Schools - switching from UK year groups to CA grades
#1
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: Aug 2019
Posts: 16
Schools - switching from UK year groups to CA grades
HI there,
Plenty of questions below - any guidance would be appreciated. TIA
My sons are both October birthdays, making them some of the 'older' kids in their current year groups. In the UK, they would be due to go back to Yr 8 & yr 10 in Sept 2020.
As Canadian grades are done by birth year, they will become some of the 'youngest' in their grade. They are due to start grade 8 & grade 10 in BC in September. Does this effectively mean that they will be skipping a year with the move from UK to BC? (ie - if they were born 3 months later in Jan, they would be automatically in grades 7 & 9.)
Is the BC curriculum general ahead/ similar/behind the UK?
What grade in BC would be equivalent to Yr 11 (sitting GCSE's) in UK?
We have been offered the opportunity to hold the boys back a grade, for them to join Grades 7 & 9 instead. Is this something pretty standard with moving from UK? Are there like to be plenty of kids that are in the 'wrong year'?
If you have firsthand experience of moving with this age groups of kids, I'd really appreciate your feedback -its become quite a big decision.
Thans for reading. Susan
Plenty of questions below - any guidance would be appreciated. TIA
My sons are both October birthdays, making them some of the 'older' kids in their current year groups. In the UK, they would be due to go back to Yr 8 & yr 10 in Sept 2020.
As Canadian grades are done by birth year, they will become some of the 'youngest' in their grade. They are due to start grade 8 & grade 10 in BC in September. Does this effectively mean that they will be skipping a year with the move from UK to BC? (ie - if they were born 3 months later in Jan, they would be automatically in grades 7 & 9.)
Is the BC curriculum general ahead/ similar/behind the UK?
What grade in BC would be equivalent to Yr 11 (sitting GCSE's) in UK?
We have been offered the opportunity to hold the boys back a grade, for them to join Grades 7 & 9 instead. Is this something pretty standard with moving from UK? Are there like to be plenty of kids that are in the 'wrong year'?
If you have firsthand experience of moving with this age groups of kids, I'd really appreciate your feedback -its become quite a big decision.
Thans for reading. Susan
#3
Banned
Joined: Apr 2009
Location: SW Ontario
Posts: 19,879
Re: Schools - switching from UK year groups to CA grades
Hello
We have a great wiki section on schooling/education in Canada - https://britishexpats.com/wiki/Categ...ucation-Canada .....
including a section specifically about age. - https://britishexpats.com/wiki/Schoo...egories-Canada
and about GCSE's https://britishexpats.com/wiki/GCSE_...tudents-Canada
... the differences between UK and Canada schooling - https://britishexpats.com/wiki/Canad...ool_Comparison
We have a great wiki section on schooling/education in Canada - https://britishexpats.com/wiki/Categ...ucation-Canada .....
including a section specifically about age. - https://britishexpats.com/wiki/Schoo...egories-Canada
and about GCSE's https://britishexpats.com/wiki/GCSE_...tudents-Canada
... the differences between UK and Canada schooling - https://britishexpats.com/wiki/Canad...ool_Comparison
Last edited by Siouxie; Aug 2nd 2020 at 1:01 am.
#5
Just Joined
Joined: May 2016
Posts: 24
Re: Schools - switching from UK year groups to CA grades
My son was in U.K year 8 when we moved. Heās a Jan baby so became one of the oldest in the year. He found Grade 8 in Ontario to be much easier that the U.K equivalent grade.
My daughter is a late December baby and became the very youngest in her grade when we moved here. She skipped a grade due to the difference in September and January intake that they have here. I was worried at first but it worked well for her and she adjusted really well. I wouldnāt have wanted to hold her back a year- she would have found the grade below too easy.
Hope that helps some. I find the schooling here to be a real positive. I much prefer the continuous testing rather than the high pressured GCSEās and AāLevels and both have been able to study much more interesting subjects that those offered in the U.K.
Good luck!
My daughter is a late December baby and became the very youngest in her grade when we moved here. She skipped a grade due to the difference in September and January intake that they have here. I was worried at first but it worked well for her and she adjusted really well. I wouldnāt have wanted to hold her back a year- she would have found the grade below too easy.
Hope that helps some. I find the schooling here to be a real positive. I much prefer the continuous testing rather than the high pressured GCSEās and AāLevels and both have been able to study much more interesting subjects that those offered in the U.K.
Good luck!
#6
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: Aug 2019
Posts: 16
Re: Schools - switching from UK year groups to CA grades
Thank you so much for this - its really helpful.
How long ago did you move? Have they reached grade 10 yet? If so, have you any ides from friends in the UK how grade 10/11 in Canada compares to GCSE content/expectations?
Thank you. Susan
How long ago did you move? Have they reached grade 10 yet? If so, have you any ides from friends in the UK how grade 10/11 in Canada compares to GCSE content/expectations?
Thank you. Susan
#7
Just Joined
Joined: May 2016
Posts: 24
Re: Schools - switching from UK year groups to CA grades
We have been here 4.5 years. My daughter has just finished grade 10. Itās probably comparable with the U.K, possibly on the easy side and without the stacks of homework her U.K. friends seem to have. My son graduated high school this year and would tell you that Canadian grade 11/12 suited him so much better. His U.K. friends were all stressed about their exams whereas for him the year was much the same as any other. I would say he found Canadian high schooling easier and more catered towards his interests. There is also an emphasis on giving them lots of options for success if needed - you can switch classes, take summer school, stay on to be a āsuper seniorā (take an extra year of high school), all options not readily available in the U.K. We are in Ontario but I assume these things are available Canada wide.