school query
Sep 8th 2013, 4:00 pm
#16
BE dabbler
Joined: Nov 2012
Location: UK
Posts: 24,310
Re: school query
[QUOTE=Shard;10891400]Do you have any qualms about moving him from a highly competitive grammar school to the relatively relaxed Alberta school system? It is a very different ethos, not better or worse, and it will probably be quite different from results-driven selective British schooling.
to be honest I am a little apprehensive but there is a lot of time. There seems to be more emphasis on having well rounded students in Canada rather than exam results, but the nation is doing well so they must be on to something!
to be honest I am a little apprehensive but there is a lot of time. There seems to be more emphasis on having well rounded students in Canada rather than exam results, but the nation is doing well so they must be on to something!
Sep 8th 2013, 4:17 pm
#17
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Aug 2005
Location: South of Calgary
Posts: 13,357
Sep 8th 2013, 4:18 pm
#18
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Aug 2005
Location: South of Calgary
Posts: 13,357
Re: school query
When we were in Calgary, grade 10 was the first year of high school. Now our kids are schooled in Blackie/High River, high school commences at grade 9.
Sep 8th 2013, 4:26 pm
#19
Henry Bear
Joined: Feb 2006
Location: Red Deer, Alberta
Posts: 10,606
Re: school query
Some high schools in Red Deer start grade 9, some grade 10.
We went for option 1, she's bright enough to be honor roll and full IB but not driven enough to stay full IB, She is repeating grade 12, as she got bogged down with the whole grad thing and stopped working. She did however do very well in IB Japanese
We went for option 1, she's bright enough to be honor roll and full IB but not driven enough to stay full IB, She is repeating grade 12, as she got bogged down with the whole grad thing and stopped working. She did however do very well in IB Japanese
Sep 8th 2013, 4:38 pm
#20
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 9
Re: school query
good grief! looks like I should have done more research on schools in Alberta. I should have known Wikipedia would be a trickle of knowledge instead of the fountain I was seeking.
Sep 8th 2013, 5:10 pm
#22
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Aug 2005
Location: South of Calgary
Posts: 13,357
Re: school query
Where do you intend to live?
Sep 8th 2013, 5:18 pm
#23
BE dabbler
Joined: Nov 2012
Location: UK
Posts: 24,310
Re: school query
Thanks for all the responses so far. I didn't realize the variations in grades across Canada. The elementary school is definitely K-6 (Wainwright) and the high school is 7-12 with 7-9 being designated "Junior High" or "Middle school" but all in the same building.
You have reassured me that putting him back to elementary isn't an unreasonable step.
You have reassured me that putting him back to elementary isn't an unreasonable step.
Sep 8th 2013, 6:35 pm
#24
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 2,710
Re: school query
Calgary has a mixed system
Old schools are K-6 on the whole, but the trend for newer schools is to make K-4 and then 5-9 as middle and 10-12. It will vary by where you live and by school board.
If you really want pushing then you could always try for GATE programme or one of the charter schools (if you can get in). Or if your kid was at grammer, get them an IPP. Whatever I would keep them in the age appropriate year group
Old schools are K-6 on the whole, but the trend for newer schools is to make K-4 and then 5-9 as middle and 10-12. It will vary by where you live and by school board.
If you really want pushing then you could always try for GATE programme or one of the charter schools (if you can get in). Or if your kid was at grammer, get them an IPP. Whatever I would keep them in the age appropriate year group
Sep 8th 2013, 7:25 pm
#25
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 9
Re: school query
Calgary has a mixed system
Old schools are K-6 on the whole, but the trend for newer schools is to make K-4 and then 5-9 as middle and 10-12. It will vary by where you live and by school board.
If you really want pushing then you could always try for GATE programme or one of the charter schools (if you can get in). Or if your kid was at grammer, get them an IPP. Whatever I would keep them in the age appropriate year group
Old schools are K-6 on the whole, but the trend for newer schools is to make K-4 and then 5-9 as middle and 10-12. It will vary by where you live and by school board.
If you really want pushing then you could always try for GATE programme or one of the charter schools (if you can get in). Or if your kid was at grammer, get them an IPP. Whatever I would keep them in the age appropriate year group
Sep 8th 2013, 11:02 pm
#26
BE user by choice
Joined: Oct 2010
Location: A Briton, married to a Canadian, now in Fredericton.
Posts: 4,854
Re: school query
Where are you now Docrcc? Will you child have a great big difference from a big school environment to a more rural school community? Are there great big differences in the size of school where you are now to where you will be going?
Sep 8th 2013, 11:13 pm
#27
.
Joined: Mar 2010
Location: Cochrane, Alberta
Posts: 868
Re: school query
Quite possibly; like everything here, it is all very specific to an exact area. There seems no consistency.
Sep 8th 2013, 11:16 pm
#28
.
Joined: Mar 2010
Location: Cochrane, Alberta
Posts: 868
Re: school query
Again, I'd check with the particular school board in question for your area as they all seem to vary. Where we are, the cut off is end of February so those with March birthdays are the eldest in class.
Sep 9th 2013, 6:43 am
#29
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 9
Re: school query
Still in the UK in an all boys school with 1200 pupils. The differences will be huge!
Sep 9th 2013, 9:43 am
#30
Forum Regular
Joined: Sep 2013
Location: Ontario
Posts: 67
Re: school query
Hi, I'm new here but similar situation (Grammar school kid), so I thought I'd mention that we were told to try and get our child in to the "IB" programme (International Baccalaureat). Apparently some state schools do do it. It is supposedly more suited for the grammar school kids (and a bit more internationally portable) and the first streams start at Grade 9.
We're talking Ontario though so might be a bit different.
We're talking Ontario though so might be a bit different.
