tuxedocat

http://www.mathfactcafe.com/ <- has flashcards you can customize

http://www.internet4classrooms.com/grade_level_help.htm <- good for language art links

alihouse

Thanks everyone for the really helpful replies.
I got his US reading books from Amazon to give us a start and the school has emailed us some math(s) problems to look at.
Things like American spellings and vocab are hardly noticeable to him, it's going to be me who has that problem. I've spent the last 12 years trying to anglicise my hubby....

Eddie has also been in school in England for 3 years. Last year he was in Year 1-2, which meant he was with some 7 year olds and it was never a problem.

The only thing that matters for me is that he is happy and gets settled in, I would prefer 1st Grade as I think boredom would be the worst thing for him, he can definitely get distracted if things are too easy....

Thanks again. I will update next week after we've gone through the school test on Friday morning.

Peachbythebeach

I would really push for First Grade then. Good luck.

Michael

There have been many different stories from different people on BE about placing their child in different grades. Some of the happiest outcomes have been to put their child a grade down from the UK where their child adjusted rapidly with the parent indicating that it was the best decision ever made.

Even if the child is advanced for his/her grade, many schools have gifted programs (usually in the later grades) where the child can attend advanced studies classes but still can overall remain with his/her age group for most classes.

AmerLisa

Yes, but this is between kindergarten and first grade. The child is 6 and is old enough for first grade, already reads and writes (I'm assuming since he's been in school in the UK for three years.) I can imagine a 2.5 hour day with younger children that are just learning to do this would be pretty boring.

Michael

Each case is different. I am not recommending one over the other.

AmerLisa

Very true! And I'm just responding on this case at hand.

penguinsix

The wiki discusses the issue of class placement a bit here:

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

There is also this thread which is worth a read (despite a bit of ranting in the middle). Strongly recommend taking a look at it as well.

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=643985

Basically, there is no one size fits all answer. To paraphrase Sir Ken Robinson, a child's education should not be based on their "date of manufacture". You'll be best served if you take the time to talk to their educators in the UK, find out what they are studying and how your child is doing in that, along with (if possible) what sort of environment they excel in and then discuss with the counterparts here about the current class syllabus and what sort of educational philosophy they attempt at the new school. It may turn out in a smaller class with a number of 'red-shirted' kids you may find a lower grade just as satisfying than a higher grade level, or it may be that the higher grade in this school is just keeping up with the one back home. There simply is no one universal right answer for your situation.

Good luck with the testing.

LeavingLondon

Hi, we are looking to move in March, my kids will turn 6 in January. What sort of things did they ask your son in his test? Also, did you already have somewhere lined up to live? We would be moving to the States and then shopping around for rentals on arrival. I assumed that i couldn't contact the schools until we had secured a rental? Which means they might miss a couple of weeks of school whilst we sort things out (beforei the Easter holidays)

Sally Redux

I wouldn't worry too much as it's not set in stone and he can move between grades.

You can contact the school before you know your exact address.

Bayleaf_01

We arrived in the US in May, but couldn't register with the school district until after the school year had finished.
My son turned 8 this week and is settling well into 3rd grade.
My daughter is 7 on 30th November - is is the cut off date for the school district, so she scrapped into 2nd grade by one day. She has been there 4 weeks now and the school have been testing to she if she is in the correct grade. We have been considering moving her down to 1st grade, but her latest results suggest she is doing well with math(s) and english, but struggling a bit with reading. They are suggesting extra support to bring her reading up. They have been really good monitoring her progress and how she has settled. Yes she will be the last one to drive, the last one able to go to the movie, but it would seem to hold her back would be worse and she may loose interest in school if it's too easy.
A good school should monitor progress and not just test and then lock in the grade selection.

I hope you have a good experience and your son settles well whichever class he ends up in.

LeavingLondon

Is that because it was near the end of the school year? How much school did he have to miss?

Bayleaf_01

We needed proof of residency in the district and didn't sign a lease until after school had finished for the summer. They started first day of term in the age appropriate grade.

kins

I put my very bright 6yo in first grade - she'd just finished year 1 in the UK so academically she was ready for 2nd grade but socially she was much better in 1st grade. It worked out really well.

tuxedocat

A Beka Book has a great phonics program
http://www.abeka.com/ChristianSchool...sSixSteps.aspx

The Basic Phonics Sounds CD
Basic Phonics Charts 1–2
Handbook for Reading

I used it with my son years ago and have bought it for a few friends that had a struggling reader. I put the charts in page protectors and played the tape (CD now) and he would flip through it.
There are practice readers that go along with it, I would look on ebay for those to get a better price.

starfall.com is a good site too.