Moving back to the UK next year with 6 year old

[notmydog]

We are planning to move back to the UK sometime next year (in South Africa at the moment). My dd has turned 6 in March, she'll be 7 in March 2012. Am I correct in thinking that she will go into Yr 2 if we move in the first half of the year and Yr 3 in the Autumn? I am fairly stressed to put it mildly. From what I've read on here I'm really worried that we won't find a place for her. At the moment it looks like we'll be moving to Bromley, but this may change.

My question is this: What can I do at home to prepare her for English schools? She is a very bright little girl. However, the curriculum here in South Africa is about 18 months behind the UK. She is only in Reception now, next year January she will move to Grade One, when they will start with reading, writing etc. My dd is very ready for school. She has taught herself to read when she was 5. She reads very well and with understanding and does so in English and Afrikaans, which is our home language. They haven't really done any 'writing' yet, but dd is keen and I am practicing with her. I can't help worrying that this will be a huge jump for her. She will basically miss out on the whole of Year One and a big chunk of Year 2 as well. What can I do from my side to catch up with her? Any suggestions and advice will be gratefully accepted! I?m so worried about her. I know this is the right move for us and for her, but I?m so scared that she would find it difficult to adjust.

[LIZS]

Yes she 'd start in Year 2 in March. If you google Key Stage 1 it iwll rbignup related stuff to that age group. BBC website and Woodlands Junior have activities to help. If reading is already ok then hopefully writing should n't be too much of an issue. Concentrate on basic creative wiritng - short stories and poems, using adjectives and adverbs - and punctuation including speech. When ds moved back at year 3 the key thing was that he could read.

[wheresthepimms]

she will be fine, we moved back a year ago with DCs in yr5,4 and 2 the older 2 caught up quickly and the younger one struggled to begin with then had a mad spurt just before his SAT tests and got level 3s in all of them bar writing, he is a boy and I think he just took a while to adjust. We came from the states and he couldn't get his head around not singing the national anthem every morning etc etc. The cultural shock is what I would be concerned with, my DS went from a class of 12 to a class of 30 and that was what he found hard. Practice her number bonds for maths Lizs has done the majority of the literature things. The only other thing I would say is make sure she is OK with the changes in her life by talking about what she can expect from a UK school etc. If she is ready to learn she should do just fine.

As for moving as soon as you have an address and date get your application in for school, the earlier the better at least you can then sit on the waiting list for your preferred school

Good luck with moving :)