PoppetUK

Hi there,

We've made the decision we are moving back. Haven't told everyone yet until we book the flights and have a date.

I've got to make decisions on a few things and wondered if anyone had advice.....

Time to move back. I've got a current YR 1 and a child that will go into Reception in Sept.

I have the following options:
1) move back in June and she can do term 6 (6 weeks) in the UK (don't want really have two winters back to back). Middle son is in Kindy in Aus but will have to pull him out.
2) moved back after the long 11 week term in Australia but in time to be processed by local education authority before schools close. I will then find out if children get into same school. I'll have 3 kids at home with me for 8/9 weeks.
3) move back mid August. Middle son will get longer at Kindy in Australia and I'll have the kids in school longer. Less time to see friends before start of school in UK. Have to buy heater in Australia, new clothes, don't know which school they will go to in September until the last minute.

The're my three options and I'm not sure which one is best.

We also have to move out of our rental but really need to ensure we get our bond out. What's the best way to organise those final weeks. We were thinking blow ups on the floor of the rental after our things have been shipped. Gives us a few days to do anything to the house if they need to.

Would appreciate some practical advice because I am feeling a little overwhelmed with the thought of doing it all again with the extra crawling bub.
Thanks
Poppet.

Mummy in the foothills

I'd do 1
Then they get some time in UK school before summer hols in UK, plus you can sign the little one that would be in K up for nursery where we lived it was attached to the local primary school. 2 year olds got two days 3 year olds got 3 or 4 days, then off to reception at 4 years.
Big plus, you wouldn't get two winters back to back, enough to depress anyone.

manamama

Yes No 1.

June is a great month to move back..summer time.

Doesn't sound appealing staying for winter where you are only then to return to the UK in the winter.

Do you have a location and schools sorted already?

Congrats on making the decision.

stm1971

I'd do 1 too. It will give your school age kids a chance to make some friends before the summer break.

If you book your shipping early enough you can arrange for them to come right at the last minute which is what we have done. We are using Kent's (we are in Perth too) and doing borrowed blow ups and sleeping bags for our last night. Some friends will then come and take the bits and pieces left the morning we leave. Hopefully it all goes to plan our we'll be stuffed LOL.

Good luck, I think your kids will be fine as they are still young.

mbike

Hi Poppet,

We're heading back to the UK in a couple of months after 4 and half years here in Perth. Booked the flights on Saturday Same situation as you (son in class one, rental) We are going back earlier (mid May) to catch the european spring and summer and catch up with friends in different parts of Europe.

We visited the school he will be going to when we were back last October. He will restart class one in September which is no biggie as he was a July baby so would be young for his year in the UK anyway.

Trying to work out the best thing to do with shipping and notice. We will probably go sole-use again and have them come and collect the stuff a couple of days before we give up the tenancy - giving us time to tidy stuff up (although we have already started to harder graft) It is hard to think about everything, like when to sell the car (we were thinking sell it a couple of weeks before time and then hire off Bayswater or Thrifty as and when we needed it)

I was wondering about medical records and stuff. Do you get to take those back. Our little one has quite a lot of medical history here and we want to avoid having to go through everything back in the UK.

Mark

brits1

If it was me I would do (1)....(well we are doing that anyway..lol) with the different term dates here and in the U.K you will never have the ideal swop....shame I know......go back let the children settle in and enjoy the better weather and then your children will be good to go for the new school year in September........good luck

brits1

We are shipping our items with Chess.....the other two well known companies who we also asked for a quote were really good but Chess for us just gave us other options as well...they said shipping was so fast back to the U.K as so many Brits were returning the shipping time is very quick....we have sold a lot of our items (we were not planning to sell so much but offers came in on items when buyers came to pick up the items we were selling) anyway Chess said if we went Shared instead of exclusive (as we had planned to) it would be a lot cheaper and still as quick (I have had to ask them for a delay on shipping out of Freo as we are having a stop over and our furniture would be in the U.K before us!!!) we have a 20ft container and 90% full for the other 10% space we have left another couple using Chess want to use it.....so that is the way we are shipping our items......it's just a thought...with what we are saving we are having a longer stop over good luck

Basil Brush

Hi Brits1,

I've read quite a few of your posts dating back to last year. Wow you are finally leaving Aus! I am wondering what will happen with schooling for your kids...are they 15 and 17 now? Could you give me some pointers as our son has just turned 16 last week and is in year 10 in Melbourne. We feel that we HAVE to stay here until he finishes his year 12 education which will be Dec 2012 when he will be almost 19, but maybe there is another way around things. Please could you give me the benefit of your experience as far as how education works when you are moving kids around 16 back to the UK. Our son does not want to leave Aus and so I feel terrible about the whole thing but hubby and me are very unhappy here and I'm torn between whether to move now or wait until he's finished school and give him the option to stay here alone as a 19 or 20 year old (which terrifies me) or making him move now while we still have the right to make his decisions for him.

I would really appreciate any pointers you could give me

PoppetUK

Wow must be very hard. Hopefully some good pointers coming your way. Good luck to everyone and thank you for the posts.

We've made the decision we are definitely going and trying for option 1.

Thanks
Poppet

Basil Brush

Thanks PoppetUK. There doesn't seem to be anyone with teenagers moving back and I feel like I need as much info & advice as I can get as it's scary enough moving back without kids after being away for 8 years, but the thought of letting your children down makes it all the more difficult.

Good luck with your move - when are you going? (Ahh just noticed your dilemma re date options)

Basil Brush

I'd go option 1 as well. Kids will make new friends during the hols so they can begin new term with a few familiar faces around them. Plus no back to back winters. The sleeping on blow-ups might be a bit chaotic (we've done that for about 1 week) but as long as it's not for too long it should be bearable

brits1

Hi our yongest is in year 12 here in Perth and studying Tee's....our oldest is now 19 and will start uni in Sept 10 in the U.K...between both boys we were always going to be "in between" so to speak and with most on here with children at school is will "never" be the so called perfect timing as our schools systems are just out of sinc.....our youngest is (it is his idea) not going to finish year 12 here (education system is again being changed here and a mess at the moment)he wants to start college in England in September and do A levels....might change to Btec's but so far just wants to transfer his choice of subjects he is doing here to studying them in England...college have been great and he has narrowed two down who have said he will be fine to start....no charges...or whatever else we have read on these threads...each person seems to have a different story but this is "ours"....I have know plenty of people who have gone back with teenagers...just not on this site though and that has helped...and our sons have a few friends who are not happy here but whose parents will not return to the U.K....I use to think if the boys were very happy here we would stay but as the last couple of years have gone by and the thought of being here for "good" well my OH said...."we deserve to be happy as well, if were unhappy here the boys would be able to sense that and maybe one day "drive" them away anyway....who wants to be around somone sad and miserable for long"..he's not wrong...a friends son has just left for N.Z anyway after years of his Mum and Dad not wanting to stay in Aus...he got a job offer and off he went....said some of the reason was that he always felt he had to "liven" them up when he visited them. Now this is me but I would go back to the U.K with your son....he could finish the last two years of GCSE's if he started this Sept or sometime after then (as near to Sept as possible though)if he did not like the UK then...well he could work towards coming back to Aus....but try not to think too far into the future..who knows what it holds and no point worrying about things if they might not happen...would not be great for you if one day he would migrate but that might happen to anyone one of us on here with children no matter where we live.....take care and pm me if you need a shoulder...I do know we are lucky our boys are just thrilled to be finally leaving....I try not to think "what if they.....etc" as that can drive you barmy....and at the moment....I need all the chilling time I can....lol...

Basil Brush

Thanks for your reply Brits1 and for the offer of the shoulder, which I think I may well be needing so I might take you up on the offer of the PM's. I do have a couple of questions after reading your post. Firstly, as our son is now 16 (and even if we did get back by Sept this year he would be 16 and a half), would he be able to complete GCSE's at a college rather than having to go to a secondary school to complete them? Would you know? Also, what good news that you won't be charged any international student fees - can I ask which area you are returning to?

brits1

My SIL is a teacher at college and she said you can study GCSE's or NVQ's and also Btecs as well as the usual Diplomas etc at college. Some colleges sit a test in English just to see what "standard" your child could cope with, most colleges are very use to overseas students. We are returning to the North West of England and have 3 colleges who are willing to enrole our youngest....he wants to "have a look" first before deciding....all 3 are really good so which ever he chooses will be fine with us.....

Basil Brush

Oh that's really good news! Thanks Brits1 Interesting that you are heading back to the NW as we are from the NW originally (Lancashire). So are you definitely heading back around June? How are you finding the housing market up north at the moment? The market seemed to have dipped a little over the last 12 months, but my hubby was just told this week that it is on the rise again across the UK - not sure if that is correct though.