SunnyMD

Hi All
I have been reading your posts for some time but not really got involved until now ... now I need to really start asking my own questions !

We are due to hit South-East Queensland (Mudgeeraba area) in September / October this year with our bright 12 year old son, to be 13 next month (September) - I'm not talking gifted or anything just top 2 or 3 in the class kind of clever. He's an only child and old / mature for his age.

At the moment he has just finished year 7 in UK secondary school. What I cannot work out is what year he will go into - what is the normal procedure ? repeat the end of year 7 and enter year 8 in January, or do 1 term of year 8 and then hit year 9 in January ?

Also, as we arrive on a 457 visa I am not sure if we will have to pay any school fees (for state) in which case are we better off paying the extra for a private school ?

Any help or advice would be VERY welcome

Thanks

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jad n rich

If hes turning 13 he would go into year 8 which is the first year of high school.

Mid Lifer

We came on a 457 .You dont have to pay any fees for your kid.

moneypenny20

Although he's bright, it may be worth checking with whichever schools you look at, friendships wise and settling in easily it may (I say May) help if he went into the last few months of year 7 and then start High School with people he knows in January. If he has no problems making friends and he'd settle really easily after the move then yes he would normally go in to year 8 for a few months.

SunnyMD

Thanks for your answers so far. We are absolutely torn on his behalf ... on the one hand he is clever but he doesn't make friends easily and prefers to spend time on his own, but then when he does make friends it is almost always with older kids - usually at least the year or 2 years above him at school. Also at this age he's about to start thinking about subject options etc and he needs time to decide this kind of stuff comfortably ... I go round in circles trying to fathom it all out !

I am also assuming that we will be able to "try before we buy" and let him actually spend a day or a couple of days in school before we actually decide where he goes ? I remember that kind of thing being possible for primary school when we moved, but not sure about high school ?

Thanks again for everybody's help

Famous 5

When we moved we had the same dilemma. Our oldest son and our daughter were both in the top 2 or 3 in their respective years at their UK schools. Our son had just finished year 8 and our daughter had finished year 5.

We discussed it with the school before making our decision. Basically we went with the option for them to join in the year they had finished in the UK and move up to the next year the following January, although their birthdays were much later in the UK academic year than your son's so there would have been a marked age mismatch if we had moved them up a year. The repeat of the end of year 8 and 5 respectively allowed them time to settle in and make friends and adapt to the different approach to education here without being under any academic pressure. We agreed with the school to keep things under close review and after a short time the children were put into accelerated learning groups in some subjects and the school also gave them extension work (and has continued to do so) so that they would not be bored.

Whilst I am sure your son would find the work in year 8 and 9 very manageable, the social side of things is important, especially taking into account the differences between 13 year old and 15 year old boys. The other thing to think about is how old he would be when he would finish school at the end of year 12 and whether you think he would be ready, socially, to go off to uni at that age.

Obviously you know your own child best, but talk to the school - based on our experience you should find it very helpful.

All the best with your decision.

jad n rich

If hes bright and mature I wouldn't hold him back, education is quite 'relaxed' in Aus and if he already favors older mates hes going to be quite old for grade 8 next year where most would be only 12.

Study the size of the high school too, some here are 1500 kids, 2200 kids the chances of getting in with who you knew at primary are quite slim when there are 12/15 grade 8 classes

Plus consider the social factor, cars here is the big teenage thing, 16 in qld drivers lic and many get a car, that gives them a lot of freedom so being out of whack with the general age group in the class can be difficult.

If your son doesnt fit into the first class its quite possible to ask for them to be moved, (give a good reason obviously they cant chop and change everyone) but they do try.