You have found an international school you like. The facilities are appealing, the teachers seem attentive, and you hope the move will give your child more opportunities.

Your child may feel excited too—until they hear unfamiliar terms in class, receive a reading task unlike the ones they know, or discover that a Maths topic they expected later is already being taught.

If you are moving your child from a Nigerian curriculum school to a British or American international school within Nigeria, it is natural to worry about whether they will keep up.

A change of school does not erase the skills your child has already built. It does, however, mean you need a clear picture of what the new school teaches, where your child will enter its programme and which skills may need support.

This guide will help you ask the right questions before admission and make a sensible plan for the first term.

Start by Asking What “British” or “American” Means at This School

Those labels tell you something about a school’s direction, but they do not give you its complete teaching plan.

A British international school may use Cambridge programmes, another British curriculum framework, or a combination of approaches. Likewise, ask an American school which standards, textbooks and assessments it uses for your child’s grade.

Do not assume that two schools with the same label teach every topic in the same order. Cambridge, for example, has distinct stages for Primary, Lower Secondary and Upper Secondary, and schools can offer stages separately.

Ask the admissions team:

• Which curriculum or programme will my child follow in each core subject?
• Which year or grade would they enter, and how was that placement decided?
• What topics is that class studying now?
• How will the school check for gaps during the first term?
• Who should I contact if my child finds a subject difficult?

Request a sample timetable and, if available, examples of the classwork your child will be expected to complete.

Treat the Placement Assessment as Useful Information

Some schools assess new pupils before confirming placement. Parents and children may understandably view the assessment as something to pass. It can also show where support is needed.

Ask what the assessment covers and how the school uses the results. If your child finds a section difficult, find out whether the issue is a missing concept, unfamiliar question wording or work they have not yet been taught.

For example, a child may calculate accurately but struggle with multi-step word problems. Another may read fluently but write brief answers to comprehension questions. Those are different starting points.

Avoid teaching your child a collection of answers just for the placement assessment. You need the school to see what they can currently do so that the first-term plan fits them.

Expect Differences in Topic Order and Classroom Language

A child can arrive with strong knowledge and still feel lost when a new teacher uses different words or approaches a familiar idea from another angle.

Your child might recognise the mathematics behind a question but not understand an instruction such as justify your answer. They might know a Science fact but be asked to predict what would happen in a new situation. In English, they might be expected to support an interpretation with details from a passage.

These examples are possibilities, not a rule about every Nigerian or international school. Look at your child’s actual work before deciding what they lack.

Ask the new teacher which classroom terms and routines your child should learn first. A small glossary in their notebook can help. More importantly, encourage your child to ask what an unfamiliar instruction means instead of silently leaving a question blank.

Check Three Foundations Before the Move

You do not need to reteach an entire curriculum over the holiday. Review a few pieces of recent work in these areas.

Mathematics: Can your child explain a method?

Choose a calculation they can do and ask how they know their answer makes sense. Then give them a word problem using the same skill. If they can calculate but cannot decide where to begin, note that for the new teacher.

English: Can your child explain an answer using a text?

Let your child read a short passage. Ask what happened, what they think a character felt, and which words gave them that idea. Listen for the difference between reading words correctly and explaining meaning.

Science: Can your child use an idea?

Ask them to explain a result from a topic they have studied. If they remember a definition but cannot use it to make a prediction or give a reason, that may be a useful first-term priority.

Keep this check gentle. Its purpose is to collect information, not to make your child feel they must already know everything at the new school.

Build a First-Term Support Plan

A child changing schools is learning more than new subject content. They may also be adjusting to new classmates, homework routines and ways of being assessed.

A practical plan has three stages.

Before school starts: Confirm placement, subjects and any recommended preparation. Share your child’s previous school report and ask what the new teacher would find useful.

During the first few weeks: Ask your child to show you work they found easy and work they found confusing. Focus on specific questions, rather than asking only, “How was school?”

Later in the term: Meet or communicate with teachers to discuss patterns. Has your child settled into the class? Are difficulties appearing in one subject or several? Which skill should be addressed first?

If a gap appears, choose one or two priorities. Filling every evening with extra lessons can make an already demanding transition harder.

Support Your Child’s Confidence During the Change

A child who was doing well at their former school may be upset if they suddenly need help. They may interpret an unfamiliar topic as proof that they are no longer “good at Maths” or “good at English.”

Explain the situation plainly:

“You have learned a lot at your old school. This school may teach some things in a different order. We’ll find out what is new and work through it step by step.”

Notice effort and growing independence, not only marks. Praise your child when they ask a clear question, correct a mistake or try a new problem without waiting for the answer.

If they remain withdrawn or anxious, speak with the class teacher. Academic support works better when the child feels comfortable enough to say what they do not understand.

When Might a Private Tutor Help?

A tutor may be helpful before the move if a placement assessment reveals a specific gap. They may also help during the first term if your child repeatedly struggles with a subject despite classroom explanations.

Ask any tutor to review the new school’s actual topics and a sample of your child’s work. The goal should be clear: perhaps learning the prerequisite for a current Maths topic, improving written English explanations, or developing confidence with unfamiliar questions.

Check progress with new questions. Being able to repeat one corrected homework answer does not always mean your child can use the skill independently.

A Checklist for Parents

Before your child changes schools, make sure you can answer these questions:

• What programme does the new school teach in my child’s year or grade?
• How will the school decide their placement?
• Which topics will the class cover at the start of term?
• What does my child already do confidently?
• Where might they need help?
• Who will give me feedback during the first term?
• What small, realistic goal should we review after a few weeks?

You do not need every answer immediately. These questions give you a useful conversation to have with the school.

Support for Children Changing Schools in Nigeria

Glareminds offers one-to-one online academic support for learners following Nigerian, British and American curricula. If your child is moving to an international school in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt or elsewhere in Nigeria, we can review their current work and discuss the skills they may need for the transition.

Book an academic consultation with Glareminds and bring your child’s previous school report, placement feedback or a sample of work if available. We can help you identify a practical starting point.

Book an academic consultation with Glareminds

Frequently Asked Questions

Will my child have to repeat a year when moving to an international school?

Placement depends on the individual school’s policy and your child’s circumstances. Ask how the school evaluates applicants and what support it offers if a child has gaps in certain subjects.

Should my child study the entire British or American curriculum before starting?

No. Find out which year or grade they will join and what the class is studying. Focus on relevant foundations and the specific gaps identified by the school.

How long does it take a child to adjust?

There is no fixed timetable. Check both academic work and how your child feels during the first term. Ask teachers for specific feedback rather than relying on a single test score.

Can online tutoring help with the transition?

It can provide focused time to address gaps using your child’s new schoolwork. Ask the tutor how they will match lessons to the school’s programme and check that your child can apply new skills independently.