England or Scotland for education ?

[Mosman]

I am seriously considering moving back to the UK from Australia and had my kids in great schools that I don't think I'll get places in again.
So I don't have to work I can go anywhere I can get a four bed house to rent for under £1,000 per month.
I'm considering Scotland for the university education which I believe was free and I've heard good things about it.
Any advice or recommendations ?
Thank you

[BirdyBedtime]

Depending on how old your DCs are I wouldn't base your decision on free higher education in Scotland as there are no guarantees what might change if there is a yes vote next year.

Having only experienced the Scottish system I can only say that there does seem to be a trend towards more divergence from the English one - our Curriculum for Excellence is very broad based with much less emphasis on levels. We don't have the early phonic check or so many targets (IMO).

[BirdyBedtime]

In terms of renting a 4-bed for £1000 you could probably do that in most places bar Edinburgh/Aberedeen cities. Certainly in my town (circa 9000 people) it would be possible.

Also Scottish degrees are 4 years compared to 3 in England.

[Mosman]

I have one 13 year old do yes it's a whole off.
Where you generally happy with the standard BB?
Thanks for replying :-)

[prettybird]

I'm very happy with the education ds is getting in a state school in Glasgow. Hillhead and Shawlands both have good reputations - although the rentals around Hillhead (closer to the West End/the University) will be much higher than in Pollokshields/Newlands and you'd probably struggle to get a 4bed for under £1,000/month. Plenty of other good areas in Scotland where you'd get a nice place for £1,000/month.

Think you also need to have lived in Scotland for 3 years to benefit from the free tuition fees - so if your dd is 13, you'd need to be thinking about moving soon. Also, you don't want to leave it until too close to the exams (speaking as someone who went to NZ at 13 and came back 2 years later 6 months before my exams and had to work bloody hard to catch up/cover the curriculum still did well though )

The Curriculum for Excellence changes are causing some angst and different schools/areas are implementing it differently (eg Aberdeenshire, rather than embracing the broad base of education it supposed to demonstrate seem to be using it to cut down choices). The kids in S4 (=GCSE year) this year are the first to do the new qualifications (National 5 - exams - or National 4 - internally moderated). Highers and Advanced Highers (which are our 5th and 6th year exams - although you can go to Uni after 5th year having sat your Highers) haven't changed that much as far as I am aware - although the route to them might have done.

[Mosman]

Thank you that's really helpful.
Any recommendations for areas, I can go anywhere.
Thanks

[prettybird]

Where would you like to go to in Scotland? Give us some ideas and then those that know the areas in the vicinity can comment.

I can only really comment on Glasgow and did a lot of research to be sure I was comfortable with my choice.

I've seen people on here saying Linlithgow is good for schools and reasonably priced.

[Mosman]

I honestly don't know, my mum is from Glasgow and plans to end up back there. I will need a job in a few years time, sales of some sort no doubt.
The kids education is number one priority though

[JockTamsonsBairns]

Perth? Lovely town (city?), great schools, job opportunities, centrally situated so fine for travel to Dundee / Stirling / Edinburgh / St Andrews.

[Mosman]

I'm in Perth Australia right now so that would be funny, I'll look into it, thank you x

[Ge0rgina]

For University, yes, perhaps Scotland is a much better choice! Who knows- tuition fees in England might change (for the better) one day

[BirdyBedtime]

I can only really comment on primary as my DCs are still small. While I am generally happy with the education they are getting, I do feel that we have lost the emphasis on core skills in the move to a broad based education. So my DD who is P4, 8.5, has had very little spelling teaching up to now and her spelling, while phonetically correct, is actually IMO quite poor (and she is in the top group for spelling!). Same with maths - they are only now doing times tables with any real effort which to me is a bit late. But that's possibly just me!