Before you send your children to a British or American school, the following points should be considered.
- Carefully study the curriculum in both systems to determine whether it is in accordance with the characteristics of your children.
- Be familiar with the school’s environment and community. It is better if you visit some of the schools for deciding which may be a better fit for your child.
- Meet the Head Teacher/ Principal or some of the teachers and staff members from the school to get more information. It is also important to seek out recommendations from friends who have sent their children to both systems.
- Knowing the number of times when students will receive their report cards during year is also important. Find out if there is a Parent’s Night as a communication medium between teachers and parents for following your childrens’ progress at the school.
- Make sure that there is easy access to the school and ensure that there is transportation available for going to and from school.
It is important to note that when compared to an American school, Year 1 of the British school system is equivalent to the age of American Kindergarten students, so when British students end up in Year 13, the American student would have completed Year 12 before heading to the university.
The fundamental difference between the British system and the American system for the Secondary school system (aged 11 years and above) is that the British student is required to select 10 subjects of study that interest her/him at Year 10 and 11, which is reduced to 4-6 subjects at Year 12 (AS level or International Baccalaureate/IB1) and Year 13 (A level or International Baccalaureate/IB2). In comparison, American students will learn all subjects in a broader landscape but with less details than those provided to the British student under the British school system.
As a result, British students would have an advantage in these 4-6 subjects but with less knowledge in other subjects that are not of their choosing. After ending the Sixth form, the British student could enter a university level, however, there are some universities in a few countries that do not require their students to complete the A-level test after Year 12 for the students to be allowed to enroll in a university.
Related reading: Understanding the British School System
