Kenya to US school grades: which grade will your child join?
Schools in the US place children by age, not by the class they finished in Kenya. As a guide, a child aged 12 at the start of the school year who was in Grade 7 (Junior School) in Kenya joins Grade 7 in the US. The table below matches each Kenyan class to its US grade.
This guide also covers how placement works, what changes in the classroom, which exam results to bring, and how to help your child settle in during the first term.
Kenyan classes and US grades compared
| Age at start of school year | Kenya | United States |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | Grade 1 | Grade 1 |
| 7 | Grade 2 | Grade 2 |
| 8 | Grade 3 | Grade 3 |
| 9 | Grade 4 | Grade 4 |
| 10 | Grade 5 | Grade 5 |
| 11 | Grade 6 | Grade 6 |
| 12 | Grade 7 (Junior School) | Grade 7 |
| 13 | Grade 8 | Grade 8 |
| 14 | Grade 9 | Grade 9 |
| 15 | Grade 10 (Senior School) | Grade 10 |
| 16 | Grade 11 | Grade 11 |
| 17 | Grade 12 | Grade 12 |
Placement is by age
Most US states place children in a grade by age on a cut-off date, often 1 September. A child who is 6 by the cut-off starts Grade 1. Cut-off dates vary by state and district.
Because of the switch from 8-4-4 to the CBC, students of the same age can be in different grades, so check the age table rather than the grade name.
How school places work in the US
You enrol through the local school district. Children are placed by age, and high school students are placed by the credits on their transcript, so bring report cards from every year of secondary school.
High school runs from Grade 9 to Grade 12. Students earn credits for each course, take state tests, and many sit the SAT or ACT in Grade 11 or 12 for college admission.
The school system in Kenya
Kenya is moving from the old 8-4-4 system to the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC): two years of pre-primary, six years of primary (Grade 1 to 6), three years of junior school (Grade 7 to 9) and three years of senior school (Grade 10 to 12). Older students who started secondary under 8-4-4 are in Form 3 or Form 4.
Under the CBC, students are assessed at the end of Grade 6 and Grade 9. Students in the 8-4-4 system sit the KCSE at the end of Form 4.
What changes in the classroom
- Kenyan students learn in English from the upper primary years, so most settle quickly into lessons taught in English.
- US maths is taught course by course (Algebra 1, Geometry, Algebra 2), and students may be placed in a course below their level until they show what they know.
- US English classes expect essays with a clear thesis and evidence, and a lot of independent reading.
- Classes are often smaller and more discussion-based, and students are expected to ask questions and work independently.
Arriving in the exam years
Students who arrive in Grade 11 or 12 need their earlier school years turned into US credits. Ask the school counsellor early which courses count towards graduation.
Records and results to bring
- School reports for the last two or three years.
- Any the CBC assessments and the KCSE results, with the original certificates or result slips.
- Your child's exercise books or recent tests, which help a new teacher see their level.
- Bring report cards and exam results, translated if needed. Colleges often ask for an evaluation from a credential service such as WES or ECE, which usually treats WASSCE, the Cameroon GCE or the KCSE as completion of secondary school.
Helping your child catch up
- Ask the new school for the topics covered so far this year and any assessments coming up.
- Book a tutor for maths and English in the first term, while the gaps are still small.
- Choose a tutor who knows the US curriculum and has taught students from Kenya.
- On Studoli, your first lesson with a tutor is free, and lessons take place online at times that fit around school.
Next steps
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Frequently asked questions
What grade is Grade 10 (Senior School) in the US?
A student in Grade 10 (Senior School) is usually around 15 at the start of the school year, which matches Grade 10 in the US. Schools place by age, so the exact grade depends on your child's date of birth.
What grade is Grade 7 (Junior School) in the US?
Grade 7 (Junior School) usually matches Grade 7, for a child aged about 12 at the start of the school year.
Will my child repeat a year after moving from Kenya to the US?
Usually not. Schools in the US place children by age. If your child is behind in some subjects, the school gives extra support, and a tutor can help close the gaps faster.
Are KCSE results accepted in the US?
Bring report cards and exam results, translated if needed. Colleges often ask for an evaluation from a credential service such as WES or ECE, which usually treats WASSCE, the Cameroon GCE or the KCSE as completion of secondary school.