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Original poster

HELP - DS gone to school in US and School isn't at all suitable

52 replies

SortCode · 23/08/2021 22:39

Need some urgent advice please from those who have experienced this NO nasty jibes or digs please.

DS is 16 just finished GCSEs here - gone to US on a student F1 visa - school is linked to a junior sport he's doing...sport is the main reason he is going but obviously continuing his education is important as well.

We knew it was an international school and knew he would be ahead in his learning but:

Classes are full of non English speaking students therefore teachers are slow, using visual aids to translate and communicate and pausing all the time - the classes are aimed at these students where English is a 2nd language

Classes are at least 3 years behind where DS is now - we knew he maybe 1 year ahead but they are way behind

Only 3 teachers

He cant be moved up as this is 12th grade so last grade

He is beside himself, absolutely distraught

He spoke to the Head and he said couldn't give him any other work or give him any other classes to his timetable. Said he could transfer his visa to another school couldn't see a problem

I'm so annoyed at 1 the sports club for telling us this would be his school and also we had Zoom calls with the head teacher and we specifically said at what DS predicted grades would be (As and A*s) he knew that he would be above there at the top - why didnt he say this school isnt suitable for him etc.

Im just about to send the host and school co-ordinator at the sports club an email - they need to find a suitable school for DS

Anyone else experienced this???

OP posts:
Geamhradh · 23/08/2021 22:45

Surely it's a school with more than non-native speakers? I have a student on a plane as we speak going over to the US for a year, and several over the years have done their penultimate/lower 6th/year 12 out there and if anything most have found the academic level challenging.
How did you find the school? Through an official organisation like EF?

Original poster
SortCode · 23/08/2021 22:46

Everything has fallen into place he has a lovely host family BUT this has knocked him back - he said he can not stay at that school

OP posts:
Original poster
SortCode · 23/08/2021 22:47

Nope very small school for international students 56 kids in the school only 3 speak English!

Thinking back, when we did an interview with the Head he did say "At least you speak English, it's hard when they dont"

OP posts:

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16 year olds General education
Teflondreams · 23/08/2021 22:51

Why has he gone to the US to pursue sport at 16? Has he be signed for a team or offered an amazing opportunity? It’s not too clear from the post.
Unless he is extremely likely to make this sport his career then he needs to be accessing a good education. However he does have time. He could do this academic year in the US and then return to start his A Levels next year if required.
What are his goals? What’s the aim of him being there? It sounds like switching schools is an option for him so that’s worth looking at.

Original poster
SortCode · 23/08/2021 22:52

Amazing opportunity, signed for a team and yes wants to make a profession out of it and this is the time at 16 to go and develop for the next 2 years.

OP posts:
FlowerArranger · 23/08/2021 22:57

What about transferring to the local community college? He could do courses that challenge him and gain credits for college.

Original poster
SortCode · 23/08/2021 22:59

No sure I dont know anything about the system - Im just documenting it all to his sports club co-ordinator for them to sort

OP posts:
friskybivalves · 23/08/2021 23:03

Are you able to say approx whereabouts in the US your DS is? It might help other MNers make suggestions if they have knowledge of other suitable schools.

friskybivalves · 23/08/2021 23:05

Eg I have some contacts in California and NY.

AcrossthePond55 · 23/08/2021 23:16

Since you say '12th grade' I assume this school is patterned after a regular US high school.

Many high schools (HS) here (Calif) have programmes in cooperation with local community colleges (CC) where students take courses there for HS and CC credit, although your son probably wouldn't care about that as they probably wouldn't transfer to the UK. But they are 'higher level' classes that may be more suitable for him.

I don't know what the minimum age would be to enroll in that type of program (DS1 was 17). Transportation was NOT provided, but DS1 had a license and a car so that wasn't an issue. It was tuition free as it was considered part of his HS curriculum.

I'd speak to the school head and see if they have a programme like that. If not, I'd see about enrolling him in a local high school that does.

OllyBJolly · 23/08/2021 23:18

DD2 went to an international school in North America with few native English speakers. Great experience. Set her apart when it came to job interviews. She has friends all over the world she keeps in touch with.

Educational standards were not as demanding as here but the experience compensated for that (imo as a non expert in education).

ActonSquirrel · 23/08/2021 23:19

A native English speaker does surely not need to be in an international school with those who speak it as a second language.

I'd see about getting him moved to a local high school or bring him home.

MrsSkylerWhite · 23/08/2021 23:20

Didn’t you ask about these things before taking up his place?

Empressofthemundane · 23/08/2021 23:26

Can you tell us what state he is in and what sport he plays?

Original poster
SortCode · 23/08/2021 23:26

Absolutely asked about it all.

Im paying £600 a month also for the school. class today batr 2 student no one could speak or understand English -

It's a dump he said really run down, tables and chair held together with tape.

OP posts:
MindYourLanguage · 23/08/2021 23:27

When we moved the school had no idea how to translate British to American qualifications. I had to map the curriculums for middle school and high school. Consequently both my kids graduated high school at 15, therefore it wouldn't surprise me that the work isn't adequate for him. What about online classes or AP's?

MindYourLanguage · 23/08/2021 23:30

Or as someone else has mentioned dual enrollment. Also his location will be key to everything. I am sure it can be fixed Smile

Original poster
SortCode · 23/08/2021 23:47

Club co-ordinator is looking into 2 schools nearby - Im so annoyed at them though!!! They do have kids from Russia and Czech coming over and I can see how the school would work for them. But they knew DS was 16 finished school in the UK and that his grades were going to be A*s and As across the board - no way was this school ever going to be suitable for him. Awful also to say but he said that alot of the kids looked as if there were there because they were extremely below average in their learning and no where else would accept them

OP posts:
OnlyFlans · 24/08/2021 09:26

Can he transfer to a regular high school or college instead?

Faircastle · 24/08/2021 09:44

With good GCSE results, he has already completed the educational level of US high school. Some A-level material is covered in AP classes and the rest they study in the first year of university.

What is he hoping to do after he is 18? If he wants to go to college in the US, could he enrol in a regular (non-international) high school to take AP classes and start the college application process? If he wants to go to university in the UK, he might be able to study A-levels remotely / online.

OchNoAgain · 24/08/2021 09:50

Hopefully he can get some extra credit classes at a local college, if he can't move? What a nightmare. Do his host family have a teen the same age at a local school?

I have heard of something similar before to be honest, someone I knew growing up was a grade c pupil at our local rough high school in Scotland. She went to America for a year and we were gobsmacked to learn she was getting straight As in all her classes in high school there... Hmm obviously I don't know what else was going on and can't judge an entire school system based on that but I have always remembered it - especially as I'm married to an American with family over there.

PlanDeRaccordement · 24/08/2021 09:55

I’d be tempted to bring him back and try and get him on UK based college for that sport. It sounds to me like the US school had deceptive marketing material/false advertising. Since the academics are bad, the school itself a dump, how confident are you that the sports promises will materialise?

Geamhradh · 24/08/2021 10:06

£600 is also very cheap for the US.
It sounds like you've very much been mis-sold from the offset. Whichever organisation it is, I'd be putting in a complaint, getting a refund and having him moved. Good host families are all over, it won't be a problem finding him a new one as long as you go with a reputable organisation with vetted families etc.
There should also be someone on the ground there responsible for his welfare as an international student in a homestay. Have you spoken to them?

Empressofthemundane · 24/08/2021 10:39

The US is a big place. It would really help to understand which state your son is in; what sort of school he is in, state or private; what sport it is.

Decent students who reach an equivalent age to UK 6th form will be taking quite a lot of AP courses. These are of a national standard and offer dual credit for both high school graduation and the initial years at a US university. Advanced Placement courses are available at both state and private schools.

The route for high performance athletes in US sports, basketball, baseball, football is generally a large state comprehensive which will have the most equipment and the most competitive teams. Then the boys will be scouted during the season and perhaps be invited to combines.

PlanDeRaccordement · 24/08/2021 12:01

The route for high performance athletes in US sports, basketball, baseball, football is generally a large state comprehensive which will have the most equipment and the most competitive teams. Then the boys will be scouted during the season and perhaps be invited to combines.

Just wanted to add that these are usually big high schools in affluent areas because high property values = more school tax = better funded schools so they have the money for both academics and sports. A US high school that has a successful athletics program will not be a run down dump. It would have the best equipment, coaches and best sports infrastructure.