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Secondary education

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Original poster

Returning to UK after 17 years, unsure which year my daughter should apply for.

15 replies

Elliephanti · 31/08/2018 21:22

We’re planning to return to the UK next summer after 17 years in Spain. Our middle child will be 15 years old, turning 16 in October 2019. In Spain she is a school year ahead of her peers in the Uk due to the way Spanish school year works..where the age cut off is Sep 1st in UK, in Spain it’s Dec 31st..This means she will have taken the equivalent of GCSEs at 15 by the time we return, should she therefore apply to start her A levels? I’m assuming she won’t be able to join the second year of a GCSE course..but the LEA I contacted to ask said she would be an in year move, which I understood as being a move into GCSE year?

OP posts:
LIZS · 31/08/2018 21:49

She would join y11 which is gcse year. Some fe colleges accept under 16s and a handful of schools, mainly private, do Middle Years IB programme.

MaisyPops · 31/08/2018 22:31

She would join y11, unless you have a chat to some colleges who might allow her to study out of year given her unusual education record.
I'd certainly ask and push for that option where possible.

elkiedee · 01/09/2018 06:03

Is she bilingual including writing in English/ready for studying in English? If she has equivalent qualifications in Spain, and fluent English, might it be worth looking for an FE college course to study for a couple of GCSEs in one year? If she already has equivalent qualifications, she doesn't need another 8+ GCSEs and would struggle with say two terms plus exam preparation of a two year course in year 11 at school, but doing say English Language GCSE and one or two other subjects at GCSE level (perhaps those she'd like to take further) might help get ready for studying at A level.

Original poster
Elliephanti · 01/09/2018 07:50

Thank you for your help.. My daughter is trilingual with English being her first language, so I don’t think she’d have problems adapting. I’m surprised a school will take a student into year 11 as it’s a two year course..but maybe it would help to give her a year to acclimatise to a new education system and she could maybe do some language GCSEs..I’ve emailed a couple of schools but as it’s still holiday time I haven’t heard back.

OP posts:
Sofabitch · 01/09/2018 07:51

If she will already have her equivalent qualifications then she should be able to go to college straight into A levels.

Sofabitch · 01/09/2018 07:54

But you might want to consider the 3 year residency requirements for university funding. That might need some investigating. Esspecially with the European union brexit thing potentially affecting it

Original poster
Elliephanti · 03/09/2018 09:02

Oh yes! I hadn’t even thought ahead to Uni..thank you for highlighting the residency thing..all things that need to be taken into consideration. I guess I need to speak with the schools because I’m not opposed to her doing an extra year, she’s a great student but by UK standards is quite young for her age so socially it would be good. However I don’t want her to have the pressure of having to take many exams after one year instead of two..Thank you for all of your help!

OP posts:
Original poster
Elliephanti · 03/09/2018 09:05

The other thing is that we’re planning to move to Bath and as I understand it Bath College have stopped doing A levels..if anyone knows different please let me know!

OP posts:
Michaelahpurple · 03/09/2018 12:21

Why does she have to go to Bath College?

wigglybeezer · 03/09/2018 16:05

Your problem would be solved if you moved to Scotland instead, due to different cut off dates, but it's a bit far from Bath!

Original poster
Elliephanti · 04/09/2018 07:19

She doesn’t have to go to Bath College..College was brought up as an option for bypassing year 11 and going straight to A levels..
Scotland’s a bit far!

OP posts:
titchy · 04/09/2018 09:05

I think your best option is to put her down a year not up. That might mean private though as state generally won't admit out of year.

Needmoresleep · 04/09/2018 13:11

titchy, is that so? A friends son was allowed to go down a year at a state school when returning from Europe. There was a second boy from the same country doing the same. Initially the boy was not keen but in retrospect he needed time to adapt socially and academically and so now agrees it was good thing that he did not have to rush straight into public exams.

titchy · 04/09/2018 13:42

It's unusual - there's no funding for the school once they're year 12 age and still in year 11

catslife · 04/09/2018 16:50

There is a large sixth form college on the outskirts of Bristol on direct bus route to Bath that runs an Access to Level 3 programme that may be suitable for your dd. It will provide her with the skills and knowledge to start A levels with her peers without having to do a full 2 year GCSE course and help her adjust to studying in the UK.
It would be worth contacting them. Please pm me for details if you can't find it on a search engine.

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