KaylaMc96

Hello!
My family is moving to Ontario later this year but we are unsure of what grades or years our children of 16 and 15 will be transferred to. The 16 year old has just finished GCSEs and has 15 in all. The 15 year old is half way through GCSE as she would be entering year 11 in September.

Any information on the grades they'd be in and their chances of skipping grades along with what type of courses and exams they would be doing would be appreciated.
Before I forget i would love to hear some first hand experiences of moving to kids from the UK to Canadian systen

Thanks

christmasoompa

Hi, and welcome to BE.

These Wiki articles may help - http://britishexpats.com/wiki/School_Age_Categories and http://britishexpats.com/wiki/GCSE_a...tudents-Canada

KaylaMc96

Thank you for the welcome and the links
I will check them out

lindamchugh

Hi my children are 15 and 13 and will be starting school in Sep I would be happy to share what happens . All the best

family_of_4

Same here, I have a 16 year old who has just completed his GCSEs and will be starting in September, i'll let you know what the outcome when we register at the end of August.

caleo

We arrived last august with our 16 year old who had just finished her GCSEs in UK. The birth year is the factor that decides which grade your child goes into, rather than the aug 31st cut off in the UK. Our daughter was born in 1996 and went into Gr 11. She was awarded some credits for her GCSEs, but still needed quite a few to complete her school education here.

Generally she has found the work a bit easier here, and some subjects covered work she had already done in the UK......but this was not a bad thing because it takes time to adjust to a new system, country and friends etc.

I would not really encourage trying to jump ahead a year or so - they are far better off staying with peers in their age group and building on friendships to help them settle better into their new life.

Our daughter has settled really well and has a great social life. She has done fairly well at school, and has another year to do before she get let out into the big wide world of college/uni etc.

Not sure how all the schools work, but our daughter had 8 subjects split into 2 semesters - 4 subjects per semester. I thought it was a bit of a strange way to work through the courses, but having only 4 subjects to focus on made it easier to plan homework and studying etc.

Hope that helps a little.

Kaye5

+1

This is exactly what we have been advised and are currently following through.

Son born 1997 starting grade 11 in September. Completed Standard grades in Scotland - low to middling grades anticipated so no idea what they will credit him with. I don't know of any posters in similar situation anticipating anything other than 10+ high grade GCSE passes, so I have no idea how low grades will be assessed (esp Scottish grades). (If there is anyone with a below average -average child who has experience of this, please leap in!)

We think he'll have a lot of catching up to do to pass grade 11 and also complete "missed" credits for grade 10.

We had hoped to be here two years earlier so he wouldn't have to struggle with catching up, but things didn't work out that way.

It may be that he has to do another six months or "redo" grade 12 to graduate as he just might not be able to cope with normal school work plus catch up work.

We also have a 13 year old and 10 year old. No real worries as we expect they will just slot into the system before the "crucial" years.

caleo

I stressed so much about my 16 year old before we left UK. I was so worried about school etc, but that has been so easy. There is plenty of time to get credits needed. My daughter did 8 last year, and this year will only need to do 6 - althoiugh she is doing 8 as she wanted to do law - which she knows she may struggle with, but interests her.

She failed her maths in Gr 11 - but 2 weeks of summer school, and she has not got that credit. Most of the kids here do summer school - either to improve marks or earn an extra credit if they are short. The guidance counsellors are great and help them sort out courses (well, that was our experience, I am sure not all are the same )

Some of my daughter friends have just finished Gr 12 and still need a couple of credits, or changed the direction of their planned careers, so are staying on to do Gr 13.

There is no major ruch to get into college or uni - they are only young once

Kaye5

Thanks for this - good to know he's not alone. Still hoping for a miracle come August results time, but my head says the results aren't going to be good.

Yes - no rush for college (uni he's got no chance of unless there's a degree in Zombie Shooting); I guess it will still be there when he's 19 just the same as when he's 18.

KaylaMc96

lindamchugh and family_of_4 I would love to find out about your experience slotting into the Canadian system it would be very nice to get recent first hand advice.

caleo and Kaye5 thank you for your experiences also and I agree it seems like a very good idea not to rush them to a grade ahead, we were just ensure because in the UK we start school earlier and I thought this may affect there placement in the Canadian system.

Thank you guys

Fadek

I am really worried about the move to alberta canada now. My 13 year old (in year 9) is doing well in uk grammar school. He will be choosing his GCSE subjects this month.

We should be in canada by July. I just worry if he will get an equivalent of a GCSE in canada and if we decided to send him to uk for uni, will it all fit in?

Oink

Why not wait to emigrate until they've finished their schooling, especially at such a critcuical juncture?