Moving From US High School to UK Schools
 

Hi there!

Wondering if anyone has knowledge of moving back to the UK with a high schooler and how that works with starting A Levels without having done GCSEs?

TIA for any words of wisdom!

Re: Moving From US High School to UK Schools
 

Our youngest (Australia to England) went straight to a sixth form college, he studied 2 GCSE, English and Maths and also an advanced diploma in sports, he went on to university and gained 1st class honours degree and then went on to study for a PGSE degree in primary teaching and is now currently working as a PE teacher at high school but is thinking of returning to be a primary classroom teacher as he is qualified for both. Years 9,10 and 11 are when students start studying for their GCSE's depending on the high school and then they go to college where they can study for most "things" ie mechanical, engineering, hairdressing, beauty etc on various levels of courses or a sixth form which can be more structured academically wise. All the best

Re: Moving From US High School to UK Schools
 

Thanks for the reply! I’m wondering if her two years of US high school will give her credit in lieu of GCSEs, especially as she does advanced placement classes. Seems difficult to get a clear answer on this....maybe it depends on the school?

Re: Moving From US High School to UK Schools
 

Our youngest was in his first few months if his year 12 studying a few tee's (for university) but with no actual certificates to show for his hard work so I telephoned a few 6th forms and colleges and they said to bring over all of his work so he could show his potential colleges his work history, when we did this his choice of further education colleges and 6th forms were really helpful they could see the standard/level of work he was at and asked what his thoughts were for his future working life and he was then advised to sit his 2 GCSE's he needed for university and he decided to study an advanced diploma over A levels. Does your daughter have any formal US certificates at the moment it is it course work? How old is your daughter if she is going to start here in the UK in time for her to study GCSE'S bring over all her course work and show your chosen high school her work, she would start her GCSE's like any other student but she may take more subjects and gain higher levels of Grades at the end of the course. UK schools are very well adapted to take students from overseas so you need not worry about that, we found the help our youngest received to be really helpful and full of insite and if anything had much more choice of options for study than he had back then in WA. It's such a huge worry when children and education are involved and I wish I had known then what I know now...I would have saved myself a lot of sleepless nights and stress lol. All the best x

Re: Moving From US High School to UK Schools
 

Thanks so much for the reply! She’s in her freshman year of high school, so no formal certification as yet. If we go with the plan of returning at the end of this year, she’d be 15 and so dropping into the final 6 months of GCSEs which seems.....challenging. I’d rather her finish that year of US school remotely and then enter the UK system for A Levels. She’d have all her high school transcripts and GPA but no actual formal qualifications. She is also doing AP classes. Hopefully all of that would prove her ready for A Levels. That said, would she need to take any GCSEs in order to meet university requirements?

I appreciate the help! 😊

Re: Moving From US High School to UK Schools
 

Hi, we were advised for our youngest to take two GCSE's in maths and English, he did this while also studying for his advanced btec, he found it very easy to do and completed them fairly quickly. When does your daughter turn 16? Just a thought as you start 6th form at the ages of 16 -18 and then on to university (if university is the plan) schools and 6th forms and colleges start their years from September of each year that can be a tiny bit more flexible but with some catch up learning. You can always contact Naric for translation of overseas education qualifications or contact the college or sixth form of your choice and they maybe able to advise you better they have excellent experience of overseas students and we found their course information department to be extremely helpful. Good luck x