Hi new member from England.

[mommylamb]

Can i ask, what age do kids start proper school in the US? In England they tend to start informal nursery school at age 3 then at age 4 they start "proper" school wich is called Reception.

Well, they start public school (what we call public school (state school), not what you call public school) at age 5 when they go to Kindergarten. In some places it's half day and in others it's full day. Before that, school is optional and privately funded by the family unless a child is in some sort of government program like Head Start. Usually from age 5 to 10 or so they go to what we call Elementary school, then middle or Junior High school, and then high school at age 14 or 15 and they graduate at age 17 or 18. We don't have a separate college before university.

My DH is British. He grew up in Manchester. When he came to the U.S. to live for good because we were getting married, it was his first time here. No regrets though. That was 10 years ago now.

[karenbobbo]

Well, they start public school (what we call public school (state school), not what you call public school) at age 5 when they go to Kindergarten. In some places it's half day and in others it's full day. Before that, school is optional and privately funded by the family unless a child is in some sort of government program like Head Start. Usually from age 5 to 10 or so they go to what we call Elementary school, then middle or Junior High school, and then high school at age 14 or 15 and they graduate at age 17 or 18. We don't have a separate college before university.

My DH is British. He grew up in Manchester. When he came to the U.S. to live for good because we were getting married, it was his first time here. No regrets though. That was 10 years ago now.

Thanks thats really interesting info. So children start school a little later in America than here. Here a child is funded by the governement for 15 hours a week in a preschool setting as soon as they are 3 regardless of the families financial situ. So my 3 year old son goes to preschool 3 hours every day. My daughter is 4 nearly 5 so I suppose in America she would be in Kindergarten?

Oh i hope I can follow in your hubby's footsteps one day!

[mommylamb]

Thanks thats really interesting info. So children start school a little later in America than here. Here a child is funded by the governement for 15 hours a week in a preschool setting as soon as they are 3 regardless of the families financial situ. So my 3 year old son goes to preschool 3 hours every day. My daughter is 4 nearly 5 so I suppose in America she would be in Kindergarten?

Oh i hope I can follow in your hubby's footsteps one day!

Yes, I definitely get a bit jealous of my sister-in-laws when it comes to the schooling benefits provided to my niece and nephews.

Where in the UK are you? I went to graduate school in London, so I was able to live there for a while. And of course we go back to Manchester to see family from time to time, though I haven't been recently.

[karenbobbo]

Yes, I definitely get a bit jealous of my sister-in-laws when it comes to the schooling benefits provided to my niece and nephews.

Where in the UK are you? I went to graduate school in London, so I was able to live there for a while. And of course we go back to Manchester to see family from time to time, though I haven't been recently.

I live in Swindon which is a town in the South West of England (a long way from manchester which is North West). Swindon is around 2 hour drive west of London. I love London, have been for a few romantic weekends with hubby and been to West End shows etc but I could never live there, far too busy and mad (and expensive!)

Where do you live? xx

[larig]

Have you ever seen A Rising Damp? It's one of my favorites. I love British TV too, though i think I can be a bit of an anglophile sometimes.

Oh, and I just watched an amazing British miniseries political thriller called State of Play that was out of this world amazing!

I have not seen it, and now will have to add it to our library and/or netflix list! (totally guilty of anglophile-ness here too) Mommylamb, I'm very jealous that you got to live in London. DH and I love to travel and dream of living in Europe with DS. Sadly, I've not seen much of England outside of London (DH saw lots and lots of it, though before me).

Did I mention how much I love Coupling?! Such a funny show. Oh, and if you can find Teachers (Andrew Lincoln the kind of stalker-y friend of Kiera Knightly's DH in Love, Actually is in it) see it!!

[edurnemk]

Hello everyone and thankyou for the warm welcome.
tell me, where is all the fun on these message boards? im interested in chatting and talking about fun stuff!

Mostly in the Lounge. Unless you want to talk about more specific things, like Strollers, Car Seats, recipes, and so on. Oh and there's the famous Bitching Post (BP) were we go to complain about things in general.

[mommylamb]

I live in Swindon which is a town in the South West of England (a long way from manchester which is North West). Swindon is around 2 hour drive west of London. I love London, have been for a few romantic weekends with hubby and been to West End shows etc but I could never live there, far too busy and mad (and expensive!)

Where do you live? xx

I'm in Northern Virginia just outside of Washington DC. I do really miss London though. I haven't been to England since DS was born because it's just so expensive for all 3 of us to go. My MIL comes here instead at least 1x or 2x a year.

[mommylamb]

I have not seen it, and now will have to add it to our library and/or netflix list! (totally guilty of anglophile-ness here too) Mommylamb, I'm very jealous that you got to live in London. DH and I love to travel and dream of living in Europe with DS. Sadly, I've not seen much of England outside of London (DH saw lots and lots of it, though before me).

Did I mention how much I love Coupling?! Such a funny show. Oh, and if you can find Teachers (Andrew Lincoln the kind of stalker-y friend of Kiera Knightly's DH in Love, Actually is in it) see it!!

I'll have to put them on the Netflix list. DH says he has heard good things about Teachers.