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.

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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

so actually this is a deliberate choice to move for a forever move to the Highlands without thinking it through for your children rather than a job closer to home

there are many benefits for whst you are doing but the timing is so completely off for both your older children

@Fundays12

Many thanks for your kind words, that we really needed to hear. Scotland made our newborn in the UK, and deserve the payback and be our home. I agree that we gained our advanced training and skills in the South, but still, Scotland is where being originally welcomed and made us part of the system. We hope to be part of the continuous success of the people who consider Scotland their home and serve them to the best of our abilities.

As regards the places, we haven't started yet, and hence we were seeking advice on when to move, as this will determine what we will look for. Nevertheless, any advice regarding how to start our search and what potential areas to look at will be very helpful, please

To be honest, I can't call it deliberate, but it was a hope to go back to Scotland, and we were lucky to get it. I got another offer in a hospital in the Borders region, but from reading, Inverness felt what we were looking for more and to call it home.

As regards the timing, it was not chosen, it is when you are ready to take up the role after you complete your training, so you start applying and it is like a rolling coaster where you will end up. You may get a few choices at the same time, but you need to pick one knowing this will be where you will stay until you retire.

you need to pick one knowing this will be where you will stay until you retire

Why? Consultants regularly move jobs and location. You are much more flexible than when training.

I agree. They do when they don't like the place, which does happen sometimes. Nevertheless, usually in our profession you don't go to the place with this intention or to take it as a stepping stone for something better.

Every consultant I know has moved job at some point (as a consultant) or taken on ‘something better’ be it research, management responsibilities, life interests…

But you still did it knowing that the timing for your children was horrifically awful and that a forever move for you at this stage is the worst possible one for your kids.

you cant move them and if this is your (and that includes your wife) dream move 2/3 years worth of sacrifice by being apart will be worth it

so is it also your wife’s dream and forever move? If so then both of you can cope with the next 3 years of separation and ensuring your older two get through their education by which point your youngest is well placed to start in the Scottish education system

I presume you're directing that at me?
Are you aware that more than one thing can be true at the same time? There being a need for doctors in the Highlands doesn't mean someone also isn't trying to return in order to get free tuition. It's absolute madness to disrupt schooling at that stage, especially if considering medicine at Uni.

I understand Raigmore has a pretty strong community, it may be helpful to ask through connections there about potential for continuing GCSEs / A levels.

Or for starting Scottish qualifications sooner/ remote tutoring before th move to help with the ‘conversion’ between the two systems.

It would also be worth talking to Gordonstoun and anywhere else that does English qualifications as a private school. While it’s expensive it might be best financial decision in long run.

If it is about saving £50k of university tuition fees then Gordonstoun would definitely not be the best financial decision! £90k+ as a day pupil for each child to take A levels. It is an hour each way from Inverness to get there so a long commute, longer if stuck behind a tractor or lorry. Two hours each way by bus. There isn’t school transport from Inverness. If they board it is over £20k per term.

And you might get some resentment if one goes to a very expensive private school and the other goes to Inverness Royal Academy which sits at around 200 out of 340 schools in the rather rubbish Scottish education system.

OP I am local to Inverness too, it would be fab if you could come here to work at the hospital if you could.

Something to keep in mind is that you would pay higher taxes in Scotland than rUK, it might be worth using an online calculator with your expected salary to check just how much more you’ll pay.

I am also not convinced the free uni tuition is going to stay, I think it might start being phased out in the next 5/10 years. But that’s could be me being cynical.

Not at you all so why you would assume it's your particular post is beyond me.

I am also not convinced the free uni tuition is going to stay, I think it might start being phased out in the next 5/10 years. But that’s could be me being cynical.

I think it could be as early as 2027 starts. (Following election in 2026).

We moved in August 2024 with our three children. Oldest had completed GCSE so started S5 and is studying English, maths, geography, French and economics at higher. Child 2 started Year 9 (S3) and has the opportunity to sit two Nat 5’s this year. Child 3 is Year 7 (S1).

I don’t think there is a big jump from GCSE to higher and starting later (in August instead of June) was not a negative. There was a bit of catch up but not much.

If your child did complete one year of GCSE they will be in a strong position to sit Nat 5’s.

Feel free to DM if you would like more detail.

Best of luck!

Except their birthdays mean they will skip years. So the oldest would be in S6 doing Highers and the middle one would miss Nat 5s and go straight from first year of GCSEs into Highers in S5.

OK, Scottish mum here with children currently going through the exam system.

I think you are underestimating the difference between the Scottish and English systems. In one way, it's better for your situation as schools are often more flexible about intakes and your children can be placed with a slightly younger year group which gives longer to learn towards exams.

However, the big difference is between Highers and A-levels. In S5 children typically take 5 Highers - and if they are headed for medicine, that is most likely Maths, English, Biology, Chemistry plus another of their choosing. Exams are taken at the end of S5 and then they apply to Uni. Unlike A-levels which are 3 subjects over 2 years. I would imagine there is not so much of a difference in the curriculum for science and maths, but other subjects could be very different indeed. I think too that they would have to learn the whole new system and exam structure and what is expected on answer papers - alongside the pressure of having to get A in every subject for medicine, it's just too much.

There are no easy options here, you have to put your kids first and that to me would mean them completing their education in England. If it was 2 years earlier it would be a different conversation, but it's not.

I work at a Uni in Scotland and given our financial situation I agree

Hi I am probably late to this discussion but living in the Inverness area and my children relatively recently come through the secondary system I would add that 5 highers ( done in 5 th year and can be done in 6th year as well ) are required and probably 3 advanced highers ( done in 6th year ) for medical school . It sounds like your daughter is bright and I think she will cope with the transition - I honestly wouldn’t worry about any course work given at the start of the course in June as it’s very easy to catch up on - most schools are winding down for the summer . Highers are not as difficult as A levels which is why advanced highers are usually required for medical school. Make sure you choose a school which has the subjects she requires. Extra tuition may be helpful - we did this with one of our daughters and it worked wonders .