We're in the enviable/unenviable position of deciding whether to move back to the UK permanently or not. My U.S. OH has been offered a job in London and the thought of being a little closer to my family once again is very tempting. But I'm worried sick about schooling for our 4 kids. Every school I look at online has either pressure on places, meaning you have to go on a long waiting list with no assurances that they'll ever get in, or no places at all. We can't afford private education and I'm afraid to make the move, having had such a positive experience with schooling over here. Also, won't they be behind, academically? My husband's company won't help us out, either, as this move is on local terms. My kids are aged 10, 7, 5 and 3. This is the one thing stopping me from saying yes. Anyone got any experience or advice?

Hi

All I can say is contact the local council schools admissions department and ask them if there are any vacancies in the schools you are interested in. That is what I have just done and have been advised there are places for my youngest but my oldest may have to go on the waiting list but as my youngest will get a place they may give me a place for the oldest anyway. They emailed me the forms and I have already sent them off. I am just waiting now to hear from them and then we can book our flights. They arent back though until the 1st of sept so I dont know if I should go ahead and book.

good luck

I'd also be interested too to know whether students moving to UK from USA (or anywhere else)would likely be 'behind' academically - does anyone know where to find any info, online maybe, that would outline what the general course work would be for each given school year in UK??

Also, any sites maybe that might actually give comparisons between various countries and their school curriculums/course schedules? I'd be very worried myself, coming from New Zealand, that my kids would be well behind their UK school peers academically - when we moved to NZ from USA they were well ahead of the NZ students.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Parents/...um/DG_10013041

Should have everything you need.

Thanks for the info. I know that the U.S. school system is apparently a year behind the U.K., although the U.S. "catch up" during high school, and many times surpass the U.K. But for our kids going into any U.K. school, yes, they will be behind their peers, academically, as fulltime education begins when they're 4/5. A little scary, as I don't want my kids to feel like complete dummies and have the stress of catching up if we move over.

The Ofsted reports are v.useful, if you know the name of the school you hope your kids will be attending. But the pressure on places is insane. My own family back in the U.K. have gone through the system and have had to drive their kids miles to school or put the older kids on buses in different directions each morning, as local schools were full. It's a crazy situation, and something I'm very unhappy at doing.

Is there a way to map schools in one particular area? Right now I'm typing in a town name and adding "infant" "junior" school, etc. Very time-consuming. Thanks.

Tootsie - thanks for the link to the definitive UK education website - excellent, although somewhat difficult to navigate for sheer information overload!!



jackie dwyer....

Have you been trying to find schools at this site?:

http://schoolsfinder.direct.gov.uk/

Also, from the same site is a parents' forum, I don't know if you've already found this? The 'education and learning' section could be a useful place to direct your questions, there's even a particular category 'moving into the UK education system':

http://www.parentscentre.gov.uk/forum/index.cfm

Have a look at http://www.upmystreet.com/ - put in the place name you're thinking of looking at... then look at its neighbourhood profile. You can see all the schools in the area there and follow links to results / OFSTED reports etc.

Might help?

Sarah

Thanks for all the very welcome advice. I'm looking into everything you recommended.

The home educating forums are enlightening, too, and certainly an option for me (not for my husband, though - might take some convincing).

Thanks again.

I worry about the schooling when we do decide its OUR turn to move back to the UK..my children are 10, 5, 15mths...we don't even know the town we will be moving too, just somewhere in Suffolk..?? so finding a school, isn't easy ahead of time.

Please keep us informed if you decide to go back...and how you found the schooling...

thanks to everyone for all the good links!!