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Living overseas

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how do you start comparing educational standards between UK and USA?

35 replies

DeliveredByKiki · 30/05/2016 22:10

DH and I have the ongoing conversation about how long we'll stay in the US, when/whether we'll move back to the UK. For many emotional/sentimental/family/familiarity reasons I want the DC to be secondary educated in the UK (they're currently 7 and 4), but we think we might stay in the US to get citizenship to allow freedom of movement and work opportunities for us all (yes very aware of the potential tax implications of this)

DH is not adverse to moving home but at the moment says his only reason would be that I wanted to go and he doesn't see the benefit - he says he isn't dismissing my more emotional reasons for wanting to return and does understand even if he doesn't them himself, so we should also be trying to compare educational advantages, I suppose as that's more a black and white comparison?

But who would you start? I feel league tables only tell you half the story, where do you go to compare the way education is taught, comparison of things like world history, whether a broader but more superficial knowledge base pre university is better or worse....I'm also aware that should the DC want to attend a British University they have to be resident in the UK for 3 years prior to application otherwise they are treated (and charged) as foreign students

Anyone already done this kind of research or has an opinion they'd be willing to share? We're not in a great rush.

FYI we live (and would likely stay) in Los Angeles, we'd be moving back to the SE of England, most likely Brighton or at least vaguely commutable to London

OP posts:
readingrainbow · 01/06/2016 08:08

No doubt there are well educated Americans. It just seems to take a lot longer to get there.

I took both the SATS and ACTS ; high-rise scores but still felt on the back foot for the first year of my A-Levels. It's quite likely my highschool wasn't the best, but I learned how to game the system with multiple choice tests as a student. Writing decent essays, on a regular basis, wasn't how I was taught to regurgitate information.

readingrainbow · 01/06/2016 08:08

*high-ish not high-rise.

prettybird · 01/06/2016 08:31

I do remember American exchange students at St Andrews being most peeved that although they'd completed 1 or 2 years at their US Uni, they were usually put into St Andrews 1st Year Shock

......but a few months in, they'd acknowledge it had been the right level Wink

SenecaFalls · 01/06/2016 12:47

prettybird That was not my experience at Edinburgh. But I suppose it also depends on the US university, the individual student, and the particular course.

prettybird · 01/06/2016 13:07

Probably Seneca - but it was sooooo long ago I can't remember either the schools they were from or what subjects they were doing Blush

I think French was one - I have a vague recollection of some Americans in class with me. I think Maths was another.

SenecaFalls · 01/06/2016 13:40

It was a long time ago for me too, prettybird. And I was doing history, for which I imagine there is quite a bit of variation.

SquinkiesRule · 09/06/2016 19:34

My two oldest went through school K-12 in California. Small rural area and lots of amazing caring teachers. Both did well and oldest went to US Uni. Next one moved to UK after graduation and the local college accepted his High school diploma and SAT scores as A levels for a course he did. Youngest started out in CA went to K-3 and then transferred into a small village school in UK. Now year 6UK and getting ready for high school.
I'm not sure if it's because we were there so long and I got used to it, but I prefer the US schools. Here they are nice and usually friendly but I don't feel involved. Luckily Dd is doing great.
It's 5 of one and 1/2 dozen of the other with schools.

ChipsandGuac · 13/06/2016 03:03

I have friends that went back to the UK when their DS was 15. The school thought he was a math and english genius, he was so far ahead of the UK. However, because of the way the science system works, he failed in physics as he'd never really studied it before.

If you're not staying in the US, I struggle to understand why you would take citizenship for your children but I guess that's not what you're asking!

MyFriendsCallMeOh · 13/06/2016 05:05

IB is becoming more popular where I am in the USA (Texas) and we have several "state" high schools and many private schools offering it. Most colleges will allow IB students to skip straight into their second year of study as its so advanced compared to the high school cert. Those who have saved for college will be able to save a years tuition, or even add in a 12 month masters for the same cost.

I imagine as IB gains in popularity here and in the uk, learning will become more standardized down the years.

Flipflop6 · 23/06/2016 16:24

Anyone have experience or opinion on moving from a US school to the UK to start A Levels (age 16)?!? So the child would not have done GCSE 's as only part way through High School??

My daughter would probably be looking to do English,Art Humanities type A levels... ( unlikely to do straight academic Maths/Sciences).

Currently she is only 12 but we are considering a move to San Jose ... 2 or 4 years duration .. So return to start Year 10 or Year 12.

Background : we did a stint in CA (Santa Barbara that time) 2009-12 but came home due to very sick parents. They have now both passed away... So we are considering returning to CA for another 2-4 year stint. I also have a 7 yo and a 10 yo... But they young enough to swap back before exam age!!

Is this move a bad idea education wise? I feel the kids gained a lot with the previous experience (then only K and G1)

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