louise

Hi

I have searched and read many threads on this subject and my understanding is that in Queensland the cut off date for school years is June 30th.

My son was born July 1998 and started high school Year 7 in the UK in September 09, am I right to think that he will have to go back to Year 6 for the rest of 2010, Year 7 in 2011 and not start high school (Y8) until 2012

Would there/could there be any flexibility, I don't mind him going back to primary for a short time but as we will be arriving April this year he will have to do almost 2 more years in primary??

I would be grateful for any advice/comments.

Thanks

Louise

iamthecreaturefromuranus

Based on my experience in NSW the answer is no. My youngest had to do almost exactly the same. I think he actually enjoyed going back to primary school rather than starting at high school as the new kid.

louise

Thanks for the reply but did your son not get bored with the work? that is my biggest worry I don't want him to switch off, he is on target here at high school and worry that he will be covering old ground..

lazylou123

Hi Louise

Our eldest daughter was born July 97, so she had just started high school in the UK Sept 08. We arrived in April 09 and when we got her into a school she stayed in Year 7 and she has just started Year 8 - Jan 2010. I think your son may stay in Year 7 for the rest of this year and start high school (yr8) in 2011

Though I could be wrong and no doubt someone will correct me on this if I am, but this is what happened with us and our daughter

do you know where you are heading?, if you do maybe contact some of the local schools to find out what year your son will be in.

hope everything goes well

Good Luck

Louisa

louise

Thanks Louisa

Phew!! that sounds a bit more promising, we would like to head for the Bayside area, hubby has just landed a job after 24 hours in Oz (I am still pinching myself, as he doesn't have a trade) in Windsor but still hoping we can make it to our preferred destination.

Louise

Fly Away

To the OP, even if he 'goes back' a year he won't be covering the same work because the curriculum is different. In fact it is an advantage to get some grounding in the basics before he goes up to High school. My daughter is very bright and had no problems at all in the UK and she found it challenging to get up to speed in a new school system. She had learnt Welsh and French and the new school teaches Italian. She found the maths here to be way ahead of her UK school (which was one of the top 100 schools in the uk) The history taught is different, even PE is different. Each school teaches it's own curriculum so it is up to you as a parent to chose a school which you think will challenge your child. DON'T just chose a place to live and assume the local school will be OK. Chose a school and then live in the zone or send him private. Private schools are cheaper here and there isn't the same snob thing.

quoll

He wont be "going back" anywhere as Fly Away has said. He will be joining his age cohort and doing things quite differently from what he may have been doing them in UK. The cut off is there for a purpose - it is a cut off date and people usually stick by it. If they gave way for every special case then they would be all over the place. Bottom line really is dont bother what they call the year level he will be going into, just know that he will be there with all the other kids the same age as himself. It is a foreign country with its own education system/s (we cant even get consistency between states LOL!)

Jan4kids

Sounds like he will go into year 7 and move up to High School in 2011. Sometimes kids are put up or put down a year depending on the abilities/maturity.

My youngest son was born here and missed the Prep start date by 18 days....they were not shifting at all on that

Try not to worry, it's not such an issue here...very relaxed.

Anyway if he does redo the last year of Primary it will give you a chance to check out High Schools and perhaps get your location of home right depending on school zones.

Best Wishes,

Jan

Jaycee1

Hi Louise,
Lucy is a similar age to your son and would also be at secondary in the UK.
She had to go back and do year 5 and tomorrow will join grade 6. When i asked about it at her school i was told it was to keep her with kids her own age throughout the rest of her schooling. We were worried that she would find the work boring and to be honest sometimes she does as she has already covered it but topic work has helped her understand some background on Australia. It is a lot more laid back here and she is not under as much pressure as she was in the UK.
Will answer your pm now!
J x

louise

Thanks for all your replies, he is a young 11 so will be for the best.

Laidback!!! sounds just like him, he should fit right in

Louise x