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Welcome to Scotsnet - discuss all aspects of life in Scotland, including relocating, schools and local areas.

Original poster

Moving to Glasgow from NZ with 16yo

244 replies

Tinofcurses · 06/12/2019 03:17

I posted something similar in Education, but someone suggested I might get more info here.

I have tons of questions...

We're planning on moving to Glasgow from NZ at the end of 2020. ds will be 16.5 by then. He will have completed year 11 in early Dec 2020, with 2 more years of school to go if we stayed here. I'm thinking he should probably go into S4 in January, and then carry on from there.

Does that sound right/possible? Will he be super old compared to the rest of his year? If so, does it matter? How does the secondary school system work anyway? I went to school in England about 500 years ago, and ds has only been in the NZ system so far, so I'm clueless.

Also, any thoughts about which parts of Glasgow to look at? We're looking for an inclusive, mixed, non-catholic school, and plenty of shops, cafes and places to walk a dog. Ideally fairly central, or at least with great public transport (no car).

We'll be renting initially, and then wanting to buy a 2 bed flat or house with a budget of around 200-220,000 (is this realistic? I have no idea).

Actually, another property related thing...Do flats for sale in Scotland have rules about pets? I know it can be difficult to find a place to rent with a dog, but is it generally ok if you buy? We will be bringing our dog, but she will stay with my parents at first if we can't find a rental property with her.

Sorry, I did warn you I have tons of questions!

OP posts:
MakeMineALargeProsecco · 06/12/2019 21:46

And doesn't Jordanhill have an unusual admissions process? Quite different from other schools?

(A friend lives there & had to check the house deeds included entry to the school & put her DC's name down at birth. He finally got confirmation of his place at 11).

There's been a lot of improvements in recent years in Shawlands, with the ugly arcade due for redevelopment.

ContadoraExplorer · 06/12/2019 21:47

Heard great things from an Aussie who is very particular about their coffee: www.facebook.com/allstartedhere/

Second hand book shop on Skirving St in Shawlands (as mentioned above):
www.facebook.com/Youngs-Interesting-Books-108158585887550/

There are definitely a lot of vegan places in Glasgow. Not too many specifically vegan places Southside but lots that cater for vegans as part of their wider menus.

Givemestrengthorgin · 06/12/2019 21:59

Hi OP, are you set on a city? Can I suggest you look at Linlithgow. It's a decent sized town midway and on the main train line between Glasgow and Edinburgh. Good friendly town, excellent school, lots of clubs/extra curricular activities and lots of countryside on your doorstep as well as both major cities between 20 and 35 mins away.

Givemestrengthorgin · 06/12/2019 22:02

Just noticed you said you do want to be in a city but linlithgow might still be worth looking at although it isn't comparable to the west end of Glasgow.

IHaveBrilloHair · 07/12/2019 00:00

To get into Jordanhill I think you have to move into the school at least 5 years before your child is conceived!

IHaveBrilloHair · 07/12/2019 00:16

Dd spends a lot of time in town, or the west end.
Her and her friends/bf are not druggies, the thought makes me laugh.
Anyway, they go out for Japanese food, or sometimes a cheap and cheerful Spoons dinner, they love going to Kelvingrove for a wander, or to the Botanics.
They were at a friend's album launch this week, at a cheap venue, (and got in free on the guest list), they see big names at the Hydro.

Glasgow is an amazing city.

Aurea · 07/12/2019 00:24

I understood that you are you only able to apply to defer a child (or have them put back a year) ) if their birthday falls after 1 August.

WaxOnFeckOff · 07/12/2019 00:37

Aurea, I think that would apply when you are applying for P1, i.e. you do not legally need to send your child to school until the start of the session after they are 5, so if your child turns 5 after the usual start date in August then you can defer, whether the council would give you another year of funded nursery if your child was 5 on 1st September is another matter.

However, when a child moves form abroad, or a child is struggling (maybe due to missed school for illness for example) the can be put in a lower year or the most suitable year. I believe there is a large degree of flexibility to accommodate needs.

Turangawaewae · 07/12/2019 00:44

I've lived in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Auckland.

One thing to be aware of in Glasgow is just how much it rains. I was told it was 2 days out of three and that seemed pretty accurate.

Everytimeiseeher · 07/12/2019 00:56

Good luck. I’m midway between Glasgow and Edinburgh in West Lothian (Livingston). Good and bad areas and loads of really good schools. Housing is reasonable for rent or buy and good access to Glasgow and Edinburgh Unis as we are right in the middle of both cities. Good train and bus links also.

CareOfPunts · 07/12/2019 00:59

He will be very old for s4. My son is one of the oldest in his year and he’ll just have turned 16 before the end of s4.

woogal · 07/12/2019 01:20

Glasgow is great. You'll love it here.

Skyrain · 07/12/2019 07:27

The age of your DS shouldn’t impact what school year he will enter. In the school I work in we had a boy who joined from China and ended up being a year older than most of his year group. As he was ahead in one subject area he did the AH in S5 and Highers in the rest of his subjects. Schools are flexible in circumstances like this. He also had the issue of being in the country for 3 yrs to qualify for his SAAS funding so took a year out before uni.

Original poster
Tinofcurses · 07/12/2019 07:45

That's good to hear. Sounds like it should be doable.

OP posts:
prettybird · 07/12/2019 09:17

I also have a vague recollection of ds, when he was in S6, talking about someone who was in "S7" ShockConfused

I wonder if it was someone who was in a situation similar to your ds would be in: arrived from abroad, half way through the year, was technically in S5 but in practice went into S4 but didn't sit any exams, and then treated "S6" as S5 and sat their Highers and then had "S7" Wink to sit their Advanced Highers.

Your ds will probably still need to do a gap year in order to get free tuition fees as you need to have been resident for 3 years before the course starts.

MumofHunter · 07/12/2019 16:18

Someone please tell me what part of Cairngorm national park you're reaching in ninety minutes from Edinburgh?

ThisIsSunrise · 07/12/2019 16:34

OP, someone did mention this already, but just to re-iterate, pay attention to getting 3 years residency in before uni applications if your DS thinks he may go, so that you are not treated as an international application. That will be massively costly.

ThisIsSunrise · 07/12/2019 16:39

MumofHunter It isn't my personal idea of the Cairngorms, but I think technically Blair Atholl even is in the park. Crammond to Blair Atholl would be easily doable in an hour and a half. Splitting hairs though...

SunsetBoulevard3 · 07/12/2019 16:43

Blair Atholl is in the foothills of the Cairngorms.

SunsetBoulevard3 · 07/12/2019 16:44

The OP doesn't drive, so getting into the countryside might be tricky unless its on a bus or train route.

Original poster
Tinofcurses · 07/12/2019 17:03

@ThisIsSunrise - avoiding being an international student for uni fees is why we're moving now rather than waiting for ds to finish school here.

I'm thinking a gap year will give him a good chance to see a bit of the UK, since we've only had a couple of short holidays there in the last 10-11 years.

He's quite into climbing, so maybe he will spend the year exploring all this wilderness everyone is going on about.

OP posts:
Stooshie8 · 07/12/2019 17:11

Feb was the divider for different year intakes - unless this has changed. So DS would be one of the older in the year. Not sure if anyone has said.

AmIthechristmasfairy · 07/12/2019 17:29

It's like the twighlight zone

Long winded description of a levels? GCSE, Year x and 6th form.

Go private as he won't survive public.

Who knew I came from the such a dangerous place. Confused

Schools are flexible with OS pupils although age wise he would probably be better in S5

And I didn't know people could move here for three years and then get free tuition.

Original poster
Tinofcurses · 07/12/2019 17:43

I'm just ignoring the advice I don't like/understand!

I think you need to be a citizen or permanent resident etc for free tuition. I'm not sure how easy it is to immigrate to the UK, but it's not a problem for us as ds was born in Scotland and is a British/NZ dual citizen.

OP posts:
comfysocks · 09/12/2019 12:02

This is a pretty bonkers thread so I'll avoid commenting on where to live and what school.

I know your son wants to finish Yr 11 before you come but I think the transition, both academically and socially, would be so much easier if you came in August 2020.

For his DOB he would normally be starting S5 Highers then. For most subjects it would probably be manageable to start five Highers then as well. Or school may allow him to start S4 in which case he would be a bit older than the other pupils but not massively so - in this situation you would want to find a school which takes N5 in one year and not spread over S3 and 4.

If you don't come until January 2021 as PP have explained he would either have to join S5 just before Higher prelims (impossible I would think) or S4 just before N5 prelims). PP has suggested he could take Highers at college which may be a good academic compromise but would not be so good from a social point of view.