Moving from England to Inverness with Year 12 & 11 this August 2025

[CrazyWisdom]

Hello lovely people all over the Great Scottish Lands

I got a job in Inverness, which will be starting this April. We have 3 kids currently 16,15 & 7 (Yr 11,10 & 3 in England respectively). The eldest is aiming for Medical School, next is between Medical & Engineering. Both are doing well in schools (Grammar Schools both)

We are getting insane about the best option for our kids and when the best time is to move them and get the family together. We are seeking your kind brainstorming and advice.

Options are: taking into consideration their age will fit with the Scottish system, as they are already one year older than their Scottish peers

1. Move them this July/August 2025: Eldest will have to start Highers, and next will go to S4.
2. Concerns:
3. Slightly a shock to DD in the most important year in her aspiration to compete for Medical school entry. Additionally, her peers would have already started their Highers after they finished S4, and it may be difficult for her to catch up and achieve the required A.s.
4. DS will have finished 1st year of GCSE (but didn't complete it), and he has to catch up with S4 subjects, especially if his peers in Scotland have started the subjects during S3.
5. Wait for a year, and move them in July/August 2026. Eldest has done the first year of A-level and got her Mock exam results, which theoretically can apply to Universities with these grades to get a conditional offer, awaiting final results for A-level. DS will complete his GCSE and start his Highers in Scotland.
6. Concerns:
7. DD either to go down a year to restart her Highers in Scotland or completes her A-level from home with online courses (with huge financial impact), which might not be the most helpful to achieve her aspiration to complete the high grades required.
8. DS will have missed the few weeks of Highers subjects that are being taught to his peers the last few weeks in S4 before they break for the school holidays.
9. Wait 2 years: The worst option for the family psychologically and financially. It would also affect their eligibility for SAAS fund application.

.
We are struggling to decide, as each option has its drawbacks that we have to accept. We need some help with picking the option that would cause the least harm to the kids.

Thank you in advance and waiting eagerly for your kind opinions

You cannot apply to school until you are living there and if there is space in school there might not be space in your preferred subject classes. This was a critical factor for a friend who moved her child just after the start of S3 (starting in August) - she had to go private to find a school with spaces in her DD preferred subjects.

What are their birthdays? Will they be in the same school year? The council is unlikely to agree to pay for additional years of their schooling (eg repeating a year). Also, school age in Scotland only goes up to 16 and whilst you have a right to remain in school after that, you do not have a right to start school. It is unlikely that a 16 or 17 year old would be denied a place but it could happen especially if you are looking to place a 17 year old with a November birthday into S6. All the children I know who have moved into the Scottish system have been put into year groups according to their age not the year of schooling they are coming from - the only exceptions being where they have gone private.

I really wouldn’t move them

Missed this. So DD would be going into S6 (missing S5) and DS into S5 after the summer. PP are confusing P1 deferral options with older end of school. You are very unlikely to get a choice at the top end.

You can only apply once you are living in catchment.

Just to add that Loganair is generally much more expensive than easyJet. And not especially frequent.

This is true but it's worth making enquiries as to if the catchment school even has a space in the year group prior to moving. A lot of year groups are full in schools so even moving won't guarantee a space in the secondary as the kids are starting after S1.

It's not relevant until they're actually there just in time to qualify for free university tuition.

Ahh ok!!! Although I thought you had to be resident in Scotland 3 years for that?

To be honest as a Highlander if the op is in the medical profession we will welcome the family with open arms because we have a huge shortage of doctors and medical professionals up here so the hospital are actively recruiting outwith the highlands.

I asked OP directly about the fees thing and the reply basically said yes in an indirect way.

Thank you @Fundays12

Yes, I am. I am taking a job as a consultant at Raigmore.

I have checked previously with SAAS. The requirement is that you have been a UK resident over the last 3 years, and Scotland is your ordinary resident in August preceding the academic year starting in September ( clarified specifically the confusion about 3 years in Scotland or UK, and they said UK).

@Zusammengebrochen

Thank you for your question and judging it is a bad thing to think about the fees, which I may not be fully in agreement with, as I feel it is the right of the kids to make their decision if they want to take the burden of a debt or choose not to be in debt if they can.

I am not sure if the parents in England are paying the tuition fees for their children, at least all the people we know didn't. I beg your apology, but did you pay for your children these fees so they end up debt-free on graduation?

You've just confirmed my original thoughts (again).

@Zusammengebrochen

It is my pleasure to confirm what we are proud of in raising children with the right to decide about their future. But you didn't answer my question (even indirectly as we did 🙂)

They are the only airline who fly from Inverness or Aberdeen from Manchesternow unfortunately. EasyJet stopped flying in October 2021 😡😡😡😡

It's not the case though that Scottish students leave with no debt - many will need loans for their living expenses, those aren't covered at all.

Indeed, and they would definitely have to leave home to study medicine if based in Inverness.

No, I didn't move from Preston to Inverness, at an important time in my son's schooling, to avoid fees - I presume that's what you're asking.
My child is planning to work and save as much as he can for a few years, hopefully he'll then benefit from free tuition, here in the country of his birth.

I strongly agree. Our kids' life is not easy anywhere, unfortunately.

OP it's understandable that Scottish people will view it as gaming the system to move just in time to take advantage of free uni tuition.
Especially if they then return to England for job opportunities. Which also removes a potential space from a child who's gone through their whole education here.
I think you are assuming racism in the previous posters comment where it isn't intended.

@MistressIggi

Thank you for the clarification, one of the strong reasons we have chosen Scotland to be our home until we die is that we know how they are open to welcoming newcomers who believe in Scotland and want to serve its people. I hope this has not been changed.

We started in Scotland and considered it home, and we always planned to go back one day and settle. We had to move south for work, as many whom Scotland is 'the country of their birth', and I have many Scottish colleagues who are.

We did not choose the time for the dream of going back to come true. Building the whole argument that we are moving to avoid tutition fees is unfair.

I hope the 'Unintended comment' will be also clarified by @Zusammengebrochen

Eh?
What are you on about now?

Let's face it, you thought you had found a way around Uni fees for your three kids, and didn't think it would be quite so obvious if you wrapped it up in a new job opportunity for you.

I don't know anything about your race, so how on earth can I be racist?

Thank you.
I honestly think OP just didn't like people seeing through his scenario.
It's pretty clear that moving the children would be very disruptive at the stages they're currently at, never mind it being clearly at a time when free tuition would be an advantage!
Finish their education in England and then return to Scotland if you wish, but it's so harsh on them to consider it now. Also, you mention not having spent much time in Inverness - it's a big change, even coming from somewhere within Scotland. Also, the A9 is pants as a main trunk road!

I ask you please to read the original post, as it was open thoughts with pros and cons of each option without specific preferences, and genuinely ask people for their kind advice.

Anyway, thanks for taking the time and effort to read through the scenarios.

I have been reading from the start, hence my conclusions regarding the move being strengthened with the growing thread. Your defensiveness and false accusations merely added to that. Do the right thing by your children and don't move them at such a significant time.

Congratulations on your new role. Have you looked at places to live in Inverness? The rental market is pretty difficult due to high demand and low turnover.

Please ignore the negative comments. Your skills are desperately needed in the Highlands and it's a great way of life. Although definitely a good bit colder than further south. We do get quite a few snowy days up here.