thinker78 Posted January 1, 2020 Share Posted January 1, 2020 (edited) I saw another concerned parent this week worried about bringing kids back to the UK system. It can be tricky fitting kids in regarding birthdays and school years etc The school years run differently obviously, and the UK runs a 1st September to 31st August dating policy. It is extremely rare to find a UK school who will hold kids back. When we returned in 2015, I was shocked to find my 'just started reception' Aussie, born in August, was expected to enter Year 2. Effectively, she'd missed most of Key Stage 1. She was unable to read or write or sit still for long periods and yet had to enter a year which saw them prepare for SATS. I was horrified and stressed, and felt awful for her. However, here we are, as she's finishing Year 6 primary (still the youngest in her year!) and she's holding her own. She's even won a selected place at a local high school. Why? Because if you get into a good school in the UK, they will do everything in their power to get them up to speed. She's had loads of extra support, and still does. Most 'good' schools will be concerned that their stats look good - sounds harsh but it's true. They don't want kids failing, and they don't leave anyone behind. We lucked in with our school, who worked closely with me from day one to get her up to speed. The curriculum here is full-on but stimulating. I love the topics they do and have enjoyed helping her extend learning on things I can actually relate to. She probably does less sports here but that's personal choice, there's still loads on offer. My loud, slightly feral illiterate Aussie will leave UK primary well rounded, engaged and doing well Brit. I find the system challenging - teachers have enormous pressure to make the kids progress - but they also have the drive to help the less able achieve. Please don't worry - just find a good, supportive school who will work with you. Kids adapt. It's a different culture and your kids shouldn't expect things to be the same. Positives and negatives both sides but there is definitely a sense of support here with the right school. Good luck to all parents returning x Edited January 1, 2020 by thinker78 spelling mistakes 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vickie78 Posted January 2, 2020 Share Posted January 2, 2020 That's great information and very reassuring. Any tips aside from Ofsted reports, some are years out of date to finding a 'good' school? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thinker78 Posted January 4, 2020 Author Share Posted January 4, 2020 Not really i'm afraid - 'outstanding' schools can be crap (one of ours got done for serious safeguarding concerns) whilst others which show as RI (requires improvement) can be fabulous. Best off looking at a couple, asking for local opinions and going with your gut. Demographics certainly affect things, as does the ability to get into schools in general - sometimes your choice is limited by logistics. I wouldn't just look at results. I'm sending mine to a school which shows as RI still even thought it's fabulous, and churns out happy, well-rounded kids. I chose it based on the needs of my child, the fact it has little to no bullying and focuses on all the good stuff. If you just looked at Ofsted, you'd never get a clear picture of a school. Good luck! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rammygirl Posted January 4, 2020 Share Posted January 4, 2020 And don’t assume that paying for a select school is any better. Not all private education in the UK is any better than a good state school. Our local Grammar (fee paying school) really was not worth the money education wise above the good Catholic secondary (free). Snob value only and the kids inherited an entitlement they did not deserve! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LKC Posted January 4, 2020 Share Posted January 4, 2020 And to anyone thinking about moving to Scotland, the system here is a bit different. The cut off date for birthdays is the end of Feb, but the education system is quite flexible here in that you can hold a child back if they have a Dec/Jan/Feb birthday and feel it will be beneficial. They also start school slightly later, have 7 years of primary (and part time nursery before that) and 6 of high school. Our eldest was almost finished Y6 in Aus (and so about four months off high school), but because she is an April birthday, when we moved to Scotland she moved back to the beginning of P7, and so had almost a full year of the last year of primary to settle in before hitting high school (we moved in September, but the school year here starts in August, so she'd missed a month or so). This proved highly beneficial for her, because she is autistic and needed a bit of extra time to adjust. Our youngest daughter is a February baby, and we decided to hold her back to the year below. In part to maintain the two year difference in school years between the two of them, so that she would be the eldest in the year rather than the youngest), but also to give her a bit more settling in time. She is the eldest in the school now (she's in P7) and has got bucket loads of confidence and is doing really well academically. There were gaps in both of their knowledge and there were things that they were a bit behind on, but the teachers here (in Scotland anyway, where we don't have sats or anything) just seem to teach to the individual, and tailor the work to the pupil, rather than teaching the same thing in the same way to the whole class. Our school is small, and so it is all composite classes anyway (youngest is in a P6/7), but the teachers just seem to be able to do that. They both caught up really quickly. I think the hardest thing was the Scottish history, because they'd only done Australian, and being English I hadn't really done any Scottish history so couldn't help much! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vickie78 Posted January 5, 2020 Share Posted January 5, 2020 (edited) 17 hours ago, rammygirl said: And don’t assume that paying for a select school is any better. Not all private education in the UK is any better than a good state school. Our local Grammar (fee paying school) really was not worth the money education wise above the good Catholic secondary (free). Snob value only and the kids inherited an entitlement they did not deserve! It's the same in Australia. Our local 'Private' School has the worse self entitled and misbehaved brats I have seen, always at the local shops etc causing trouble. Both of mine went through Public for Primary and it was an amazing school, and in terms of Education there have been many studies that basically proves fee paying or not doesn't particularly play a role in educational outcomes, as you say it's more about snobbery. If kids want to learn and are taught in a manner that keeps them interested/parent support, then they will be successful. Edited January 5, 2020 by Vickie78 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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