Your experience with US schools vs. UK schools

FE colleges

This may answer my concerns. That there is an alternative path.

KSand24 can I ask what an FE college is?

KSand24 can I ask what an FE college is?

Further Education college .

The UK education system is generally structured as follows:

Primary School
Key Stage 1: age 4-7 (Reception class, Year 1, Year 2)
Key Stage 2: age 7-11 (Year 3, Year 4, Year 5, Year 6)

Secondary School
Key Stage 3: age 11-14 (Year 7, Year 8, Year 9)
Key Stage 4: age 14-16 (Year 10, Year 11) -2-year GSCE courses are taken in these years and are considered approx equivalent to a US high school diploma

Secondary school is sometimes split into Middle School and High School - just depends on the school system in each county/area.

Further Education
Sixth Form College or Further Education (FE) college: age 16-18 (or 16-19) - 2-year A level courses (entry requirements for university) or non-academic vocational qualifications are taken in these years
(A levels are approx. equivalent to AP classes, college prep classes or an Associates Degree in the US)

Higher Education
University: generally age 18-21, although obviously there are students of varying ages

When I was still teaching (4+ years ago...my wife was a teaching assistant in a local school) I brought up alternative education/vocational choices a couple of times during faculty meetings. After dodging laser beams from the eyes of the administrators....I was verbally shot down as well since the school district (US Dept of Defense school in the UK) didn't plan for anything other than getting students to college....basically don't even bring it up again on penalty of death (kidding a bit...).  When my step-daughter here in the UK was flip flopping between what she wanted to do (she is a nurse now) I suggested finding another girl and get qualified in plumbing (or something similar)......they would make a fortune, and as women I think they would get all the work they could handle. It's damn near impossible to find a decent plumber/electrician etc here in Harrogate. Vocational programs were starting to make a comeback last time I checked.......

But back to the topic.....there were quite a few of the people on the base who sent their kids to local UK schools. Advantages/disadvantages either way. Coin toss in my opinion depending on personal priorities.

My oldest went to an English school from reception to year 7 (high school), my second son only did reception and year 1 and my daughter has only been in American schools. I have three nephews and one niece in English schools so I listen to what they have to say about their studies and obviously my own. The conclusion that I've come to is that there isn't really a difference.

My oldest isn't academically gifted but he did well at school in both places but was in no way into sports and his school was a "high school with a sports college" so he didn't get much out of it. In his high school in Houston, it's a very high academic high school and school district and he had a bit of a hard time there but at least there were extra-curricular activities where he felt he belonged but he graduated from an "alternative school".  He wanted to go into a trade school but he was discouraged because he was told he "could be college material instead". He also asked about the military and they were dead-set on discouraging him.

My second son is academically gifted and jumped two grades when we arrived in the US. The school district we moved to was perfect for him academically but he has a speech impediment and we fought hard to get him the help he needs for it and failed horribly. It shattered his confidence so he was held back one year but still graduated a year early. He decided to take a gap year out before committing to university. But he got so much flak for it from all of his advisors and they made him feel bad about his decision.

My daughter is academically sound and is the perfect candidate for this school district. She may go to university but she likes the idea of attending a more vocational path. You can guess that her counselors are freaking out and actually asked me and my husband to encourage her to "shoot high for a university education" and invited us to a seminar for parents who have never been to university!!! My husband was trained by the RAF but is a six-figure income earner and I own my own business and earn an income higher than many university educated people but whatever!!

My family in England are having similar difficulties. My oldest nephew is paying through the nose for university studies but told my husband he HATES everything about it but now feels he has no choice but to continue and is desperate for a break. He started school this September. My niece is in an alternative school because she's highly intelligent but bored, my other nephew has an apprenticeship and doing fantastic, the other dreams of joining the RAF but his teachers are telling him that he's so much "better" than that. Hmmm, familiar!

So, it's not a case of schools being better here or there. It's about finding a place that's right for your child. You know them better than anyone else.

What an interesting discussion!

My kids have only been in school in the UK for the end of Reception (2 months last year) and the beginning of Year 1 this year. My goal is to move back to the US by the time my kids are in high school and I wish we could go back before my step-son goes to high school (he is 10 and will be going to Secondary next year). He is very high functioning, but on the Autistic scale, and he does really well academically but is starting to get teased (I won't call it bullying really) for his academics, which I don't think he would if we were in the US as he would be in honors and AP courses.

My 6yo twins are thriving in Year 1. They are in separate classes, which really helps them, and one was elected to school council this year. They were both in the Harvest Festival play, which they loved. And they are in the Reading Recovery program since they missed almost all of Reception (basic phonics, starting to read, letter writing, etc) last year, which is a 30-minute individual lesson every day to help with their reading, phonics and so forth. They have advanced from level 2 books (below National standard) to level 8 (in National standard, but at the lower end) in less than 10 weeks with the goal to level 15 by the end of 20 weeks. They can sound out words and write and are learning basic spelling, which they refused to do (write) at the beginning of the year. I don't think they would have gotten this intensive, individual course in 1st grade in the US. Now, of course, the school is doing all they can to make sure they pass the National phonics test at the end of Year 1, so it is in their best interest as well, but I think catching and helping them early, so they don't struggle later on, is the best for my children, as well. Their teachers have both said they are just blossoming and one loves writing stories and their other subjects have gotten better with being able to express themselves better.

We are in the waiting period for being notified of Secondary schools for the older boy, so fingers crossed for us that he gets into the better school (we are in one catchment and his mom is in another, so at least we have access to two sets of schools!) but we have been waiting for the Autism Support people to come visit him for almost 2 months now, and I know getting services for him in the US would have been easier in this aspect.