# Moving back to the UK - school certificate / GCSEs??



## barneysmum

Hi,

We live in Spain and my daughter is in year 4 of ESO. Hopefully she will finish this year with her leaving certificate.

However, we might have to go back to the UK and I want her to do the International Baccalaureate there.

I've found a few schools in the UK that offer it, but they haven't heard of the school certificate and keep telling me she needs GCSEs at grade B or above.

I am trying to find a definitive site or person, who knows what the score is and so I can show that the certificate is equivalent to a number of GCSes (10 I think?)- surely the certificate she gets here is more appropriate for entry to the IB than GCSEs anyway!

But I can't find any information to give to the schools in the UK.

Has anyone come across this scenario?

Thank you!


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## xabiaxica

barneysmum said:


> Hi,
> 
> We live in Spain and my daughter is in year 4 of ESO. Hopefully she will finish this year with her leaving certificate.
> 
> However, we might have to go back to the UK and I want her to do the International Baccalaureate there.
> 
> I've found a few schools in the UK that offer it, but they haven't heard of the school certificate and keep telling me she needs GCSEs at grade B or above.
> 
> I am trying to find a definitive site or person, who knows what the score is and so I can show that the certificate is equivalent to a number of GCSes (10 I think?)- surely the certificate she gets here is more appropriate for entry to the IB than GCSEs anyway!
> 
> But I can't find any information to give to the schools in the UK.
> 
> Has anyone come across this scenario?
> 
> Thank you!


I looked into this recently when my dd was considering going to the UK for A levels

there is NO official body or website - the one which does deal with this sort of thing, NARIC, doesn't deal with anything below A levels iirc

however - a few friends have returned recently & the 6th form colleges have indeed accepted each subject passed (so above a nota of 5) as a GCSE equivalent, and also the schools & colleges I spoke to said that they would too (except in our case, Valenciano, since it doesn't exist in the UK)

I suppose logically a B would be a nota of 8 ish??


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## jojo

There are international schools in the UK that do the bacci and are able to take foreign exams as their start point. Have a google. In our area, I believe (if memory serves) Portsmouth had an international school that did it??

Jo xxx


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## barneysmum

Thanks for the quick replies. The area we would be going to only has two schools that do the IB and neither of them have been able to help so far! So I have contacted other IB schools but waiting to hear.

I would assume that if they offer an "international" course that they should accept international students with their qualifications.

Waiting game at the moment I suppose!


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## xabiaxica

barneysmum said:


> Thanks for the quick replies. The area we would be going to only has two schools that do the IB and neither of them have been able to help so far! So I have contacted other IB schools but waiting to hear.
> 
> I would assume that if they offer an "international" course that they should accept international students with their qualifications.
> 
> Waiting game at the moment I suppose!



there are state schools which do the Baccalaureate - I'm sure if it's _exactly _the same as the IB, but the general principal is the same


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## rgw

Hi, I am in the same situation as you, my son is in his last year doing his eso and we are then planning to return to the uk. Did you find a school suitable/willing to accept his eso grades. Any info would be much appreciated.


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## xabiaxica

rgw said:


> Hi, I am in the same situation as you, my son is in his last year doing his eso and we are then planning to return to the uk. Did you find a school suitable/willing to accept his eso grades. Any info would be much appreciated.


:welcome:

my daughter decided to stay here in the end for Bachi  - but she was offered a place at 2 different schools in the UK for 6th form & both were going to accept each subject passed at ESO as the equivalent of a GCSE

there're no 'official' guidelines - but that's what we were offered


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## barneysmum

rgw said:


> Hi, I am in the same situation as you, my son is in his last year doing his eso and we are then planning to return to the uk. Did you find a school suitable/willing to accept his eso grades. Any info would be much appreciated.


All the schools we spoke to accepted subjects at ESO level. Most of them didn't seem that bothered about grades. Daughter now doing her A levels.

One thing I found out after speaking to Unis as well is that they give no preference to the Baccalaureate when it comes to uni stage.

It really wasn't worth the stress and worry. Your son will be fine.


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## angil

What about when they go onto University in the UK. As far as I could see most Unis wanted (actually demanded was the tone of the email I recieved!) GCSES in maths and english minimum plus the usual Alevels / IB or equivalent for entrance. 
What about contacting UCAS? Would they be able to help? About Us | UCAS | What Is UCAS and What Do We Do?
I know this is regarding Uni but I am assuming thats what eso / gcses & ib/alevels are leading towards & count towards their points?
This won't effect any of you I am sure as I am guessing you will have been resident in Spain (or other European Union country) for 3 years prior to the commencement of your child's University courses?
If not your child will be classed an International student and will be liable to pay more in tuition fees.
Similarly if your child is from anywhere in the EU apart from England & Wales or has been resident in another European country for 3 years your child can attend Scottish University's at a home rate. Around €1800 per year.
As far as I can ascertain in other EU countries they talk about European Citizenship as oppose to needing to be an 'ordinary' resident in that country for 3 years.
Educational refugees is a word I have read referring to kids leaving the UK to study overseas to avoid the potential debts from high Uni fees in the UK.
Looks like my daughter will be joining them! Summer 2015 - the planning starts now though.


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## xabiaxica

angil said:


> What about when they go onto University in the UK. As far as I could see most Unis wanted (actually demanded was the tone of the email I recieved!) GCSES in maths and english minimum plus the usual Alevels / IB or equivalent for entrance.
> What about contacting UCAS? Would they be able to help? About Us | UCAS | What Is UCAS and What Do We Do?
> I know this is regarding Uni but I am assuming thats what eso / gcses & ib/alevels are leading towards & count towards their points?
> This won't effect any of you I am sure as I am guessing you will have been resident in Spain (or other European Union country) for 3 years prior to the commencement of your child's University courses?
> If not your child will be classed an International student and will be liable to pay more in tuition fees.
> Similarly if your child is from anywhere in the EU apart from England & Wales or has been resident in another European country for 3 years your child can attend Scottish University's at a home rate. Around €1800 per year.
> As far as I can ascertain in other EU countries they talk about European Citizenship as oppose to needing to be an 'ordinary' resident in that country for 3 years.
> Educational refugees is a word I have read referring to kids leaving the UK to study overseas to avoid the potential debts from high Uni fees in the UK.
> Looks like my daughter will be joining them! Summer 2015 - the planning starts now though.


I know teens who have returned to the UK for uni with bachi under their belts - no A levels required - equally Spanish students who have entered UK unis with the same qualification

surely they can't be demanding a UK qualification from a student educated in a different country!


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## angil

I think I would be contacting the University / UCAS to have that verified. I wouldn't be assuming anything at this point from the UK system! My daughter did IGCSEs & is here to do A levels. The IB would not have suited her & I have heard (2nd and 3rd hand!) that Unis actually still prefer A levels over the IB, got no idea how true that it. It didn't sway our decision my daughter had simply had enough of maths and science!


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## xabiaxica

angil said:


> I think I would be contacting the University / UCAS to have that verified. I wouldn't be assuming anything at this point from the UK system! My daughter did IGCSEs & is here to do A levels. The IB would not have suited her & I have heard (2nd and 3rd hand!) that Unis actually still prefer A levels over the IB, got no idea how true that it. It didn't sway our decision my daughter had simply had enough of maths and science!


my daughter has decided to stay here for uni now, so thankfully that won't be an issue for her


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## brocher

UK Uni admission depends on reaching a certain amount of points. Tarriffs are awarded for GCSE's etc and other qualifications, incl Bacc- see link-http://www.ucas.com/how-it-all-works/explore-your-options/entry-requirements/tariff-tables

From the Tariff table you could also calculate how they rate BACC against GCSE's etc. I'd have thought Int schools would know this, but if not , you could present them with this.

Of course, having the required points does not guarantee entry to any Uni course, it merely indicates eligibility to be considered for a place. Strong Personal Statement and interview also plays a part, as does competetition for the available places.


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## Chopera

barneysmum said:


> All the schools we spoke to accepted subjects at ESO level. Most of them didn't seem that bothered about grades. Daughter now doing her A levels.
> 
> One thing I found out after speaking to Unis as well is that they give no preference to the Baccalaureate when it comes to uni stage.
> 
> It really wasn't worth the stress and worry. Your son will be fine.


Out of interest, how did your daughter find the transition from not only following the Spanish curriculum to following the UK curriculum, but also from being taught in Spanish to being taught in English?

Even though my kids are many years from making those kind of decisions, at some point I may want them to switch to either the UK system or the IB, and ideally I'd like it to be after ESO.


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## JCLIF

*From ESO to Sixth Form?*

I too have my son in 3 ESO in Spain and wanted to know how easy/hard/sensible it might be to try to get him into Sixth Form in the UK to have a break from the Spanish system. IB or A levels. What grades would he need (nota)? He is likely to get a lot of different results, excellent in some, and only OK in others. I am really interested in Hockerill or Dalham to do the IB. He likes the boarding school idea. I would be very grateful for any hints.


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