Moving from United States - Year 1 or Year 2?

[usmumhere]

I'm moving to the UK for work, and trying to navigate what level is appropriate for my 5 year old (Oct '19 birthday).

According to her age, she should be in Year 1. According to her abilities, she might be more aligned to the skills of Year 2.

She was moved up a grade (from Transitional Kindergarten to Kindergarten) this year because she was reading, writing, and doing maths far ahead of her peers. She completed this year at the top of her class despite being pushed ahead, and scored above national averages on the standardized tests administered just this past week. I feel awkward advocating for exceptions from the norm, but I do want to ensure she doesn't get too bored or find it frustrating to repeat what she's already mastered.

Is it possible to place a child above their age in primary school? Are there any other things I should consider? Thanks in advance especially for any tips if you've been through similar circumstances.

Where in the UK are you moving to?
England & Wales have a similar education system; Scotland is different. I think Northern Ireland is similar to England and Wales, but I can't be sure. Differences include the date in year where year group cohorts are cut off and the age 16+ exams taken.

I can only speak for my experience with English state schools. Children are almost always educated with their age-group peers. Summer borns (April-August) can be held back a year. I have not heard of a child being put forward a year on recent years, although I had a classmate at secondary school in the 1980s who did this when he emigrated from Canada half wat through secondary school.ice pretty certain it's just not done any more.

Your child will be one of the eldest in the incoming Year 1, starting in September 2025.

From my friends experience of moving from the USA to the UK is that the education system over here expects a lot more of the children than the US system. Her children were infant & junior age and she couldn't believe how far ahead the average kids were over here. Even though her kids were average/higher than average at their USA school they were really behind at their UK school. They're smart kids and have now caught up but it may be that your child will be where he needs to be once you make the move over here keeping him in the correct academic year group.

If it's England and a state school then she will need to be with her cohort (y1), I don't think kids have been allowed to skip ahead since the 90s, so there's no advocating to be done as it won't be possible

Year 1. Schools are used to catering for all abilities within an age group.

I have known this to happen. A boy at my DS’s private school was placed in the year above where he should have been on a scholarship. The boy then passed the 11+ and went to grammar school.

Have you had a look at the end of year expectations in the curriculum for the year groups? In my albeit limited experience of having taught several children who have moved from America to England (all in reception year) they have all been behind their peers because the expectations in America at this age are not as high.

It’s not an option to put them in an older year group here, she’ll go in with her expected age group. Have you looked at the curriculum or spoken to anyone to see if she would actually be ahead here?

You also need to remember that they will need to learn English spellings and phonics which are slightly different. In Y1 phonics are still covered in detail. By Y2 the children that pick up reading more quickly move onto the next stages of reading. If she joins Y1 she will be learning with the quicker readers. In Y2 she might be put on one of the slower groups on phonics until she catches up. While in the long term this makes no difference she might be frustrated being in the slower groups if she is a good reader already
For everything else primary teachers are used to differentiating...

Her DOB will dictate she goes into Year 1. You don't get to choose. There will be a full range of abilities in the Year group and she'll be challenged accordingly (at least she should be, in a good school).

If she was born in October 2019 she would currently be in Reception and would move into Year 1 from September.

There is no option to move up a year. All children are in with their age group but in my experience their are a range of abilities in each year

Generally the thinking in the UK is that socially children are better with their peers.

children tend not to do so well when moved up.

most primary schools will leave them with their age cohort, and look at stretching their learning, broadening their knowledge rather than moving them up. Dc’s school had some kind of scheme- vertical learning I think they called it, where children stayed in their year groups generally, but for core subjects like maths and English they were placed by ability, so a yr 2 child might learn with year 3 students, or if they needed more support they may learn with yr. 1’s. It worked very well. Other subjects they’d give able students extension work or little projects to learn about.

some private schools may move up, but I don’t think it’s a good idea.

Do you mean your child scored well in UK or US tests? I've tutored children from both countries and generally the UK curriculum is (and most other countries' curriculums are tbvh) much more rigorous than that of the US. So it depends on which tests you were referring to

god no, just have her join the year group of her peers
her teachers will manage any necessary stretching of the curriculum

Your ‘gifted’ 5/6 year old will have to slum it with the other 5/6 year olds, I’m afraid.

There is already going to be huge cultural and academic differences your child will have to navigate, why make that harder by making them the youngest in their year?

As PPs have said, state school wouldn't move a child up a year group. See how your child gets on, I moved to the US as a child from a UK state school and despite being fairly average academically found US school significantly easier so she may get on ok. Joining a new school in a new country is a lot to navigate so I wouldn't worry she'd be bored.

Some schools do mix year groups (some due to logistics and some to enable classes to be tailored more to ability than age - my kids school do the latter) so worth exploring what options you'll have in the area you move to.

Good luck!!

There is such a wide range of abilities at that age that UK teachers are more than used to differentiating work - they do a lot of work in ability groups (grouped by table) rather than by whole class.

There were children in DS’s class in year 1 who were reading chapter books, and others who were still struggling with phonics. They always provided opportunities for the more able ones to stretch themselves (learning at greater depth rather than covering more material).

This is a document showing Early Learning Goals (page 11)
It outlines expected levels at the end of the EYFS. More able children would be considered as exceeding.

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/670fa42a30536cb92748328f/EYFS_statutory_framework_for_group_and_school_-_based_providers.pdf

Hi, I’m a primary school teacher and had children from the US before, every time the expectations are a bit of a shock for parents and children - especially if their child was doing well in the US. From what I understand the US has delayed academics, and in the younger grades at least, is significantly more gentle than the UK curriculum.

In reception (4-5 years) the kids are reading, writing and doing maths. There’s always at least 1 at the start of the year reading simple chapter books like the rainbow fairy books. At this point in year 1, most of the children will be able to read simple chapter books and some more complex like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. They’re not moved up - state schools don’t do this anymore. We are used to a wide range of abilities in class. Same for maths!

Adding to the chorus of she will almost certainly go in with her age, and I'd be surprised if the elementary US system was ahead of the English curriculum. Middle school is where the 2 start to align better, ime. And then at high school differences become more apparent again.

My kids moved countries a few times and it’s always set them back a bit academically because things are taught slightly differently or topics covered in a different order - and that was staying within the British curriculum. I’d definitely err on the side of caution rather than stretching at this point. For the first few months she’ll be focussed on adjusting to the new system and making new friends anyway.

It won't be allowed in a state school. A private school might allow it, but likely won't be that keen. Some private schools do tend to teach a year ahead on the curriculum, so this is an avenue you could explore if you can afford it.

The English school curriculum (I can't speak for the other nations) focuses very much on the idea of all kids being in class together and differentiating the work. I have a DS who is currently in year 1 and way ahead on reading and maths. The school have stretched him a bit but not loads, but socially he is in the right place.

As others say, she will have lots of adjustments to make, so it might be no bad thing if school is easy.

The primary curriculum ramps up pretty fast by Y3 - things like identifying perfect and continuous tenses. I can't imagine you'd get a choice anyway but I'd be wary of putting a child ahead based on EYFS/Y1 objectives.

Can you give examples of what she can do that’s ahead? It will give us a better idea of if she’s doing Year 1 work or Year 2.

I wouldn’t say anything yet. Let the teacher get to know her then talk to them about being ahead.

There won’t be a choice in a state school and extremely unlikely in the private system at that age. We did it with one DC but at sixth form age. Mine skipped a year mid primary. Having had DC spend time in both US based and British schools I would say that at such a young age there will be many areas within the British curriculum which will offer challenges not covered by simply adding 2 + 2 or Reading x,y,z - the British curriculum is more rigorous all round. There will always be children who excel in a few areas at school but very few are generally unstretched all round - their energies need to be used to master the skills which don’t come as easily (they very often have an aversion to doing that).

Having the benefit of lived experience and out the other side of school based education I would say it’s better to stick with birth cohort and work on the best way to get the most well rounded DC at the end of it.

I think she will have enough on her plate going to a school in a new country. There will be new words and different spelling. Wearing a school uniform is probably going to be new too.

The link below is what is expected by the end of year one, have a read and see where your DD is.

www.bluegatefieldsinfant.co.uk/attachments/download.asp?file=273&type=pdf