davidsutton25

Hi all

I am new to this site and have had a look at the forums but can't seem to find the answer to my question so apologies if this has already been covered elsewhere....

We have a five year old son, and are moving to CA in May 2013 for 2 years due to my work (although there's every possibility it will become permanent we are working on the basis it will be two years). Our five year old is half way through year 1 in the UK (as at Jan-13) and from what I have read will go into 1st grade in the US in the summer (when he would go into year 2 in the UK), which seems to be a year behind academically. We are not too keen on putting him with older kids (i.e. in 2nd grade) as we feel his emotional and social development is just as if not more important at this stage for him. I guess the question is how can we bridge this gap both when we move to the US and when we move back to the UK? And would it in fact be better to put him into 2nd grade when we get to the US?

Advice from anyone who has experience of this process would be massivively appreciated.

Many thanks

David

ian-mstm

I haven't been through the experience in the US, but I went through it in Canada... which has much the same education structure as the US. I was 5 going on 6 when we moved from Glasgow to Toronto. I was put in Kindergarten because that's where 6 year old's go. I was totally bored because I could already read and write. My mum insisted I be moved into Grade 1... and I was. I was a year younger than everyone else in my class... and it stayed that way right through to high school graduation. I was 17... everyone else was 18. Educationally, it was a good move... but socially, it was the worst thing my mum could have done!

If it was me doing it over again, I'd have chosen to stay with my age group rather than my scholastic peers. But that's just me!

Ian

Bob

Might want to search harder because this topic comes up a lot, but there was a particularly good thread that went on for pages last year, could probably find if using the advance search for the US forum.

Welcome to BE though

Bob

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showt...ducation+grade

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showt...ducation+grade

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showt...ducation+grade

Quite a few threads there to mull over

lisa67

Similar experience with my 2 kids, one is 18 now and just in university and one is 16 and a junior in high school.
Both have gone through the US system a year younger than their classmates but both have enjoyed the experience and wouldn't change it....horses for courses.
OP, only you know your child better than anyone. We went into it with an open mind when my son was 5 and put him in to 1st grade but we were ready to move him ( and later his sister) if we felt he wasn't coping either academically or socially.

BritandDutchie

i find for non school classes parents always have the kids in the "older" kids class. I wouldn't think it a big problem to be with kids 1 year older and easier to go back to the UK system I would think. Esp since I am always told the UK grades are ahead of the US ones.

penguinsix

We touch on it briefly in the wiki.

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

You might want to get the syllabus and class schedules for your kids in the UK school for the next few years and then compare to what they are learning while here. If there are certain things they are falling behind in then you can supplement their education in the US with tutors or home schooling such that when they return they are on par.

As you'll discover, each and every school district in the US is different so blanket statements about being 'ahead' and 'behind' will fail. We've had members who were academically able to 'up' their kids to a higher grade level and others who did not. Some schools are behind in teaching compared to the grade level and some in the US are ahead. It's really going to come down to the specifics of your school in the UK and the US.

One other thing: get their jabs in the UK--may be cheaper than getting it done here. School districts here have state-specific vaccination requirements and some (like Hep B) are not part of the standard NHS course of vaccinations.

Sally Redux

I would say start in 1st grade. They can always move and/or join the gifted programme later on.

AmerLisa

Absolutely! And I think you'll find (going on my granddaughter's experiences in Year 1 and 2) that there isn't going to be a huge difference between the two (educational systems) at that level of education.

Clare8781

Hi

We have just moved to CA with our 5 year old son who was in year one in the UK. We put him in kindergarten - with reservations as this may just be a 2 year thing for us & he will then be behind. To be honest we didn't have a choice initially, the district group your child based on age, then the teacher assesses them in class and advises whether they are socially and academically ready for an older grade.

So far there doesn't seem to be much of a difference between what he was doing in the UK in year 1 and what he is doing here in kindergarten. Maths is about the same, reading maybe a little bit slower, handwriting much improved (they focus on printing here initially and cursive later), confidence and social skills coming on in leaps and bounds!

I guess a lot of it depends on the school you pick - the curriculum in CA is not great, but schools in more affluent areas have very active PTA's which fund a lot of 'extra's' like music and reading labs which helps with the academic level overall.

Hope that helps

Clare

LeavingLondon

My twin boys have turned 6 today (yikes, they grow up so fast). We are due to come to the SF Bay Area in April (although am considering postponing it until after they finish off their school year here but that might mean my hubby moving over before us and I'm not sure that I trust him with so much responsibility!!). Like you, in our heads we are thinking of 2 years but if things work out then we'll stay until whatever point that one of us wants to come home (well, there's the plan anyway).

The boys are gliding through Year 1 (so far) and I'm nervous about putting them into K for the last term/semester (or, if after the Summer, 1st Grade) but equally I'm hesitant about putting them with much older kids especially as one of them acts (and looks) less mature than his (younger by 1 minute) brother. I guess I'll reserve judgement until I've actually got them into a school and then will work out what's best for them (collectively as I'd never separate them grade-wise). Good luck with your decision and your move.

Ozzidoc

Which city?

Mummy in the foothills

K is much more like year one that it used to be. When my oldest came here and was placed in K after he had already completed reception class in UK he was way ahead of the others.
Now K is very different. My youngest is in year 2 here now. When she was in K she was doing the work that her oldest brother did in year 1 and 2 All but a couple of children were reading before the end of the year in K, and math she was doing the same as her UK friend of the same age.
I would place according to age and go from there. They can always be moved up if needed.