Relocating back to the UK

[GreenYellowTurtle]

Hi, I'm moving back to the UK on my own with two children, aged 12 and 14, after 12 years of expat living. My budget is around £300,000, for a 3 bed house or flat, but I am free to move anywhere. Although my family all live in the south and near to London. Ideally I am looking for a town in the countryside sort of life (but my kids want shops!) but that also has good secondary schools for my kids. The biggest issue I have is my son who is due to start GCSEs, in September but has only been homeschooling, and may need some help catching up. He was diagnosed with dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, hyper mobility, ADHD and sensory disorder. He's not autistic but just needs extra time, blue paper for exams, typing on computer instead of writing etc. Does anyone have any advice or can recommend good secondary schools where they are flexible or can provide more support for kids? Or a nice place for families where we can make new friends. Thanks x

Some Further Education colleges offer a 14-16 programme which might include practical subjects such as visual arts but they tend to be for those who struggle with traditional education and behaviour and not necessarily high level of attainment. Pupils often attend a local school for core timetable too.

Thanks for yoru response. I noticed that some schools have different core subjects, and others offer EBAC curriculum. For example some schools state they have to do English Lang and English Lit, whereas others say only English Lang. Others say that they have to do Geography, History or languages, and others say not. It is mandatory for that particular school. So the curriculum is the same but the subjects vary in each school - that was all I meant

Thank you for your response. I saw that some agricultural colleges offer art and design at NVQ but he would then need to do the other classes as homeschool. I am considering that option but he has said he would like to go to school now, so I am looking at both

Have you considered Northern Ireland. House prices are much lower and they have very good eduction.

All will take English Language , English Lit, Maths, Science as a minimum. ebacc is not a formal requirement and has become outdated but some use it to structure their timetable for options - ie. Choose a mfl. humanity, practical subject in addition. 8/9 gcse/btec is the norm.

I think that you should try to define a general area, based on what housing your budget will buy. Then look in detail at specific schools - there's no point moving to be near a particular school if they have no spaces!
The Council only have an obligation to give the DC 'an education', not 'the education/school that I/they would like'.

homeschooled

Thanks. It's a bit too far away from my family, so think I'll stick with UK. I think I shall look further up North, based on these messages. Thank you :)

So in England in mainstream schools there are compulsory GCSEs and then choices

Compulsory:
English literature and language
Maths
Double Science (this is all three sciences but gets you two GCSEs)

Schools then impose their own requirements - a school may make another GCSE compulsory (often RE in a religious school) or insist on an MFL (modern foreign language).
Most schools can't offer completely free choice for timetabling reasons.

If a student is of exceptionally low ability in some cases they do not necessarily need to sit the GCSEs but they will study the subjects.

At 14, legally he has to do another 2 years of school. He will take his GCSEs in the May/June. Depending on his birthday, he will either take his GCSEs at 16 having turned 16 between September and the exams, or aged 15, being about to turn 16 between the exams and the 31st of August the same year.

Until after his exams you cannot consider a college, he must be in school. Unless he is to be part of an early college transfer program because it has been recognised by the local authority that he is unable to continue at school and needs to have other provision.

In terms of subjects - they NEED to do English Language, Maths and Science. Typically a school will expect him to do 8-10 GCSEs,

• Maths
• Science (which is often either a double award, or 3 GCSE in Biology, Chemistry and Physics)
• English (often a double award - Literature/Language)

All schools will offer these 3 subjects and some form of each will be compulsory. Then there will be choices for another 3-7 subjects. Within each school exactly what is offered will vary outside this, and some other subjects may be compulsory at that school even if they aren't compulsory at country level.

Often there will be blocks of subjects with the same banner heading, and each student will have to chose something from each block. Often they won't be able to timetable students doing more than one subject from the same block. Blocks are typically

• Humanities (either combined or History, Sociology, Geography)
• Modern Foreign Languages
• Art (maybe, painting & Drawing, photography, Dance, Drama)
• Design Technology (woodwork, childcare, food technology)

This is partly to give each pupil a rounded, varied education and partly because the school has to teach some subjects at the same time! The timetables would be impossible if they had to allow for every combination.

Others have explained it well about the subjects at GCSE @GreenYellowTurtle tho Eng lit and Eng lang are separate GCSEs, not a double award. All schools require both of those plus maths and science, science being either two or three GCSEs.

I agree some schools still insist on one humanity and one MFL, but others do not - it's not ideal if they do IMHO but it does at least mean a balance of subjects.

But overall he would expect to be able to sit GCSEs in:
Maths
Eng lang
Eng lit
Science x 2 or 3
History or geography
MFL perhaps if appropriate (has he been learning one? if not schools will probably not expect him to take this from scratch)
1, 2 or 3 more subjects. Usual total of GCSEs is 8-9-10
These could be art, technology such as food or textiles or DT, drama, RE, computer science, another humanity. Bc of his dyslexia and other SEN, plus arriving here in year 9/10, school may be able to offer a reduced curriculum where he sits maybe 6-7 GCSEs - so the top 5 compulsories and then a couple more of his choosing. I wouldn't worry too much about subjects and the Ebacc.

I would honestly agree with a PP - find a suitable area (even if quite broad) and establish if a school that would appeal in that area has space. How quickly can you move here?

If you can narrow down the area MN-ers will for sure have school suggestions. Trouble is that good schools may well not have space - the council is not obliged to pffer a space at xyz school, just at a school.

Thank you that's hugely helpful. So, Ive been looking at areas, and I think maybe Buxton might be good as its got quite a good Art thing going one, which would be great for my son. Also Wellingborough seems to have some good schools, but seems a bit more academic than my kids are. They are both creative types really, and my daughter is great at design stuff. It seems I can afford something in these areas. Maybe Evesham too as that seems to have some good schools. I wanted to be closer to my sister and brother but we can always drive down and visit, and it doesn't have to be forever. I feel that prioritising my son's GCSEs is probably the best thing for now. Thanks for your suggestions, its been such a great help x

Thank you so much for your long reply, it's hugely helpful x

I would also point you in the direction of the British Expats Returning to the U.K. Facebook group - unbelievable amount of help and support. We moved back 2 years ago it helped so much having people who’d been through it to help

Honestly lots of schools will have really good art departments. In my fairly average area all the secondary schools within range do. We looked at them all at open evenings.

There is also Saturday art courses at the uni for kids. But noone would have moved to my area "for the art".

I think choising an area to live based on an art department honestly might be misguided.

Where is your sister? which side of London? Where did you grow up/wte familiar with?

There's honestly so many schools in each area that unless going private it makes little sense to be looking at individual schools first.

As well as websites being as good as their PR department rather than anything to do with real life!!

Thank you that's very helpful x

i would really suggest you avoid Lewes in Sussex with a kid who needs extra support in secondary school. I won’t say any more as it would be too outing and I don’t want PMs but seriously, don’t do it!

Your property budget is tight. However I would look up StAlbans in Hertfordshire - I heard it's a pretty town and the schools are very good.

British curriculum as I am British - they had 1:1 support for 4 years with a qualified British teacher so they know maths, English and science well, but have never sat formal tests before.

Do they have a tutor now or are you homeschooling and have been for how long? Any subjects beyond the core ones, do they know the language of wherever you are living, does he have any formal art tuition now?