catwhiskers

We may move back to England next year. My oldest will be 16 next week. All her peers are taking GCSES in England now. If we move back would she be put in the year below to take her GCSES? She is a good student and get mostly A and Bs in her subjects. Eventually she wants to join the English police force.

BritInParis

If she’s turning 16 then she would’ve reached the end of her mandatory schooling in England. If she wanted to carry on her education then she’d need to look at the requirements for a sixth form college or similar FE institution.

catwhiskers

Would sixth formers colleges accept her if she didn’t have any GCSEs?

christmasoompa

Education of some form is now mandatory until age 18 in England.

BritInParis

It would depend on the individual institution’s requirements. I’m guessing she won’t have any formal qualifications from her US high school by the time you move so it would be worth some research before you move.

BritInParis

I chose my wording carefully

She can work if she wishes or start an apprenticeship but there’s no requirement for her to stay in school.

christmasoompa

Trouble is if you move next year then she'd have already missed the first part of any A Level course, any chance of you moving before Sept maybe just to make things easier and so she could start A Levels with her peers?

christmasoompa

She can work, as long as she is in part-time education as well - you can't just leave and work at 16 now. And I'd count an apprenticeship as education personally! She could attend a 'normal' school too to do A levels if that's what she would prefer, it doesn't have to be a sixth form college.

BritInParis

She doesn’t have to go to school on a full time basis was my point. If her local comprehensive has a sixth form then she attend there providing they are willing to take her with no GCSEs. Private education is also an option if the parents are willing and able to fund it.

robtuck

Take a look at BTEC/GNVQ offerings through local colleges as well - much more likely to fit with the USA educational system. Having done this in reverse, I would imagine the challenge you'd face is being part way through things but not having really reached a full GCSE's worth of study in any given subject. Certainly you'd likely be looking at starting an A Level from scratch and not mid way through - to be honest, after 16, the UK system doesn't really worry too much about age, it's more about ability/prior results.

Your child will have lots of Grades and results to lean on, and depending on the College/6th form, you may well be able to use those as evidence to get onto any of their courses.