liverpool girl

Our daughter is an August baby and has just turned 6.She would have come to the end of year 1 in the UK a few weeks ago but now has been put in kindergarten (due to having just missed the 31 July cutoff point by 8 days) and is doing work she did 18 months ago (ie learning the letters of the alphabet). We are concerned that she is going to school and learning nothing having just paid our 4 and half grand as we are on a 457 visa. The other issue is if we move back to the UK in 4 years time then she she would be put up 2 years and would probably be way behind. We are concerned about this and not sure what to do about it. We could ask for her to be put up a year but then she would struggle socially (possibly) and would definately struggle on the sports field seeing as she is very slow physically. She has been put in an extension class one morning a week because she is way ahead of her class mates but I don't think this is enough. You can't get back your education years and it seems a shame she is going to waste 18 months going over what she already knows. I am interested to hear from anyone else that has a child born in August and therefore they have been put back into a lower year. What did you do - are private schools any better at dealing with the problem. Her teacher openly admitted that she was year 1 reading and writing but she couldn't get the year 1 books out for her because she had to deal with the children who were struggling in the class. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

NKSK version 2

We faced a very similar problem.

The school was initially reluctant to do anything about it but then did a few tests on her and decided that she should move up a year.

On balance we are happy but it isn't smooth sailing. The group she moved into had established friendship groups and some of the older kids were a year older than her - and this brings its own problems. This social aspect did cause us a few sleepless nights.

She's settled now but it took a lot of support from us in the first few months - academically it wasn't a problem. Socially it was.

jad n rich

You can get them moved up,, sometimes with a bit of a fight, just consider the social and sport aspects too. Esp for when they get older, things you wont think of now, like In Qld driving will now be from 16, been down that track, lots of peer pressure if your not getting your car for a while yet. Puberty small kids really get a hard time when everyone else is 6 foot and hairy

And sport, they really hark on about that here, if your the smallest or not sporty it can be tough, been down that track with youngest. Also what state are you in, kids in school now in qld already finish at 17 if you move kids up, they could be educated to uni level at 16, might be a bit young mentally.

BadgeIsBack

I was short at school but also the fittest. Small (or short) not always a barrier to physical excellence. Nor amount of hair. Oh - see what you mean.

Wendy

My daughter started school three weeks ago and was put into year 2, she will be 7 in November. So all the other kids are a year older than her, she hasn't had a problem with this so far and seems to be very settled, both to me and her teacher who said she is keeping up with the work.

See if you can get her moved into the class you feel she should be in and see how it goes.

My daughters school placed her with a buddy who was assigned to look after her for the first day, they are now inseperable, even though her friend is 8 in March

Hutch

Written about this in me blog. Our son's five on the 29th of August. He'd done a full year's schooling in the UK and on that basis, with some reluctance, they let Josh into Kindy. He's not yet five and is in a class with children many of whom are 6 and over. Academically he's way ahead of the curve, but above and beyond that, he has trouble relating to children who are a lot older than him. Bottom line is, he's quite tearful and it's knocking his confidence. We've therefore decided that we're pulling him out of school until January next year. He can enjoy a nice summer with mum and dad (yes, we're lucky, we work from home), couple of days of pre-school a week and start the school year from the get-go in January. It was always agreed that he'd repeat kindy anyway, so that there wasn't such a huge age gap between him and the other children, but this way some of the course-work will be new to him.

Rudi

We had this situation with our daughter - she is an August birthday - she'd completed grade 2 in the UK and then went back into the end of grade 1 here. Yes, she found the work easy - she still does and she's in grade 4 now, but I have no regrets keeping her where she is. I think the social thing kicks in much later - she'd cope at this age but I feel if we advanced her (which was an option) that once she hits 15, 16 than she would miss out. All her friends would be driving cars and going out. She is small for her age but physically she's very strong and athletic so that's not an issue.

It does not sound like the school is being very helpful in terms of reading - we had no problem with that - my daughter read books which were suitable for her - in fact I think she didn't even have school readers as such - she just had library books - she'd gone beyond the formal learn to read reading schemes and was reading Roald Dhal by then anyway. Maybe you could join the local library and let her choose books which are more suitable?

Your situation is perhaps a bit different to ours in that we are citizens and have no plans to return to the UK. If we did I would hold my daughter back at school anyway. It means I get to keep her at home with me for a year longer!!!!

I think you have to go with what feels right to you. If you feel that you will return to the UK and that this will be an issue then I would push to have her advanced - if not then why not let her stick with her peers - it will all even out in the end.

Good luck with whatever you decide - it's not an easy choice

Rudi

iPom

My daughter, who's just 7, was put into year 1 here after being in year 2 in the UK. I thought she'd be bored, but she isn't because the school is so different to how she was learning in the UK. Emotionally she's in exactly the right place... she's made lots of friends, and frankly, the UK school was ridiculous... homework for 6 year olds, learning times tables every night, spelling lists to learn, a new book every night. Silly amount of work imo.

At her new school, there's much more of an emphasis on relationships, responsibilities, nurturing the child etc. They do maths, but they do it in game form, they do mental maths as games too. She does a lot of art work and drawing and very little real writing... but it's fine... She loves it and is doing really well.

The point you raise about children 'You can't get back your education years' isn't necessarily true. The uk places a huge emphasis on pushing children educationally, yet if you look at France for example, their children don't have formal education as we know it until the age of 6. Until that point, children are allowed to be children.

I can't see anything in your post which would indicate anything other than parential concern.... How do you know your child is bored? Has she said she is? Is she becomming destructive or unruly in class?

The way I read your post is that you are the concerned ones, not her.

If I were you, I would relax a bit. She needs to be with her emotional equals so that her learning can actually happen. As Hutch has mentioned, his son was intellectually advanced enough to do the year above, but he wasn't in the right emotional place to do it.

Given that you've shifted your child to a completely new country, new friends, new system, new school, new life, I would recommend you stop worrying. Children take as long as adults do to completely feel at ease with their changed lives and letting them get on and develop their emotional side for a while is ok.

Your daughter has been on this earth for 6 years. It's not long.... give her some time to settle in and do stop worrying. I'm married to an Aussie who's gone through the Australian educational system and as far as I know, he's come out of it ok...
Education is mainly down to what you do with them at home anyway at this stage... reading, writing, bit of mental maths in your spare time... school influences are slight... yours is much greater.

sunnyj

My son, who has just turned 7 is also very bored in his class and keeps repeating "I have already done this work".
I have spoken to the teacher on several occasions regarding his reading books.
The books that are given to him are what he would have read in reception back in England. I have now decided to go to the library and choose his books, as they have a section of readers for them.
He is in a mixed class of years1 and 2. Some kids are 6, 7 and 8 and he is brighter than the year 2 kids.
The problem with them being bored is that once they have done their work they may go and disrupt others.
Now my 7 year old is quite mature in his ways (very old headed for someone so young)
My son who is 9 tomorrow on the other hand is on par with most of his work.
He is in a years 3/4 class. He always struggled with Maths in England, but is an excellent reader and speller, but he never complains that things are too easy for him. So I think he is well placed.
I suppose what I am saying is that it depends on the child, some are a little more mature and brighter for their age, some aren't.
It does also depend on the teacher too, I believe my almost 9 year old has an excellent teacher, on the other hand I think my 7 year old's teacher isn't very good at all. Swings and roundabouts.

Julie

ozzieeagle

After 26 years in this country, and having 4 children go through the education system, with the youngest aged 8. The academic thrust here doesn't begin until sometime in grade 2/3. The early years are mostly geared to Social awareness, fine motor skills, and how the kids relate to one another and most importantly to themselves. The schools expect reading and basic maths to be taught at home. With base back up provided by the schools. After age 8 the whole structure changes with more academic epthasis based on kids that are supposed to able to accept education and class structure, without disrupting others, no matter whether they are bored or not. It's generally easy here in my experience to get extra work set from the teachers, providing you are prepared to back it with effort and supervision with homework.

It's just a different system.... I think you will find that Australia at the other end 17-18YO, has one of the highest Unversity particpation rates in the world. Something to do with getting the building blocks right early in life.

Mrs Jackaroo

I think you're spot on here. Its down to the individual - both the child and the teacher. I dont really consider it to be an 'Australian' problem though. This would happen in the UK too. If a child is particularly clever and faster learner than others then they will be in both countries. Generally all the kids tend to catch up with each other at some stage or another. Let em be kids I say. I've been lucky - my daughter is the same age as WendyC's (turns 7 in November) and has gone into year 1 here as she was in the UK. She has had no problem whatsoever and and absolutely loves it. She is lucky enough to have a brilliant teacher and is also very keen to learn herself.

Pollyana

I guess largely your decision is going to be based around the 457 issue, looking at these replies. If you expect to bee still here when she is a teenage, thenbeing with the right age group seems to be a priority. On the other hand, if you expect to be back in the UK, maybe being with older children, learning the "higher level" stuff, might be more important.

nightnurse2

Agree with Polly, if you do expect to go back to the UK in a few years time, then it may be best for her to move up a year.
My son started school here last May when he was 5 1/2 (pre-primary, was in reception in the UK) and he was way ahead of the other kids. He had a good teacher though, who set him different work at times.
We are on a 457 but will be getting PR and hopefully staying. If we had been thinking of going back in a few years time, then I may have been worried that he would be behind if we returned. However, becasue we plan to stay, he will not be disadvantaged because he will stay with these children for the rest of his school years (hopefully).
I'd have a word with his teacher and head teacher and see if you can work something out.
Good luck
Tracey

sunnyskies

We're on a 457 visa too, deffo going back to the UK in about 2 half years.
I have two girls, at private school.
My youngest is an August baby, just turned 7. We came in May, and she went straight from year 2 in the UK to year 2 here, and is doing really well. She has always been the youngest in her class, and the smallest as she is tiny, so doesn't really make any difference socially. Sport wise, again she's always been the smallest so is perfectly happy as nothing has changed really.
She is still finding that some of the work is far too easy, but school is fantastic monitoring her and giving her extension classes in Maths and English.
My eldest however has gone from being the eldest in the year to being a year younger than most of the class after going from UK year 3 to Aussie year 4, and has found it a lot harder to adjust. Saying that, she is where she needs to be academically, and knowing that she is holing her own against a class of older girls is doing wonders for her confidence.
I know a couple of people who have moved their kids from state school to private because the state ones didn't have the time to pay individual attention to their children.
I take it you are on the East Coast? We are in Perth on a 457 and pay the same for schooling as the Aussie Nationals.
I'd speak to your school and see what they can do for you before you make up your mind what to do. I'd just think about how hard it will be for her if you go back to the UK and she is over a year behind her age group.
Good luck whatever you decide.

liverpool girl

Thanks for all your advice. Not sure what we are going to at the mo. It is my daughter that is complaining the work is too easy and that she did it in reception over a year ago. If we were definately not going back to the UK I would leave here where she is but we are not sure what we are going to do. We have only been in the country for 2 months and so it's very early days to start making big decisions like that. If I knew that we would be going back I would be pushing for her to move up a year. I am aware that this brings social problems though - having said that she was always the youngest in the year in the UK and she didn't have any problems - she was very confident and still is.
Anyway thanks everyone for your input.