Finding school for international student

[KellyOsh19]

Hey we are likely to move to London in 2022 and I will like to admit my DD(8 years old) In a school here.
Are there any school which offers CIE IGCSE (especially subjects Additional Maths and Computer Science) and is co-educational?
She currently studies in an International School in Bahrain which has CIE IGCSE programme.

Sorry you said co-Ed
Ashcroft Technology Academy will be of interest to you I think

@Biscuitsneeded

But your daughter is her own person. She shouldn't have to study subjects chosen by you, your parents or your in-laws. She will end up resenting you massively for that. By all means choose a school with excellent STEM provision (and iGCSEs if it matters that much to you), and if that's where her talents lie she can avail herself of whatever the school offers, but don't force her down a particular path. She's 8 years old! Sorry, I know that isn't what you were asking (is it OK to decide for my 8 year old daughter what careers she can and cannot have?!), but you will end up with a very unhappy teenager if you try to control her to this extent.

My career path was also pretty much chosen by my parents and given the culture we come from, it was a far better option than the other option- marrying and being a housewife. And I really don't regret it- at this point I see my work as something that gives me money and I keep my hobbies elsewhere. I would let her choose her subjects at Baccalaureate level- But I also really don't think all careers can pay equally and stably. And after a while, it is money that matters and does buy you happiness- part of the reason I don't want my DD to go into showbiz as well. Of course we come from a different culture and education systems, and I don't agree with a lot of aspect of the education and parenting culture of the West though I do understand that children have their own ambitions and I would let her do whatever she wants but we are not that powerful or moneyed to fund her lifestyle in case non-traditional career lines fail.

In the education system we studied we all had to have the same subjects till Baccalaureate and then we were allowed to choose our subjects. I chose to go to STEM since that is where money is- most of the people in my immediate social circle are Engineers, Doctors, Lawyers, Corporate and Government employees. And Non-traditional career paths are something our culture frowns upon- even most of my friends were not allowed to choose their partners because we wanted to preserve the culture of community which is very small. Even the ones who married outside community have partners from related Arab Christian communities.
I don't think I will ever be able to relate to the Western Anglosphere Culture even though my family and culture to some extent are more Westernised than your average Egyptian.
In our community, we all have been raised that we should ensure suffering and happiness of a short time for long term benefits.
Now what benefits these are is debatable. But I will say that listening to my parents probably benefitted me more now that I am older in my 40s and a parent myself.
Part of the reason I don't mind when my DD says that She wants to be CEO and do STEM Is because that's way more realistically closer to what she might end up doing in latter life as well.
If she doesn't do STEM, she will probably do Law and get into legal and/or government.
I will still support her emotionally though we won't be really be able to support her financially beyond a point if she wants to do something else but I do think I would really like my DD to have college education before she really pursues her interests.

@Frequentflier

I understand the cultural baggage because I am Indian and the only 2 acceptable professions for us are doctor or engineer ( everybody in my family is one of these two), but believe me, you are just making things harder for yourself. One of my DC excels in maths, the other does not. Both had exactly the same primary education. You can't coax a child into a STEM box.

I don't talk to my parents or my in-laws about my children's education. It's none of their business; they don't pay the fees.

I personally believe that you can help your kid to work in subjects they are not good in and help them excel in it as long as they can- but the thing is, if there is no genuine interest people can't really continue. I was not that good in maths but my father always used to say that you have to be good in it in order to succeed in life and even if I don't pursue a degree/career path that has maths, excellence and a genuine interest in it would help me even there. I took STEM and latter went to do Petrochemical Engineering and then MBA to consultancy because I realised that these degrees will help me stand in life though I wasn't really into these subjects at first. In my parents' generation women literally had 3 choices in terms of careers: Teacher, Nurse and stay-at-home wife. So it would have been considered a massive privilege for even me to have a father who encouraged me to join STEM/law. I also come from a country where there is widespread violence and legal discrimination against women and basic dignity is hard-earned- I will say it kinda traumatised me regarding everything. Part of the reason I do want my daughter to have a stable income is that I believe it would help her protect herself against an abusive relationship. I am glad my family helped me find an otherwise nice and supportive husband who understands my concerns- but I don't think every woman has had this privilege. Like my daughter does think That she might marry outside the community- something most of my immediate community doesn't support but I would rather let her choose because her personality ultimately is different than mine and it is unfair for me to choose her spouse for her because it is she who is marrying not me.

@KellyOsh19 it's clear you love your daughter very much and have given this so much thought. I do understand that those of us posting here in the UK are responding to your question from a very different cultural position and so what seems restrictive to some of us seems the opposite to you - you are trying to ensure your daughter has a career and financial independence which is definitely something we would all agree on! I hope you and your family will be very happy in the UK, and I am sure if you find a good school for your DD she will thrive. I would just caution that she will be at school with young people who will question why she has to follow a path laid down by her grandparents, and she may struggle a bit with the fact that there are pressures on her that are not there for her classmates. Fitting in with peers is very, very important for teenagers. Perhaps you can find a school with great STEM provision, and encourage that, but just step back a little so that your DD feels she has some autonomy and can make certain choices as her friends will. I am a secondary teacher and have taught quite a few clever girls (mostly Asian, and I know your background is different) who have been pushed into medicine or maths by their parents, who refused to allow them choices at A level even though they wanted to do history, languages or arts. In quite a few cases they have gone off to medical school only to drop out a year or so later once they realised that they don't have to do what their parents want. It's such a waste of their talents and it causes them and their parents so much unhappiness, which could have been avoided if their parents had simply seen them for who they really were as opposed to imposing a particular career path.

Have you looked at EIFA International School (round the corner from Halcyon and Southbank). It follows the French curriculum in the primary department (taught in both French and English by native speakers) and the continues bilingual in the senior school for some subjects AND offers Cambridge IGCSEs (including triple science and maths/add maths). The students then do the IB.
Nice, small school with international (rather than French feel) and co-ed.

@KellyOsh19 I think you are missing a fundamental point of British society in the way you are approaching this. Ask pretty much any girl at an independent school in London and I am pretty sure not one of them will say housewife.

The U.K. system brings up girls to be independent, ambitious, strong minded young ladies. Every one will choose their career path based on their strengths, knowing that they need to be self sufficient and most definitely not relying on a man. Money does not buy happiness. I know many miserable female doctors forced into it by their parents because of prestige and money.

I just worry that if you come to the British education system, particularly in London where parents are ambitious and supportive, your daughter may struggle with your wishes versus what she is taught in school. Be aware that culturally you may well struggle with your approach.

I think everyone here understands the pressures of your background and the love for you daughter that leads to her wanting to be successful. We measure success in so many ways here. Those values sound very different to yours. For example, how would you deal with a situation if a school says your child isn’t going to get the grades for the profession you have chosen for her but she is an exceptionally good historian? This happens here.

Just trying to manage your expectations. Both you and you daughter could be incredibly miserable if you aren’t able to follow the career path you seem to have chosen for her. Aged 8.

Can I just comment on your wish for Cambridge iGCSEs, my daughter is currently sitting some Cambridge and they have dealt with the pandemic appallingly in contrast to other examining boards. The teaching staff also very much dislike the science curriculum. And I guess it won't be important, if you are already paying for education (we are state), but Cambridge charge far more than other boards for their textbooks too.
My DD is sitting additional maths, other GCSE boards offer it.

Most private schools do I-GCSEs however they tend to mix of the boards (Edexcel is a popular one), but may also have a few traditional GCSES in the mix, generally for the practical subjects.

AQA has additional maths at GCSE level.

@KellyOsh19
I also note that you said your DD hates school, maybe giving her a bit more freedom in her subject choices would help ?
Maybe balancing the ‘duty’ subjects with subjects she really enjoys and will look forward to studying, would make her like school a bit more ?
I have two DC in top London academic schools, the recurring advice given by the school at each point of choosing GCSEs and A Level choices has been to go for subjects they enjoy as they will commit to it and put the hard work in, simple as that.

As a PP said, you are going about this the wrong way. You sound ambitious for your daughter and that is fine, but if you try to pick the school by the particular GCSE board or offering of Additional Maths you may well end up picking a very weak school. You should aim for the best school that fits your daughter and don’t let the choice of GCSEs board be a priority. Apart from anything else, schools change these regularly so you might start her somewhere that then drops Add Maths. Very few schools offer it and it has no bearing on whether you do double maths or not. Probably more important is things like whether they do the maths challenges ans have engineering societies etc.

I also would say think about single sex education - I honestly believe girls are more likely to stick with STEM subjects in a single sex environment.

I write as a mother of a daughter doing Physics at Cambridge so I really do know a bit what I am taking about and understand your desire.

Honestly, OP asks a simple question
‘Anyone know of any schools that do xyz?’
And half of the people reply on why they think she’s misguided by her culture and that’s not how we do it in the UK
OP very coherently replies by explaining where she’s coming from (in terms of approach) and no one engages in conversation.
Personally I think we have much to learn from other cultures’ approach education and wish I had half of that discipline and drive.
It doesn’t necessarily mean there is no fun or appreciation of art or other enriching aspects going on at home. It would be narrow minded to assume so.

Anyway KellyOsh19 I suggested Ashcroft technology school because they offer baccalaureate after GCSEs and you mentioned it on your posts.
Good luck with the move

@solittletime

Honestly, OP asks a simple question ‘Anyone know of any schools that do xyz?’ And half of the people reply on why they think she’s misguided by her culture and that’s not how we do it in the UK OP very coherently replies by explaining where she’s coming from (in terms of approach) and no one engages in conversation. Personally I think we have much to learn from other cultures’ approach education and wish I had half of that discipline and drive. It doesn’t necessarily mean there is no fun or appreciation of art or other enriching aspects going on at home. It would be narrow minded to assume so.

I think most posters are trying to understand the op requirements and explain that the English system at aged 8 does not necessarily match her strict longer term criteria or offer such specialism early.

OP, at aged 8 there is no need to think about GCSE choices, it is more important to encourage the love of learning. Any decent school would provide the foundation for different subjects and areas, so that when she is older she can choose whichever field she wants to go into.

I understand your concern regarding growing up to be an independent woman, I have girls similar age myself too. But the emphasis at this stage though should be the general academic standard and ethos of the schools , rather than individual subjects provided.

@KellyOsh19

Hey we are likely to move to London in 2022 and I will like to admit my DD(8 years old) In a school here. Are there any school which offers CIE IGCSE (especially subjects Additional Maths and Computer Science) and is co-educational? She currently studies in an International School in Bahrain which has CIE IGCSE programme.

I think you may be making a mistake by looking for something which doesn't really exist in the UK - EdExcel GCSE is taken by many students- I think its the most popular in the UK, AQA is the next most common exam board. OCR is a common board used abroad as they trade on the prestige of the name it's not at all common in the Uk.

So you are looking for something that doesn't necessarily exist. If you have decided you NEED this board, I would think carefully why as its not something that will matter unless you are thinking of transferring school mid-course which would be odd.

It’s totally understandable to want security for your daughter in future. I think the only thing to do is to keep her options open as long as possible, and don’t pick eg a dedicated science or maths school just a good all-round school.

A friend at ICS told me for the next school year they will offer IgCSEs instead of the IB!