Differences Between International Education Systems

Many families need to relocate over the course of their children's education. Whether the reasons are due to work commitments or lifestyle choices, planning as far ahead as possible is critical to your child's educational and social success. Ignorance of the difference between examinations can cause a great deal of stress in the short term and have a detrimental effect on your child's performance in the long term.

Differences in examinations

Focusing on just the UK and US educational systems reveals fundamental differences in attitudes towards examinations and the importance of grades attained throughout a child's school career. In the UK, exams taken at the end of each year up until the age of 16 are only used within the relevant school to monitor a child's progress. The results are not entered into any formal documentation that travels with the child between schools, and they do not have any impact on whether the child can progress up to the next year – or "grade" as it would be called in America. Only GCSE and A-level exam results have any serious long-term impact on a child's further opportunities.

In contrast, the American system treats grades achieved in exams very differently. In elementary school, any grades achieved are not carried over to middle school, and in turn, middle school grades are not carried over into high school. However, once the child is in high school, the grades achieved at the end of every year do dictate their progress onto the next grade, and also are entered onto an official transcript that remains with the child, and continues to have an impact on their prospects, right up until the end of formal schooling.

This difference alone can make transition from the UK to the US system incredibly stressful for children who may be more laid back about exam results early in their school career. They may be suddenly faced with the prospect of having to perform well in a different system, with different expectations at that level, in order to progress in the way they aspire to.

Differences in standardisation

In the UK education system, the difficulty and grading of all subjects has been standardised across every school and every part of the country. That means that regardless of where a child is schooled, they will be studying at the same level of difficulty, and will be awarded grades in the same way as any other child at their age in the system.

In contrast, there is no standardisation in America. A teacher is able to assign the level of difficulty, the value of grade points and the ways in which those points can be earned (i.e. through homework assignments or tests in the classroom) and when in the school year each takes place. This can lead to massive discrepancies within the same school, let alone across the country, and can also lead to strategic expenditure of effort on the part of the students. For example, if a homework assignment is worth the same amount of points as a classroom test, but the latter requires less effort to study for it, a bright child may "play the system" rather than study with equal effort for both.

If a child is used to the expectations of one of these systems, and then is placed into the other, their coping strategies may fail and the level of expectation placed upon them may differ vastly from their previous experience. Both can cause extraordinary stress and have a negative impact on their academic performance.

Planning ahead for transition between international education systems

If a family is planning to relocate, it is critical to seek professional advice from educational consultants who understand the differences between the education system the child is moving from and the one they will be moving into. It may benefit the child to be taught privately for a year, or the remainder of the current academic year should the move fall partway through, so they can reach the appropriate standard and make an excellent start the following academic year.

In families where there are several children at different ages, the move is even more complicated, as each age range may have different challenges and expectations to deal with. An educational consultant can provide detailed advice and guidance for each child, and again, private tuition designed to help all of the children at their respective levels can be invaluable.

Summary

There are many differences between international education systems, some obvious and some more subtle, but all can have a huge impact on a child's academic success. There is no formulaic remedy to deal with international transfers, as every child has differing needs and differing experiences. However, seeking help from an educational consultant can prevent a great deal of stress for the entire family, and safeguard a child's long-term academic performance.

Author bio
Adam Caller is an educational consultant specialising in private tuition. He is a member of the UK Society of Educational Consultants, and one of only two UK members of the Independent Educational Consultants Association of the United States. A qualified teacher and former tutor himself, he is the Founder and Senior Partner of Tutors International LLP, based in Oxford.