Move after GCSE in 2 years or go sooner
Jun 10th 2008, 7:26 am
#31
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Re: Move after GCSE in 2 years or go sooner
Here in NSW your son would currently be in Year 9 with that birthday (same as my son) if you had sent him to school "early", i.e. as soon as he was eligible to go, or Year 8 if you had kept him back until compulsory school age. The most important thing here is that he does his HSC (Higher School Certificate) which they do in Yr11/12 (it's a two year course with attendance/coursework requirements so although I'm sure it's not impossible, it would be better to make sure he did the full two years). So in theory he could start at the beginning of the next school year (end of Jan) and either do the full two years to School Certificate (Y9/10), or come in half way through. If he's reasonably bright he would probably do fine starting in Y10, your only issue might be finding a school with spaces in the electives he wanted to do at that stage and he would have to play catch up with history which seems to be solely Australian history here in those years. Also, if he is keen on European languages you might have to look carefully to make sure he can continue as you are as likely to find Mandarin or Japanese as choices here as you are to find French/German.
Many thanks for your reply, that is what we were looking at our main concern was the last two years of High School which is about the equivalent to our A levels. He is not that fussed on languages and is more of a science / history child. We have spoken in great length about this as a family, and the conscious is he shall do his GCSE's in Britain and then move to Oz where he can do the last two years of High School (HSC). He is well aware of the fact that he will be studying hard for the next four years but this does not seem to faze him. Hope this plan all falls into place but there we go decision made. Thanks for all your opinions etc.
Regards
Michelle
Jun 13th 2008, 7:32 am
#32
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Re: Move after GCSE in 2 years or go sooner
Hope it all works out ok for you. For what it's worth my Y9 son is doing much better at school here than he ever did in the UK, though it did take us two attempts to find the right school! Obviously different systems suit different kids but we feel that ours are getting a much better education here in Oz than they ever did in the UK.
Jun 13th 2008, 10:30 pm
#33
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Re: Move after GCSE in 2 years or go sooner
Hope it all works out ok for you. For what it's worth my Y9 son is doing much better at school here than he ever did in the UK, though it did take us two attempts to find the right school! Obviously different systems suit different kids but we feel that ours are getting a much better education here in Oz than they ever did in the UK.
Jun 16th 2008, 1:39 am
#34
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Re: Move after GCSE in 2 years or go sooner
Jun 16th 2008, 3:38 am
#35
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Re: Move after GCSE in 2 years or go sooner
We are trying to decide whether to stay in the uk for two years and allow our 14 year to do his gcse's and then go to Oz and carry on his education or whether to go before and not worry about gcse's.
Our main concern is that should he ever wish to come back in the future should he have a basic british education or will it not matter.
Different opinions and other people experiences would be welcomed
Our main concern is that should he ever wish to come back in the future should he have a basic british education or will it not matter.
Different opinions and other people experiences would be welcomed
If so in January 2009 I think he'd move into Grade 9 and would be among the older group of kids in the class - kids born after just after April slot very neatly into a year group where kids are frequently kept back if their birthday falls after December.
My sister was considering moving here last year with her 14 year old son and we figured that if they intended to stay then the Australian education system would be just fine and if he was really keen he could have done the International Baccalaureate if he wanted to later study in the UK. However all of our experience is in the suburbs where there is a fantastic range of schools but I know nothing about the schools in regional Victoria except that I'm not sure the IB is available except for boarders which I'm sure you wouldn't consider.
GCSE's don't seem to have a lot of value here - I've known kids whose friends were finishing school in the UK having to return to school (in uniform) to get the normal VCE qualification. Apprenticeshps were possible and TAFE was another option but they considered themselves adults while the system still considered them kids. They couldn't get the jobs they wanted here as the VCE was the recognised qualification and they wouldn't get that till they were 18 or thereabouts.
It's very subjective but in your shoes I would come now. It sounds like he's happy with the decision to come now but what if he does decide to leave school early, what if he gets a girlfriend who he can't bear to leave? By delaying he's got time to change his mind and break your heart and would have to settle into school at a more difficult age.
This way he can look forward to learning to drive at 16 - though he couldn't get his licence till 18, will spend about 4 years with his group of friends and would enter further education or employment here more settled and mature possibly.
Jun 17th 2008, 5:25 pm
#36
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Re: Move after GCSE in 2 years or go sooner
Hi All
Many thanks for all your replies etc, we are going to go in two years after our son has done his gcse's and then he can go on to do australias hsc which would be just like doing A levels here.
We were originally going to go to Mildura but that was when we were looking at ENS but decided to go for the Full 138 Visa which will give us PR and wait to go which is why we are not longer to worried about times and where we are going to go etc.
We are taking a chance that he will meet a girl etc but by the time we leave at 16 he will have plenty more chance in life to have his heart broken several more times.
It will also stand us in a better financial position as our mortage is paid off in 2011 so will leave us more options once he has completed his exams.
Thanks to everyone.
Regards
Michelle
Many thanks for all your replies etc, we are going to go in two years after our son has done his gcse's and then he can go on to do australias hsc which would be just like doing A levels here.
We were originally going to go to Mildura but that was when we were looking at ENS but decided to go for the Full 138 Visa which will give us PR and wait to go which is why we are not longer to worried about times and where we are going to go etc.
We are taking a chance that he will meet a girl etc but by the time we leave at 16 he will have plenty more chance in life to have his heart broken several more times.
It will also stand us in a better financial position as our mortage is paid off in 2011 so will leave us more options once he has completed his exams.
Thanks to everyone.
Regards
Michelle
Jun 20th 2008, 6:44 pm
#37
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Re: Move after GCSE in 2 years or go sooner
Hi
I would have to agree with everyone who say you should go sooner rather than later although your financial reasons for waiting are sensible. Given you have now decided to go in two years time when your son will be 16 i would like to advise that you should ensure its no later than two years as it will be rather hard for your son to have to go back to high school at an age older than 16. I know this because im speaking from personal experience as im due to move to Australia later this year with my family. Im currently 17 years old, 18 beginning of next year and as my parents found out when they looked into the education situation for my younger sister, gcse's mean nothing over in Australia. Of course that realisation is also going to affect myself and means that i too have little choice but to go back to high school when we move. As you can imagine its come as a major shock to me as i left school a year and ago and since then have been working in a full time job earning a reasonable wage. After discussions with the education department in Australia it was agreed that both myself and my younger sister would have to do Years 11 and 12 and that given we are arriving during the middle of the school year that we enrol as soon as we get out there and slot into Year 10 for the last 4 months of the year to acclimatise to the school and make friends etc in readiness to start Year 11 in January 2009 by which time i will be 18. It all makes sense but for me its going to be very hard having to put a school uniform back on and effectively go back to being a Year 10 high school student and for the next two and half years be treated like a kid after having a full time job and been treated like an adult for the last year. If that wasnt bad enough theres also the horrifying reality of having to spend the next two and half years of my life wearing those ugly school dresses that Australian schoolgirls have to wear and yes im dreading it! Oh and i'll also now be in the same year as my younger sister which is also quite humiliating and something which she has teased me no end about! Naturally if we had been moving when i was still at school like your son it would of been much easier for me as i would of just been trading one school for another and of course still been of school age, however given my current age and the fact ive had a job for the last year its much harder and thats why i advise that you dont leave it any later than the two years you've stated because if you leave it later than that it will be very hard and embarrasing for your son to have to go back to school.
Sarah
I would have to agree with everyone who say you should go sooner rather than later although your financial reasons for waiting are sensible. Given you have now decided to go in two years time when your son will be 16 i would like to advise that you should ensure its no later than two years as it will be rather hard for your son to have to go back to high school at an age older than 16. I know this because im speaking from personal experience as im due to move to Australia later this year with my family. Im currently 17 years old, 18 beginning of next year and as my parents found out when they looked into the education situation for my younger sister, gcse's mean nothing over in Australia. Of course that realisation is also going to affect myself and means that i too have little choice but to go back to high school when we move. As you can imagine its come as a major shock to me as i left school a year and ago and since then have been working in a full time job earning a reasonable wage. After discussions with the education department in Australia it was agreed that both myself and my younger sister would have to do Years 11 and 12 and that given we are arriving during the middle of the school year that we enrol as soon as we get out there and slot into Year 10 for the last 4 months of the year to acclimatise to the school and make friends etc in readiness to start Year 11 in January 2009 by which time i will be 18. It all makes sense but for me its going to be very hard having to put a school uniform back on and effectively go back to being a Year 10 high school student and for the next two and half years be treated like a kid after having a full time job and been treated like an adult for the last year. If that wasnt bad enough theres also the horrifying reality of having to spend the next two and half years of my life wearing those ugly school dresses that Australian schoolgirls have to wear and yes im dreading it! Oh and i'll also now be in the same year as my younger sister which is also quite humiliating and something which she has teased me no end about! Naturally if we had been moving when i was still at school like your son it would of been much easier for me as i would of just been trading one school for another and of course still been of school age, however given my current age and the fact ive had a job for the last year its much harder and thats why i advise that you dont leave it any later than the two years you've stated because if you leave it later than that it will be very hard and embarrasing for your son to have to go back to school.
Sarah
Jun 20th 2008, 7:17 pm
#38
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Re: Move after GCSE in 2 years or go sooner
Hi
I would have to agree with everyone who say you should go sooner rather than later although your financial reasons for waiting are sensible. Given you have now decided to go in two years time when your son will be 16 i would like to advise that you should ensure its no later than two years as it will be rather hard for your son to have to go back to high school at an age older than 16. I know this because im speaking from personal experience as im due to move to Australia later this year with my family. Im currently 17 years old, 18 beginning of next year and as my parents found out when they looked into the education situation for my younger sister, gcse's mean nothing over in Australia. Of course that realisation is also going to affect myself and means that i too have little choice but to go back to high school when we move. As you can imagine its come as a major shock to me as i left school a year and ago and since then have been working in a full time job earning a reasonable wage. After discussions with the education department in Australia it was agreed that both myself and my younger sister would have to do Years 11 and 12 and that given we are arriving during the middle of the school year that we enrol as soon as we get out there and slot into Year 10 for the last 4 months of the year to acclimatise to the school and make friends etc in readiness to start Year 11 in January 2009 by which time i will be 18. It all makes sense but for me its going to be very hard having to put a school uniform back on and effectively go back to being a Year 10 high school student and for the next two and half years be treated like a kid after having a full time job and been treated like an adult for the last year. If that wasnt bad enough theres also the horrifying reality of having to spend the next two and half years of my life wearing those ugly school dresses that Australian schoolgirls have to wear and yes im dreading it! Oh and i'll also now be in the same year as my younger sister which is also quite humiliating and something which she has teased me no end about! Naturally if we had been moving when i was still at school like your son it would of been much easier for me as i would of just been trading one school for another and of course still been of school age, however given my current age and the fact ive had a job for the last year its much harder and thats why i advise that you dont leave it any later than the two years you've stated because if you leave it later than that it will be very hard and embarrasing for your son to have to go back to school.
Sarah
I would have to agree with everyone who say you should go sooner rather than later although your financial reasons for waiting are sensible. Given you have now decided to go in two years time when your son will be 16 i would like to advise that you should ensure its no later than two years as it will be rather hard for your son to have to go back to high school at an age older than 16. I know this because im speaking from personal experience as im due to move to Australia later this year with my family. Im currently 17 years old, 18 beginning of next year and as my parents found out when they looked into the education situation for my younger sister, gcse's mean nothing over in Australia. Of course that realisation is also going to affect myself and means that i too have little choice but to go back to high school when we move. As you can imagine its come as a major shock to me as i left school a year and ago and since then have been working in a full time job earning a reasonable wage. After discussions with the education department in Australia it was agreed that both myself and my younger sister would have to do Years 11 and 12 and that given we are arriving during the middle of the school year that we enrol as soon as we get out there and slot into Year 10 for the last 4 months of the year to acclimatise to the school and make friends etc in readiness to start Year 11 in January 2009 by which time i will be 18. It all makes sense but for me its going to be very hard having to put a school uniform back on and effectively go back to being a Year 10 high school student and for the next two and half years be treated like a kid after having a full time job and been treated like an adult for the last year. If that wasnt bad enough theres also the horrifying reality of having to spend the next two and half years of my life wearing those ugly school dresses that Australian schoolgirls have to wear and yes im dreading it! Oh and i'll also now be in the same year as my younger sister which is also quite humiliating and something which she has teased me no end about! Naturally if we had been moving when i was still at school like your son it would of been much easier for me as i would of just been trading one school for another and of course still been of school age, however given my current age and the fact ive had a job for the last year its much harder and thats why i advise that you dont leave it any later than the two years you've stated because if you leave it later than that it will be very hard and embarrasing for your son to have to go back to school.
Sarah
Many thanks for your views on your situation, i can assure you it will be as soon as he has done his GCSE's in two years time, as we have planned this for a long time ten years in total. I would not wish to out him the position that you are going to find yourself in shortly and wish you all the best when you return to education, and one thing positive is just think of how much more experience you will have on life to you sister and should sail through your classes. All the best
Michelle
Jun 22nd 2008, 11:36 am
#39
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Location: Brisvegas
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Re: Move after GCSE in 2 years or go sooner
Hi
I would have to agree with everyone who say you should go sooner rather than later although your financial reasons for waiting are sensible. Given you have now decided to go in two years time when your son will be 16 i would like to advise that you should ensure its no later than two years as it will be rather hard for your son to have to go back to high school at an age older than 16. I know this because im speaking from personal experience as im due to move to Australia later this year with my family. Im currently 17 years old, 18 beginning of next year and as my parents found out when they looked into the education situation for my younger sister, gcse's mean nothing over in Australia. Of course that realisation is also going to affect myself and means that i too have little choice but to go back to high school when we move. As you can imagine its come as a major shock to me as i left school a year and ago and since then have been working in a full time job earning a reasonable wage. After discussions with the education department in Australia it was agreed that both myself and my younger sister would have to do Years 11 and 12 and that given we are arriving during the middle of the school year that we enrol as soon as we get out there and slot into Year 10 for the last 4 months of the year to acclimatise to the school and make friends etc in readiness to start Year 11 in January 2009 by which time i will be 18. It all makes sense but for me its going to be very hard having to put a school uniform back on and effectively go back to being a Year 10 high school student and for the next two and half years be treated like a kid after having a full time job and been treated like an adult for the last year. If that wasnt bad enough theres also the horrifying reality of having to spend the next two and half years of my life wearing those ugly school dresses that Australian schoolgirls have to wear and yes im dreading it! Oh and i'll also now be in the same year as my younger sister which is also quite humiliating and something which she has teased me no end about! Naturally if we had been moving when i was still at school like your son it would of been much easier for me as i would of just been trading one school for another and of course still been of school age, however given my current age and the fact ive had a job for the last year its much harder and thats why i advise that you dont leave it any later than the two years you've stated because if you leave it later than that it will be very hard and embarrasing for your son to have to go back to school.
Sarah
I would have to agree with everyone who say you should go sooner rather than later although your financial reasons for waiting are sensible. Given you have now decided to go in two years time when your son will be 16 i would like to advise that you should ensure its no later than two years as it will be rather hard for your son to have to go back to high school at an age older than 16. I know this because im speaking from personal experience as im due to move to Australia later this year with my family. Im currently 17 years old, 18 beginning of next year and as my parents found out when they looked into the education situation for my younger sister, gcse's mean nothing over in Australia. Of course that realisation is also going to affect myself and means that i too have little choice but to go back to high school when we move. As you can imagine its come as a major shock to me as i left school a year and ago and since then have been working in a full time job earning a reasonable wage. After discussions with the education department in Australia it was agreed that both myself and my younger sister would have to do Years 11 and 12 and that given we are arriving during the middle of the school year that we enrol as soon as we get out there and slot into Year 10 for the last 4 months of the year to acclimatise to the school and make friends etc in readiness to start Year 11 in January 2009 by which time i will be 18. It all makes sense but for me its going to be very hard having to put a school uniform back on and effectively go back to being a Year 10 high school student and for the next two and half years be treated like a kid after having a full time job and been treated like an adult for the last year. If that wasnt bad enough theres also the horrifying reality of having to spend the next two and half years of my life wearing those ugly school dresses that Australian schoolgirls have to wear and yes im dreading it! Oh and i'll also now be in the same year as my younger sister which is also quite humiliating and something which she has teased me no end about! Naturally if we had been moving when i was still at school like your son it would of been much easier for me as i would of just been trading one school for another and of course still been of school age, however given my current age and the fact ive had a job for the last year its much harder and thats why i advise that you dont leave it any later than the two years you've stated because if you leave it later than that it will be very hard and embarrasing for your son to have to go back to school.
Sarah
We are a similar situation with our son. He is 15 at the moment and in year 10 here in the UK. We are hoping to be over by October this year, Our son will have just started year 11 and will have to leave, He will then be 16 in the January 09. Still trying to work out his best options and he would officially finish school in July 09 in the Uk but will still have to stay at school in Australia. Will have to see which options are available for him!
All the best Sarah, Im sure you will be treated like a adult when you go back to ' school' , I work in a school in the Uk and adults will see that you are a grown mature young lady, I cant give any advice on the uniform though !
Jun 22nd 2008, 12:41 pm
#40
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Posts: 244
Re: Move after GCSE in 2 years or go sooner
I would like to wish you the best of luck,
We are a similar situation with our son. He is 15 at the moment and in year 10 here in the UK. We are hoping to be over by October this year, Our son will have just started year 11 and will have to leave, He will then be 16 in the January 09. Still trying to work out his best options and he would officially finish school in July 09 in the Uk but will still have to stay at school in Australia. Will have to see which options are available for him!
All the best Sarah, Im sure you will be treated like a adult when you go back to ' school' , I work in a school in the Uk and adults will see that you are a grown mature young lady, I cant give any advice on the uniform though !
We are a similar situation with our son. He is 15 at the moment and in year 10 here in the UK. We are hoping to be over by October this year, Our son will have just started year 11 and will have to leave, He will then be 16 in the January 09. Still trying to work out his best options and he would officially finish school in July 09 in the Uk but will still have to stay at school in Australia. Will have to see which options are available for him!
All the best Sarah, Im sure you will be treated like a adult when you go back to ' school' , I work in a school in the Uk and adults will see that you are a grown mature young lady, I cant give any advice on the uniform though !
Jun 22nd 2008, 1:32 pm
#41
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Location: Brisvegas
Posts: 280
Re: Move after GCSE in 2 years or go sooner
He is a good and polite boy with a wicked sense of humour
I'm glad in a way he will stay in school longer, he will make friends and find his feet a lot quicker. I know it will be hard for them at the start but kids do adapt and I'm hoping that he will enjoy schooling in Australia.
I know he will love being out there and I think the Aussie girls will like him as well!
All he best for your daughter too.x
Jun 28th 2008, 3:10 pm
#42
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Re: Move after GCSE in 2 years or go sooner
After arriving back here last August with a 15 year old, he now tells us he wants to settle back in Perth permanently. He is in Year 10 doing the coursework for the GCSE's and were wondering the same thing, should we get him to stay on and do his GCSE exams next June, bearing in mind he intends to settle in WA permanently, then go back or return for the start of the Perth school Year 11 so he can get straight into a new school, new mates and get on with new coursework for Year 11 and 12.
We are in a quandry as to what to do for the best. I intend going back for a holiday on my own in September so can do a bit of looking around and some enquiries but if anyone has any tsadvice I would really like to know. We have done some looking on the pc but not found anywhere very helpful in explaining the exams taken each year and what qualifications are needed, Here in the UK we know that GCSE are followed by A Levels then university if wanted. What happens in WA?
Oh yes he intends to go on to University too. Doesn't mind staying here for the GCSE's its just whether its worth his while actually doing the GCSE's as he intends returning to Perth.
Plants
We are in a quandry as to what to do for the best. I intend going back for a holiday on my own in September so can do a bit of looking around and some enquiries but if anyone has any tsadvice I would really like to know. We have done some looking on the pc but not found anywhere very helpful in explaining the exams taken each year and what qualifications are needed, Here in the UK we know that GCSE are followed by A Levels then university if wanted. What happens in WA?
Oh yes he intends to go on to University too. Doesn't mind staying here for the GCSE's its just whether its worth his while actually doing the GCSE's as he intends returning to Perth.
Plants
Last edited by PLANTS; Jun 28th 2008 at 3:13 pm. Reason: last line
Jul 15th 2008, 2:44 pm
#43
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Posts: 8
Re: Move after GCSE in 2 years or go sooner
I would like to wish you the best of luck,
We are a similar situation with our son. He is 15 at the moment and in year 10 here in the UK. We are hoping to be over by October this year, Our son will have just started year 11 and will have to leave, He will then be 16 in the January 09. Still trying to work out his best options and he would officially finish school in July 09 in the Uk but will still have to stay at school in Australia. Will have to see which options are available for him!
All the best Sarah, Im sure you will be treated like a adult when you go back to ' school' , I work in a school in the Uk and adults will see that you are a grown mature young lady, I cant give any advice on the uniform though !
We are a similar situation with our son. He is 15 at the moment and in year 10 here in the UK. We are hoping to be over by October this year, Our son will have just started year 11 and will have to leave, He will then be 16 in the January 09. Still trying to work out his best options and he would officially finish school in July 09 in the Uk but will still have to stay at school in Australia. Will have to see which options are available for him!
All the best Sarah, Im sure you will be treated like a adult when you go back to ' school' , I work in a school in the Uk and adults will see that you are a grown mature young lady, I cant give any advice on the uniform though !
Hi everyone
Sorry for taking so long to reply, things have been quite hectic over the last couple of weeks. Yeah there isnt much that can be said about the uniform Lainey other than the fact im going to end up looking like im back in primary school
I would like to think the teacher's will treat me like an adult but at the end of the day i will be a Year 10 student and as such i would imagine they will treat me the same as the rest of the students which i suppose would only be fair. The other thing im worried about is how my parents will treat me once i start back at school once we get over in Aus. Whilst i was at school here in the uk they had ground rules like not going out on school nights, curfews and grounding me and my sister if we stepped out of line. However once i left school at 16 and got a job they treated me like an adult and ive been able to come and go as i please which has been great. The thing is once we get over to Aus and i start back at school im just worried that they will enforce the ground rules again which will be really hard for me. Whilst i am almost 18 i will technically be a Year 10 student like my younger sister and i think they would find it hard to treat me differently to my younger sister aswell as the fact that my sister would think it unfair to be treated differently when we are in the same year at school. I havent broached the subject with them because right now there is more important things to deal with but none the less its just another things im worried about. Sarah
Jul 15th 2008, 5:01 pm
#44
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Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 1
Re: Move after GCSE in 2 years or go sooner
Firstly i would like to say hi as this is my first post, i do check it
out now and again but not as a player sort of thing.
Anyway my son is in year 10 uk now he is 14 and will be doing GCSEs next term.
We are planning to come to Sydney june 2009 am i right
in thinking that it is possable ?for him to be allowed to go into year
10 in Australia as his birtday is in August so to have year 10 and 11
It is so confusing as as much as his exams are inportant his social
making friends is very inportant to him as well.
out now and again but not as a player sort of thing.
Anyway my son is in year 10 uk now he is 14 and will be doing GCSEs next term.
We are planning to come to Sydney june 2009 am i right
in thinking that it is possable ?for him to be allowed to go into year
10 in Australia as his birtday is in August so to have year 10 and 11
It is so confusing as as much as his exams are inportant his social
making friends is very inportant to him as well.
Jul 16th 2008, 6:35 am
#45
Forum Regular
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 33
Re: Move after GCSE in 2 years or go sooner
Hi all,
Just wanted to add my experience of this.
We arrived here in March. My son was 16, turned 17 in May. He had finished his GCSE's and left school last summer and was in college doing A levels in UK. It of course depends what state you are in as education systems differ from state to state. However, in QLD, my son decided to go back into school to get Aussie qualifications, & he saw it as the best way for him to make friends and settle easier. (he left a girlfriend and good social life in UK) He went into year 12 in April so only has 8 months to do 2years education! (he did not want to go into year 11 as they are 15 turning 16)
However, you should bear in mind that if you do come to QLD, I have just been successful in getting his GCSE's recognised here and they now count towards his QCE, he was awarded 12points for his GCSE's, 20 points is the minimum required to get a QCE. So although he was well peed off to have to go back into school and uniform, he has not had to cram it all into 8mths as originally thought, so he is now a happy chappy. & could actually go to uni 8mths sooner than he would've done in the UK!!!
My daughter is 14 in september so would've been doing GCSE's in 2years. It has been the best thing for her to come now. She has fitted well into the Aus system and loves it here. She has gone into year 9 & loved the choice of subjects she could take here compared to UK. She is very academic and went to a very good school in UK. But her experience of school life here is positive and she prefers it to UK.
We are all different and you have to go with whats right for you and your family. Personally, I wish we had come sooner for my eldest son as he has found it hard, but is getting there.
Good luck with your move, hope it all goes well.
Just wanted to add my experience of this.
We arrived here in March. My son was 16, turned 17 in May. He had finished his GCSE's and left school last summer and was in college doing A levels in UK. It of course depends what state you are in as education systems differ from state to state. However, in QLD, my son decided to go back into school to get Aussie qualifications, & he saw it as the best way for him to make friends and settle easier. (he left a girlfriend and good social life in UK) He went into year 12 in April so only has 8 months to do 2years education! (he did not want to go into year 11 as they are 15 turning 16)
However, you should bear in mind that if you do come to QLD, I have just been successful in getting his GCSE's recognised here and they now count towards his QCE, he was awarded 12points for his GCSE's, 20 points is the minimum required to get a QCE. So although he was well peed off to have to go back into school and uniform, he has not had to cram it all into 8mths as originally thought, so he is now a happy chappy. & could actually go to uni 8mths sooner than he would've done in the UK!!!
My daughter is 14 in september so would've been doing GCSE's in 2years. It has been the best thing for her to come now. She has fitted well into the Aus system and loves it here. She has gone into year 9 & loved the choice of subjects she could take here compared to UK. She is very academic and went to a very good school in UK. But her experience of school life here is positive and she prefers it to UK.
We are all different and you have to go with whats right for you and your family. Personally, I wish we had come sooner for my eldest son as he has found it hard, but is getting there.
Good luck with your move, hope it all goes well.
