Zez

Ok, so it looks like we're likely going to live in th SF Bay Area for 2 years from the end of August. We flew back today from job interviews and a 4 day look around for me. Our preferred area's school district won't up grade the kids, so age appropriate it is. Given we'll be back in 2 years its really important to me that they keep pace with their Uk contemporaries, and looking at the state standards there will be gaps, big ones! I'm a teaching assistant in the Uk so i know i'm well placed to plug them, but i'm praying they wont have to effectively repeat the year with no academic rigor. My daughter is in reception and would be going into K and my son is in year 2, doing year 3 work in reading and maths (he's in a y2/3 split class). Please reassure me that the Us school will be able to stretch them. I know there are lots of other subjects that will be completely new and stimulating for them, but I don't want them to stagnate for a year in maths and literacy. Is there hope?

Also, how play based is K? It's only morning school where we're looking at (waaaaahhhh) and she's so ready for more structured learning.

And secondly, anyone know anything about Foster City?

Thanks in advance

jeffreyhy

I know that it's not far from San Franciso. And has made several 'Best Places' lists despite having been built on a landfill.

Regards, JEff

Michael

Although living in Foster City is pretty nice, it is basically built on landfill which can more easily liquefy than non landfill areas during an earthquake. Although Foster City had very little damage during the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, the San Francisco Marina area had extensive damage primarily because it was also built on landfill and liquefied.

Sally Redux

I don't think it will be a problem at that age. The problems with transferring might happen later on if kids want to go back and do do GCSEs, as the range of subjects studied at middle and high school is much smaller here. But maths and reading will be fine.

The British emphasis on early academic learning is of arguable benefit to a child's education overall.

Michael

What is your preferred school district? If it is the Cupertino school district, you won't want to advance you child since it is an intense school district with a lot of Tiger Moms pushing their children very hard.

Giantaxe

It's also right next to the flight path for planes landing at SFO.

Michael

It's not next to the flight path, it is usually under the flight path.

kimilseung

Ask about programs like Spectrum and other programs that support young clever clogs, I do not know how available it is across the country, but your area will have something

Here is what is available in my area.

http://www.seattleschools.org/module...?pageid=230101

notonuksoil

I'd ask the UK school for a copy of the curriculum for the 2 years your children will be in the US, this will give you an indication on how they are doing prior to your return. I used the BBC learning website to help follow the UK curriculum while in the US to supplement any major things they were missing while in the US

We came to the east coast for 2 years originally and my eldest was age appropriate for K but got put into 1st grade due to being so far ahead of the K class here. After doing 1st and 2nd grade here we moved back to the UK and she had fallen behind her class in the UK but didn't take her long to catch back up. She did year 3 and year 4 in the UK and we then returned to the US.

Kids are very adaptable at a young age and are like sponges and absorb so much more than we give them credit for. I'm sure what they are missing from the UK curriculum they will more than make up for by the experience of being in a different school for a couple of years learning new things which they wouldn't be exposed to in the UK.

AmerLisa

Kindergartens these days are not play based in the slightest! It helps if children have a firm knowledge of all the basics because they usually want them up and reading by mid year.

I think you'll find that your kids will be stretched in literacy and maths, especially at the ages that they are. However, if there are concerns once your children start school and they show that they are academically above their peers, make a fuss and have them tested. I don't think any school district wants to knowingly hold back a gifted student.

Also, perhaps you can keep them up to speed on whatever different subjects they would learn in the UK. For example, cursive is not taught at a very young age here as it seems to be in the UK.

Zez

Thanks all that's really useful!! Will definitely be getting uk curriculum to follow, but reassuring to learn that k is sit down learning unlike our reception.

Liquefying....now I get why they seem to be so hot there on disaster preparedness!

penguinsix

There are some links in our WIKI that discuss the age appropriate vs. grade appropriate discussion, and some threads in which others have moved up or stayed back. There really isn't a right/wrong answer in every case.

I should note that in some districts in Silicon Valley your kids will definitely be pushed by their peers and their Tiger Moms.

http://britishexpats.com/wiki/Educat...s_in_school%3F

naomi

My daughter is in Third Grade, and I feel she's definitely learning as much as her cousin back in England who is the same age, and is learning things I don't remember starting until I was in secondary school (personification, metaphors, long division). I have a hard time helping her with some of her math homework :-( Some school districts also offer accelerated or gifted programs, but it varies by school district. In our school district (Seattle), you have to apply for the gifted programs in the fall for the next school year. Kindergarten in our school district was pretty academic too, especially after the first few months.
Cheers, Naomi.

Yorkieabroad

Our Kindergarten wasn't play based, but we'd been to a pretty good pre-K, plus with at home activities, the kids were already reading well and their Math was way above end-KG requirements. I was worried that their KG years would be a waste of time, and they could have been if they had got with the wrong teachers. As it was, their teachers were excellent, realized the kids needed more, so gave them it.

They also encouraged us to test the kids for the GT program, which I was initially against, but am so glad I let my wife persuade me. In our district it is a one day "pull out" program, and the kids really look forward to that day. Its a break from what, to be honest, is a pretty dull and monotonous regular program aimed at teaching the kids to pass the state testing so the schools can get better funding!!

I've still got 2nd and 4th graders in the GT program (it has changed for the 6th grader) and the teacher is great- she has a broad district-set syllabus to teach, but how she does it is largely up to her. This year they have been running online businesses selling products they've made to other kids in the school district, including developing their websites, creating video adverts, doing all the accounts and even (simplified) tax returns! They even had to create their own currency that their customers could "earn" from their own teachers (bitcoin anyone?).They've also been running share portfolios, doing lots of alternative power projects, and now they're getting into some chemistry and physiscs that I'm sure we didn't do till senior school. It is an ungraded day, so the kids are encouraged to push the limits a bit, and there is no downside of a bad grade on a report card if they bomb for trying something that doesn't work.

If you are concerned about your kids being bored, or not stretched, I would highly recommend looking into the equivalent program in the school district you're moving to.

Sally Redux

Yes that is a problem here.