Moving from England to Scotland with 15yr old

Hi All!
I’m moving to Scotland this summer, trailing along my 3 boys. Boy 1 & 3 are fine, sorted. But my 15 yr old is giving me greys! He would have been doing his GCSE’s this time next year, currently in year 10. He turns 16 in October, which seems very old for him to go back to 3rd year to do his 2 year exam prep. Can anyone point me in the right direction. We don’t even know the area we’ll be moving to so can’t enroll him into a school until a few months into the year as it is. Worried I’m ruining his life! Please help!

Reply 1

BlackLab

If he was born 2005 I think he will be going into S4 not S3, unless he defers back a year. Not sure if they would even allow that for an October birthday (Scotland cutoff date is end of February and only jan/Feb birthdays can defer automatically) or if he'd want to be in with a much younger class.

In Scotland (most schools), we start doing 9 subjects in S3, then drop 2 to take 7 subjects in more depth in S4. The timetable to S4 normally changes and NAT5 work begins after the Easter holidays. Prelims (you call them mocks), will be December or early January, not really that long after he had started.

It is difficult years to change school systems. Hopefully some of the subject content will be covered in his GCSES, otherwise he will have a lot of work to do.

Reply 2

Blobfish12345

My birthday is in April 2005 and I am in S4, moving into S5 after the summer. An October birthday would be in the same year.

Reply 3

BlackLab

I always get confused with the cutoffs as I am a deferred Feb birthday. But you're right April 2005 will be same year as oct 2005 birthday. We're you 16 this year too?

That makes it even tougher, skipping both NAT5/GCSES and going straight to Highers. Couldn't have picked a worse year. Could potentially defer a year and go into S4 if school allows. Must admit I would be giving you greys too!

Reply 4

cchloepx

Skipping nat5 and going to highers is not really that difficult, lol. Most people crash highers in 5th or 6th year anyway.

Id say he might struggle with maths and perhaps English, not sure about sciences but social subjects like modern studies, history, etc. teach completely new content at higher and the exam structures are different which means you won’t essentially miss anything,