School admission in the UK

Hi there,

If he's 11 prior to the start of the school year (September), then according to age he would be placed in Year 7. However, education systems differ and sometimes children are placed in a lower grade in order to catch up with the curriculum. This is particularly true if the education system being transferred to has a different academic year structure than the previous one (eg September start vs January start). I'd advise getting into contact with the UK Department for Education for clarity. Their contact details are towards the bottom of the linked page.

For more info, have a look at the Expat Arrivals page on Education and Schools in the UK. What part of the UK are you moving to? If in London or nearby, you may be interested in the possibility of international schools, which are popular with expats.

– Meagan

He will start in Year 7 the first year of High School. Children  are never educated out of year in the UK so he will definitely be Year 7. 

He will start in seventh grade, but you should also understand that some schools divide the class into three groups based on grade level and orientation. From time to time students are moved from one group to another, most likely he will be in the first group of seventh grade at first.

Thanks! I appreciate your response.