American School versus International School options in London

[cityangel]

does anyone have any experience of trying to find a school with a curriculum for a pre-schooler/ primary school child to enable to to best go back into mainstream US education in New York?

Is the American School in St Johns Wood the only option or are international/ UK mainstream schools a good alternative?

Looking for a friend who doesn't know when/if returning to the US but wants to keep options open.

Bear in mind that any child who has started at the standard age in the UK will be a year younger than US children at the same stage. Ie they will start to learn to read at 4/5 vs 5/6 in US kindergarten. Other than that, I can't think what the problems would be with simply going to the local UK state school. There's also STASIS in Egham if they want to live outside London.

International schools are fine for moving back to the US system. They tend to match the US grade/age - ie a year behind the UK. The IB Primary Years Program and Middle Years Program is US-friendly. The ACS schools are pretty good (Cobham, Egham and Hillingdon).

I think a child educated from the UK system moving to the US will get a huge culture shock. My DS1 moved when he was in 3rd Grade and had a pretty hard time with the teachng styles, homework, and grading. Socially he was fine, though, and he made the transition back to the UK very well four years later.

Your friend needs to think about what she wants from her international experience. Does she want to recreate America in her little zone, or does she want to broaden the experience of her whole family?

Personally, I wasn't impressed with the elementary school system when we were in the US (and we were in a top school district). I would go for the British system any time. If your friend can afford an international school, she can afford any school in London - I would recommend a nice pre-prep/prep, where her little one can have a broad holistic education instead of being bored senseless with endless numeracy and literacy lessons.

I thought the American School was too expensive when there are many other options in London
Not sure how much pupil turnover they have either

I'm not sure how hard reintegration is in the primary years, I would only worry for secondary

Garden House School in Chelsea is owned by a lady who also owns preschools in NYC

thank you for the advice I have forwarded it to my friend all very useful

I am American. My kids go to a state (church) school in West London. It seems comparable to the state elementary school I went to as a kid in the burbs of Chicago.

The biggest difference I have found here is getting into the bloody school. There is a wide range of quality in the state school system here and getting into a good one is fiercely competitive. Whereas in the burbs of Chicago, you just went to the one in whose area you lived. If your fried was by any chance in a sorority, tell her it's like Rush -- right down to the risk of being cross cut.

Out of curiosity scienceteacher, what is different about the homework, teaching styles, and grading?