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[quote=Anonymous]I lived for several years in the UK with my school aged child, including a year in London. The trick y thing about the state (what Americans call public) schools is that they have school choice. The year before kids start primary (aged4) and secondary ( aged 11), parents fill out preference forms and submit them to the local council. They are assigned to schools of their choice based on proximity. So you can choose a school outside of your catchment, but you only get a spot at your first choice if there is space after everyone who lives closer to the school than you gets in. The British do not over enroll schools.

This means that all of the desirable schools tend to be full. If you arrive after age 4 or age 11, you can't just attend your catchment school if it is full. You will have to attend a school that has places, and it might be miles away. Schools tend to have places because no one wants to go there., although declining birth rates can mean that an area has surplus spots.

You sort of have to triangulate. Figure out an area you might like to live. Email the local schools and ask if they have places in your child's year. The answers you get will then guide your house search. You can't enroll the kids until you have a lease .

Your younger child will be in Year 6 (fifth grade). It's the last year of primary school. Your older one will be in Year 9 (8th grade).

We found UK primary school to be accelerated compared to the US. For secondary school, the US college preparatory track would be ahead. This is because during the middle school years in the UK, kids are enrolled 16 subjects (literally). They simply can't progress in English and math, which they only have 3x per week, as quickly as American kids who have those classes every day.

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