When & How to kick off the application for state boarding school?

AApama

It's great to go through your sharings.  My son will be year 9 in Sept. I intended to send him to UK after iGCSE and enter year 11.  Is this a difficult route?

I want to try for Year 10 in 2013.  Apparently, places are rare.  

Yet, I would like to kick off.  When will be the appropriate time?  I gather most suggest writing directly to the interested school.  Right?

Welcome any suggestions!

Tommy

AApama 發表於 12-5-31 12:02
Thanks for your response.  I am a bit confused with the "Year".  Am I right that in UK system, stude ...

AApama,

Hong Kong students are "smart" in academic, and in terms of year of age, most of the HK F.4 students are in the same age of UK's Year 11 students.  So, some schools in Hong Kong arrange their students to take the IGCSE when they are in F.4 or Year 10.  Some new DSSs even arrange their students to do this at F.2 or F.3.

A full course of GCSE in UK is covered in Year 10 and 11.  Students' course work done in both Yr 10 and 11 will contribute some marks in the final exam results.  Part of the exam in some subjects are carried out in Year 10.  But, I'm not sure which subjects and which part.

So, if your son have finished IGCSE in Hong Kong, the normal route for him is to persue Sixth Form (Year 12) studies in UK schools.

Tommy

AApama

Thanks for your response.  I am a bit confused with the "Year".  Am I right that in UK system, students take GCSE at Year 11? In my son's school, they sit in the iGCSE at Yr 10.  Then they will have two years IB diploma course towards U entry.

We are thinking of having my son taking the iGCSE in Hong Kong then rely to the education route in UK. Yet, to be honest, not quite sure how.

Tommy

Hi, do you mean your son will sit for iGCSE in Hong Kong and then enter Year 11 in a state boarding school?  So, will he take the GCSE again in Year 11 in UK?  It is very exceptional case.  

Year 10 boarding places in decent UK state boarding schools are rare.  Year 11 places are even more impossible.  The GCSE courses start in Year 10.  Course work in Year 10 will contribute some marks in the final exam results.  In addition, part of the exam of some subjects will take place in Year 10.  So, normally no school will enroll Year 11 students.  

If you target Year 10 in September 2013, it's safe to apply not later than September this year, maybe the earlier the better.