us. Ofsted is the org that regulates them. We have not navigated the private/public elementary school stuff yet so no advise there.
- any favorite blogs on kids in London/greater London?
I don't use it but I believe mumsnet was recommended to me. There might be another site that I can't remember right now.
- anything else I should be thinking about
There seem to be children centers in most neighborhoods. I used to take my so to ours during the week (before I started working) and sometimes we go on Saturdays. They have different activities for kids and programs for parents. It's free. Maybe make sure wherever you move has one if it interests you?!

[anna7602]

I just want to say eeeek! So exciting that you're seriously considering this. Since DH just took a new job last month, I am a little sad that we're at least a few years away, if ever, from considering another international move. The flurry of "would you move internationally" posts on MM and MMM recently have me particularly mourning it.

On the upside, I'll be spending 4-5 days in London this summer with my kids, so I'll be watching this post for any kid-specific activity reco's.

[Deleted]

fbf2006 Did you ask the GP, a pedi or the health visitor for the speech referral? We went through our health visitor and it was quick.

OP: the only thing I can think of for vaccines is that they do not vaccinate for chicken pox and hep B here. Should not be an issue for your 2 year old.

[frlcb]

There is a fb group called American expat moms in the UK, you should join it!

[UnderProtest]

I moved here last year with then 2.5 year old twins. We live in Central London so there have been challenges figuring everything out.

-NHS- I found the NHS to be decent in emergencies but not as great for preventive/well visit type things. I do really like a local NHS doctor but you have to go to one in your area so you are more restricted because of this. Once we got my husband's insurance stuff settled out, we did opt to go to a private doctor. I like them much better for well visits and such.

-Vaccines- I took my kids' vaccine printout from the US pediatrician into the NHS doctor. She was able to determine that the kids needed one more vaccine here (I think timing was different in the US vs here or this is a higher risk area). The US and the UK are pretty close on what vaccines are required though. But get the chicken pox vaccine before you come. The NHS does not give this one.

Schools- We were clueless so we asked a coworker of my husband. He said they hired a school consultant so we did. It was a bit of a waste considering the kids are in nursery school, but it did reinforce the school we were considering is actually a good school. We went the private route though.

Blogs- None that I have found yet. There are a couple Facebook groups but some of them are very anti-American.

Let me know if you have any other questions. I'm not thinking clearly tonight after a day of torture with 3.5 year old twins.

[fbf2006]

May 25, 2015 5:22:31 GMT -5 @bandwife said:

fbf2006 Did you ask the GP, a pedi or the health visitor for the speech referral? We went through our health visitor and it was quick.

OP: the only thing I can think of for vaccines is that they do not vaccinate for chicken pox and hep B here. Should not be an issue for your 2 year old.

I think it was the GP. I did get a call regarding the referral. I guess they were trying to assess his actual needs, but they told me it was a 3 month wait or so.

[lolo]

anna7602, I think we are trying to decide if it really does make sense. My biggest concerns are around schooling/having a place that works for DD, the higher cost of travel home, and financial stuff (more retirement and tax stuff with the US vs. COL).

But I just 'feel' better there, like it's a better fit. I love being able to take the train to so many places, in the UK and to continental Europe. I love cheap flights to fascinating locations and the proximity to so many languages and cultures. There is no other place like it. And I love the prospect of giving DD EU or UK citizenship. That opens so many doors in an increasingly connected world, potentially could lower the cost of higher ed for her, etc.

It might be different if we lived elsewhere in the US, but basically the only other viable option is NYC. That would be great for me career-wise and I have a million friends there, but it would be really tough in other ways, plus DH is not really on board. His company has smaller offices in other places but nothing where he feels like his career could really advance.

Mostly I'm afraid that if we decide based on our hearts, when we get there, it will not be what we expected. There were definitely issues last time that we didn't expect, but we are (fortunately) in a better financial position now...which also means more to lose.

Gah.

[lolo]

I have a call with a UK company this week who are trying to recruit me and my former boss just asked again if I would like to move back, but I think realistically we are more like 1-2 years away, if we decide to go for it. On the other hand, if DH found something sooner, it could be sooner. See how good we are at this planning thing?

[lolo]

UnderProtest, do you mind sharing how much your schooling costs will be then?

[anna7602]

Good luck with getting everything sorted out so that you can make the best decision for all three of you, lolo. And if NYC becomes a real possibility, feel free to PM me!

[UnderProtest]

May 26, 2015 17:57:00 GMT -5 lolo said:

UnderProtest, do you mind sharing how much your schooling costs will be then?

Oh dear.  They screwed up on our bills so it is all messed up.  I think it is about 2000-2200 GBP per term (so 6000-6600) per year.  I'm sure there are cheaper but we are lucky that my husband's company picks up some of the cost.

[UnderProtest]

May 26, 2015 17:57:00 GMT -5 lolo said:

UnderProtest, do you mind sharing how much your schooling costs will be then?

Sorry, double post.

[fbf2006]

The school we're looking into is 4,155 per term (8-6) and 3,050 per term (9-4). So that's 9,150 or 12,465...ouch

[frlcb]

May 27, 2015 11:37:03 GMT -5 jamaicam said:

Re Chicken Pox - you can get vaccinated for chicken pox but it is not provided by the NHS and has to be done privately.

Re Schools - non-private schools vary A LOT by where you live etc. They tend to be better quality outside of London and if you are also looking at Cambridge, then you could look for towns that are communtable to both and where the schools get good reviews.

The chicken pox vaccine isn't strictly true - you can get it through your NHS GP but you have to pay for it. It's around £60 a dose/£120 total.

[lolo]

She's already had her chicken pox (last week, actually) so she is good there. The only thing she doesn't have at this point is hep B.

[lolo]

May 27, 2015 5:12:35 GMT -5 UnderProtest said:

May 26, 2015 17:57:00 GMT -5 lolo said:

UnderProtest, do you mind sharing how much your schooling costs will be then?

Oh dear.  They screwed up on our bills so it is all messed up.  I think it is about 2000-2200 GBP per term (so 6000-6600) per year.  I'm sure there are cheaper but we are lucky that my husband's company picks up some of the cost.

That's useful to know. For one kid, that actually sounds like a steal to me. But then we are in the SF Bay Area currently where daycare is 2k/month or nannies are 3k/month so that is certainly a factor.

I had also looked at tuition for the American School in London and, YIKES. 

[lolo]

May 27, 2015 11:37:03 GMT -5 jamaicam said:

Re Chicken Pox - you can get vaccinated for chicken pox but it is not provided by the NHS and has to be done privately.

Re Schools - non-private schools vary A LOT by where you live etc. They tend to be better quality outside of London and if you are also looking at Cambridge, then you could look for towns that are communtable to both and where the schools get good reviews.

Yes, I know there are some great schools near Cambridge which is why it's on the list. I'm not sure how I feel about being in the UK and not in London though. It negates some of the advantages for me, even though I did love the summer I spent in Cambridge. Something to reflect on. 

I used to work off the rail line to Cambridge, though, and there are some truly nice spots.

[lolo]

May 27, 2015 13:26:40 GMT -5 jamaicam said:

May 27, 2015 13:23:53 GMT -5 lolo said:

Yes, I know there are some great schools near Cambridge which is why it's on the list. I'm not sure how I feel about being in the UK and not in London though. It negates some of the advantages for me, even though I did love the summer I spent in Cambridge. Something to reflect on. 

I used to work off the rail line to Cambridge, though, and there are some truly nice spots.

I am biased - I have lived several places in the UK, all of which are outside of the South (Newcastle, Leeds, Edinburgh, North Yorkshire, Durham) and like these areas lots! I enjoy visiting London but have no desire to live there personally. 

I loved living in London, although it took finding the right flat and area for it to be perfect. But in terms of airport access, ease of travel and that type of thing...I do really love London. 

That said, whenever I visited smaller cities, like York or Leeds, I was super tempted. Right now we live in the burbs about 20 minutes from one city and 45 from the more major city, and...I mean, it's okay. On a day to day basis, it's really fine. But I don't LOVE it, and amenities are still close at hand. We have three major airports within an hour's drive. 

[UnderProtest]

May 27, 2015 13:21:53 GMT -5 lolo said:

May 27, 2015 5:12:35 GMT -5 UnderProtest said:

Oh dear.  They screwed up on our bills so it is all messed up.  I think it is about 2000-2200 GBP per term (so 6000-6600) per year.  I'm sure there are cheaper but we are lucky that my husband's company picks up some of the cost.

That's useful to know. For one kid, that actually sounds like a steal to me. But then we are in the SF Bay Area currently where daycare is 2k/month or nannies are 3k/month so that is certainly a factor.

I had also looked at tuition for the American School in London and, YIKES. 

So this is the tuition for nursery school which is just 4 hours a day.  Sorry, should have clarified it.

[frlcb]

The American school, along with the other American schools in surrey are outrageous!

I understand the London thing, I wouldn't move back to the UK and not live in London. We go to Newcastle all the time to visit family and while I enjoy it I could never live in the north