How will my son continue his studies abroad?

[LuckyMumOf1]

We need some advice for this!

In September 2025, we will be moving to the United States which happens to be halfway through my sons A-levels, right after his AS levels. I am quite a novice on this and am unknown on how he will do schooling there, continuing at a British International School or doing the US High School Diploma.

We would greatly appreciate advice or a guide on what he could potentially do - his current GCSE predictions are all 8s and 9s for information, he does take academics seriously.

Will schools want to see his AS level results and GCSEs? Thank you!

Would he take AS levels , as these were phased put in much of England. It would be really tricky to transfer partway through as A levels are two year courses.

It would be a waste to not complete his a levels and sit his exams when he's got so far with them. There really is not much of a cross over between the US and UK system once you get passed elementary school. An international school would be a good option if there is one close by to where you will be living.

Where we were living in the US, there were some European exchange students who came and spent their last year of school in the US and graduated with a high school diploma (but not British kids). I have heard people say that A levels are more similar to the first year of college in the US, so he will very likely be ahead academically - but there is usually a lot more choice in terms of subject options and electives if you're in a good school district. But many HS do also offer college credit courses which reduce the time students need to spend at Uni - assuming he is wanting to study in the US and not in the UK. If he does go to college in the US, unless you already have permanent residency, he will be considered an international student, I believe, and therefore it will be a lot of $$$$.

I'm not sure kids can move at that stage! I'd look for somewhere he can stay/board for a year in the UK to complete his A levels.

Have a look for an international school to finish off his studies.

Do you absolutely have to do this? It's terrible timing for your son. My parents moved me between countries at that age and I was miserable. I'm 40 now and I still haven't really forgiven them. My sister, who is 18 months younger, had a much easier time fitting into a different school system.

Is there any way you could you move now (I mean, obviously not immediately, but asap) or wait until your son has finished school?

Presuming current school is not a boarding school change schools for sixth form, day pupil in Y12 and boarding in Y13 if it's possible otherwise boarding for both years. You can't change schools half way through A levels - it won't be an option. IB is supposed to be slightly more portable but really depends on the individual and options available at both schools. Personally I wouldn't consider a US high school for a 17 turning 18 year old.

@LuckyMumOf1 agree fully with @notquitesoyoung
Don't move him at the end of year 12. It's madness.
State school - live with family / friends in year 13 (or one parent stay in the UK for another year ideally).
Private school - as suggested above.
He is old enough to fly independently to join you in the US for holidays.

Would he take AS levels , as these were phased put in much of England. It would be really tricky to transfer partway through as A levels are two year courses.

^This. Even if he moved to an international school which offered A Levels in the subjects he was doing, there's no guarantee they'd be doing the same exam boards. I can't see how this would work for him tbh.

I think you need to find a way for him to finish his education in the UK. Can he stay with someone while he does his second year?

Or could he do his A levels at boarding school?

You'll be ruining his chances of going to uni if you do this OP. So I suggest you dont.

Unless you can find an international school where he can complete his British education in the US I absolutely wouldn’t move him. I think it’s a dreadful idea quire honestly. It’s such a critical time for his future.

I would imagine most major US cities do have a British school, there’s one in my city, but it won’t be cheap. However, if you’re anywhere in small town America, you won’t find this. If you can’t find a British school, I’d find a way for him to stay in the UK and finish there.

Also, what he would do educationally would largely depend on if he plans to go to a US university or a British one. If he plans on attending a US Uni, you’d want him taking AP courses in high school.

Does he need A-levels? He could do a one year course at a local college (there's lots he could choose - one year courses are usually GCSE equivalent but it could be something that interests him but he hasn't had the opportunity to do before) for his "Year 12" and then the final year of American High School.
Maybe doing a bit of online preparation for the American curriculum in that year as well.

Christ almighty, unless you are all being deported and have absolutely no choice in the matter, do not do this. This is a disastrous time to move for him - his first year of A levels won’t transfer at all.

Are you planning to all live in the USA on a permanent basis? If so community college and getting his GED is probably the best option. But it’s a shit option. He won’t easily be able to transfer into high school, he’ll be too old at 18 and he won’t be able to take enough credits to graduate high school in a year anyway.

If he plans on returning to the UK for uni, he’ll essentially have to go back to an FE college and re-take his A levels from scratch.

Seriously, what possessed you to move at this stage in the game? Why not wait for him to finish his exams?

@LuckyMumOf1 in terms of how a final year of HS would look in the US.

Most kids take 6 or 7 classes. They take the class every day. There aren’t 2 year courses like A levels, each year is stand alone, so your son won’t be trying to “catch up” if it’s something new to him (exception probably being a foreign language).

Classes are generally offered at regular, honours and AP (advanced placement) level. If your son was expected to excel at A levels, then he’d likely be wanting to do AP classes.

He would probably be required to take a placement test to determine which level he’d be in, especially for Maths, English and foreign language classes. These wouldn’t be horrific exams, just probably a 45 min assessment type thing to gauge his knowledge.

A friend of mine's parents moved house half way through her A levels. It was only 50 miles away but none of the schools she might move to offered the same syllabus that she'd been studying. She actually lived with my family for the Upper Sixth and went home at weekends.

The only other option is going after he completes his GCSEs so before A levels Is that more feasible?

It would be better to go after GCSE's and before A-levels.
I don't know how it would work with translating the GCSE grades into "credits" that would essentially cover what he would have done in 9th + 10th Grade but they must have a system for international students who don't do the full 4 years of American High School but still graduate.
But that would definitely be a better time to move.

The only other option is going after he completes his GCSEs so before A levels Is that more feasible? certainly better or find a sixth form where he has a boarding option, either state or private.

Let him finish his A levels, with the current exam board in his school. Could one of you stay behind or family stay with him for that 1 year?
US high school, very different classes and A levels is at first year university level in US. If he wants to apply to US universities it would be fine with current A levels set up.
International schools may have different courses and there may be gap in his knowledge. So even if same exam board, the courses modules taught could be different.
Also, A levels lots of study groups with friends….how is he going to set up his course and revision whilst trying to make friends. All the US top students in any high school is focusing on their university applications and unlike UCAS you can apply to as many universities if you want. They would be focus on those applications whilst the groups that may be socially active may not care about their grades.

What's the uni plan? Is there one? If UK bear in mind the cost for an international student. Having US qualifications won't be an issue though.

The only other option is going after he completes his GCSEs so before A levels Is that more feasible?

Yes, because he wouldn't be part-way through a course. You'd have to spring into action asap to find out where he could go to school over there though.

Just find a boarding school in U.K. for Sixth Form, there are some good state options too. Unless you want him to go to uni in the US he is far better off staying here and then straight to uni. Also check out when extortionate overseas uni fees become payable on U.K. unis.

No . He stays uk with relatives
Or start a boarding school year 12
Or one parent stays
Til he completes a levels

@LuckyMumOf1 what need more Lego said.

I can only imagine that there has to be a way to “translate” one education system into another as I’m sure loads of people do it. I think where your DS plans to do Uni would determine what I’d do.

if he plans to go in the UK, I’d find a way for him to finish there rather than coming to the US with you.

The US HS system is very different in that it’s not based on something like A levels, and rather on a cumulative 4 year program. I don’t know how they’d account for his only being there for 1 or 2 years.