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Secondary education

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Original poster

How badly would my daughter get bullied for having a different accent?

155 replies

rosebloomed · 27/07/2024 21:19

we are moving from Canada and my daughter will be doing her final year of secondary school in Scotland. She told me her British friend told her she’ll most likely get bullied because of her Canadian accent. How true is this? Should we be worried? Would she have a hard time fitting in and making friends?

OP posts:
Original poster
rosebloomed · 27/07/2024 23:03

LIZS · 27/07/2024 22:53

A levels are sat in most of UK at 18, Highers are taken in Scotland, some (mainly private) offer IB, colleges and some schools offer BTEC or other level 3 awards. These are typical entry qualifications for uni in UK but there will be other routes for internationally educated students. Years 12/13 or S11/12 courses are usually taken at age 16-18 although some in Scotland move to uni at 17.

Would she be able to do her Highers in year 6, or will she definitely have to move down a year? What do students do in their 6th year if they have already completed their exams?

OP posts:
K37529 · 27/07/2024 23:04

I moved country when I was 12 and I was bullied for my accent, pretty much everyone in the school made fun of me to the point I just stopped talking, and eventually stopped going to school.

LIZS · 27/07/2024 23:06

You need to check with the school. Scottish system differs but there may be gaps in her learning which make Highers tricky. Does she have any school exam certificates ?

Otherstories2002 · 27/07/2024 23:09

rosebloomed · 27/07/2024 22:28

We aren’t sure what school to put her in yet, but we are looking for schools in Edinburgh. In Canada we only have exams and good grades to get into university, there are no highers. Will she have to do them in 6th year or be held back a year? She definitely will apply for university in the UK. My husband and I are a bit confused as to how the school system works though.

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If your moving with the view for her to go in to year 11 she will be stuffed.

SandyY2K · 27/07/2024 23:11

Bullying aside, this is not a good time to move schools for her. It's her final year of secondary school.

I lived in another country as child and we moved back to the UK. My sister was most impacted as she was in her final year of high school. I was next and it was so disruptive, as I was doing so well where we lived.

My younger siblings weren't affected at all. It was a totally different curriculum and education system.

I'd find a way to let your DD complete secondary school in Canada.

Lemonsallday · 27/07/2024 23:12

It does seem a really unfortunate time to move and you don’t seem to have done any research. Are you moving this summer?

CurlsnSunshinetime4tea · 27/07/2024 23:13

Probably best for her to stay in Canada for her last year, can she compress her courses and finish by January?
Then she can apply with her Canadian exam results.
Either way she’ll be an international student for a while.

LittleLittleRex · 27/07/2024 23:13

If she turns 18 in January, she'd have left school already (it wasn't as common to defer entry 14yrs ago).

If she hasn't got the Canadian equivalent to apply for university, then looking at college is your best bet, rather than schools.

Theydontknowaboutus · 27/07/2024 23:14

School returns from the summer break in about 3 weeks time and you will need an address in Edinburgh to register her for a school place.

The new school year actually starts in June so your daughter will have some catching up to do already. Your daughter will be among the older children in the school year in Scotland so I would have thought it v unlikely she would enter any other year apart from S6.

localnotail · 27/07/2024 23:14

Never mind the accent, I find it astonishing that you are moving your DD into a completely different education system you know literally nothing about. I suggest you talk to someone or at least do some googling before committing.

I doubt at 18 bullying is a massive issue. I'd be more worried that she may not be able to go to Uni. Would she have the right qualifications? Have you even found out if she is going to be a "Home" student? Or will you have to pay international student fees? Maybe it will be better for her to get into a Canadian uni and then transfer to Scotland?

MistressIggi · 27/07/2024 23:16

Why can't she finish her education in Canada? I think it is an unkindness to move her. IF a school agreed to take her for S5 AND S6 it might work, but not sure if she could be on S6 at 19!
It's not about her catching up with her peers, these will not be her peers they will be in Canada. The students in S6 sitting Highers will have the advantage of having say Highers in S5, and even more so will have moved up through the system so did National 5s in S4 and have all the content and skills that taught them. I don't jait mean generic "skills" I mean the things that get you marks in that particular subject in that particular exam.

Original poster
rosebloomed · 27/07/2024 23:20

saraclara · 27/07/2024 23:01

It's a bit astonishing that you're moving to Scotland without having researched the educational system and whether the move is appropriate for your DD.

I honestly don't know how your daughter can come into the last year of a A level courses without having studied the first year. It really is terrible timing for a move. Is it work related?

ETA that I forgot to factor in the different system in Scotland. That might be even more tricky to arrive to say 18.
What do you know about it?

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we got a great job opportunity a few days ago and just had to take it since our DD was very supportive of it as well (she was already planning on attending uni in the UK). We didn’t think it would be so different from our own school system though..

OP posts:
localnotail · 27/07/2024 23:23

rosebloomed · 27/07/2024 23:20

we got a great job opportunity a few days ago and just had to take it since our DD was very supportive of it as well (she was already planning on attending uni in the UK). We didn’t think it would be so different from our own school system though..

Show quote history

You sound incredibly naive. You do know that Scotland is an entirely different country, right? Like, completely different to Canada?

titchy · 27/07/2024 23:23

I'd suggest you put her into a private school to do Highers, possibly over two years. It'll cost, but uni will cost £££ so I assume that won't be a problem.

CurlsnSunshinetime4tea · 27/07/2024 23:23

@rosebloomed it’s very very different. I’m in Canada with two grandkids in London. No comparison.

titchy · 27/07/2024 23:24

You sound incredibly naive. You do know that Scotland is an entirely different country, right? Like, completely different to Canada?

It's also completely different education wise to the rest of the UK!

saraclara · 27/07/2024 23:24

Do you have family that she can live with to finish school in Canada?

Honestly, it's quite bonkers that you accepted a job without looking into this. It's usually the first thing a parent would do when considering a move to another country. You've been stunningly naive.

localnotail · 27/07/2024 23:24

I suggest you start googling fees and entry requirements for the Universities she would like to go to. And them decide the next step.

localnotail · 27/07/2024 23:27

saraclara · 27/07/2024 23:24

Do you have family that she can live with to finish school in Canada?

Honestly, it's quite bonkers that you accepted a job without looking into this. It's usually the first thing a parent would do when considering a move to another country. You've been stunningly naive.

It sounds so insanely idiotic that I cant even believe this is real.

MistressIggi · 27/07/2024 23:28

Everything she has been working toward in her senior school education in Canada will have been for nothing.

llareggub · 27/07/2024 23:28

I cannot comprehend your decision to move her at this stage of her education.

Genuinely, I cannot believe that you haven’t put more thought into this. Bullying is the least of it.

Ohlittleone · 27/07/2024 23:29

I'm going to go against the grain here and say that if your daughter is positive about the move it could definitely be doable and a really good experience. She would likely go into sixth year as others have said and will need to work hard to do highers that year, however if she doesn't get all the highers she would hope to gain to apply for uni, she can go on to study for further highers or do an access course at college first and then apply for university instead of going straight out of school.

soundsys · 27/07/2024 23:30

I don't think bullying is an issue but it's a bit of a crucial stage in her education if she wants to go to uni! Does she already have the qualifications she needs to be accepted in a Scottish uni or will she need to study them here? That will hugely affect plans, surely?

WouldUSayImWorthy · 27/07/2024 23:30

I am getting really bored with the amount of threads on here recently painting Scottish people as insular, racist, and unwelcoming.

soundsys · 27/07/2024 23:30

"If you're moving with the view for her to go in to year 11 she will be stuffed."

There is no year 11 in Scotland...