to move to UK with DD just turning 16 - can she slot into school?

[Ceci03]

So my housing situation here in Dublin is horrific. I might have a job in the UK and much better choice of housing. DD is turning 16 in September though. How would she slot into school... I know she would be in GCSE year. Would a school even take her. She's bright.

There was a similar post on here recently where the LA was forcing the child to drop down to year 10 rather than going straight into year 11, so that might work

Head to NI? They’ll have more experience of the transfer for kids from the south, the schools are generally MUCH better than England and they aren’t as oversubscribed. She has a good chance of a good school in derry or Belfast.

All those saying OPs DD needs GCSEs- clearly people educated abroad don’t have GCSEs so it can’t be that much of a problem can it? HR depts aren’t going to be able to understand the equivalent in every country.

@isthatapugunicorn that’s a really good idea

It is certainly possible to move straight to A level without GCSEs if you are moving from a different school system, my niece did exactly that. The new school accepted her based on her high school transcripts.

Not necessarily BU depending on whether the reasons outweigh the disruption to her. Is she settled with friends? How much might a school switch set progress back while she struggles to work out a different way of doing things?

I moved schools and countries a year or two before that and it was utterly rubbish from a social perspective. Plus my new school was not as good (for my subjects) as my last.

A school will take her IF they have a place in the correct year group. However, this is less likely to be a 'good' school. It will be an under subscribed one.

She may be able to do some subjects in one year but it would depend on their timetabling, and it would be a no no for some core subjects especially, unless she has the equivalent experience and knowledge of those finishing year 10 in her chosen school.

A college system may work better for her, with a reduced number of subjects - focusing on core subjects such as English Lit and Maths, and subjects she may want to study at higher level.

Most places, be it school or college, will be reluctant to admit her straight into A levels a year early unless she can prove she has GCSE level qualifications in those subjects and at the right grades. Even then some may say no until the year she turns 17y.

Many schools and colleges no have a year 14, so an extra year at school than the current norm. So even if she did go into Year 10, and drop down a year, she wouldn't be on her own doing A levels at 18-19y.

Thanks very much for all the advice. She was actually homeschooled last year due to bullying and depression and self-harming. She started maths & English GCSE's so the best thing might be for her to continue with that. I'm just worried she will become very isolated if she's not in a formal school or college. She wants to go. She doesn't have many friends here, secondary has been a bit of a disaster. Although she does have a place in a 'nice' school in September. But if we are living in a homeless hub or B&B that will be pretty awful for her too. I looked at NI but coulndt get a job there.

I’d keep looking at the job situ in NI, I know educators in Eng/Wales and NI and the smaller classes, and system in NI really does mean standards are high and living area/catchment doesn’t exist there the way it does for Eng/Wales

Which employment do you work in? Might be able to give you some job hunting tips...

My brother SIL moved from Ireland a couple years ago when their daughter was starting year 11, she did well in her GCSE's just had to put in a lot of hard work to catch up but I would say it's possible.

I don't think your DD would be able to skip onto A levels unless she has enough GCSE or something equivalent to that. She may end up doing a low level course whilst getting her maths and english

If she’s very bright, she might get a place in a state grammar school (if it’s in a grammar area e.g, Trafford.

Look into getting her a place at a college rather than a school. Many have provision for 14-16 year olds, and they're much more likely to accept her and let her start her GCSEs from year 10.
Where I am, it can be really difficult to get a place in year 10 or 11. Although if a school has places they are technically supposed to say yes, many will say it's too disruptive/courses don't fit so will turn you down

If you possibly can wait until they have finished their GCSEs. It's very hard to change mid way through. Even if they're the same subjects different exam boards do different specification, some will also have coursework which will already be submitted by now. There is a huge risk of failing GCSE

I moved from Dublin to the UK when I was 14 (Year 10, first year of GCSE's). I would say its possible to slot into school but hard work. I found that I was a lot further behind than I'd expected and my family ended up having to pay for me to have a private tutor for the 2 years of GCSE's, after school most days. I think the standards at GCSE are noticeably higher than junior cert and if she has the opportunity to start in Year 10 rather than 11 I would say take it!

Ah ok - a fresh start might be just the thing from the personal perspective then.

Can’t offer any advice on Dublin to England school. But here in wales at my daughters school a girl joined last year of gcse from Africa. She had an interview at the school and since it was a church school, catholic, the priest from her church offered a recommendation.
Could you look into a church school, sorry if that steps on your beliefs, but things in the uk are not as they are in Ireland as religion, and smaller schools of faith can offer better education and are often easier to get into as the LSA doesn’t have as much say, since most of the funding comes from the church and parents!
Not sure if that’s of any help to you personally, but might be worth googling it?

Another thought!
Why not post the area you are considering: then I’m sure someone on here could give you much better help/advice.
Good luck

Oh and you said UK - but which Country did you mean as Scotland has a totally different system, and even Wales has quite a few differences to England.

thanks everyone. the college idea seems good especially given her bad experience at school. going to Birmingham tomorrow for 2 job interviews. have a good feeling but if you're reading this send me good vibes, I need all the luck I can get! TIA

Birmingham has the King Edwards Foundation. I think it has about 4 or 5 state grammar schools. If you get the job there, contact these schools to see if they have space.

Birmingham has a lot of schools and colleges, quite a few are quite good. There is also support for Home Ed young people, including a 14-16 programme at Bourneville College. And there are a number of Sixth Form colleges, including the one in Solihull.
Good luck!

OP Im feeling for you. It must be hugely stressful. I’m so sorry you are going through all of this.
Is somewhere outside of Dublin workable? Somewhere that doesn’t require uprooting yourselves to the U.K.? Just before Brexit? Bear in mind also the residency requirements if your DD wants to go to university and how these will impact on fees

Boscoismyspiritanimal Ireland and the U.K. have a completely separate reciprocal agreement in place outside of the EU to treat each other’s citizens equally so Brexit won’t be a factor...

Good luck for your interviews!