Laura in China

We are contemplating moving back to the UK at some point in the children's teenage years. Our sons don't currently go to school - I teach them at home and use online resources (schools in this city unsuitable - long story). Our boys have expat friends here through scouts and Chinese friends in the neighbourhood.

We are thinking of going back when one is 15 or 16 (we'll finish GCSEs by distance learning, then put him into sixth form) and the other is 12 or 13 (schooling plan undecided).

Has anyone done something similar? Are there better ages to do it? Any tips or pitfalls?

Thanks

Laura

meljor

Hello Laura,
Sorry I can'thelp with your OP but I have 2 sons 11 and 13 and am planning to return next year to UK. I was wondering about the distance learning because I am worried my sons will have missed stuff and want to get them up to speed so to speak, to make the transition easier. I have tried to find out about the curriculum in the UK but have hit a brick wall.

Please could you help?

PS is there a good age to do this?

Laura in China

I'm actually using a bunch of different curricula that I teach myself, as my eldest is only ten so far. Most distance learning seems to start with GCSEs. There is a school called LIttle Arthur School, in the Scilly Isles, that produces Key Stage 3 packets that you can use if you feel the need. They may have a tutoring service, but I'm not sure.

Stuff for you to teach yourself: there's a company called CGP books, which produces decent workbooks, etc. that you could use as supplements.

My favourite books from the UK come from Galore Park, but they publish very full curricula, not supplementary materials, and you'd have to teach them yourself. Galore Park mostly sells books for UK prep schools. I am using their books for maths, English and Latin

As reassurance: I talked to my old school about pre-GCSE curriculum, and they weren't too worried, unless there was a massive gap. They are used to having people coming from overseas for GCSEs, and therefore coming from a wide range of backgrounds and curricula. It's not usually a problem, they said, so long as the child comes in at the beginning of the GCSE years. The exception was languages.

Best wishes

Laura

JAJ

You should look into the situation for overseas university student fees in the UK. Even as a British citizen your children could be liable if they have not lived in the UK for 3 years by the time their course starts.

It may be worth planning your move so as to accumulate the 3 years before age 18.

Laura in China

Thank you - yes I'm aware of this. The reason for thinking about coming back when oldest son is fifteen is to rack up the three years. If it's sixteen, then he could do two years of school and a gap year.

However, the cost of living in China is so very much lower, at present, that the decision to move back at a particular time to avoid overseas fees is not as simple as it may seem.

Laura

Englishmum

My daughter was in this situation; she took her IGCSE's at an international school in Singapore at age 16. We were then posted to New York and she just didn't want to live in the US and go into the local high school (her boyfriend went to Singapore American School and she knew American girls and realised that she just wouldn't be able to 'fit in' over here).

She chose to go to boarding school in Oxford for her 'A' levels, then took a Gap Year at age 18 to go trekking around India and the Himalayas (with an organisation).

Although she wasn't physically in the UK for most of her Gap Year it didn't count against her as the universities counted her as being a UK resident.

Laura in China

Thank you - I was wondering about that. The boys might surprise us by wanting to take their gap years in the UK or Europe - after all, they've grown up 'exotic'.

I'm surprised that the boarding school was okay, though. It sounds like it would come under 'coming to the UK for education', which doesn't count for residence purposes where university is concerned.

Laura