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-   -   Old question, new arrival -- school years (https://britishexpats.com/forum/australia-54/old-question-new-arrival-school-years-807064/)

wyccox Aug 25th 2013 1:47 am

Old question, new arrival -- school years
 
Hi Folks,
Have been googling for ages to try to get a clear answer on this and am failing to get a clear result - any help appreciated.

I have a 14 year old (born in Feb), will be 15 next feb.
In UK system he will start 2 years of GCSE's in September (year 10/11), then do 2 years of IB or A level (years 12/13). ie a total of 4 years of school left before Uni.
In Australian system (WA) I see they go to year 12. So if he switched across to WA system on age alone, he would redo 3 months of year 9 to December then go to year 10 for one year then do final 2 years. Meaning he would have 3 years 3 months of school left if he went to WA system on age for age match only vs the 4 years in UK.
I have no idea what UK to Aussie curriculum is like but I assume same in maths/english/science but slight differences in humanities.
Anyway, key decision I need to make:
Put him in year 8 for 3 months then do 4 years WA school (years 9/10/11/12) then Uni or put him in year 9 for 3 months then do 3 years WA school (years 10/11/12) then uni.
Anyone else been in this position - what did you do and if you had time again would you do same thing?
Thanks in advance for all advice.
cheers

old.sparkles Aug 25th 2013 2:07 am

Re: Old question, new arrival -- school years
 
Hi wyccox :wave:

I've moved your post to our main forum where it is now visible, as the update forum is moderated.

Hopefully someone will be along shortly with some helpful advice :)

northernbird Aug 25th 2013 5:47 am

Re: Old question, new arrival -- school years
 

Originally Posted by wyccox (Post 10867714)
Hi Folks,
Have been googling for ages to try to get a clear answer on this and am failing to get a clear result - any help appreciated.

I have a 14 year old (born in Feb), will be 15 next feb.
In UK system he will start 2 years of GCSE's in September (year 10/11), then do 2 years of IB or A level (years 12/13). ie a total of 4 years of school left before Uni.
In Australian system (WA) I see they go to year 12. So if he switched across to WA system on age alone, he would redo 3 months of year 9 to December then go to year 10 for one year then do final 2 years. Meaning he would have 3 years 3 months of school left if he went to WA system on age for age match only vs the 4 years in UK.
I have no idea what UK to Aussie curriculum is like but I assume same in maths/english/science but slight differences in humanities.
Anyway, key decision I need to make:
Put him in year 8 for 3 months then do 4 years WA school (years 9/10/11/12) then Uni or put him in year 9 for 3 months then do 3 years WA school (years 10/11/12) then uni.
Anyone else been in this position - what did you do and if you had time again would you do same thing?
Thanks in advance for all advice.
cheers

Personally I would just put him with the kids the same age. He will not want to go back and be with kids a year younger and quite rightly so. Any school you choose will be streaming him anyway so after a few tests when he first starts they will put him with academically equivalent kids. Year 10 is quite a big year, it's the year they choose their subjects for their WACE in 11 and 12. The curriculum is different and some say it's behind. I say it's just different and you have to go with the differences.

Good luck.

quoll Aug 25th 2013 8:21 am

Re: Old question, new arrival -- school years
 
He won't be going back or re-doing anything, he'll be moving to a foreign country with its own education system/s so put him with his age peers - there isn't really a need to put him with kids a year younger and the schools aren't likely to do that anyway. He'll probably be well ahead of his age peers in most things anyway.

If he isn't going to venture back into the UK system just forget all you know about exams etc. no one gets their knickers in a knot about anything until yr 11 (as he is just about to turn 16) so put him into yr9 this year, year 10 in 2014 and he'll be all set for yr 11 in 2015.

If there is any likelihood that he will want to rejoin UK education then don't move him at all, let him stay and finish A levels then he keeps all his options open for post school education

carolinephillips Aug 25th 2013 11:27 am

Re: Old question, new arrival -- school years
 
Put him into Y9 for the last few months- it will enable him to adjust, find friends and not have the pressure of work. Remember that schools have the long summer holiday in December and January, so he won't have too much schooling between the end of September and early December. It will be a good time to think about the choices he will make for y10 and then later IB/HSC.

wyccox Aug 25th 2013 11:43 am

Re: Old question, new arrival -- school years
 
Folks,

Thanks for the views.

It seems that listening to you all I need to forget my attempts at cross calibration of 2 years GCSE followed by 2 years IB/A-level/Aussie equiv.

Message seems to be that in australia for his like for like age group, its simply 1 year and 3 months til end of school followed by the 2 critical year 11/12 with certs in Australian system and dont worry about him falling behind by skipping the perceived 6 months shortfall of year 10 UK as its simply not the same.

Thanks for the advice - some thinking to do!

galba Aug 25th 2013 1:51 pm

Re: Old question, new arrival -- school years
 
I think you're worrying too much about it. Put him with kids that are the same age and let him have the 3 months of Year 9 to settle in. Year 10 is the practice run and then Year 11/12 are for WACE and TEE.

There are no GCSE equivalents here in WA - final exams are only in Year 12.

quoll Aug 25th 2013 9:20 pm

Re: Old question, new arrival -- school years
 
Yup, you're worrying too much! Unless you are planning to return to UK everything else is irrelevant.


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