Moving to Scotland

[TravellingRob]

Hello all,

I'm moving with the family from overseas to Scotland. I can push to move this summer (less good), or next. If I move this year, my son will join S1, otherwise S2.

I don't understand the Scottish education system in detail, but the key qualifications seem to be the Nat5s and Highers.

Academically, it doesn't look like he'll be disadvantaged if he moves into S2. P2 seems to be still offering a "broad general education". So I presume he could pick his subjects for Nat5s in S3?

All thoughts welcome!

S1 and S2 are broad curriculum so they do all the core subjects, joining in S2 wouldn't affect his attainment :)

Thanks EvilOnion. I of course meant to refer to S1 and S2 - ignore that reference to P2!

If schools are following CfE as it was intended, the BGE runs to the end of S3 and young people choose subjects at the end of that year to take to qualification level (S4, the beginning of the Senior Phase). Some schools give pupils the opportunity to make ‘mini’ choices going into S3 to help the young people start to focus in on their interests.

In our school, they pick a set of subjects for s3 then drop a couple more at the end of S3, leaving them studying their final Nat5 choices in S4. However, at the other high school in town, they choose their Nat5 subjects for s3 and then don’t change after that. There are positives and negatives for each approach so just be aware that different schools can take a slightly different approach in S3.

Thanks Ohdeariedear. So he would choose his subjects at the end of S2 (in your school), might adjust them in S3, and then study that selection in S4. Is that right? But he'd still have S2 to think about his choices?

My daughter is in s2 and they've just made their choices last month.

It seems to really vary between schools - as a pp said, at our school he studied loads at s1/2, narrowed down his choices a little in S3, then made N5 selections in S4.

The S3 options included things like studying physics, biology and chemistry as separate subjects for the first time, instead of generic 'science'. Same with ' social subjects' which then split into history, geography and modern studies.

From looking at my nephew in England, the curriculum is quite different. But S1 was a bit of a doddle and seems to focus on settling rather than learning (that could be our school rather than every school though).

I don't think he'd be at a disadvantage in missing S1 but I'd definitely try to get him here for S2.

It is confusing.

Mine is just about to move into S4.

He made choices to narrow block subjects - individual science (physics/biology/chemistry) and social studies (history/geography/modern studies) - and added Business Management for S3.

Now he's chosen subjects that suit his interests for Nat5 with grade predictions input from teachers.

OP, the BGE (broad, general education) runs through 5 levels of progression: Early, 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th. These are roughly:
Early = nursery/P1
1st = P2-P4
2nd = P5-P7/S1
3rd = S1-S2
4th = some S2, majority S3
Children and young people are entitled to a broad, general education covering the 8 curriculum areas up to the end of S3.

Senior Phase covers S4-S6, young people then work guided by the SCQF (the Scottish Qualification framework) which caps at N7 in a high school, people know this better as Advanced Higher level and is generally undertaken in S6. Not all young people study to Higher (N6) level or Advanced Higher (N7) level, there are a range of levels from N1-N7. The N5s you mentioned as most closely aligned with GCSEs.

@TravellingRob moving at start of S1 or S2 will both be fine academically, no disadvantage as they haven't chosen their subjects yet for exam years.

In Scotland most children go to their local catchment school however you cannot apply for a place until you have proof of an address. In some popular areas (I'm in Edinburgh) the schools can be heavily oversubscribed though. You can also apply for school out with your catchment if they have spaces available.

Thanks everyone for this advice. You've saved me hours of searching on the internet, and worrying that I've gotten things wrong.