At what age do children start secondary school?

[crazycatladyonthecorner]

My child will be 11 in late November this year, he was born 2005.
What age do children start secondary in Scotland, I know the systems differ from England. Here he would start 'secondary' in August 2017. It is a January to December set up here, but I know it's different all over the UK. Also, how would I find out 'What he should know' by the end of 'primary' in Scotland.
Many thanks

Thanks for the links TheTroubleWithAngels
I'm finding it really confusing trying to put all the information together.

I agree: your ds would start secondary as the same age in Scotland as in England - difference being that he would be one of the younger, rather than one of the older kids (especially if your in an area where many of the January/Febraury birthdays deferred entry).

We often say that P1 is the equivalent of Reception, which it may well be as it is the first year of "formal" schooling. However, in England you go to secondary in Y7 (ie after Y6) and then have a further 7 years of school (formal exams after 5 years, in Y11 and then 2 years in 6th form), whereas in Scotland, you go to secondary after P7 and then have 6 years at secondary (formal exams after 4 years and then 1 or 2 further years, depending on whether you do Advanced Highers or just do Highers and leave after S5).

So if you take P1 and Y1 as comparable, both countries have 13 years "formal" schooling, the main difference being that on Scotland you leave after P7 and in England after Y6.

He should start in 2017 but legally he would be allowed to go in 2018 which often happens when dcs come from other schooling systems.

That's interesting Lightbulbon as he is struggling in his year now and I was concerned about his starting secondary next year. We are talking of holding him back this year, which is fine, but not if it meant missing a whole year if he had to go in his proper year in Scotland.
If I was applying for a place in a Scottish school would I have to request he go in a lower year ? Is it then up to the school if he can or not?

Crazycat, when are you planning to move up to Scotland? If it's this summer, your son would have a year in P7 before heading to secondary school and should be given work at the level he's capable of - as Angel said, this would probably be within 2nd level. The education department of the local authority you're moving to should be able to give you more advice as to whether your son goes in at p7 or elsewhere.

I would love to move this year but realistically it could be next year, which means he goes straight into secondary.
I have looked over the the 2nd level work and he probably has covered most of that.
as there is nothing on paper yet about when or where or even if we move I will get in touch with whatever local authority as soon as.

I don't necessarily think it would be a bad thing if he happened to be starting straight at High School. All the classes will be mixed with children from different schools so in terms of social relationships he will have an opportunity to be new to the school just like everyone else. School often have placing request pupils who will not necessarily know anyone either.

I hadn't considered that aspect OneMagnumisneverenough I just assumed he would be the only new kid for some reason Thanks

If it helps, both my children were placing requests and went to a different high school from everyone in their class. Both are pretty quiet but made new friends straight away, no-one really knew that they were the only one from their school as the children just assumed they were from one of the other catchments schools that they didn't go to. DS2 is a bit more chatty than DS1 so he told some of his new friends quite early which primary school he had gone to. It was in a roughish area so all his new friends thought he was a "gangsta" :o

I agree - secondary school is a place to make a fresh start.

Ds was a placing request at his secondary (albeit the next closest school) and there were only about 6 (at most) kids from his primary that went there.

The secondary will also be making an assessment of all the S1s - coming from lots of different primaries, some will be further ahead than others and the secondary has to cater for that at least, that was ds' experience