Relocating from the USA - finding a school for my daughter...

Q. We are unexpectedly relocating from the United States of America to London this summer. My daughter will be what we call a 10th grader or sophomore once we move. How does that figure with your school system and what the best way to get her settled into the public/independent school system in the uk? I appreciate any assistance that you may offer.

A. Your 10th grade is equivalent to our year 11 , which is the year that marks the end of the broader curriculum here and the time at which students choose a smaller number of subjects. There is more specialisation in the UK than the US though many schools, mainly in the independent sector offer the International Baccalaureate Diploma where students study 6 subjects.

In fact for your daughter this is a good time to move as she can join a sixth form for the two year course – A level, PreU or IB. Plenty of schools are experienced in preparing children for entry to a US university and there are places in London to sit the SATS.

Do browse our Schools’ Directory to find some schools in the area you are moving to and also take a look at our related article: Moving to a UK boarding school