USC and UKC/USC questions - moving to UK W kids

Re: school--he's a late January bday so he'll be 9 soon and 9 at start of the school year. Yes, I'm really impressed with my husband and all his friends' level of "cleverness" lol! I am a little worried about my own kids and if they'll struggle. How many years of primary school are there ? We will be outside of Glasgow...my husband's family is in Ayrshire--about 45 minutes outside it. (Darvel to be exact)--I'd be happy somewhere near them. I'm getting very nervous about all this. I thought I was prepared to make the leap, but now I'm not so self-assured.

Something to get your head around - school cut off for each year is the end of February, so your son will be one of the youngest in his year, not middling or oldest as in most places in the states.
So I believe he'd be starting p6 next year, which would mean two years in primary before heading on to high school. Quite a big mental shift to make from your wee 3rd grader now!
I'm not quite sure how it works tho - you're allowed to delay your kids IF YOU CHOOSE for those born in January and February, but as I said, I don't know how that works for kids just joining the school system.
Try and get your head around it tho - don't necessarily delay him as somebody's got to be the youngest and there's great benefit to being challenged.

Very true, I only know England.  Lots of things are different in Scotland.  I did think the path at 16 was pretty standard though.

There are no GCSEs or A levels in Scotland. Instead, they take qualifications called 'Highers', which are the main university entrance exams and are taken at age 17... which means most people leave school at 17.

Normally, 5 Highers are required for entry into a Scottish university (1 Higher is equivalent to an AS Level). Therefore a Scottish undergraduate degree is usually 4 years instead of 3 years to make up for the missed year of schooling.

There are also Advanced Highers that can be taken after Highers, to give equivalent qualifications to A Levels for entry to UK universities outside Scotland.

There are no GCSEs or A levels in Scotland. Instead, they take qualifications called 'Highers', which are the main university entrance exams and are taken at age 17... which means most people leave school at 17.

Normally, 5 Highers are required for entry into a Scottish university (1 Higher is equivalent to an AS Level). Therefore a Scottish undergraduate degree is usually 4 years instead of 3 years to make up for the missed year of schooling.

There are also Advanced Highers that can be taken after Highers, to give equivalent qualifications to A Levels for entry to UK universities outside Scotland.

I can always count on you for a good lesson!  Two of my peeps at work are from the Scotland system.  I will have to quiz them on the differences tomorrow (their kids are in England). 

Something to get your head around - school cut off for each year is the end of February, so your son will be one of the youngest in his year, not middling or oldest as in most places in the states.
So I believe he'd be starting p6 next year, which would mean two years in primary before heading on to high school. Quite a big mental shift to make from your wee 3rd grader now!
I'm not quite sure how it works tho - you're allowed to delay your kids IF YOU CHOOSE for those born in January and February, but as I said, I don't know how that works for kids just joining the school system.
Try and get your head around it tho - don't necessarily delay him as somebody's got to be the youngest and there's great benefit to being challenged.

Oh gosh...I definitely didn't know that. His bday is the 28th of January. Does a new/fresh school year still start in the Autumn? I was hoping not to have them start in the middle of a school year since they'll already be "the new kids"-- are there any exams or assessments done to see where they should be? My 3rd grader is very bright but he is small and struggles a little with reading comprehension...a great "reader" though and math student. Oh gosh so overwhelmed! Do you know areas near Glasgow? Any areas to avoid or any known for good schools?

I can always count on you for a good lesson!  Two of my peeps at work are from the Scotland system.  I will have to quiz them on the differences tomorrow (their kids are in England).

My mum was born and raised in Scotland (she moved to England at 14) and my cousins are Scottish... so I remember them taking the Highers instead of GCSEs and A Levels, and they all finished high school at 17 .

Great news on the pets. The shipping for the cats previously mentioned....do you mind giving me a ballpark, chiKristen? I looked at one Tampa based company and it was close to $2k each pet. That is really high for us.

Around $1300 for one way from Chicago to Heathrow, + vet costs + kennel costs + USDA costs (cheap - I think this was around $50).  Your airfare and kennel costs will be higher, particularly if your dog is larger.  I used British Airways, no middleman.  All in, $1600 or so.

School year still starts in August - usually mid-August. Basically, the system makes it so children start school at 4.5 years old or older. So, my daughter was born in March, so she'll be 5+5months when she starts primary school.
It's just that your son draws the short straw
From what I can tell, he won't be tested - kids in primary school are mostly put in age appropriate years and managed from there. They may test him once he's there to see if he's a 'dolphin reader' or a in the 'rainbow maths' group, etc - if you know what I mean.
Popular suburbs of Glasgow includes Bearsden and Milngavie - I'd defo look there first. Well to do folks, would be an easier-ish transition for moving from the states to Scotland.

School year still starts in August - usually mid-August. Basically, the system makes it so children start school at 4.5 years old or older. So, my daughter was born in March, so she'll be 5+5months when she starts primary school.
It's just that your son draws the short straw
From what I can tell, he won't be tested - kids in primary school are mostly put in age appropriate years and managed from there. They may test him once he's there to see if he's a 'dolphin reader' or a in the 'rainbow maths' group, etc - if you know what I mean.
Popular suburbs of Glasgow includes Bearsden and Milngavie - I'd defo look there first. Well to do folks, would be an easier-ish transition for moving from the states to Scotland.

Thank you so much. If you don't mind, may I message you if I have more school / neighborhood questions?

If you want to be on the south side of Glasgow, check out Newton Mearns, Giffnock, and Busby. The schools are good and you're pretty close to East Ayrshire. Also good train service into the centre of town.  They can be spendy though.

If you want to be on the south side of Glasgow, check out Newton Mearns, Giffnock, and Busby. The schools are good and you're pretty close to East Ayrshire. Also good train service into the centre of town.  They can be spendy though.

Yes, totally. I'm such a numpty. My inlaws live in Newton Mearns. Almost all of East Renfrewshire is nice, and it has great schools - though it is a bit bland and vanilla.

Thank you so much. If you don't mind, may I message you if I have more school / neighborhood questions?

Sure! I'll pm you my email address.

Back again!! It is looking more and more like this move is happening  ...wondering the paperwork needed for my kids. I know I need a spouse visa....kids, as they are British by descent, does that mean they need passports and also the form MN1? or just one or the other?

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/application-to-register-child-under-18-as-british-citizen-form-mn1

Back again!! It is looking more and more like this move is happening  ...wondering the paperwork needed for my kids. I know I need a spouse visa....kids, as they are British by descent, does that mean they need passports and also the form MN1? or just one or the other?

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/application-to-register-child-under-18-as-british-citizen-form-mn1

If they are British by Descent, then they have been UK citizens since birth and do not need to register to become British.

So, you just apply for their UK passports, which only costs £72.86 and takes about 6 weeks.

Form MN1 is only for people who are NOT British by descent, but do qualify to register as British by other means (i.e. their parent holds ILR in the UK and is becoming a British citizen).

It costs £936 to register as British (plus the passport fee after that) and takes about 2-4 months (plus a further 6 weeks for the passport after that)!

@ksand24 thank you! THat's a relief !