Hi,

We are considering a move from the UK to Oakville in Ontario, with our 3 children, aged 13, 11 and 8. Whilst thinking the move may be permanent, I want to ensure that I don't cause the children any problems should we choose to return. We wouldn't return until our eldest has completed High School, but at this point our middle child would have just completed Grade 10 and so would be returning to the UK at a point where his peers would have just completed their GCSE's.
Does anyone know how he would integrate into the UK system? Could he start A levels without any GCSE's or would have have to drop down at a least a year and get the GCSE's? We've not looked at the IB programme; my enquiry relates more to a standard high school education

We are looking at Oakville Trafalgar High School should anyone have any thoughts on that! I have visited the schools and read the Fraser Report and am happy with what I have seen and read, but any experience would be great to hear!

Would really appreciate any help - my kids education is really important to us and has to be right for us to make the move!

Many thanks
Lee

My kids went in the case of the eldest one and goes for the younger to Oakville Trafalgar. We have been, on the whole, very happy with the school. The older one is at University now and commented the other day how lucky he felt to have gone to OT as he says he covered a lot more at High School than most of his University classmates. It is a fairly relaxed environment, my younger son misses a fair amount of school for sports events and I never have any trouble with the school over it. Mind you he does put in the effort to keep his marks high as he knows that the sports would be gone if the school work suffered.
I really can't tell you how easy it would be to slot back into the UK system after grade 10, I suspect to a large extent it would depend on the child and the amount of effort they would be prepared to out in to fill in any gaps in curriculum. If you want more specifics about the school, feel free to PM me. My boys also went through the elementary school in the area which may also be relevant to you as they won't go to OT until Grade 9 (13/14 years old).

I am not sure about going to high school from Canada back to the UK but I know unless the kids have done 3 years at school immediately prior to Uni they will be considered international student and therefore have to pay the International fees for Uni.

Ah .. The Fraser Report ...

Thanks for the reply. I think we should be OK on this front. We will either stay in Canada (in which case we will have exceeded the 3 years), or we would return to the UK where our UK citizenship means we would qualify for domestic fees.

Many thanks

I've see similar comments about the Report!

However, it's really difficult when you researching remotely. I've also seen the school, and other local schools who spoke highly of it, so feel a little more reassured!

Not unless they've been resident in the UK for the three years previously, citizenship isn't anything to do with it.

HTH.

Not unless in the UK 3 years prior ...even if a citizen!

Sorry to comment on this again, but I am just getting so much conflicting info! UCAS (UK Universities admissions body) led me to believe that UK citizenship would mean we would be treated as an international student in terms of fees if we returned to the UK. I just want to confirm that you (and the other poster) area saying the complete opposite; if my daughter returned to the UK to study, we'd Have to pay the much higher international fees ( barring 3 previous yrs residency?)

Lee

I think you may want to edit that.

But to clarify, your daughter, irrespective of UK citizenship, would pay international fees at a UK University (not sure about Scottish ones) unless she had been resident in the EU for the three years prior to her application.

Not sure why Ucas have told you that, as it's not correct at all. You can easily check it for yourself here - http://www.ukcisa.org.uk/content.aspx?CategoryID=2438

So if your eldest is 13 and you move to Canada next year, then unless you only stay for a year or so, you'd have to pay international tuition fees for her to attend uni in the UK.

Only if they had not been in the UK for the 3 years at the time the 13 year old starts uni - easy enough to delay start time until she meets the residency criteria.

Well, yes, that's why I pointed out that they'll have a fairly small amount of time in Canada if they want to move back in time for the 13 yr old to start Uni at local rates. They could delay it, but I can't see the point tbh, presumably s/he'll want to start uni with his/her peers rather than having to wait.

Thank you all so much for your help here. Much more useful than hours spent trawling the Net and even speaking to Education Consultants and the Universities Clearing system in the UK!!!

Having said all of the above....SOME people have managed to get kids in on UK rates... There is also pressure to change the system so that Citizens don't have to pay International fees.. No idea if or when it would come to fruition!