Yorkie100

Hi all,

We've been offered a move to Houston & trying to see if it's possible with the eldest just about to sit GCSEs and youngest in Year 8.

Would love feedback on good schools in Houston for the youngest and how easy is it to settle into US system vs. IB system.

Also we're considering moving the eldest to boarding school for A Levels here & again I'd love feedback on how well they work when parents are overseas.

Thanks

Pulaski

You might want to consider the British International School in Houston.

loubiblu

My daughter is about to sit her GCSEs and my youngest is in yr 7. We're moving to Chicago at the end of June. We were really keen for the 16 yr old to go to the British School to complete an IB program, but after a few visits, she's adamant that she wants to go to a regular HS. We've worked closely with her current school and her 'new' one to produce a transcript that will get her into the appropriate AP and Honors classes. Her new guidance councillor has even skyped a few times.

I can't comment on Houston schools, but for our search we contacted the school districts for both High and Middle and arranged visits.

With regards to boarding school, my parents sent me back to the UK at 14 to go to boarding school - not sure I've quite forgiven them yet!

Good luck with your move

Yorkie100

Thanks Pulaski we've had a look at their website. We're a bit concerned that their A Level programme only began last year. We've been spoilt here in the UK, with a choice of 4 of the countries top day schools locally. We'd love some feedback on the British School.

Weeze

If they want to follow the English system then the British school in Houston is very popular. They offer a bus service from some areas. I know there are loads of people travel there from Katy. I think the bus service area is listed on their website.

Mine entered kindergarten this year and loves her school. Really you need to start by thinking about where you want to live, which is mostly determined by how long a commute you want and where you will be working. There is an excellent wiki section about Houston.
Houston, TX : British Expat Wiki

Generally, people move to the 'burbs to be in the better school districts.

Yorkieabroad

We have British friends with one kid (15) at the British School and they love it. They also have younger kids in US system at Junior High, and would prefer to move them to the British School, but can't afford to. The main reason they want to move is familiarity with the British system, and not seeing the need for, for example, such in depth studying of US/Texas history/geography, Constitution etc. Their main problem for the older one seems to be social - he doesn't have many buddies locally who go to the BS, and he has a very different vacation schedule to the vast majority of the other kids around him(including, obviously his own brothers!)

Same here. There is a huge expat community, so the schools are well used to folk moving in (and out). Just get in touch and arrange the visit and they'll do the necessary. We moved here before the kids were in school, so didn't have to go through this, but from talking to friends who have come with older kids, the admin side of the move has been relatively straightforward. The culture shock of the different education system has been a bit more interesting to deal with for some of them.

There are multiple good school districts around the area, and others that may not be so good. There are also good and not so good schools in good school districts, so some homework before arrival to weed out the ones you want to see and the ones you don't will be necessary/beneficial.

Yorkie100

Thanks loubiblu. My other half is not keen on boarding school either, but both of us are worried that a jump to a new system with just two years to go, wouldn't do the eldest any good.

It doesn't help that the move is scheduled for the Autumn, so we have to find schools & make a decision very quickly.

Canveydave

IMHO it is very much personal choice. Lots of the expat friends we have made do indeed send their children to The British School, or Yorkshire Academy. We don't. Our son enters Kindergarten in August and has been at a US Pre-K since we got here.

The standard of teaching we have encountered thus far (albeit in our limited time here) has been outstanding. We live in Katy, which is a very strong school district and I could not be more pleased with the local schools we have in our area.

Sometimes I can be a little narrow minded and fixated on my own point of view, but I don't understand why somebody would pay a fortune to send their kids on a long old bus journey to go to a school that teaches the UK curriculum.

Last time I looked, UK schools weren't the envy of the developed world. That coupled with the different holidays made it a no brainer for us.

Pulaski

If your child is about to start GCSE's and has effectively spent three years preparing to enter the cycle of GCSEs and A levels, sending the child to a school following the British curriculum is also "a no brainer".

But if your child is just starting at school then I agree, that there is a lot to be said for the local schools. We considered that same choice carefully four years ago for little Miss P, looking at the British American School in Charlotte before deciding that an American school would suite our daughter better.

Weeze

This. Also if you know you will be returning to the UK soon.

Yorkieabroad

Sweet

Us too

Yorkieabroad

Yes, the one I mentioned above went through US system to 5th grade, then there was a strong possibility they were going to be moved back within 18 months, so the company agreed to pay for him to go British to ease the transition back. Of course, then they ended up staying so the company wouldn't pay for the younger ones to go to the Brit School so they are now straddling both.....

Canveydave

Definitely see that point.

It just doesn't cease to amaze me how much money people we know spend on sending 4 year olds to a school 20 miles away, when the school round the corner is a national exemplary school. I would definitely pay the money if it was markedly better, we all want the best for our kids, but comparing the two there is little/no difference

Yorkie100

Thanks everyone for the replies. As our kids are older our main concern is that they can slot into their new school easily and in the case of the younger, if we return before she finishes, that she can slot back into the UK system.

I've spent the afternoon on the phone to UK boarding schools & emailing US ones - depressingly our biggest problem is the availability of places for September, so late into the school year.

Weeze

If it helps for the younger one, our big thought is who will she play with? If the nearby kids go to the local elementary school it is much easier for them to see their friends. That in turn helps them settle.