returning from abroad just before secondary school - is selective an option?

[Zellys]

Heya

DS1 is in year 4, We currently live in Lambeth and were considering a move to be in catchment for a good state school and/or applying to fee-paying selective school - it would be a stretch. Thought Trinity in Croydon (y6 entry), the wandsworth grammars etc.

DH has just heard that we may be moving to Chicago for - you guessed it - around two years. IF this happens we'd be returning as year seven started.

DS's biological father will be remaining in London, in this general area. If DS were to gain a place I would consider him returning to the UK ahead of us and living with his father to attend school here rather than missing the beginning of year 7.

But would this be possible? Could DS sit exams for selective schools if we are living abroad, or would that not be possible? Given the differences in US and UK education should I forget about selective schools (or forget about them until later)?

Presumably a state school would not consider an application from a child who lived abroad, even if he would be back in the UK for the school year.

Is the timing going to make this impossible? I know in-year applications for any school are nightmarish at the best of times.

Fee paying selective would probably be doable - you can get ISEB books to help you prepare for the exams and talk to them now about whether he'd need to sit the exams from abroad or what they'd do.

He could sit a private school like Trinity but bear in mind their exams and interviews take place in early January of year 6 (others may be sooner and state grammar can be the Autumn before)and you may want to find out the format now so he can do some practice. Bonds do 11+ preparation books and sample tests. You need to check with each LA about their residency rules for state 11+ areas, but suspect you wouldn't be eligible.

Got bonds stuff already; his primary school is excellent but it's an excellent state school and I am realistic.

Do you think fee-paying schools would consider? DH's (boarding), school was very international but that's a bit much I think.

Something else I was considering was Hill House - if we return start year 7, might serve DS well to go there for a couple of years? Would lock us in to fee-paying though I suppose (well, unless we found an in-year state place in the interim which I guess is possible).

Certainly doing Year 7 and 8 at a prep school with a view to 13+/Common Entrance entry would be an option. ds had a HE child join his Year 8 speicificlaly for this purpose and it seems ot be becoming a popular route.

Afaik the us education system is up to 2 years )ehind the english one. I wouldnt want to bring a dc back here from there at any stage. He may not progress from where he is now at all.

If i were you id board him while you're away.

Boarding really not on the table, would rather not go. Part of the reason we're looking favourably on the move is so DCs can experience it.

I know US system is behind but there's more to it than that (and I'd be happy to HE UK syllabus). We'd be fine with DS attending a good state school, it's just there aren't any near us at the moment and I am pretty sure that if we arrived at start year 7, even if in catchment for a good state, there'd be a tiny chance of him gaining a place.

Well the notion that the US is behind the UK depends upon the school you choose in Chicago doesn't it? I doubt that, for example, the Chicago school previously attended by the Obama girls is "behind". There will be plenty of other schools in such a city attended by similar children.

The world's educated population is already highly globally mobile. You are not one of a small band of people. London schools are full of the children of expats who have been educated overseas. Call those you are interested in and ask them what their procedures are in your circumstances. The idea that the Common Entrance is the only way to get in is erroneous (and there is quite a bit of discussion among the independent sector at the moment anyway about changing CE due to its inadequacies).

And my children gained entry into "elite" schools (top ten if that floats your boat) after having a peripatetic, overseas education, with no tutoring except a few practice papers in the weeks before, as did many of my friends' children.

These flexible, adaptable and globally aware children are valuable additions to schools. Don't undervalue your child's contribution by losing sight of that and don't limit he experience of the world by assuming that only the Uk has good schools.

Last time I looked, the US had considerably more Universities in the top ten than any other country and rather more Nobel Prize winners than anywhere else!

Well quite. I am hoping the experience will outweigh any "but maybe he could've gotten into X school" issues anyway; I think living abroad will have a more tangible benefit (I went to v academically selective fee-payer and was miserable, for example. XP went to bog-standard comp then oxbridge, DH was a border. So a lot to draw on).

I think it is generally accepted that US education is 'behind' UK education (they even start a year later?), but I am not sure how much that means in real terms given the wide pool for both.

If we were looking at a permanent/longer-term move I'd be far less concerned, but coming back at the start of year 7 seems a tricky time indeed.

Well good luck with your research and decision. I just think that living in London tends to gives us tunnel vision with regard to education, to our and our children's detriment.

Oh totally, especially since I was brought up in a similar tunnel iyswim.

We're thinking about moving to St Ives when we get back (bet we don't, but outside of London is probable), so I'd like to keep some perspective. I hated being hothoused and pressured all the time - though the DC might thrive in that sort of environment, who knows.

placemarking as having a similar dilemma
from talking to people in the US and those who have moved to the US, i think here in London we are very paranoid about school choices. It is such a bun-fight to get into the schools we think are best that we are a bit obsessed with not damaging our chances.

Agree 100% about the bunfight. One of the reasons I was so keen on going abroad was because I was already stressing about exams, state vs stretching for fee-paying, coaching, moving house etc etc. Thought that being in the US for a while would make it easier by removing that stress but it looks like the timing will be perfect for maximising my stress.

Hopefully if it comes off the experience of being abroad will more than compensate for any faffing about schools.

It is really obvious when living overseas in a community which is quite mixed with regard to parents' bacdgrounds. When the "London Mum" joins the class, anxious about future choices and the perceived inadequacies of the overseas school, we nod sympathetically.

Most relax eventually, when they see their child is thriving and find themselves happier. Some are unable to and their child ends up attending several different schools during one posting - poor thing - then leaves for a prep school. They often end up in similar senior schools and certainly end up in similar universities.

You are v lucky, having a chance to go to Chicago. I am envious!

About taking entrance tests for schools while overseas - I know that many private schools are happy to make arrangements for this, and will courier exam papers to you (at your expense, of course...). You'd need to contact individual schools to find out their particular arrangements, and whether they would also need your DS to go to an interview if he got through the exam stage.

State school entrance can't be arranged from overseas unless you have an address in the UK - if your DS would be going to live with his father then that might work out OK.

This is something peripatetic families are faced with a lot.

As your DS1 has a parent with whom he could live during the applications process, then you have the chance of applying to state schools (assuming of course that ExP doesn't move). You'll need to check the Wandsworth website for how it arranges its yr 6 aptitude test (when, whether the child needs to be Uk resident - actual address probably less important in this, unless they use distance to school as a tie break). There should also be info on what type of test which might help you decide if it's a realistic option (try 11+ forums too). If you go for a Wandsworth community place, then DS1 probably should be resident in the borough throughout the application process, which might mean a lengthy separation from you (again the info about entrance criteria will be on the website, and you will need to check it during your absence to make sure you don't miss any changes). What would you do for schooling during the time he in UK during this?

Private schools are far more flexible, and people apply from overseas all the time. You will need to contact each school individually to find out how it determines its admissions. Some London preps which go to 13 find their numbers thin out in yrs 7/8 (as 11+ children leave), so there are places. You might want to start looking round possible schools now, as it would be harder to do this once you've moved.

Hello there,
We have friends that move the States last September, like you for a couple of years. Their youngest would have started Y1 in the UK, so they convinnced the shcoll in the State to place her in the year above the one she would have been for her age in the States. The parents considered that she would lose what she had learned in the Rec year, and they were worried as you are what woudl happened when once they were back in the UK in 2 years time, if their DD would be far behind.
This may be a solution if you are worried about what your son will learn in school.
It's a brilliant oportunity for your DS to be living in another country for a while. That on its own will teach him a lot, may be not academically but as life experience. Good luck!!

Oh my god! apologies for all the typos.