Moving to Bristol with teenagers: advice on school admissions and renting

[mikiconfused]

Moving back to UK, Bristol. 2 kids 15 and 13, worried about school admission. Should we try rent closer to Cotham school or Redland Green or Free school. Contacted all of them, all oversubscribed. Advice??
Thank you

Wow you guys are so helpful. Very grateful to you all.

History will be tricky as almost certainly the topics will be very different.

Agreed, but starting in yr 10 that may not matter? It will be the skills that are key. Then adapting to learn history from a UK PoV rather than US, for sure.

Could maybe pick up Eng lit if able and a keen reader? Includes Shakespeare tho, has he studied that?

Ah, sorry - yes, that would be fine if it's a restart of year 10.

@mikiconfused has he been doing any languages?

No, not very keen reader. Not done any languages either.

History is one of his favourite classes. Covered world history pretty well.
Very strong in maths and science. A+ in all of his classes, loves school. Unlike his sister. She couldn't care less.
After reading everything you all sent we'll most likely to apply at one of the private schools for him and get on the waitlist at couple of schools for our daughter.

You could look at these private schools for your DD. They're both in the Westbury on Trym area of the city. I don't have any recent experience of either though.

Red Maids High School
Badminton School

If you find a school to start year 11, it’s going to be absolute hell. The UK system is very different, the content of the exams are harder and they are not multiple choice like they are in the US. They’ll have covered over half of the syllabus already (after Easter of year 11 it’s just revision - some schools year 11s don’t even come in after Easter as study leave just back in for exams. Others after May half term).
Can you find a US international school for your eldest?

Even things like English can be tricky for students who are moving from one British school to another, due to different exam boards.

Is there any relocation consultant package linked to DH’s new job? They may be able to advise on private schools.

get on the waitlist at couple of schools for our daughter.

Again, there isn’t a waitlist per se if it’s a state school. You make an in year application to the school or schools that interest you and if any accept you, you have to start within a few weeks or lose the place. You can go on waiting lists if not accepted and there may be families that move during the summer to create a year 9 space, but there may not.

Hiya. Maybe try moving somewhere like Almondsbury - the schools there less competitive and there is also the option of them going to school in Thornbury. Almondsbury very close to Filton for Airbus.

Possibly another option, would be to maybe not join for the last year of school (you may be forced into this anyway) and get tutors to help him bridge the gaps. Then he can do his GCSE’s at college(1 year), he can then do A Levels or BTECs for his further education and if he wants to move onto university/ higher education, many children take a gap year so lots will be his age.