"age appropriate" or "grade appropriate" placement of overseas students in the UK

[sesseda]

Hi, my daugther's dob is 01/07/2008 and going to attend Year1 this September in Turkey. We might move back to UK due to husband's business and she might need to continue her primary education in London next September. If this becomes the case, she will need to start from Year3 based on her dob; but this one year gap in her education might be too big to close especially considering her English being second language. So, I am wondering whether I have the right to demand "grade appropriate" placement for her in the UK? And do I need to contact the schools directly to check whether they have any places available for Year 2 etc? Or do I need to apply to council directly by filling in a "in-year admission" form? Apart from that procedural stuff, what can I do for my daugther so she can have a smooth transition? I would appreciate any advice and recommendation. Many thanks.

No you carnt. Well you can try but you wont be successfull. Children are only placed out of year if they have severe disabilitys/special needs like severe autism/have a statement of special educational needs. even many of these cases are not granted out of year education.

We did this and worked ok. No choice of year, v strict here, purely on date of birth. We prepared a little so worked on languages (couple of amazon books for key stage 1&2) and otherwise supported her in her new school. She went from having only started school overseas age 6 to being top of her class in outstanding school here in a term so no problems catching up, they're like sponges at this age! Good luck. Oh and yes, apply to authority and schools and jump if you get offered a good school.

What were these specific circumstances - if it's not very private?

If you are going for a State school they will not place out of year (unless there is a reason because of severe SEN).

However lots of pupils come to the UK, often without any English, and settle fine. Some of the best students I have known have come from other countries, "missed" out on a year or more of schooling, and often had very little English (if any) when they arrived.

You will need to apply via the LA, who have to find you a school place, although this may not be at the school of your choice. The best you can do to help her transition smoothly is to if possible visit the school before she starts, and if possible get to know a few people (playgrounds/holiday clubs can help). But if you are moving to London or the SE I would think most schools are quite used to transitioning in new pupils.

If her date if birth is 1st July 2008 then she would go into year 2 in September in England.

It is occasionally done. I know a family who moved to UK when one of their children had not yet started school in home country but would have been in year 1 in UK. He started in year R at a small british state primary school. He remained in that group all through primary. He has now started secondary , still technically a year too old. He will probably skip a year before starting GCSE work.

I think before worrying about it, check out what the children in the year group are expected to do.....I noticed that what my daughter here in Italy was doing in Italian Y1 primary, children in the UK would be doing in Y3. (because they start later here, so all the reading/writing basics are covered by nursery, and it's straight into "proper" schoolwork in Y1) Maybe Turkey is the same, so joining a UK year "higher up" than where you'd expect her to be wouldn't be a problem (IYSWIM?)

Depending on where you move to, many schools will be very used to this and be able to give your daughter plenty of targeted help to catch up. In DD's school, they have children joining Y1 or Y2 every year with very little previous formal schooling and they do just fine (SW London). If you are moving to somewhere rural, it may be a bigger issue but I imagine most state schools in larger towns and cities will be very clued up on this issue.

What about looking into a smaller school with mixed year groups - plenty of these around and she would be with both age and grade level chidren?

She will go into the appropriate age group, otherwise at the other end of her education, at 18, she may run out of free education before she finishes her course!