American friends moving to London - in year school places

[Reallyareyoukiddingme]

Hello all,

Our American friends with two DS (13 and 10) are hoping to relocate to London within the next couple of years. Likely around North London - N6 area. They are anxious mainly re getting the boys into a good school - they will have missed out on 11+ entry point for the younger so would be looking at two in-year entries. Does anyone have any advice? I had a feeling I’d seen a woman recommended on here before who specialises in this - any guidance? Thanks in advance.

Look on good schools guide and start phoning. There is an American school and a couple of other international ones that always have places for kids who are moving.

Thank you - I think they would rather put kids in a British school but do you think would be impossible to switch from the US system?

Mine switched from US to U.K. systems at age 12. It was fine. The maths was quite different though - much more advanced in the US system, and also just different, but they levelled out.

Judging by those ages, the older one would be going into year 9 in September if they lived here now. GCSE options are usually picked in year 9, ready for the start of year 10, and sometimes work on GCSEs starts in year 9. So if they are going to move, they should do it soon, unless they are staying in the US system.

Moving in a couple of years would be not a good time so they would be Grade 10 and Grade 11. The change in system will be a shock, I went the other way to an American school but actually did IB and I did IGCSE. A lot of the American forces kids stayed on the GPA route.

TASIS would be worth a look. How long will the posting be for? Will it get the youngest to the end of a level? I think they do IB at TASIS.

@Reallyareyoukiddingme they should put their name down at the schools they are interested in for 'occasional places' as they are know i.e. places that arise in the school year. Then, if a vacancies arises they would be called in for an assessment if it is a selective school.
It is always difficult when you have 2 children to find a school for because the chances that 2 vacancies will happen in the right year groups are slimmer. The starting point though would be to get them on the school's vacancy list.
With the introduction of VAT in January, there has been more movement in pupil numbers - so you never know! Fingers crossed.

The 15 year old would be either year 10 the start of GCSEs or Year 11 - 9 months before exams!

He could go back a year, depending on what he wants to do.

Why move to london?