Moving from US to Uk - Year 9 or Year 10?
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Re: Moving from US to Uk - Year 9 or Year 10?
If your child is year/age wise a year 9 pupil you would only be able to appeal for places in year 9 not year 8. It is up to the school if they offer the place in year 9 as to whether they will put her back a year . It is in the school's discretion .
Re: Moving from US to Uk - Year 9 or Year 10?
Thanks Kenyancowgirl. I do agree if she does end up staying in her correct Year then it would be really good for her to at least start now in current Year 9 but realistically it's just not looking likely for us to be there much (if at all) before the end of current school year.
Getting the curriculum is a great idea so we can see where there are any gaps.
Comparing the UK and US system is complicated. I think maybe the short version is that a good US Elementary school is academically on par with a good UK Primary school. In MS/HS the US approach is different for example here we don't drop subjects for the last two years the way we do for A'levels in the UK. So perhaps the education is broader for longer but the flip side is that we are "behind" in that drilling down into a subject that A'levels give so then do 4 years for a bachelor's degree instead of the UK 3 years. I think it's more just different rather than ahead or behind.
Getting the curriculum is a great idea so we can see where there are any gaps.
Comparing the UK and US system is complicated. I think maybe the short version is that a good US Elementary school is academically on par with a good UK Primary school. In MS/HS the US approach is different for example here we don't drop subjects for the last two years the way we do for A'levels in the UK. So perhaps the education is broader for longer but the flip side is that we are "behind" in that drilling down into a subject that A'levels give so then do 4 years for a bachelor's degree instead of the UK 3 years. I think it's more just different rather than ahead or behind.
Last edited by Lizzie on Tue Apr 02, 2019 6:36 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Moving from US to Uk - Year 9 or Year 10?
Thanks Catcool, that makes sense. The school with the current Year 9 space would have been fine with her going back a year but just don't have space in Year 8.
Re: Moving from US to Uk - Year 9 or Year 10?
This is such a hard question for you all.
I think I would aim for the "correct" year by age if it was me.
It's obviously difficult to know what someone else's child is like but my impression from nieces and nephews who recently finished high school in the States (city in the South) comparing them with pupils I know in the UK would be that, whilst they had a certain naivete (possibly due to their location), they were certainly not more immature than their British counterparts. But then my children seem young compared to some of my friends' children (mainly from all girls' indies) and much older than some of our friends' children (mainly from very rural schools).
I think it's quite a tough age to be 18 months older than some of your peers.
I was in the incorrect year from the age of 4 (year above rather than below). Even though I did ok, I really would never recommend my experience to anyone else.
Good luck to your dd. I hope she's happy with her new school regardless of what you decide.
I think I would aim for the "correct" year by age if it was me.
It's obviously difficult to know what someone else's child is like but my impression from nieces and nephews who recently finished high school in the States (city in the South) comparing them with pupils I know in the UK would be that, whilst they had a certain naivete (possibly due to their location), they were certainly not more immature than their British counterparts. But then my children seem young compared to some of my friends' children (mainly from all girls' indies) and much older than some of our friends' children (mainly from very rural schools).
I think it's quite a tough age to be 18 months older than some of your peers.
I was in the incorrect year from the age of 4 (year above rather than below). Even though I did ok, I really would never recommend my experience to anyone else.
Good luck to your dd. I hope she's happy with her new school regardless of what you decide.
Re: Moving from US to Uk - Year 9 or Year 10?
Thanks Loobyloo! It helps to hear other people's perspectives.
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kenyancowgirl
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Re: Moving from US to Uk - Year 9 or Year 10?
I have to agree that I would always aim for the correct year (unless there is a very valid reason not to) - age becomes more apparent in this country as people get into late teens - driving, for example a whole year before everyone else - being able to have a drink in a pub but none of your friends being able to go with you...all those sort of social things may have an impact.
Re: Moving from US to Uk - Year 9 or Year 10?
The other thing I was thinking is - is it worth your putting on this forum which school it is? Other parents might have insight as to how much support individual teachers would give.
I know someone who moved school at the start of year 10, having missed most of year 9 in another school. I know that her teachers appear to see it as their mission to ensure she achieves her potential and they have actively offered lots of opportunities for her to have catch up lessons. Talking to some teachers I know in different schools, their opinion was that they would have been happy to help but would not have offered it but waited to be approached - which is hard when you're new.
I know someone who moved school at the start of year 10, having missed most of year 9 in another school. I know that her teachers appear to see it as their mission to ensure she achieves her potential and they have actively offered lots of opportunities for her to have catch up lessons. Talking to some teachers I know in different schools, their opinion was that they would have been happy to help but would not have offered it but waited to be approached - which is hard when you're new.
Re: Moving from US to Uk - Year 9 or Year 10?
It is interesting to read your experience, loobylou as I had a similar experience but it has been positive all the way. This even provided me with an extra year after A levels to 'obey' my parents who were trying to put me off studying medicine! Ah! the influence of parents! A passion cannot be suppressed! So I started my medical studies after that year during which I followed my parents' desire.loobylou wrote: I was in the incorrect year from the age of 4 (year above rather than below). Even though I did ok, I really would never recommend my experience to anyone else.
imho, this is the best approach to this situation.Lizzie wrote: Getting the curriculum is a great idea so we can see where there are any gaps.
Re: Moving from US to Uk - Year 9 or Year 10?
Thank you everyone, all the replies are much appreciated!
Kenyangirl, yes I agree and if she was switching schools within the US I wouldn't have considered changing her year.
(Oh and over here she'd be driving at 16 but couldn't buy a drink till 21 - not that we have any pubs just bars!)
LoobyLou, that's a great suggestion, they all seem like good schools but it's a real guess as to which would be best for her so it would be good to know what those with children already there think the support would be like.
Ceinwen, reading the curriculum has been encouraging!
Ironically, our ds has to go back a year due to the different cut off dates. Here he is currently in US Grade 6/UK Year 7. I think he would have been fine being in Year 8 in September since, unlike his sister, he would have a year to adjust before choosing his GCSE subjects. However, I think it will work out well for him to "go back a year" because it means all his classmates will be starting new to the school too.
Kenyangirl, yes I agree and if she was switching schools within the US I wouldn't have considered changing her year.
(Oh and over here she'd be driving at 16 but couldn't buy a drink till 21 - not that we have any pubs just bars!)
LoobyLou, that's a great suggestion, they all seem like good schools but it's a real guess as to which would be best for her so it would be good to know what those with children already there think the support would be like.
Ceinwen, reading the curriculum has been encouraging!
Ironically, our ds has to go back a year due to the different cut off dates. Here he is currently in US Grade 6/UK Year 7. I think he would have been fine being in Year 8 in September since, unlike his sister, he would have a year to adjust before choosing his GCSE subjects. However, I think it will work out well for him to "go back a year" because it means all his classmates will be starting new to the school too.
