Returning to UK Year 11

[Bonkus]

We are currently living in the US and due to work plan to send our DSs to an independent boarding school in the UK for Sep 2018.

Problem is DS1 is in the equivalent of Year 10 now and with most schools offering 2 Year GCSEs wonder if anyone can share suggestions on schools he could apply to for YR 11 entry preferably in the 1.5 hour radius from London. The other option is to have him drop a Year?

Would appreciate suggestions

Sorry. Who is the 'they'?

If you are suggesting a local state school this is probably the compromise they would suggest. The GCSEs in a year programmes seem to be 6/7 according to websites, and are hard work.

A lot, as said before, depends on the child, his aptitude and ambition, and what he has already covered. Don't forget tutorial colleges offer very little in the way of extra curricular, will have longish school days, and will want to keep boarders busy.

needsmore - I am really not sure why you are being so agressive to me, I am agreeing with you, but offering more information and an alternative view. You seem to be jumping down my throat.

You are not the world authority on this, there are others around, including me, who have some understanding and experience in this area. We may not agree, that is fine, as the aim is to give the OP all the information she may need and then she can go and find what works for her son.

I was just correcting you because I had checked the website using the link I provided.

I am sure if OP wants, there will be schools who advocate taking fewer. It would just be a case of speaking to schools. The boy we knew took 10, coming from a completely different system and language, and managed almost all A*s, so it can be done. He then went on to get good A levels and onto a very competitive University course. Oddly I would advocate looking for a reasonably rigorous option as these will appeal to very hard working and motivated students from overseas. However it really depends on the child and his ambitions and commitment.

MPW in Cambridge also offers one year courses for GCSEs but at a price!

Thanks for all the information everyone.

The more I read your responses, the more I am convinced we just need to have him drop back a year. He is a January child and this may be why a couple of schools have said he would be too old for Year 10 in September. However, there are a few that would be open to dropping him but not many Year 10 spots. We will likely focus efforts on the schools we like with Year 10 availability to avoid sending him to the wrong school for him just to secure a Year 11 spot.

Thanks for helping me think this through. I stumbled on this site a few days ago and this is my first post.

And just to clarify, he is academically strong and quite diligent with his work so I am not worried about his ability to handle a rigorous one year period I was just unsure if it was an almost impossible ask.

I will check out DLD - thanks for that suggestion - before making a final decision.

Thanks

Sidcot School in North Somerset offer a one year course for Year 11 entry from overseas where they do a reduced number of GCSEs in preparation for sixth form. I think primarily aimed at ESL students, but it could work for you. We have looked as we are constantly concerned that we could be moved from USA at an inopportune moment in our kids education (although they are in british international here so marginally easier).

Not quite 1.5 hours from London, but an easy 2 hours and offers boarding.

Thanks ksb76 - will check it out.

Also Worth School Sussex offer a similar course. Is anyone familiar with Worth School and can provide any information on it?

Just to add, be careful as many schools are now doing GCSEs over 3 years rather than two, or starting in year 9, so make sure to avoid those.

Ds's independent (day and boarding) also offers a one year year 11 with a reduced number of GCSEs, again primarily aimed at ESOL students.

However, I think dropping back to Year 10 is a much better idea. He can get a full number of qualifications, have longer to choose A levels, longer to settle in socially and no pressure of trying to learn everything in effectively two terms. Most independents will take a student out of year group.

Agree that dropping a year provides us with better options. However, because he’s a January birth month, we have had 3 schools say he would be too old unfortunately. There are a few that are open to it, we just want to keep his options open.

My neice moved straight from the American school system to A levels in the UK. It was not pretty. I'd strongly advise a Y10 start.

Could you send him across sooner? Perhaps mid year admission in 2-3 months? That would mean that he's only missed half of Y10 and could be with students his age. If he's diligent, he'd be able to catch up on coursework. I just wouldn't choose subject like History as the curriculum will be very different.

I would also consider American or international schools. The qualifications will be equally recognised at top universities.

Worth... many many years ago my boarding school used to have "socials" with Worth Abbey. Very exciting, given it was a convent.

I don't know much about it now, other than it is long established Catholic and we know someone who was asked to leave in sixth form for not putting enough effort in. (Probably a good thing.) Catholic schools tend to have quite a broad intake,. Given Worth is possibly the top Catholic boarding school in the south of England I would expect them to have a good range., from the very bright to the not so... I would check with people who might know more, but possibly a good option.

Hurtwood House school offers a limited number of GCSE aimed at foreign students some of whom are younger than 16 which is the normal entry point

Thanks for the suggestions, we are checking out TASIS also.

Homebythesea - Hurtwood seems more artsy than my son but is also £42k 😲😲😲!!!

Yep, most expensive school in the country!

Bonkus, but you'd pay for a year rather than two for your son to get his GCSEs so either way it's likely to be 40k to get him there. (Obviously the school needs to be a right fit for the child in he first place).