mjj

Do Australian kids across all states start school at 5yrs? We are moving out to Australia in November/December and are worried that our son, who will be 4 at the time, will lose out on a years worth of education (he would start school here at 4 yrs). This is more important due to the fact that we will possibly only be staying in Oz for 3 years. Hence we are worried that our son will be a year behind on his education when we eventually get back to blighty. Are there are any schools (state or private) in Oz that take kids in from 4yrs? I would be interested to hear from anyone else who has experienced the Oz education system at first hand.

Thanks

MJ

binbird

I believe there are quite a few differences between one state and another so if you post where you are headed you may get more relevant responses.

My youngest daughter will be 4 in July - we are moving to NSW and I understand that she will be able to start the school year in January 2006 aged four and a half.

Hope that helps (a bit!)

Binbird

mjj

We will be going to Brisbane.

ABCDiamond

Queensland - http://education.qld.gov.au/schools/...enrolling.html

also, information on the Preparatory School changes from 2007 http://education.qld.gov.au/etrf/prep.html

* Preschool: Children must be four years old by the last day of December to attend a state preschool the following January. In certain cases, younger children who have been enrolled in a school in another State or country may be exempted. A child's name can be placed on a waiting list at the local state preschool during the year the child turns three. Preschool waiting lists are opened in March each year. Proof of the child's date of birth, such as a birth certificate, passport or visa, is required at the enrolment interview.

* Primary: To be enrolled in Year 1 in January, children must be five years old by the end of the previous year. Under special circumstances, children may be enrolled at a younger age. Parents may enrol a child in their local primary school by contacting the school directly. For a child entering Year 1, schools require proof of the child's date of birth, such as a birth certificate, passport or visa.

floss

We have a similar problem - daughter 5 mid-jan (when we hope to be in Aus) so misses the end of year cut-off date.... But I've emailed several schools direct and all seem very open to moving her up a year - partly due to her age, but also because she will have a term of full-time school behind her from the UK.... they will need a report from her school and will need to meet her etc, but the yardstick they seem to use is "would it disadvantage the education of the child not to move up into the higher year" - in theory they have been very encouraging and in your case probably would too??!! Look around and email the schools you like the look of, hopefully one less set of grey hairs for you!!! Hope this helps.

ozzieeagle

Age alone surely isn't the way to gauge whether a child is ready for school.

Teachers come in please


Even the brightest kids, can be too immature to start school, Speak to the Kinder teachers for guidance on this.

Lots of schools here, have grades Prep/1/2 all in together, so moving up a year is up to the teachers discretion.

Kids started too early, really have problems in adolesence.

Besides all that, Abcd, gave good advice on the prescribed age.

jaxowen

[QUOTE=ozzieeagle]Age alone surely isn't the way to gauge whether a child is ready for school.

No I don't think it is the best way, but try telling the parent of a four year old in the uk that you don't think their child is ready! :scared: It is not done often in the UK but schools do have the ability to keep children back a year if they think they would benefit emotionally or academically but parents hardly ever agree to it.
It is also proven that in countries that start children later they are not hindered in anyway, by the age of 16 it all sort of levels out.

Jax

floss

[QUOTE=jaxowen] Agree with you entirely - my son was born at the beginning of September and it was suggested that we try to get him into school for the earlier year - didn't even try.... bright as a button but still a little boy. Emotionally would have struggled. The daughter I mention is youngest of 3 and has naturally chosen friends about 2 years older - have taken the advice of her preschool teachers and wouldn't have it any other way. I especially hate the rush to get the littlies in full-time... my eldest was born in June (now 11) and no way was allowed to go full-time until Summer term. Things seem to have changed and I now see tots just turned 4 struggling full-time. Sad.
In Sweden and South Africa they start much later - apparently catch up by 7...!

blossom

Back in the early 80's when we first moved to NSW, children started school at the age of 6. I can honestly say that by the time they were moving onto high school they didn't appear to have suffered from started one or two years later than their peers in the UK.

My daughter was 2 years ahead of her peers and was put up one year ahead, because they felt that although academically she could have coped, she was not mature enough to mix with older children.

Parents please consider your children, they will not suffer, but in fact will probably be better off by staying at home with Mums until they are at least 5 years old and are socially more mature to deal with going off to school.

Why is it that parents in the UK want their kids off to school so quickly?

Don't mean to sound derogatory, but having lived both sides I would definitely not take my children to school before they were at least 5 if I had the chance again.

And, even if they are a little behind, believe me they soon catch up.

Blossom

floss

This is really interesting - I have been following the advice of my daughter's preschool teacher, but I actually don't know what they do in preschool in Oz (& nor does she)... so dismissing it out of hand does seem a bit daft - although it would be weird for her to start here, and then stop again for a year... but I take your point and will ask the questions when we visit, rather than simply look to push her up a year. I have just spent years watching my son drift because the school he's in doesn't really do much for the brighter kids.... have got into the mindset where I assume the school won't 'bother' with what's best for your child unless you fight for it.... Should give Aus schools the benefit of the doubt perhaps?!!!!!

fozzie

My youngest is to start Nursery 2 weeks before he turns 3 he has been going to playgroup for a few months and he loves it, I too worry about them starting school so young here as my eldest (as far as I'm concerened) gets too much homework and spellings he is only in year 1 and is only 5 and half although he is top of his class and is very bright I dont believe they need to be pushed so hard at such a young age. I really hope we are out of here before the SATS start as I do not agree one bit with 6 year olds having exams etc. I'm also worried about my youngest as he is going to be starting Nursery he is pretty bright and also a hand full so I'm probably to blame as looking for the easy way out with Nursery he's occupied every afternoon. Don't know what I'll do when we get to Aus. He is so excited about going to school with his brother (bless!). I have heard about child care which sounds similar to our playgroup which would be a help.

Michelle

ABCDiamond

I agree on that completely, and some schools at least must think the same. Most schools seem to request an interview with the child before starting.
When my daughter started, the head did say they needed to see if she was advanced enough to start that year, or to wait till the following year.

My own daughters current class has children aged between 8 and 10.

ozzieeagle

Talking to the Kinder teachers, is the best approach. Our first child, Now 22, could read before she started school at the prescribed age. However the kinder teachers told us she was not mature enough, and needed more play, to help develop social skills. We ignored the advice, because we felt that she was intelligent enough to get over any problem. Well 22 years later, and with much struggle and trials and school changes. We now realise that the Kinder teachers made the correct call. Our oldest would definitely have benefited from more early social interaction in her early years. Hasn't got a job, passed all her exams and yet hardly attended school, refused to go, when she got older. Hopefully as she becomes older, she will become more motivated.

Daughter No2 age 20, once again could read before school, Started school at the correct age, Not as bright as her older sister, by a long shot. However because she worked hard, passed all her exams, to University entrance level, which was a side product of having great self esteem. She Didn't go to University, is having a great time, getting skills in the Fashion Industry and is aiming to be a production manager or Buyer. Probably off to England, as soon as she saves enough and stops partying.

Daughter No3, age 10. Again could read before school, started at prescribed age. Doing well, no problems, just cruises along.

Son, just turned 7, A combination of the older two, Only one that Couldn't read before prescribed school age, Kinder teachers said he needed more Play, We heeded their advice this time, Hindsight and knowledge is a beautiful thing. Great at maths, Don't know many children of his age, that can draw as well as him, Great at building lego technics stuff, reading and following plans etc, good memory, and just started to read properly now. Great social skills, which he may not have had, had he started school earlier.

Just thougt I'd show why I made the statement about school ages.

Fact is every child is definitely an Individual.

floss

I guess I'm so down on teachers because of my own and my children's experience that I walk in assuming they are wrong and that they are just out for an easy time rather than actually having something valuable to say about my child!!!! Hard to admit, really - but it's very interesting to hear your experiences..... guess at lot of it harks back to this ridiculous desire to be Suupermum - I had thought I was avoiding it by refusing to jump on the ballet-tumble tots-music group-tennis-swimming lesson etc bandwagon.... guess I just hopped on a little later. Sorry to any teachers reading this

One question, did your children go state or private? I've seen it said on some threads that overall the private schools (or is it just in Queensland) can be more flexible towards individual children's needs? Do you have an opinion on this.... again, I find my white-middleclass-no I didn't vote for Thatcher chip-on-my-shoulder gets in the way of clear thinking on this one.

ozzieeagle

We started our older two in a montesorret/steiner style, A private one in Avondale heights. I think our oldest daughter problem could have been compounded by our choice in her early years. The other parents including us at the time were very idealistic, about things like choice of TV, in fact no TV was the advice, and other popular pursuits of a similar nature. This leads to having a child living on the fringe of society, mixing with other similar children scattered suburbs apart, rather than having a child that is able to mix 'easily and readily and share common interests' with other kids in the local neighbourhood.

This experience really put us off private schools, as a lot of them seem to have at junior level at least, some kind of agenda IE: someone mentioned the relgious slant earlier.

The younger two, go a state primrary school, one suburb away now, It's not a typically suburban type of school. It has a broad range of pupils, however only has about 180 pupils, maybe less. They main group of parents, are Left wing academic types, that insist on a social awarness type programs in the school. Generally the kids are allowed to watch tv. play yu-gi-oh cards, participate in competitive sport etc. So mix normally with every other group of kids they come across.
However for some reason though, I'd say all the kids have a dim view of Macdonalds. I dont think there has been one Macdonalds birthday party chosen for their kids by any of these parents at this school. I wouldn't dare hold one there for our youngest now either, no one would come lol ! Thats ok, if thats as extreme as the rest of the school is going to get, We can live with it.

Point being even State schools can have 'their ways'