Transitioning from the British Curriculum: What to Expect for Year 7 Students in Argentina?

[Fanny]

Hey B.A. expats,
If you're coming from the British curriculum and your son is in Year 7, how does it work when transitioning into the British system here in Argentina? Does he need to repeat 6 months of the school year, or would he skip them?
We're planning to move around Dec/Jan 2025/26, and by then, he'll be halfway through Year 8 in Europe.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Tessa]

Hey! Based on my research and a chat with a headmistress in BsAs, it looks like kids will be placed according to their date of birth rather than the grade they were in before. Apparently, the Argentinian authorities used to be more flexible, but now they don’t make exceptions. Whether they’ll skip or repeat part of the year depends on their age. I’d suggest reaching out to a school directly to ask about the specific situation for your kids. Good luck with the school hunt!

 

[GlasgowJohn]

Hey B.A. expats,
If you're coming from the British curriculum and your son is in Year 7, how does it work when transitioning into the British system here in Argentina? Does he need to repeat 6 months of the school year, or would he skip them?
We're planning to move around Dec/Jan 2025/26, and by then, he'll be halfway through Year 8 in Europe.

Thanks in advance!

Which part of the UK are you based in?

 

[Fanny]

Which part of the UK are you based in?

Hi @GlasgowJohn , I live in London 🙂

 

[GlasgowJohn]

Hi @Fanny . I was asking as there a slight difference in the Scottish system and the English system. Doesnt affect primary too much but quite a difference in secondary.

Where are you planning to stay in Argentina?

There is actually quite a difference between CABA ( the Capital ) and the Province of Buenos Aires. In the Province, there are six years of primary school and six of secondary school. In the capital there are seven years of primary and five of secondary.

The kids are normally placed in grades accrding to your date of birth , as @Tessa mentioned above.

The schools are quite strict about it . In your case where there is a change of country and system , they will robably want to see your son and they will advise what is best for him.

The cut off day is 30th June . My lad was born in August , so he is one of the older boys in his year.

Fire away if you have any other questions.

 

[Wally]

Hi @Fanny . I was asking as there a slight difference in the Scottish system and the English system. Doesnt affect primary too much but quite a difference in secondary.

Where are you planning to stay in Argentina?

There is actually quite a difference between CABA ( the Capital ) and the Province of Buenos Aires. In the Province, there are six years of primary school and six of secondary school. In the capital there are seven years of primary and five of secondary.

The kids are normally placed in grades accrding to your date of birth , as @Tessa mentioned above.

The schools are quite strict about it . In your case where there is a change of country and system , they will robably want to see your son and they will advise what is best for him.

The cut off day is 30th June . My lad was born in August , so he is one of the older boys in his year.

Fire away if you have any other questions.

Most of the good English speaking schools are in the Northern suburbs so keep that in mind.

 

[Blockchain]

Most of the good English speaking schools are in the Northern suburbs so keep that in mind.

What do these schools cost? Are tuitions reasonable? I keep reading they have gone up. How much are we talking about tuition? How much does a good private school cost there vs. USA for example?

 

[GlasgowJohn]

Tuition used to be reasonable but it is now much more expensive , like most other things.

But the state system is poorly managed and is very often on strike , so the kids dont get a decent education.

 

[earlyretirement]

What do these schools cost? Are tuitions reasonable? I keep reading they have gone up. How much are we talking about tuition? How much does a good private school cost there vs. USA for example?

The premier private schools like Lincoln are quite expensive. Up to $30,000+ USD per year. You can see the prices at some of the private schools here on this article in Bloomberg recently.

Colegios premium: cuánto cuesta la educación primaria y secundaria de élite en Argentina

Las cuotas de algunos de los establecimientos más caros de Buenos Aires llegan a superar el salario promedio de los trabajadores formales en Argentina: San Andrés, Lincoln, Northlands y San Jorge

www.bloomberglinea.com

 

[Ron]

Hey! The school year in Argentina runs from March to December, so the timing can be a bit tricky when coming from a British system. Since your son would be halfway through Year 8 in Europe by the time you move, most schools here will likely place him in the equivalent grade based on his age rather than his current year level. Generally, Year 7 in the British system aligns with '1° Año' of secondary school in Argentina, and Year 8 would be '2° Año.' If he’s already halfway through Year 8, some schools might have him repeat the last few months of '1° Año' before starting '2° Año' fresh in March, while others may let him jump straight into '2° Año.' It really depends on the school’s policies.

I’d recommend reaching out to the schools you’re considering and explaining the situation, they're usually flexible, especially with expat students. Some private bilingual schools are more familiar with the British curriculum and may help make the transition smoother. Good luck with the move!

 

[fatih]

As earlyretirement says, Lincoln School is one of the best. It's a school that's popular among expatriate families because of the quality of its teaching, but the costs can be higher compared to local schools.

 

[Uncle Wong]

The premier private schools like Lincoln are quite expensive. Up to $30,000+ USD per year. You can see the prices at some of the private schools here on this article in Bloomberg recently.

Colegios premium: cuánto cuesta la educación primaria y secundaria de élite en Argentina

Las cuotas de algunos de los establecimientos más caros de Buenos Aires llegan a superar el salario promedio de los trabajadores formales en Argentina: San Andrés, Lincoln, Northlands y San Jorge

www.bloomberglinea.com

Holy Christ! Those prices are more expensive than some of the best private schools in Dallas where there is a lot of money. That gives you an idea how much $ people have in BA.

 

[GlasgowJohn]

Lincoln is probbaly the most expensive private school in Bs As.

Most schools are around 500 USD per month . Only 12 months ago you would have paid less than 300.

 

[earlyretirement]

Lincoln is probbaly the most expensive private school in Bs As.

Most schools are around 500 USD per month . Only 12 months ago you would have paid less than 300.

Yes, Lincoln is the most prominent one and most expensive but not many have those amounts. My friends pay about $1,500 USD per month for 2 kids. They complain that fees keep going up. I guess $500 USD/month still isn't bad for a good education.

 

[Uncle Wong]

Lincoln is probbaly the most expensive private school in Bs As.

Most schools are around 500 USD per month . Only 12 months ago you would have paid less than 300.

Got it. Phew. We have expensive elite schools like that too here in Dallas. But I was surprised to see that kind of price for BA. $500 seems very reasonable. $300 seems really great. I assume John prices won't get that cheap again? Are prices in pesos or dollars?

 

[GlasgowJohn]

The 500 fee is likely to increase in line with inflation.
Yes, $ 300 was great! But unlikely to see that again in the short term
But this is Argentine and the economy never behaves according to expectations!

 

[Finance Prof]

The 500 fee is likely to increase in line with inflation.
Yes, $ 300 was great! But unlikely to see that again in the short term
But this is Argentine and the economy never behaves according to expectations!

You never know in Argentina. Cheap to expensive to who knows what. In an election year anything is impossible and much depends what happens with the IMF loan. If that falls apart I think the blue dollar can go nuts.