moving a 16 year-old into UK school system ??? Anyone in Durham?

My husband is being recruited for a job in the Durham area.  We are strongly considering it but my oldest daughter's schooling is my biggest concern.  She would be finished with American 10th grade and be funneled into UK sixth form or A levels.  There are no international schools in the Durham area that would allow her to finish in the American style system.  I *believe* the job would pay for private schooling and I *think* that may make a difference but I really don't know.

Is there anyone out there who has done this?  Any success stories?  How do the school's evaluate the American student's grades/marks/scores and place them into the appropriate classes? 

Are there any moms on here in the Durham area? 

Thanks!

We have a few teachers on the board so I would expect them along in a bit.

I would really research this before moving.  If there isn't an appropriate program suitable for her in the UK, I would consider having her remain in the US with someone to finish high school.  What does she want to do when she graduates?

I don't know about USA to UK, but I have recently been chatting with a friend who had to, long story,  move to England from Scotland.

Her daughter has just turned 16 and had all her schooling in Scotland, which is under a very different system than England.  She had just finished her National 4 Exams with very good grades and would have been taking National 5 exams this year. 

Now, she started just a few weeks ago in England and was put into a level just based on her age.  She is already having to take prelims for her GCSEs in a few weeks, in completely different subjects and curriculum than she was learning.  To say it's extremely stressful for her and probably changing (I hesitate to say ruin) her future paths in life, is an understatement.  She's a smart girl and will probably work hard, but she'll probably have a tough road ahead. 

You can perhaps, consider how your daughter may do in this. I don't know if they would automatically put her into A levels, she could perhaps go into a year with GCSEs. (No idea if you have to have passed GCSEs to take A levels? Not really sure of the English school system) She may be fine, it may take a bit of extra work and prep to get her through, but the experience of an international education is pretty cool tool.

Something you may also want to look at if there are no American schools in the area is a school with International Baccalaureate programme. 

Something also to consider in this day and age of technology, if you have a very motivated daughter, is an online USA high school? 

Yeah, she would have to have taken GCSEs before she could enter an A-level programme. Unfortunately the UK considers a completed high-school education to be equivalent to GCSEs, so if she hasn't finished high school she may have a hard time finding a place, however I'm not sure if there are any exceptions made for foreign students. Does she do any AP classes? AP is, ironically, considered equivalent to A-levels.

I agree with Phatbeetle about the International Baccalaureate, that's a pretty solid programme that would be recognised in the US and UK. Have a look at this website to see if there's a school in your area.

Would your daughter be interested in going to university in the UK? If yes, it may be best to try to get her into the UK system and have her do her A-levels. If not, IB would be best. That's just my opinion, of course

Teacher here! The options to consider really depend on your child, but here are the things that spring to my mind:

Have you considered a boarding school in America? This would depend on how long you move over for. Is it likely to be more than two years? What are your child's post high school ambitions? University? In America or flexible? UK universities have really specific courses that you apply for on application (like choosing a major when you apply).

I work at a boarding school with a significant number of foreign pupils. Some enter A Levels having done a year of GCSE study (normally they have taken a reduced number of GCSEs, say 6 or 7) in order to enter A Levels. This means many of my A Level pupils from abroad are a year older than the English kids I teach. I also reckon it all may depend on what three (max four) A Levels your daughter might want to take. For example, there are a large number of social science A Levels not offered at GCSE so a school might be a bit looser with their requirements for entry. 

IB. Not sure any state schools offer IB though...

Have a quick google, it looks like the closest schools to Durham would be:

Durham Gilesgate Sports College and Sixth Form Centre - Bradford Crescent, Durham City, County Durham

Newcastle Sixth Form College - Newcastle College, Parsons Building, Rye Hill, Scotswood Road, Newcastle upon Tyne

South Tyneside College - St George’s Avenue, South Shields, Tyne & Wear

St Robert of Newminster Roman Catholic School - Biddick Lane, Washington, Sunderland, Tyne and Wear

Tyne Metropolitan College - Embleton Avenue, Wallsend, Tyne & Wear

There are probably additional IB options if you start to look at boarding, some of which would be not tooooo much further away, but definitely not commutable daily.

I hope this is not too late to be helpful as I've only come across your post now. My husband and I are both teachers in the Durham area and are happy to answer questions about A levels if we can. Your daughter shouldn't have to do GCSEs - at least in the case of the school where my husband teaches. PM me if I can be of help!