Moving a child from Kenya's Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) to the British National Curriculum is one of the most common questions we hear from Nairobi families. The good news: children make this move all the time, and at primary age it is far simpler than it looks. This guide covers the three things that matter: the year group, the classroom, and the first term.
1. The year group: placed by age, not grade
The single most confusing part of the switch is the numbering. British year groups are set by a child's age on 1 September, and Year 1 starts at five. CBC moves children into Grade 1 at six, and its school year starts in January.
The result: a child's British year group is usually one higher than the number of their CBC grade.
- A child finishing PP2 is usually of Year 1 or Year 2 age
- A Grade 1 child is usually of Year 2 age
- A Grade 3 child is usually of Year 4 age
- A Grade 5 child is usually of Year 6 age
That can sound like skipping a year. It isn't: the child is joining the children of their own age, which is what the British system does everywhere. Our age finder gives the answer from a date of birth in seconds.
2. What changes in the classroom
Assessment. CBC relies heavily on continuous, portfolio-based assessment. The British curriculum reports progress against national expectations: whether a child is working towards, at, or beyond the standard for their age, subject by subject.
Reading and writing. British primary schools teach early reading through systematic phonics, and children write extended pieces from Year 2 onwards. Children from CBC are often confident speakers and collaborators; the adjustment is usually in the volume of independent writing.
Mathematics. The content overlaps a great deal. The difference is often sequencing, so a child may meet a topic earlier or later than they would have.
Subjects and names. Expect British subject names (English, Mathematics, Science, Computing, History, Geography, Art and Design, Music, PE) and a timetable organised around them.
3. The first term
The first weeks decide how a move feels. What helps most:
- Bring the latest school report. It is the most useful document we receive: it shows where your child is, rather than leaving us to guess from age alone.
- Share any support plans or assessments. None of it counts against an application; it tells the school what to put in place from the first day.
- Expect a starting-point conversation, not an exam. At Elyton, a relaxed Meet your child session shows where your child is and shapes their support plan.
- Talk to the class teacher early. Ask how your child is settling after two weeks, not at the end of term.
Small classes make this easier. At Elyton every class is capped at twenty-five, which means the teacher can spot a gap in week two rather than week ten.
When to move
The two natural entry points are September, the start of the British school year, and January, the start of the Kenyan one. Elyton admits for both: see January 2027 entry.
Next steps
Check your child's year group with the age finder, then book a private weekday tour and bring the latest school report. You will leave knowing exactly where your child would start.
