Moving to the UK year 10

[Culdesac7]

What should be done about our daughter, who is moving from the US to UK this summer and has already studied what I believe to be the math offered on GCSE? I’m just curious what I can expect from the school. Appropriate placement? Or repeating everything again? Thanks!

It would be possible to catch up mfl to the expected standard of year 10 . There are plenty of free resources online (duolingo, futurelearn etc)and many schools timetable a hour or two a week at most until then. Some schools only start their gcse mfl in year 9 and the vocab learned very basic.

This can be the case within schools. Different sets will cover different texts ( ds school set 1 did the Inspector calls , the other did the Jekyll and Hyde) down to teacher preference , what they think will work best for each set etc .

Also be aware that it's not just that you need a UK address to be able to apply, she needs to be actually living there ie you need to have moved (unless a parent is UK military where there are some exceptions). Some schools/LAs may not check in that much detail of course.

I think you might have a very rose tinted view of U.K. secondary education. It's very narrow compared to the US. She will go down to 3 or 4 max subjects when she's 16. She will apply to her 'major' when she goes to university. The curriculum is very rigid and exam based. We've had kids in both and in my opinion the U.K. does primary better but secondary is far better in the US. Also, I think you're really going to have to prepare yourself for the level of disruption and rude behaviour she will encounter at school. The kids drink much earlier and drugs are easier to get. There's also a considerable amount of anti-American feeling depending on where you move to. If you were coming for one of the selective private schools I'd think it was fine. Moving for any old state comp is madness frankly. Have you joined the American expat moms group on Facebook? In general the ones that come and use state schools are miserable and really taken aback. You also have to contend with all the upheaval and getting used to a much lower level of healthcare...it's an awful lot to adjust to at that age. Does your daughter want to move? Assume she's a dual national?

All schools I know of, you do all your classes with your year group. So, she will be in Y10 classes for all subjects. Most schools teach 'science' till end of Y9 and then split into physics, biology and chemistry although you still have to do all 3 sciences (and sit a GCSE in Biology, Chemistry and Physics separately) whether you take Triple science or 'science'. Triple science just covers more topics on each subject.

Usually core subjects are:
English literature
English language
Maths
Science (all 3 subjects)
P.E (not examined but compulsory)

A language (not all schools)
RE (not all schools)

Options:
Drama, music, maybe dance, p.e as GCSE
Art, Design Technology, computer science, food tech, textiles, Triple science
History or geography (maybe politics depending on school)

There are different exam boards for each subject (more or less) and schools can choose which ones they use.

Different schools work differently with 'sets'. Some schools will have sets for everything! My son's school set Maths into 6 sets, English into 4, Languages I think into 2 or possibly just based on timetabling.

I’m concerned that you and your DD think she’s going to slot in to English culture and suddenly be posh by going to school and Uni here. I’m from America but have lived in England for 13 years, and can promise that there are huge cultural differences, fairly significant anti-American sentiment and rudeness that you won’t be prepared for. There’s also lots of wonderful things about it as well but it might take several years to adjust and by then what will have happened with your DD’s education?

I think this is an unnecessarily negative view. There are some very good schools and some bad ones, some schools with high standards of behaviour and some not so much. In the area I live in (Cambridge) there are quite a lot of Americans who are mostly very well-integrated, and no discernible anti-American sentiment. It's just very important to carefully research both geographical areas and individual schools to ensure a good fit.

Baffled by the snit American sentiment stuff

One thing that comes to mind reading your messages, you are aware that for Y10 entry, being in catchment won't get you a space? The school needs to have a space, and you will be offered the nearest school (catchment or not) with a space.

Maths wouldn't be my biggest concern. If she is way ahead, great, take it as an easy class and focus her efforts on other things.
I would guess Geography, history, RE, and the languages you have already picked up on would be more of an issue. Some of your choices fe options may also be restricted by the timetable or class sizes by joining in Y10.

I’m only reporting on my experience and those of other Americans I’ve compared notes with. We’ve all just got on with our lives and even made friends but it’s by no means been an easy transition.

Being ahead is of no advantage to her. She will need to show she has continuously studied maths, without a break. No exams taken more than 2 years ahead of the main raft of GCSEs count in future applications. It is too easy to pass exams sat individually, so they have to be taken together to be counted towards fulfilling entrance criteria for a levels/ college, and with maths in particular, there can be no breaks

You really should have a look at and ask on the American expat moms in the U.K. Facebook group. There are lots and lots of very upset American mothers trying to use state schools in the U.K. and having it go very wrong. There absolutely is significant anti-American sentiment in the U.K. It's not something most Americans would talk about with Brits. You need to speak to other American moms here.

I Agree that there is a lot of anti American sentiment in the Uk, but it’s generally aimed at the American government, rather than American individuals

I'm surprised by that. I like American people although I wonder whether it might partly be down to cultural differences. Us Brits do love sarcasm and a light-hearted grumble and perhaps it's misinterpreted as being unfriendly as Americans are more bubbly on the surface at least?

I think as others have said you need to look at your school carefully. While most kids do well in the state system , if they work , in some schools the disruption can be significant. It will be a culture shock for her at a significant time.in her education. I speak as the mum of a current bright year 10. It maybe an idea to look at the local schools and post for advice on them specifically on here. If its a high achieving secondary there may not be space. Most parents won't move children once GCSE choices have been made and courses started. That will be now as even if its a 2 year GCSE most schools round here start after Easter. One other thing, I maybe wrong but does she currently wear a uniform? Uniforms can be difficult for teen girls and are increasingly strict. 40 denier Black tights to be worn all year for example ( yes I agree madness), even in normal al ocal comps.
Not sure about anti Americanism but having moved from even Scotland to England the culture is very different. Scots tend to be direct and to the point, almost seen as aggressive I'm told, but down here people are more indirect and evasive. I have to tone myself down even after 20 years. Americans maybe seen to have similar traits.
Funding, most state schools are chronically underfunded, and teachers completely worn out/ over worked and leaving in droves, you earn more at the local supermarket. In academy chains I belive you don't need to have a teaching qualification to teach nor a degree in the subject.. Please , please don't think its all roses overhere its not.

I've been reading with interest as we are moving back to the UK after 5 years in the US and children will be joining Year 9 and Year 6 in September. I joined the IXL website and both children have been doing 2-3 hours per week using the UK curriculum so that i can identify any gaps in maths and english before they return.

I also concur with previous posts that you may have idealised the UK system somewhat. I have been talking to my older child in particular that there is more bullying and peer pressure in the UK and the positivity about learning and achieving is less apparent.

I am really not looking forward to school uniforms! The behaviour around the teachers is definitely better in the UK but not better with each other or outside of school (from what i can see).

Re standards of education, it is so hard to measure...according to IXL my daughter is achieving as per Year 10/11 but i can't see this is correct as I read so often that US is behind the UK in education by age. My younger is showing as Year 4 (will be entering Year 6 in September) so this is a bit concerning, I understand that using these websites and the analysis is a bit crude but i want to do as much as possible beforehand to identify problems and try to resolve. For example, my younger one couldn't tell the time so we bought him a watch and within a couple of days the skill on IXL showed that he had excelled to Year 5.

It also depends very much on what school system in the US you are in! So many variables. If we could, we would stay in the US until they are at university age but that is not possible.

Just to clarify, though, there is a Further Maths GCSE (AQA), DD2 has one. She also has a Stats GCSE – both of these are entirely separate qualifications from Maths. And while she is a scientist, she is no mathematician!

You really can't compare 'the US' to the U.K. as it's really 50 states with 50 curricula. There isn't a national curriculums. We don't have anything equivalent to GCSE or A level exams. The different states vary wildly in their results. Some do so well they file as their own country in the PISA league table. You could be talking about a leafy suburban high school outside of Boston that would blow away just about any comp in the U.K. or you could be talking about a struggling inner city school in Queens or a mega-school in Texas where they teach creationism as science. Which state the OP is coming from will entirely change her perspective. U.K. secondary education is so focused on teaching for the exams I find it very narrow compared to the breadth of most good US high schools. It doesn't encourage critical thinking. Ours found A levels far less work than the last two years of high school. U.K. A levels go deeper but at the expense of keeping them broad and being able to experience lots of different subjects.

US schools are mostly locally funded. If you live in a wealthy town it tends to have very good schools as they are funded by property taxes. If you move into that town they have to take your kid in that school. I've found U.K. schools far more variable even with a very small area and I think that might surprise the OP. She likely won't understand that a school with places in year 10 is likely not a great school.

@Culdesac7 I'm curious about the fact that you seem to be moving to the UK so that your DD can attend a big standard comprehensive. And are moving at quite a critical time too.
Don't get me wrong, my DCs attend a big standard comprehensive and it's fine. But we got to choose which one, and they've been learning the curriculum from the start so will be well prepared for GCSEs.
Is education really the main reason that you're moving here?

@Wasabiprawns from listening to kids on the school bus when my kids were at a British school that shared a campus with a US school, I'd say early primary the English is ahead (because they start younger it's not that suprising) by end of primary they are pretty equivalent, and then the systems really start diverging.

Just to clarify, though, there is a Further Maths GCSE (AQA), DD2 has one. She also has a Stats GCSE – both of these are entirely separate qualifications from Maths.

That's interesting. I find the FSMQ qualification a bit odd as it doesn't really fit in a category so a GCSE would be better.

@KarrotKake yes that makes sense particular as my older had a good 4 years initially in Uk system them nearly 5 years in US - it explains why she is further ahead than my younger as she had a better base.

Also confirm that we are in a leafy Boston suburb that a previous poster mention and I understood this was a "good" system so maybe this is why IXL is showing her level as year 10/11 and maybe I shouldn't be so dubious.

FYI I'm not expecting IXL to determine their levels but using as a resource to help as I personally am not an educator!

Just to add my older child needs to choose options for the start of year 9. She was interested in the additional maths. I showed her US teacher the syllabus for year 9 and she had already covered some of the topics in 7th grade.

Oof. I don’t know where to begin. I really wanted to quote and reply to each of you but I don’t think I have time. And many asked the same things.

We are moving for many reasons. Not just education. But it’s a lot to do with that. Like many people in the UK it sounds, we too take issue with things going on in the US. I do not want to get political online though. But gun control and many other things.

We also love England. And I didn’t want to include our life story initially, but we have lived in England for few years. We loved it. I have known Americans who moved there and stuck to only expats and were just annoyed by everything, and no, that’s not us.

Looking at the past papers she is definitely beyond, but it’s not an issue if nothing can be done. My initial query was just to gain an understanding of norms here.

To be clear she isn’t your average advanced American kid here. She had one more year of high school math and then Calculus and post-calculus—generally though of as college level. and to be blunt, she is what is considered here as “gifted” and to a high extent even in that category. She was in a gifted magnet school and was accepted to the top public in our state.

Our younger child will likely need a lot of support and tutoring to catch up.

Still we are happier to educate her in England. And I do think she will fit in. It sounds like GCSEs are rigorous, and that is what we want for her.

Yes, she is excited to move. She remembers the school in UK well.

Now what does comprehensive mean? The school we are hoping for (I don’t wish to disclose) is a village college. It’s considered good. Which I suppose will make it harder to get in.

Is this true? I was hoping to show a contract on the house we’d have in July. But we likely won’t move until August because of waiting on visas.