Laugan2

We are looking to move to Australia shortly for a few years with our two children (1 primary and 1 secondary aged) but don't want them falling behind in their education when we return. Can anybody assist me with any knowledge that school work can be sent or emailed to us in Oz from the UK, as our children will still be attending an Australian school as well.

Bermudashorts

Is it a given that a few years in Australia will mean them "falling behind"?

Children go to school here so I heard, if you cannot embrace the Australian schooling and really don't want to disrupt a UK education, then your best bet is not to move. Having school work emailed sounds like an idea doomed to fail.

eddie007

Hmmm...

Ok... Wont go off on one...

If you enroll at a good private school they wont be falling behind...just following q different curriculum... But its a pity they cant just be allowed to experience a different culture and educational system whilst they are here... I've known kids who go back to the uk on a better footing than when they left... Not because of curriculums, but because they thrived in an australian educational environment whilst they were here...

Have you considered Japan instead of Oz?

Laugan2

Hi, the job is in Australia only so Japan isnt an option for us but thanks Eddie.
We were advised by people over there to look into school work getting sent over as our education starts at an earlier age (4), and just looking from advice from others who also do this. We have also looked into Private schooling option as well, cost depending.

Bermudashorts

Did you mean to address that to me Eddie?

Bermudashorts

Advised by whom? Not once on BE have I seen someone mention that they have UK classwork sent over. I stand by my first post, you probably should tun the job down and not move, it doesn't bode well for your ability to integrate.

How old are the kids? Do you expect them to follow two curriculums simultaneously or will you just have them fall behind and be class dunces in Australia.

eddie007

Take an "educated" guess



.

ozzieeagle

Yes it is a problem, in fact there was a report on this here recently. You could end up with your children at least 2 years behind those in Shanghai in Maths and sciences if you come to Australia. Here's the report...

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/mor...-1226273347093


Trouble is if you stay in the UK... or move to the US instead....you'll end up 3 years behind.

eddie007

Ahh... The old lets start kids at school as soon as they can walk debate...

In australia the value of spending a longer time, than in the uk, at home in a one to one environment with a childs significant care giver before starting formal education is recognised as beneficial to their education and Personal development in line with other, more advanced, european educational systems and cultures.

ozzieeagle

Like Finland which has the highest academic outcomes in Europe and where they start school at 8 years old. Maybe Aus should copy the Finns

Pomster

Do children really go to school in Australia?

I thought they all started work at 6? Wow - I had heard Australia did not believe in educating children....bang goes my plan for my 5 year old to be working in the mines this time next year.

Penny45

It's not so much falling behind but being a year behind in school. The primary school my daughter went to age 5 wouldn't take her a year earlier despite being told we were going back into the British system at some point. Moved to an international school and then she had to skip a whole year (luckily this worked out ok). Coming back to Aus, it looked as though she would have to repeat half of year 5 and ALL of year 6. All the schools (private) said she would have to but when we went to meet the head of primary she gave her a test and agreed she could stay in her current year. This does mean though that she's 12 and in year 8, she's the youngest by miles. What age is your oldest child?

ozzieeagle

Hmmm it is a new poster... that probably doesnt realise how common this topic re Kids ages and the "Higher standard of Education in the UK"

eddie007

A New Poster who picks the "as old as the hills" Australian education is shite in comparison to the Best of British topic as their first thread and first post...

Congratulations... JACKPOT!

Pomster

there have been heaps of reports recently about how many kids are failed by the education system
The powers-that-be have finally accepted that constantly increasing A level results are due to poorer marking, not to improving intellect of the general school population.

Apparently 5.3m adults leave school who are classed as illiterate...scary statistic for a country with a population of 64m (ish). So although some schools in UK can be fantastic I do not support the idea that the education received in UK is always superior to that in any other country.