Moving from Scotland to England for A-Levels – Advice Needed

[HappyDream]

Hello,
We’re currently based in Scotland, and my daughter attends a private school that follows the English curriculum so she can sit her GCSEs. She’s in S3 now (equivalent to Year 10 in England) and due to take her GCSEs in S4 (equivalent to Year 11) in May 2026. After that, the school will shift focus to the Scottish Highers.
However, my daughter would prefer to continue with A-Levels and is hoping to move back down south (we originally moved to Scotland six years ago). Her goal is to study Law at a university in England, so we’re exploring the best path for her.
We’d really appreciate some advice on the following:

1. Would it be possible for her to apply to an English grammar school for sixth form based on her GCSE results? If so, what would the process look like and when should we start preparing?
2. If she stays in Scotland and completes Highers instead of A-Levels, would that put her at a disadvantage when applying to universities in England for Law?

Any guidance or personal experiences would be so helpful. Thank you in advance!

Just clarifying whether you mean a state grammar school (free) or a private fee-paying school which might just have Grammar as part of its name?

I'm sure you are aware that there a very few state grammars still existing - and only in specific parts of England.

Joining any school at 6th form can be challenging, as they tend to prioritise existing students staying on, so there may be limited places for new applicants.

Assuming you are moving back too and not looking for her to board, approximately where will you be?

All universities will be familiar with Scottish qualifications!

Thansk Seeline for your response, sorry we mean to say Free Grammar schools

Thanks SheilaFentiman for your response,

Yes we are also concerned about prioritisation and limited places. We are also moving back as will still have our prpert there, we will be moving back to Reading.

Exeter University, to pick one at random

The University recognises both Highers and Advanced Highers and, depending on grades achieved/predicted, applicants can be accepted with either of these qualifications or in combination.
Further information about our typical offers for these qualification are published via UCAS. You can find the general grade equivalence on the table of UK equivalencies for qualifications (2021).

If you are moving to Reading and hoping for a state grammar school, looks as tho there is only one for girls – Kendrick School – so may be best for you to contact the school directly.

As others say, a popular school may prioritise current KS4 pupils if competition for places in sixth form is high (caveat: it may not be at this school, I don’t know it).

Does it have to be a grammar school?

Kendrick is one of the highest performing state schools in the country. Very competitive. She may get a place but I wouldn't plan my life around her getting in. If you do move to Reading you need a back up.

Highers are worth less UCAS points but you could do Advanced highers in S6 to make up the shortfall.

Worth less UCAS points individually but typically kids sit more highers than A levels, usually 5 in fifth year, so arguably a more rounded education. Uni's will typically look for 5 Highers as standard. If staying on to 6th year kids can take Advanced Highers which are equivalent to first year of Uni syllabus. Often with a couple of hobby subjects thrown in if they've already attained what they need for Uni. Sixth year is usually either a bit of pressure to make up UCAS points or an easy year depending on how 5th year has gone..
Of course English Uni's will accept Highers, bizarre that you think they wouldn't tbh.

Thank you @SheilaFentiman , will go through through qualifications.

Thanks @clary mainly aiming for Grammar school. other alternative is Private again but tution fees are a bit high compared to what we pay here in Scotland and since we are planning to move we need to consider our budget for moving as well.

I wouldn’t get too hung up on Grammar at that age. A good sixth form or even better a Sixth form college can produce just as good A’levels and for the colleges they are almost always large enough to have “aim higher” groups for those high achievers. And I know there are comprehensives near Reading which send regular groups to Oxbridge for example.
probably an advantage of the Grammars there being super selective - lots of good students left in the rest of the system

Agree with this. Whatever you think about grammar schools in general (and there is a range of views), for sixth form, grammar school or private even is not really needed if a student is motivated and able. I know a number of people who moved from private to state comp or sixth form college post GCSEs, and not just to save the fees (not to gain an lower offer either as unis are wise to that) – they just felt the school or college was better.

There is a very good sixth-form college local to me that sends lots of students to top destinations and offers a huge range of subjects too. And my DC had an excellent sixth form experience at their state comp. In DS2's words, all the people who disrupted lessons had left. (well he put it a bit differently!)

Thank you @clary @MollyButton this has made us really thinking now, as we weren't even thinkning (tbh didn;t know) of just looking for sixth form college after GCSE. Any good recomendations for good colleges in Reading (We will be moving to Lower Earley) and what would be the entry criteria.

I agree with pp you don't need to target a grammar to achieve a good set of academically able classmates. Most schools won't let a pupil start an A-Level course if they didn't get a grade 6 in that subject or a related one at GCSE. They may offer vocational and BTech courses for pupils who don't reach the standard for the A Level course but the presence of those classes within the same school won't affect your daughter. The benefit of grammar is mainly in y7-y9 as there are none of the pupils who are going to struggle to achieve 5 GCSEs at grade 4 in the mixed-ability non-setted classes

I've heard good things about Maiden Erlegh. Has been rated the top school outside of the grammers

You could also consider Holt school in Wokingham as a back up.

Also with sixth form- I believe catchment area is not an issue. So you could look for grammar schools out of the Reading/Wokingham that you have good transport links to. I am thinking Buckinghamshire/Slough.