Expat Confused on English Education System

[Alexsmama]

Hi, I was referred to mumsnet from a different site and I'm still learning my way around mumset, so I hope I am posting in the right place.

Well, I'm not an expat yet, but will be. Here's our situation: I am American and my husband is English. We still live in the US and our son was born in April 2012 (16 months). We are hoping to move to the UK within the next few years and would like to get our son into a good school. The English school system seems very different than the US system. I've tried to research about it on many websites to learn more, but I usually end up feeling more confused. My husband has tried to explain it to me, but he admits he doesn't know all the in's and out's and I'm sure things have changed some in the past 30 years. We'd definetely like to be in the UK by the time our son starts his first year of formal/mandatory/all-day (I'm not sure what word to use!) schooling, so please keep that in mind as you read my questions.

• At what age or school year is school mandatory in the UK?
• Is Reception the first mandatory year?
• Is Reception one year or two years or schooling?
• Since my son was born in April, will he start school in September?
• Will he start school at age 4 or 5? (Assuming a Sept start, will he start at age 4 years 5 months or 5 years 5 months)?
• How do you know what catchment area you live in or how do you know what area a certain catchment encompasses? Is there a website you can go to?
• Are League Tables how you find out if a school is good or not? Is there a website you can go to to search these?
• When do you need to apply for school?
• How do you find out the requirements to apply?
• Do we need to be living in the UK to apply?
• Can we apply from overseas? (Not sure if there are other expats out there that have gone through this)
• Would we have a better chance getting into our school of choice if we lived in the UK vs applying from overseas? Or would our chances be the same?

If there is anything else I may need to know about or tips or anything please let me know. I appreciate it!! Thank you!

pastsell your post was extremely informative, thanks a lot.

This is great info about the English education system (especially in comparison with the US system) but just to reiterate, for anyone who might come across this thread in future for reference, the Scottish education not only has different cut-off dates (March instead of September) , it has greater flexibility (allowing true deferrals for the younger children), plus we have fixed catchments, so you know which school a child will go to (although it is possible to do placing requests).

Absolute agree with what prettybird is saying (having many friends raising children 'north of the border'). Scottish system seems stable, logical and academic achievement isn't 'a bad word', but something to strive for.

Not to get anyone off track - but one does have to wonder why the English government is running about looking for exemplars for educational systems when there's been one next door for decades? brief blurb on PISA results here: www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-11930257

This is way down the road but University system in Scotland is also more like US (4 year degree) as opposed to England/Wales/Northern Ireland 3 year degree with vast majority of courses in your degree subject (= US major).

PastSell, your post was very helpful on understanding what to look for (or avoid) not only in the early years of school, but throughout a child's education. And the US vs UK comparison was also helpful. Many thanks!

We will most likely be moving to the London area and so I wanted to spend some time doing my homework on areas and schools and how everything works before we got really serious about moving as that will drive a big part of where we look for houses (even though it sounds like that isn't a guarantee, especially in London!). I know I have a lot to learn, but thanks to everyone's responses and links to resources I don't feel quite as overwhelmed as I did before. I'm sure there will be many more questions as we go along! Thanks again!