Switching between English and US education systems

[snowrevolution]

DC currently in an international school which follows the English curriculum. We're contemplating a move to a country where the only feasible international school option is an American School.

The school looks excellent. But I would love to hear from anyone who has made the switch between English / US education systems (or vice versa).

If we make this move, we would be there for the equivalent of Year 7 - 11 for our eldest (ie what would otherwise be his GCSE years). Following a subsequent move, we would either have the option of him continuing in the US system (ie coming out with a High School Diploma) or switching to A Levels (without the benefit of having done GCSEs first) or IB. He would almost certainly be aspiring to a place at a UK university at the end of all this.

Would love to hear from anyone from a UK background who has used the US education system for their children. And anyone who has any experience on switching between the two systems.

I was going to say is IB a possibility?

International schools are pretty good at teaching kids from different educational backgrounds - it's nothing unusual to them. If the US middle school is a rural public school, it may be harder, as its not something you see as often.

If this doesn't get many responses, try reposting in "Living abroad" you may find people who have done similar. I know a family who have done Scottish, US, English, and are just about to go back to a US system. They are not concerned.

My kids are at a school that has duel US and English streams. The kids do learn stuff in a different order, and by middle school, the head start the English have by starting earlier seems to have disappeared.

IB is probably going to be the easiest. We switched for U.K. to US, but it was during primary years. A friend had their son in the US system and then moved to the U.K. and back to the US during the GCSE years and he did US then IB in the U.K. and then his final year of IB in the US. He is now in university in the U.K. and had no issues doing so.

Really interesting - thank you Sunshine and Gotakeahike .

Good to hear that switching systems can work OK. Really don't want to disadvantage the DC by doing this, especially in the run up to university entrance.

The country we're looking at would offer amazing opportunities for us all. Only hesitation has been around schooling and what, for us, is an unfamiliar system.

Be aware he may well be charged overseas fees at university.

I haven't done it personally but when I lived abroad I taught many international students including American. They had all opted for the IB system - it was a European country and the international schools offered A-level and IB (they were applying to both UK and US universities) and were managing fine. It will depend somewhat on what subjects you think DC might be interested in continuing post 16

I also would post on living abroad - you'll get a much better range of replies.

The english system is more different to the US system than, say, the Irish system. You specialise earlier in the UK whereas in the US all high schools - even private ones and even private ones abroad that want US accreditation - have to meet requirements for high school graduation (age 14-18) that include (generally) sciences, foreign language, english, math etc.

Dd is just finishing in a private US high school that does not offer the IB and several of her classmates have received offers from very good UK universities so the US system even by itself does not preclude going into a good UK university as an undergrad. I imagine in an international school there will be even more support for that. f the international school is US focused and good, your child may want to look also at US universities when the time comes.

Worth noting for further down the road, that the American School in Cobham offer boarding. They pick up a number of internationals from a range of schools across Europe for IB at sixth form, either because the other schools are small or less academic, or because they don't offer the sports and other opportunities that hep with US applications. They obviously send plenty to UK Universities as well.

My niece switched between the 2 3 times. Started in the UK system, moved to American for Y6-11 then back to the UK for A levels. The last jump was not a great success and she really struggled, despite being bright and hard working. I wouldn't recommend it. Maybe better to stick to one curriculum for secondary.