How to Watch Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life on Netflix in the US with a VPN (2026)

Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life (2016) is available on Netflix in the United Kingdom. Directed by Steve Carr and based on the popular children’s novel by James Patterson and Chris Tebbetts, this family comedy follows Rafe Khatchadorian, a young artist who challenges his school’s strict rules. The movie stars Griffin Gluck, Lauren Graham, Rob Riggle, and Thomas Barbusca. You can find it on the official Netflix UK movie page, which lists English original audio, English audio description, and English subtitles.

Unfortunately, Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life is not currently available on Netflix US. Although American viewers can find the movie through other streaming services, Netflix offers it in the United Kingdom. Private Internet Access, ExpressVPN, and NordVPN all provide British VPN connections, giving users different options for establishing a secure connection associated with the UK.

However, connecting to a UK VPN server does not guarantee access to the British Netflix catalog. Netflix may detect VPN connections and restrict viewers to movies and television shows with worldwide streaming rights. Individual VPN providers also impose usage restrictions. Before attempting to watch, review Netflix’s official VPN streaming policy and make sure your intended activity complies with the relevant service terms.

How to watch Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life on Netflix with a VPN

If you already have a Netflix subscription, the following steps explain how to check the movie’s availability while using a British VPN connection where your intended use is permitted.

1. Choose a VPN provider. Private Internet Access is our first recommendation because it offers several UK locations, including a streaming-optimized option. ExpressVPN and NordVPN are the second and third choices.
2. Download and install the VPN application on your Windows PC, Mac, Android device, or iPhone. Sign in using your VPN account.
3. Open the VPN application and select a UK server. Wait until the application confirms that the connection is active.
4. Fully close Netflix, including any browser tabs or applications that might still be running in the background.
5. Reopen Netflix after establishing the VPN connection. This starts a new browsing session while the VPN is active.
6. Sign in to your existing Netflix account using your usual email address and password.
7. Search for Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life using Netflix’s search function. You can also check the official movie listing.
8. Start playback if Netflix displays the movie, your subscription supports playback, and the service permits access through your connection.

The film retains its original English title in the UK catalog, so you do not need to search for an alternative or localized name. Netflix identifies it as a 2016 family comedy with a PG rating.

You can also visit the official UK Netflix listing for Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life to check the movie’s description and available language options.

Netflix UK lists English original audio, English audio description, and English subtitles. It also identifies the movie as available for offline downloads, although downloading requires a supported Netflix application, compatible subscription, and authorized access.

If the title does not appear in your Netflix account, a VPN connection may be one reason. Netflix can recognize VPN traffic and restrict the catalog regardless of the country associated with the VPN server.

Best VPNs for watching Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life on Netflix

All three VPN providers offer UK server locations. Private Internet Access has a dedicated UK Streaming Optimized option, ExpressVPN provides several locations across England, and NordVPN offers connections in four major British cities.

VPN	Server locations in the UK	Option to try first
Private Internet Access (Editor’s Choice)	UK London, UK Manchester, UK Southampton, UK Tottenham, UK Streaming Optimized	UK London for general privacy use or UK Streaming Optimized for permitted streaming
ExpressVPN	UK Docklands, East London, London, Manchester, Midlands, Tottenham, Wembley	UK London
NordVPN	Edinburgh, Glasgow, London, Manchester	Automatically selected UK server or London

These locations come from the providers’ official server directories. However, having a British IP address does not guarantee access to UK-only Netflix movies. Netflix may identify the connection and show only globally licensed titles.

1. Private Internet Access

Private Internet Access (PIA) is our Editor’s Choice because it combines several British server locations with flexible VPN protocols and a dedicated streaming-optimized option. Its application also provides practical connection settings for users who want greater control over their online privacy.

According to the official PIA server directory, the provider offers five UK connection options: UK London, UK Manchester, UK Southampton, UK Tottenham, and UK Streaming Optimized.

For general browsing and privacy, UK London is a reasonable starting point. Its location gives users an identifiable British endpoint without requiring them to choose a specialized server.

PIA also provides UK Streaming Optimized, which it configures for streaming-related performance. This option may help with connection stability when streaming content that you have permission to access. It does not guarantee that Netflix will display Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life.

Connecting is straightforward. Open the PIA application and select the VPN SERVER section. Search for UK or United Kingdom to display the available British locations, then select the one you want to use.

To find the streaming-focused option more quickly, enter streaming in the search bar and select UK Streaming Optimized. PIA explains this procedure in its official streaming setup guide.

PIA supports both WireGuard and OpenVPN. WireGuard offers a lightweight connection protocol that can provide better speeds on suitable networks. OpenVPN provides another option, particularly when users encounter compatibility or connection problems.

On desktop, disconnect from the VPN, open Settings, and select Protocols to switch between WireGuard and OpenVPN. Reconnect afterward and test your connection. PIA recommends this approach when a website or application has problems loading.

Server infrastructure is another consideration. PIA operates physical and virtual server locations. With a virtual location, the VPN assigns an IP address associated with one country while hosting the server hardware in another.

The provider’s official virtual server documentation does not identify its UK locations as virtual. PIA says most of its locations use physical servers in the corresponding country, although it does not publish an exact physical hosting address for every UK server.

Connection performance depends on several factors, including distance, network congestion, your internet speed, and the chosen protocol. Selecting London instead of Manchester or Southampton will not necessarily produce better performance for every user.

If a website loads slowly, try another UK location, reconnect, or switch between WireGuard and OpenVPN. Clearing browser cookies and cached files can also help with application-related problems.

PIA’s website and application troubleshooting guide also recommends testing another browser and checking whether VPN privacy settings interfere with a website.

There is an important restriction. PIA expressly prohibits using its service to circumvent geographic restrictions imposed by content providers. Its streaming documentation directs users to connect to a VPN server in their current physical country to comply with applicable terms.

Therefore, PIA’s UK connections should not be treated as permission to bypass Netflix’s licensing restrictions. PIA remains our first-ranked option for its documented UK server choices, privacy features, and connection controls, but users must comply with its terms.

2. ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN takes second place because it offers seven officially documented UK server locations and supports multiple connection protocols. The provider also includes straightforward server selection features that help users establish a secure connection without complicated manual configuration.

The official ExpressVPN server directory lists UK Docklands, UK East London, UK London, UK Manchester, UK Midlands, UK Tottenham, and UK Wembley.

These seven options provide more location choices than PIA’s standard UK city entries. However, the number of locations does not establish which provider will offer faster or more reliable streaming for a particular user.

UK London is a sensible starting location for users who want to select a British server manually. If the connection experiences instability, UK Docklands, East London, Wembley, or Manchester provide alternative documented options.

To connect, open the ExpressVPN application and select the VPN location control. Search for United Kingdom, choose an available UK location, and activate the connection.

ExpressVPN also includes Smart Location, a feature that automatically recommends a server based on connection factors such as download speed, latency, and distance.

However, Smart Location might choose a server outside the UK. If you specifically need a British IP address for an authorized activity, select the United Kingdom manually rather than relying on automatic selection.

The provider explains these options in its Smart Location documentation.

ExpressVPN supports Lightway UDP, Lightway TCP, WireGuard, OpenVPN UDP, and OpenVPN TCP across its listed UK locations. Some protocols have device-specific availability, so the options displayed in your application may vary.

Lightway UDP offers a practical starting point for performance-sensitive connections. TCP-based protocols provide alternatives when a network struggles with UDP traffic. WireGuard provides another efficient option on supported devices.

ExpressVPN also explains the difference between virtual and physical server locations. Its virtual server documentation identifies countries where it hosts VPN infrastructure outside the country associated with the IP address.

The provider does not include its UK locations in that virtual server list. ExpressVPN states that locations absent from the list use physical servers within the specified country. It does not disclose every individual server’s hardware address.

If the connection becomes unstable, users can test another UK location, change the VPN protocol, or restart the application. ExpressVPN also recommends contacting its support team for streaming-specific server recommendations.

Its server selection guidance advises users to connect to their home-country location when accessing licensed streaming content while away from home.

Netflix may still detect ExpressVPN connections and restrict access to region-specific movies. Choosing another British server does not guarantee that Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life will become available.

3. NordVPN

NordVPN is our third recommendation, offering a large British server network, automatic server selection, the NordLynx protocol, and SmartPlay technology for secure streaming.

According to the official NordVPN UK server page, the provider advertises 853 UK servers. Its published city locations include Edinburgh, Glasgow, London, and Manchester.

These options cover England and Scotland, allowing users to choose between several British connection points. The published server count can change as NordVPN expands or maintains its infrastructure.

For the simplest setup, open the NordVPN application and select the United Kingdom from the server map or country list. The application will automatically choose an available British server.

Users who prefer a particular location can open the UK server selection menu and choose Edinburgh, Glasgow, London, or Manchester.

London is a reasonable first manual option, while Manchester, Edinburgh, and Glasgow offer alternatives if the initial connection performs poorly. Actual speeds depend on server load, distance, and the user’s local internet connection.

NordVPN also provides NordLynx, a VPN protocol based on WireGuard technology. It aims to deliver fast connections while maintaining encrypted traffic and privacy protections.

The official NordLynx support guide explains how the protocol works and provides configuration instructions for major operating systems.

Another NordVPN feature is SmartPlay, which combines VPN functionality with DNS-related technology to support secure access to streaming services.

Unlike standalone SmartDNS, SmartPlay operates alongside VPN encryption. It helps protect the user’s internet traffic while the VPN connection remains active.

NordVPN confirms that SmartPlay activates automatically when a user connects through its application. You do not need to enable an additional setting or install a separate extension.

The provider describes this behavior in its official SmartPlay documentation.

However, SmartPlay does not guarantee that Netflix will recognize the user’s connection as an ordinary British connection. Netflix may still detect VPN traffic and restrict its catalog.

If a website becomes slow or unresponsive, disconnect and reconnect, choose another UK server, or test a different supported VPN protocol.

NordVPN’s large British network gives users flexibility for connection troubleshooting, but its server count does not establish which Netflix titles will appear.

What to do if Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life does not appear

If Netflix does not display Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life while you are connected to the UK, the problem might involve browser sessions, connection settings, Netflix licensing restrictions, or VPN detection.

For ordinary VPN connection troubleshooting, follow these steps:

1. Close Netflix completely, including its browser tab, desktop application, or mobile application.
2. Disconnect from the VPN and wait for the application to confirm that the connection has ended.
3. Reconnect to the selected UK location where your intended use is permitted.
4. Try another documented server or location within the UK to identify any connection-specific problems.
5. Clear Netflix cookies and your browser cache to remove outdated session data.
6. Open Netflix in an incognito or private browser window to test a fresh browsing session.
7. Reopen Netflix and sign in using your existing account credentials.
8. Search for Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life and check whether Netflix displays the correct movie.

Private Internet Access users can test UK London, Manchester, Southampton, or Tottenham for general connection issues. UK Streaming Optimized is another option for streaming activities permitted under PIA’s terms.

ExpressVPN subscribers can compare UK London with Docklands, East London, Wembley, or Manchester. NordVPN subscribers can reconnect automatically or manually choose London, Manchester, Edinburgh, or Glasgow.

Since the movie uses the same English title in the British catalog, no localized title is necessary. Searching for the full name helps distinguish the film from unrelated school-themed movies or television programs.

Netflix outlines other possible causes in its official missing movie troubleshooting guide. These include regional licensing, profile maturity restrictions, language settings, and VPN recognition.

Trying another VPN server can help diagnose connectivity problems, but it cannot override Netflix’s access policies. If Netflix restricts playback because it detects a VPN, changing servers may not resolve the issue.

Users must also respect their provider’s usage policies. PIA specifically prohibits circumventing geographic restrictions, while other providers may impose additional conditions under their service agreements.

Netflix may detect the VPN

When you connect through a VPN, websites generally see the public IP address of the VPN server rather than the one your internet provider normally assigns.

For example, selecting a UK server can make your connection appear to originate from Britain. However, this change alone does not establish that Netflix will provide the British catalog.

Netflix maintains systems that recognize certain VPN and proxy connections. When it detects one, it may limit users to movies and shows with worldwide streaming licenses.

This distinction matters for Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life because Netflix has regional licensing rights that differ between the UK and the United States.

Netflix explains these limitations in its VPN viewing guidance.

If Netflix recognizes your VPN, the movie might disappear from search results, or playback might fail with an error message. A VPN provider cannot guarantee access simply because it operates servers in the same country as a Netflix listing.

Netflix can also change its licensing agreements, which means a movie available in the UK today might leave that catalog later.

Can you use a Netflix ad-supported plan with a VPN?

No. Netflix does not support VPN connections for its ad-supported streaming experience.

This restriction applies even though JustWatch lists Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life on Netflix UK’s Standard with Ads plan for viewers who access the service normally in the UK.

If you use an ad-supported Netflix plan while connected through a VPN, the service may show a VPN or proxy error and prevent playback.

Netflix’s official VPN and proxy troubleshooting page explains that subscribers using an ad-supported experience should disconnect their VPN when they encounter these problems.

An ad-free Netflix subscription avoids this particular restriction, but Netflix can still detect VPN connections and limit region-specific content.

Consequently, switching to an ad-free subscription does not guarantee that Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life will appear through a British VPN server.

Does changing the VPN location change your Netflix account?

No. A VPN changes the public IP address associated with your connection, but it does not automatically modify your Netflix account details.

Your username, password, profiles, watch history, and billing information remain associated with your existing account.

Netflix offers different catalogs across countries because its licensing arrangements vary by region. However, selecting another country in a VPN application does not officially move your Netflix account to that location.

Netflix explains in its account country documentation that subscribers cannot change their registered country unless they move to another country.

Netflix may also restrict available movies when it recognizes a VPN connection, regardless of which country the VPN server represents.

Fortunately, US viewers have other options for watching this movie. JustWatch’s US streaming listings for Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life include HBO Max, Paramount Plus Essential, and free ad-supported options through The CW, YouTube Free, and Plex Player.

These services offer alternatives without relying on the Netflix UK catalog. Always confirm current availability before subscribing or making a purchase.

Which VPN should you use?

Private Internet Access is our first choice for its documented UK locations, including London, Manchester, Southampton, Tottenham, and UK Streaming Optimized. It also supports WireGuard and OpenVPN, giving users several connection and troubleshooting options. However, PIA prohibits using its service to circumvent content providers’ geographic restrictions, so users must respect this limitation.

ExpressVPN ranks second with seven documented British server locations, including Docklands, East London, London, Manchester, Midlands, Tottenham, and Wembley. NordVPN takes third place with 853 advertised UK servers across Edinburgh, Glasgow, London, and Manchester, along with NordLynx and automatically enabled SmartPlay. Both services provide flexible UK connections, but neither guarantees Netflix access.

As of October 31, 2026, Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life is available on Netflix UK but not Netflix US. The British catalog is therefore the verified international option for this guide. Nevertheless, Netflix’s regional licensing agreements, VPN detection systems, subscription restrictions, and VPN provider terms can prevent playback. If Netflix does not permit access through your VPN, choose an authorized streaming service available in the United States.