Tr1boy

Here in the UK all the talk at the moment is on Primary school preferences and whether parents got their choices etc.

Discussing with Mrs TB, we were talking about how the intake works in Oz (we are clueless) but our daughter was born on Boxing Day. Given the school year in Oz, does that mean we get a choice of whether she is the oldest or youngest in the class or do you get told when they must start?

bourbon-biscuit

I guess you are thinking that a Boxing Day kid would be close to the cut off as they are close to the start of the school year. However, the cut off is not the start of the school year; it varies from state to state with the earliest being, iirc, late April and NSW being July 31. Your kid would be kind of middle of the year, depending which state you plan to moe to Having said that, it's not like the uk and there is much more flexibility to make the decision on a child by child basis in collaboration with the school.

Our late February daughter has gone in with the year that technically comes after her same-age cohort because that allowed her to start high school from the beginning, have six years at high, and to be nearly 19 when she starts Uni rather than nearly 18. It also got us an extra year with our last kid She is thriving and is not the oldest in her year or class. Imagine what we would have gone through to get this result in the uk!

Tr1boy

Thanks for that, very useful I don't really know any more about what happens in the UK or Oz, as we've never put kids through school in either country.Our daughter is 27mths old so we're thinking ahead. I know there is a lot of talk here about parents missing out on choices etc.

We would be 99% returning to Sydney or Melb, we are very familiar with Sydney (not so much Melb) but really clueless about schools, catchment and basically anything that responsible parents should be aware of.

quoll

She will be spot on average in any state, pretty much. She will start school just after her 5th birthday anywhere. Schools tend to reflect their catchment area so if you're happy living in a suburb you'll probably be happy with the school and schools are obliged to find a place for a child living in their area - I wouldn't sweat it if you are living in Australia when she's going to school. With a Boxing Day birthday I can tell you though that she's going to be disadvantaged in school sports! They compete with kids with the same year of birth so December kids are always behind the 8 ball!

brits1

Do they still have children "down a year" ? I remember our youngest (birthday end of November)when he started school he was the youngest in his class and a boy (looked like a man compared to our youngest lol)was older by a year as his parents did not want him to be the youngest in his year so dropped him down by a year....

bourbon-biscuit

Read the rest of the thread. It's not "down a year".

Tr1boy

Well, hopefully some of my genes will rub off there!

If she goes to a mainly Korean school (doubtful) she should be the best swimmer and cyclist in her year If she goes to a regular mixed school then it will be an 'opportunity to improve'

quoll

IN NSW the cut off is July and in Vic it is April so it is unlikely that a December birthday child in either place would be a late starter. When you get closer to the cut off date, then it is a possible option but they generally don't like it unless there are valid reasons for delay - social maturity, physical development, academic aptitude etc

Pomster

we are in Melbourne- cut off is 20th April i think.

In my daughter's class, she is the 3rd youngest as a Feb child...the other two are early March, Her best friend in same class is Christmas baby, so she began school at 5 and one month.
There is a large degree of freeway- my daughter has friends who were born in Jan (so a month older than her) and are in the grade below.
Most parents decide how ready for school their child seems- emotionally and socially rather than educationally.

Tr1boy

Thanks for the replies all, very helpful

On Wed we took Flipper to have her 2nd round of shots for Hep B and chicken pox ( have to pay privately), we had a different nurse this time and she asked if we were moving to Oz etc.

Turns out her husband is an Aussie and they lived in Parkdale, Vic for 12 years. They returned to the UK because she said she didn't like the schools there and thinks her kids are better off in school here.

Doesn't really add up though, if that were the only reason, surely you'd just change suburbs?

brits1

Sorry I went off topic, when our youngest started school the intake in Perth was December birth was the cut off so he was one of the youngest in his class (born end of Nov) anyway when we enrolled the Principle (his words) said "do you want to put him down a year" we had never heard of this before but we said no he was a very bright boy and we wanted him in his correct year for his age, anyway on his first day we walked in to his class and a few children looked much older turns out their parents had kept them down a year two boys were to old for they year in my mind, in thoughts and action.

Kim67

Most kids are put in whatever year they meet the criteria for. "Keeping down a year" is not common. I don't believe in pushing kids into schooling too early, have learnt from experience. A lot of boys especially (in my opinion) really do need a bit more time to chill and do play based learning before they have to hold a pencil all day and write with it. Give them time to develop their fine motor skills before too much is expected of them. But all parents are entitled to do whatever they feel is best for their circumstance without other parents judging them for it.

jad n rich

We kept one of mine down, his BD was few days before the cut off. The next one 3 years younger similar birthdate went in on time and graduated grade 12 in QLD still 16, few days off 17. ( qld kids going in would be on the new cut off dates this could no longer happen).

The age factor really had most impact in the the teenage years. Too young to drive when your mates are driving, move interstate and start UNI at 17 when most UNI kids are 18/19 or gap year kids age 20. Cant go clubbing when your mates go out. That sort of thing.

Despite the youngest surpassing all academic expectations, he really would have been better off kept back for the social aspect.

But hindsight is a wonderful thing. Just saying, too, its not really the teenage years you are considering when you decide grade one, but its when it has the most impact.

In UK I was one of those tiny skinny kids with late may birthday, could not even reach school door handle, can remember that so clearly. Far too young for school, too small, but I bet keeping back was never an option then.

Tr1boy

I refer to my standard statement in these matters: 'I'll be dead by then'

jad n rich

Frankly missing the teenage years is probably a bonus

Its hard to imagine how the most precious, adored, angelic angel on a pedestal that is the average under 10 year old to its parents, can become something expelled from the Exorcist once a teen.