ian&vicky

Hi my family and I have just started the process of moving to Oz, I have been offered a position in the Defence Force and could move as early as Feb 06 or possibly wait out until Aug. I would appreciate some advice on what to do about schooling for the kids. Our son is due to take his GCSE's next June and we are wondering if it is worth us putting off the move until he has finished them or maybe go early next year and let him take the Oz exams. Any information or advice would be gratefully received.

Anne4Terry

There is of course the possiblity of doing both. Take GCSEs in May/June, move to Oz, take HSC end of school year in November?

Someone else could probably be more definite but I do know that Australian school years go from February to December.

ian&vicky

Hi and Thanks we heard that the school year is from Jan to Dec and that he would not be taking the HSC exams until late 06. but it is whether we put him through two lots of exams ie: GCSE & HSE or just one Set.

snowbunny

Might be worth it to have recognised quals in two countries. How's your son about test taking? Grumbles but goes, or frets and fumes?

Boomie

Our daughter sat her GCSE's b4 we left for oz last october.... she also wanted to make friends by goin bak to school ...... so she is in grade 12 and will be takin her finals later this year.....

in the uk she took 12 GCSE's...... here she only has 6 and therefore finds the workload far easier.... Lauren will be 18 next October....

boomie
x

Juliecabs

We're waiting to go until end August/beginning September next year. By that time my (then) 17 year old daughter will have done her first year of A Levels, my (then) 16 year old son will have done his GCSE's and my (then) 14 year old daughter will have done her SATS. (God, am I in for a fun time next year!). They wanted to do their exams here first although we should have our visa by Christmas ish. My eldest has decided to do a whole year of Year 12 over there (she should only be doing the last couple of months or so), so that she can get some more qualifications and make friends before college. My son also wants to wait because he has his school prom in the May and wants to impress the ladies by skydiving into the prom rather than arriving by the more conventional limo Boys, who'd have 'em eh?

Julie

scrubbedexpat020

My daughter was due to take her GCSE's at the same time. We arrived in Melbourne in March.

1. The kids go back a year. So she was in 10 in UK now in 9.

2. In Aus you do your set of public exams at 18, none at 16 ala GCSEs. In VIC the exam is called the VCE. More broad-based than 'A' levels. Less pressure for kids as only one set of public exams.

3. In some schools they start the VCE in year 10 (just a bit of it with most studying done during 11 and 12). The school year starts in January.

4. The VCE will get you into a UK uni if they wish to study there.

5. For those that don't want to do academic VCE you can do practical courses.

6. Don't think GCSEs will mean anything here, so why bother?

My view - Focus on the future, forget the GCSEs, do VCE. Get to Aus and get kids settled in school before they start studying for VCE as big change.

From what my kids are saying (14 & 11) the schools are lot more relaxed with a focus on people skills, sport (of, course!!), as well as academic.

Ian

pako

I think you should let your child take his GCSE's before you go. If you decide to come back, or he decides to come back at a later date it is vital that he has UK qualifications. For the sake of a few months I thinks its worth it. Your child may look back with regret otherwise.

Qualifications are very important, what if your child wants to go to Uni in the UK? Good luck with your decision.

poppet

Not that I can comment on what you should decide for your children (my daughter is only 4 months old so I don't have to worry!), but I found this website the other day and thought it might be of interest. The VCAA assess equivalent qualifications up to the Australian Year 12 and there is a document showing the equivalent for each country. This is only applicable for Victoria but perhaps the other states have a similar authority? It might help someone - who knows!

http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/vce/vcere...lentquals.html

Paula.

BobbyDazzler

Although I partly agree with your principal, at some point I suspect that if you're serious about emigrating and starting a new life in Oz, then you have got to look forward as opposed to trying to cover all bases *just in case* you decide to come back to the UK.

I mean, just how far do you go *just in case* you want to return at some point in the future?

Do you keep your name on the golf club membership waiting list?
Do you keep your collection of UK road maps?
Do you sell your house????

Correct me if I'm wrong but surely it's a case of 'all or nothing' when deciding to emigrate and although it would be nice to keep options open at this end, I suspect that in reality it's going to be extremely difficult to do this

One question I would ask (myself) is that if I was so worried about keeping my options open in the UK than am I actually that serious about moving to Oz??

BTW I am not trying to criticize or have a go. I'm (hopefully?) going to be facing a similar dilemma myself in the not too distant future

Best of luck and hope it all works out for you

Cheers

BD

ABCDiamond

A very good point, here are a couple more States links:

NSW - http://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au...uivalence.html

QLD - http://www.qsa.qld.edu.au/yrs11_12/assessment/os/

Current Costs
VIC - $23.00 allow 2-3 weeks processing time
NSW - $100.00 (includes GST) — statement posted within two weeks
QLD $36.00 (5 working days)

ian&vicky

Like most young lads my boy seems to have other things on his mind rather than any kind of education, I imagin he would be quite happy to get away without taking any exams and then spend his life on the beach (mind you that does sound quite appealing).

What I dont want to do is put him in a position where he is going to get overly stressed and then not get any qualifications, because then he really could end up spending his life on the beach.

I do have one slight advantage in that Oz have said they are happy to wait for me to go over until Aug 06, but then if we could get over earlier it just might give us the best of both worlds.

ali south

I have to agree with this, cannot justify all my reasons for this though

we have waited, jade has just done her GCSEs
When she starts in Jan 06 (we leave in Oct ) she will do her High School (Alevel equiv)

good luck not an easy decision
Tara

KatieStar

I would say it depends partly on the personality of you child, ie how well they cope wtith stress and how stressfull would they find taking their GCSEs. Some children seem to take exams in their stride others really panic and get upset by it all. If your child is the latter then it would seem unfair putting them through a set of exams for little purpose really if you are sure your furure lies in Oz and they would be taking the exams there.

Katie

ian&vicky

Hi every one thanks for all your help, I really appreciate the time and effort you have all put in to providing me with some very valuable advice.

As a newcomer to the site and imigration process I now feel more confident that we will eventualy arrive in Oz in one peice, cheers guys.