Thread: Returning to the UK and schooling for children

My constructive advice is to stay here....anything would be better for the kid than an english cultural upbringing.

Crikey, even America would be better....but only just.

Originally Posted by mrsquirrel

Then you have to ask the question. "Do I want my kid to go to a school where there are lots of kids whose English isn't their first language?."

The school which he might go to would have about 160 kids, out of that I'd guess that less than 10% wouldnt have English as their first language. Its not like we're moving to Bradford or anything.

For primary school, I think it will be fine.

My sister is leaving London for this reason. She doesn't want her kid who has some attention problems to be in a school where teachers are spending more time concentrating on getting Mohammed to understand the lesson than the other kids getting taught.

Originally Posted by mrsquirrel

My sister is leaving London for this reason. She doesn't want her kid who has some attention problems to be in a school where teachers are spending more time concentrating on getting Mohammed to understand the lesson than the other kids getting taught.

Understandable, not a chance of that being the case where I might be living though.

Good luck Melvbot, I'm sure it will be a good experience for the kids.

Originally Posted by madjbs

For primary school, I think it will be fine.

I agree. The primary school's here are top class as long as you are not in the inner city.

Secondary school is a different matter.

Like madjbs said even in the good schools a minority of bas students ruin iot for everyone else and the drink and drugs culture is prevalent (as far as I can remember)

My sis -in - law , before she retired last year , was the UK co-ordinator for placing immigrant kids( no disrespect meant but I am sure you know what I mean) in suitable schools with facilities for English Language development.
She worked 90% in London and Birmingham.
I will try to get in touch with her 'cos she is presently in OZ visiting one of her sons , and see if she can give you any contacts/pointers/ or directions where to start looking .

OK ?

From my own experience, the stepson came over aged 7 not speaking a word of English. We took him to the local primary school and they took him in the following week, classed him as special needs and got finances for a teaching assistant to spend several hours a week with him for a year.

He's now aged 11 and just done better than average in his SATS. He's also ver happy here. I live in a small village so there is no problem with quotas but he is the only non white anglo-saxon in the school.

Reports from other people suggest that you are better taking the kid to a school mid term and they will almost always accept them as there is inevitably some drop off due to people moving out of the area.