Grayling

I have already posted this on Jill's (GO Bananas) thread but it may be worth some separate discussion.

Re. Jill's diary

Before people start talking about educational provoision for 'gifted' children it is worth looking at what Jill said in her original post:

Quote:"She said that she had had a meeting with the Head regarding Littlen's education programme. They are going to test her with some standard Australian tests to find out how she stacks up with Oz children - but on the surface they have a child who is considerably brighter than the rest of the children in her class. (her class is 7 -9 year olds and she is 7)
BTW - I'm not boasting about this, it's just information as the majority of the UK children they have in the school are brighter than the Oz children, but all hope is not lost, they do have resources and help to deal with it. Some of you may come across these issues and if you know that something can be done then it's reassuring."

No disrespect to Jill and her daughter but it may simply be as Jill said:" The majority of the UK children they have in the school are brighter than the Oz children".

There is an important point which could be lost here.
Any child who started in the UK system may be in a similar position. Perhaps it is a reflection on the differences in the systems.
If so then any parent who moves their child to Australia may find themselves in the same position.

Have others considered this?
How do other states (than WA) deal with this?

Best wishes

G

NedKelly63

I'd really like to know more about this. I was under the impression that education in Australia was much better than the UK. (Don't ask me where this notion comes from - perhaps I've been subconciously hoodwinked by the 'UK is Crap' brigade).

Paul&Ann-Marie

I was under the impression that because schools start later than uk ( aged 6 in qld ? ) and the early years are geared more towards social and environmental interactivity with a more gradual learning curve, preparing children for an onslaught in secondary school, that children from the uk are " ahead " of their australian equivalents in certain areas. Obviously there will be other areas where the uk kids will be lost ( maybe history, environmental issues , i don't know ).
The general outcome i believe is that aus taught kids are about the same as uk kids upon leaving school ( educationwise ) but more australians go on to further education.

we too would like to know more about this.

Paul.

Grayling

I know nothing about this and my children are now grown up.
I just thought it a subject worth thinking about.

If , as you say Paul, the systems are that different it may still mean a difficult transition from one system to the other which could prove detrimental (at least in the short term) for some children.

Needs thinking about.

G

NedKelly63

No one is going to like this...

http://www.rlynn.co.uk/pages/article...ligence/t4.htm

I'm surprised Kong hasn't posted this already!

bundy

Don't know if this is of any use to anyone and I don't have time to digest it. Plus some of it's a bit old...

But, here's a link to the National Report on Schooling in Australia

http://www.mceetya.edu.au/anr/index.html

Paul&Ann-Marie

Firstly ned, i always had you pegged as a bloke.

Secondly, am i looking at the wrong page because it shows aus as two points less than the uk and on a par with the states.
All i got from that was " glad we're not going to live in sierra leone or guinea "

Not trying to take the piss, genuinely wondering what i'm looking at.

Bundy, that looks like a good link but it doesn't look like the stats are available but there again, i could be looking in the wrong place

Paul.

Paul&Ann-Marie

tell you what G, you are right to raise the issue, not everybody searches through the archives of posts, whether it be because they can't be bothered etc. ( not pointing fingers at anyone, i'm exactly the same ) in fact, some people possibly don't even know HOW to search properly.

There was a similar thread quite a while ago and someone ( damned if i can remember who tho ) posted that they had taught in both the uk AND in aus, they believed in the uk that kids were taught what they needed to know to pass tests. It was a good post and it's a subject that rarely seems to surface which is a shame, most parents are concerned for the future welfare and education of their children once in aus.

What i said before is purely what i have read on this forum.
Perhaps we just need to wait until our better informed posters from across the waters wake up and tell us how it REALLY is.

Paul.

Marakai

http://www.pisa.oecd.org

... and go nuts. It's a huge international study so be prepared to wade a bit to find the tables for the various tests.

Australia ranked in the top 5 (with countries such as Finland, New Zealand, Japan etc) in many, if not most, of them.

I remember the stir these tests created, because Germany (my original home country) did miserably and was soundly beaten even by the much-maligned US. But apparently nobody has managed to refute the tests or the results.

Mike

JayDeee

I am educated in the UK and Hubby in Australia, We both finnished school and neither of us went to university. We also have both British and Australian educated friends and I dont think there is a obvious difference in our education levels, there are differences, all the Aussies know a lot more about British history than I do but I know more about other subjects

I should imagine that although there does seem to be a diference in levels for the younger children, by the time school ends they have probably leveled out.


Education varies hugely not only between countries but also between schools in the same town, I dont think it could ever be said that the Australian system is worse than the British or vise versa, but it is always worth doing your researcha and putting you child in a school that suits them. Some kids are naturally not great academics so they should IMO be placed in a school that suits them and not be forced into doing things that really dont interest them and that they just do not "get" Obviously I think all kids should be taught English/ maths and science.

Kala

Bordy

Nuthin rong with the Edumacation over heer in Ostralya.

Teresa

I have spoken to schools, both state and private here and also the dept of education, just so I had a better view on things as Oliver is due to start kindy in Feb. Also spoken to Mum's with children at school here too, again both state and private and a teacher who I know.

They teach differently here, emphasis is more on confidence building at start, the children at kindy have to take things from home and speak to the rest of the class about that object etc, also taught basics as Oliver's daycare does the alphabet and numbers too plus plenty else.

I was concerned (probably more by reading concerns on forum) as Oliver is 3 and is counting up to mid twenties, saying his alphabet etc, which he learned alot of at his previous day care in Uk but I am told he is forward for his age and most people comment on how well he talks.

I am now happy with what I have discovered and feel that the system here can't be wrong as like Kala says the standard at the end is the same, its just the getting there is slightly different and as we have emigrated to Australia, will be taking their ways on board and cannot expect a UK education.

We are currently looking at a private school in the area as well as the state one which both have good reputations. The private option is mainly so that he is in for the senior level as waiting lists are getting longer but am told that primary states are very good standard.


Thats my bit, Teresa

MikeStanton

- our daughter was selected for the 'gifted program' - but, it doesn't mean a lot. Overall (ie by age 18) Oz, NZ and UK education standards are similar. Different things are taught at different times. But, in the end, they all pretty much balance out. UK kids may appear brighter, because they receive more stimulation earlier - but it isn't maintained.

- personal experience suggests that 'yes, in Oz, the social bits take higher priority in the early years'. I've seen some of the Oz text books and I think that academically they are undemanding. But, I think the same of the UK GCSE material too.

So, up till 18, UK and Oz are very similar. The bigger issue is whether their qualifications have international currency - eg like the BACC.

After 18, I rate very few of the Oz Universities (best ones are Sydney, Melb Unis, ANU and RMIT and a couple of others) - overall, I believe a lot of the UK unis are better.

Keelie

My son worked with a great group of people in Queensland, all with Uni degrees from aussie universities.
Son has a Canadian education.
I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't personally witnessed it...sons colleagues constantly approaching his office for advice on how to word simple letters, grammar, punctuation, etc.,

Any concerns that I had held about the quality of Canadian education were quickly dispelled that day in an aussie business setting.

MikeStanton

In the workplace, I was appalled at the standard of written English. Poor grammar and sloppy punctuation : it seemed to match their 'service ethos'