clan_campbell

Hi all

I am asking for advice and suggestions....

our eldest son is currently 14 (15 in March 2006) and obviously will be at
an important point in his education over the next 12-18 months. This has implications with regards to our timing of emigrating (assuming we get the visa of course). Originally, I had planned that he would finish his GCSE's in the UK, and then we would emigrate in the summer of 2007.
He would then be ready to start his further education in the February 2008.

Researching this further though, it seems that this might not tie in too well
with the term times etc in Oz. We are also not sure if it would be better to
leave a year earlier, and for him to start school in year 10 and take the
Australian equivalent of the GCSE. Would this be a good idea ?

This is the most important decision out of all the decisions we have made so far, and we really want to get it right. We are really keen that he settles in
his new school as and when we get there. At the same time, we want to
keep any disruption to his education to a minimum.

Has anyone any help and / or advice on what we should do or consider ?
Would we be better letting him finish his GCSE's and then emigrating ?
Would he then be able to go into year 11 and study the HSC, or would it be better to go a year early and let him have an extra year at year 10 ?

Many thanks

Neil

artep

Hi Neil
We arrived here in April this year & our eldest (15) was already in Year 10. He settled ok after a month or so. I would personally say it would be better to get him out here as soon as you can so he's settled into school ready for years 11 & 12. Don't forget the school year starts in January here so he'd be starting Year 10 next month.

As we came in part way through the year though, our lad didn't do as well as he normally would in his Year 10 exams as he hadn't covered all the curriculum. Plus when it came to choosing his Year 11 & 12 subjects, they were a little reluctant at first to allow him to do the ones he wanted as he hadn't got enough 'history' at the school in each subject. We later went to see the Deputy Principal to 'discuss' and because, to prove he had a brain we'd brought all of his school reports & exam results from the uk they were satisfied he was capable.

So I would say do it sooner rather than later....then at least he has half a chance of getting the subjects he wants to do in yrs 11 & 12 & going on to uni if he wants to.....if he chooses OP registered subjects & if he gets a good enough OP score....

Hope this helps...

meelie

Mmm difficult one that. I waited untill my daughter had taken her exams before we moved as the education here is different to UK and I didn't want to jeapordise her education. My daughter has gone back to high school here in Brisbane and is now doing a course she would have had to go to a TAFE (college type place) to do. The schools here do apprenticeships now too.

NickyP

We moved here in October (no choice as linked to a job) and our 16 year old had finished the first part of his IB in Belgium in June. We brought exam results etc with us and went to see the local schools to discuss him starting for the final term year 10. This meant that he repeated a chunk of year 10 (not a big deal) but he has been allowed to take all of his chosen subjects at year 11 and 12 without any problems. He sat the year 10 exams but these will be taken with a pinch of salt as he came in so late and in effect these past few months have been a chance for him to settle and make friends before the real work starts next year.
It has worked out well for us and I think that as long as you find a school that has the flexibilty to help your child fit in then you will be fine when ever you move. The year 10 here is less important than the GCSE year in the UK as it is assumed at the school that my son is at that virtually all of the children will go on to do year 11 and 12 either with academic subjects or with a mixture of academic and practical subjects. This school was happy to look at the school reports from the Uk and speak to Sam directly about what he wanted to do but I suppose that each school is different so you will need to speak to schools in the area that you are planning to move to. I personally would move as soon as possible if you want your child to finish their education in Australia as the extra year here will be far more use to them allowing them to find their feet here ready for the important final 2 years.
Good luck.
Nicky

clan_campbell

Hi

thanks for this. By the way my uncle who is sponsoring us lives in Buderim

So, if my son did stay in the UK and finished his GCSE's in say May 2007, (at which point he would be 16)
what would his options be when he came to Australia ?
Would he start year 11 again in the January 2008 ?
If so, are years 11 and 12 the equivelant of doing the 2 years of 'A' levels in the UK ?

Alternatvily, if he cam to Australia ready for the January 2007 term, would he be doing year 10 again ?

Sorry for all the questions, but this aspect is so important !

Regards

Neil

clan_campbell

Thanks Meelie

so your daughter finished her GCSE's and then started school in Australia in the January ?
Did she start in year 11, and if so, did that mean she was older than the rest of the kids there ?
Did she have any problems with choice of courses etc ?
Did the school recognise the exams she had done in UK at all ?

Many thanks

Neil

meelie

Hi Neil
Yes she went back into year 11 in August which gave her the opportunity to make friends and settle in before she has to buckle down in year 12. And she had no problem getting to choose the courses she wanted. She hadn't got her exam results when she started as we arrived in July but her results weren't as good as they should have been so its good that she has been given a second chance at doing them. Oh and the kids were all around the same age as her.

artep

Yes he maybe could start year 11 in January 2008,(you'd have to talk to the school in question) but he'd be older than all the other kids because he really should have started year 11 in January 2007.

Years 11 and 12 are when you study for the high school certificate (HSC) and if you've chosen OP registered subjects then you'll get an OP score at the end of year 12....which depending on your score will determine what you can do at uni & even if they'll have you!!

If he came in time for January 2007 he would go into year 11....but like I said before...ideally I think you need to have him here before then so he can adjust socially...get used to the curriculum etc to be ready to achieve to the best of his ability in years 11 & 12....maximising his chances of a high OP score....depending on the others kids of course because if his peers do badly...that will affect your son's score too....CRAP but true.

CathnPaul

We also have a 14yr old and we are in a similar dillema, our thing is is that he is doing 4 GCSE exams in yr 10 (at the moment) 2 of which are complete this year GCSE's - and the other 2 he will be completing yr comm sept06 alongside his other 11 GCSE's.

He has come up with his own problem if he was to move over part way through yr 11 and that is they do not do the same languages in oz as they do over here, therefore his spanish would be a waste of time learning.

I am trying to convince him to complete his education over here and for us to complete a validation trip, rather than going over there and putting pay to all his hard work. But he wants to get over to oz asap.

This next bit may be best in a question format.

1) Is there anyway if we went over he could do a distance exam at the same time as everyone else inthe UK??? has anyone heard of being able to do that???

2) Are oz exams based on an equivalent level to UK GCSE's.. (thinking of longer term future if decides to come back to UK)

I am aware of the differences in some degrees but am not too sure at GCSE level.

Anyway, a different slant for the thread. Cheers

NickyP

I think that a lot depends on your plans for the future. If you are not planning to return to the UK but are going to Australia to make a life for you and your children long term then you should go as soon as possible. Your GCSEs are only really a worry if you are planning to go to Australia for a short time and return to the UK and even then as long as your child finishes the high school diploma here then Universities look at that.
Our children moved with us to Belgium and moved from the Uk system to the IB system here and we met up with a lot of people who move around a lot and soon realised that there really is little point being preoccupied with UK examinations unless you are planning to live in the UK or the education system in the country that you are going to is not up to the same standards.
If your son is looking at University anywhere in the world then they will look at his exam results form Australia and have no interest in the GCSEs taken in the UK as the exams here are similar to A levels and are used for University. If he is looking to get work in Australia without a degree then some employers will understand the UK GCSEs but most would prefer to see the Australian system results.
I personally would move as soon as possible and let him find his feet in the Australian system so that he isn't thrown into year 11 and 12 without knowing the system. His pieces of paper from the UK will be worth a lot less than good results at year 12 here.
Nicky

ali south

we are currently dealing with some of these issues, our daughter finished her gcses in uk in June (got 6 As so proud of her)
we have been in oz for 6 weeks, she is not complicated and is slotting straight into A level equiv.
However Jack just started his GSCE study in Sept in Uk (year 10). He is now not in school and we cannot decide whether he should do year 9 or 10 here. Bottom line is that year 10 here is equiv of GCSE as it is one year of study. most people have told us not to put our mateure 14 year old (15 in March also) through year 9. Some say it is considered a doss year. I am worried that by moving across the world he loses a year of education.

No answers sorry, will keep in touch
Tara

artep

Why would you put him through year 9 here if he's already started year 10 in the uk? Put him in year 10 with his age group. When he starts year 10 in January all he'll be doing is repeating a term and will have a head start on the rest of them and therefore a bit of a cushion for him while he settles in.

CHnJ

Bear in mind that each state has its own education system and that there is no "Australian" equivalent to A Levels. NSW has an external exam at the end of year 12, but Queensland uses school based assessment with students ranked against each other across the state by means of a large "IQ" style- test called the QCS. I would imagine a NSW HSC would be easier to travel back to British unis with, than a QLD report would be.

clan_campbell

Thanks Tara

it really is a worry isn't it ? Its comforting to hear from others that are facing the same problems though. I'd love to hear how it all pans out for you.

Neil

clan_campbell

Hmm.. yes it does seem crap !

Well, I have sent an email to a couple of schools that we like the sound of,
just to see if I get any response really. That as much as anything will give
me an idea of how seriously they take things !

Cheers

Neil