Go Back  British Expats > Living & Moving Abroad > USA
Reload this Page >

Moving back to UK, do my kids need a tutor to get them ready for UK schools?

Moving back to UK, do my kids need a tutor to get them ready for UK schools?

Old Dec 3rd 2013, 12:11 am
  #1  
Just Joined
Thread Starter
 
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 4
swoodforde is an unknown quantity at this point
Default Moving back to UK, do my kids need a tutor to get them ready for UK schools?

I am British and have lived in LA with my British husband for the last 6 years. We have three kids all at school in LA. They are young and have only been educated here. We plan to move back to the UK in the next few years and I am concerned that they will be far behind their British peers when they go to school. It seems to me the public school system in the US is far less advanced academically than in the UK . Maybe I am wrong. HOwever I feel it would help my kids to have a tutor who could get them on track for schools in the UK. Does anyone know where to find a tutor who can teach Kindergarten / first / second grade kids who is familiar with the UK system and can get them up to speed?

Thanks in advance ....
swoodforde is offline  
Old Dec 3rd 2013, 3:18 am
  #2  
Lost in BE Cyberspace
 
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 22,105
AmerLisa has a reputation beyond reputeAmerLisa has a reputation beyond reputeAmerLisa has a reputation beyond reputeAmerLisa has a reputation beyond reputeAmerLisa has a reputation beyond reputeAmerLisa has a reputation beyond reputeAmerLisa has a reputation beyond reputeAmerLisa has a reputation beyond reputeAmerLisa has a reputation beyond reputeAmerLisa has a reputation beyond reputeAmerLisa has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: Moving back to UK, do my kids need a tutor to get them ready for UK schools?

AmerLisa is offline  
Old Dec 3rd 2013, 4:52 am
  #3  
MODERATOR
 
penguinsix's Avatar
 
Joined: Nov 2006
Location: Hong Kong, mostly.
Posts: 5,213
penguinsix has a reputation beyond reputepenguinsix has a reputation beyond reputepenguinsix has a reputation beyond reputepenguinsix has a reputation beyond reputepenguinsix has a reputation beyond reputepenguinsix has a reputation beyond reputepenguinsix has a reputation beyond reputepenguinsix has a reputation beyond reputepenguinsix has a reputation beyond reputepenguinsix has a reputation beyond reputepenguinsix has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: Moving back to UK, do my kids need a tutor to get them ready for UK schools?

Honestly, toss a coin.

Whether you are ahead or behind is literally like tossing a coin. If you look in the Moving Back to the UK section or the Talk-Yankee parent section you'll find parents that have found their kids ahead and parents that have found their kids behind. Most report it's a bit of a mix (ahead in math, behind in reading, or something like that). The US is far too large to have a "one size fits all" answer to this question. It depends so much on the schools you are leaving and the schools you will be attending such that blanket statements are not accurate.

I'm in Hong Kong with my son in an American school and my neighbor's kid in a British school. They do the same homework (sometimes the exact same worksheets) for the age appropriate level (the UK kid is "Year 3" but my son is "Grade 2" despite having birthdays in the same month). There is very little difference in the homework, save for $ vs. £ and Presidents vs. Queens and the like. The UK school started reading a semester earlier than the US one, but the US school is doing more advanced math work right now. Of course a different UK-school might be different, etc, etc.

Take a look at the Hamilton Trust's website for UK teachers and download a few worksheets for your kids from their grade back in the UK. Compare it to the workload they are doing now and see if you are ahead or behind.

http://www.hamilton-trust.org.uk

Good luck.
penguinsix is offline  
Old Dec 3rd 2013, 5:12 am
  #4  
Just Joined
Thread Starter
 
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 4
swoodforde is an unknown quantity at this point
Default Re: Moving back to UK, do my kids need a tutor to get them ready for UK schools?

Originally Posted by penguinsix
Honestly, toss a coin.

Whether you are ahead or behind is literally like tossing a coin. If you look in the Moving Back to the UK section or the Talk-Yankee parent section you'll find parents that have found their kids ahead and parents that have found their kids behind. Most report it's a bit of a mix (ahead in math, behind in reading, or something like that). The US is far too large to have a "one size fits all" answer to this question. It depends so much on the schools you are leaving and the schools you will be attending such that blanket statements are not accurate.

I'm in Hong Kong with my son in an American school and my neighbor's kid in a British school. They do the same homework (sometimes the exact same worksheets) for the age appropriate level (the UK kid is "Year 3" but my son is "Grade 2" despite having birthdays in the same month). There is very little difference in the homework, save for $ vs. £ and Presidents vs. Queens and the like. The UK school started reading a semester earlier than the US one, but the US school is doing more advanced math work right now. Of course a different UK-school might be different, etc, etc.

Take a look at the Hamilton Trust's website for UK teachers and download a few worksheets for your kids from their grade back in the UK. Compare it to the workload they are doing now and see if you are ahead or behind.

http://www.hamilton-trust.org.uk

Good luck.
thank you, really helpful
swoodforde is offline  

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.