Possible move to Scotland from England but should we be concerned about education?

[Wouldliketomove]

Hello Everyone,

As the title says, DH and I are carefully researching a possible move to Scotland for our family (two toddlers currently) but I am constantly reading worrying things about education in Scotland. I'm aware there are also soon to be significant changes, which complicates things further and introduces more unknowns.

Can anyone with experience either as teachers or parents offer a perspective on education in Scotland at the moment please or any further insight into what is to come? I have tried to read what is widely available.

Thanks very much in advance

There are seven years in English primary schools just as there are in Scotland, the only difference being that they call P1 reception.

Yes, that myth about children being able to miss the first year of primary in England just never dies, does it? It may be theoretically possible - you could do it and not be arrested - but it ABSOLUTELY NEVER HAPPENS!!! In England there are 7 years at primary school and 7 years at secondary school - so they get one more year than in Scotland. And it's a very important year - a 2 year 6th form doing A'levels is a completely different experience from S6.

Children in Scotland go to school later than in England, they miss the first year of schooling, not the last. Most countries send their children to school later than England but every country has people going to University at 18.

England has three year degrees, most other countries (including Scotland) have four year degrees so does that mean a degree from Oxford isn't as valuable as a degree from UWS because it's shorter?

I think England start school too young. Some children have only just turned 4. However I do think Scotland needs to stop pissing around with deferrals - pick a date and stick to it - as they are gamed by the middle classes to give their child a leg up. They also need to stop kids pissing around learning nothing when thry get to school, and crack on with learning.

Not this old chestnut again - the vast majority of European countries have official, structured learning at the ages of 4 or 5, it’s just not called school, but kindergarten or suchlike. In England, Reception is still part of the Early Years Foundation stage.

@Klippa, I absolutely agree about deferrals being a negative thing.

@DeafLeppard I know that, but it's more wrong to a) claim Highers are equivalent to GCSEs and b) think S6 is equivalent to Y12 just because it used to be called lower 6th.