Schooling - changing from UK to Oz
 

I am interested to know peoples experiences with putting their kids into a new school when they arrived, with regards to the level that they're at. Because they start later over there, does this mean that your child will effectively be taking a step back (albeit a small one)? Our son will be 7 in September and we hope to be on the Gold Coast in time for the start of the Spring term (early October in Qld I believe). At the risk of sounding like I'm boasting, which believe me I'm not, he's doing really well with his reading, maths etc, (I don't know where he gets it from though!:huh:). It obviously makes a difference that he's the oldest in his year. Did any one else have concerns about this. Did anyone find that their child had been 'bumped' up a year and if so, was that detrimental rather than beneficial? We don't want him to be bored and lose what interest he has now when he starts his new school, but on the other hand, we wouldn't want him to struggle either. Does anyone have any thoughts or experience with this to put an over anxious parent at ease? :confused:
Thanks!

Re: Schooling - changing from UK to Oz
 

My daughter was on the gifted child register at her school in the UK for Maths, English and Art. When we arrived I spoke with the headmaster of the school and we agreed to put her into the year above the one she should have been in.

She did really well with the school work, she wasn't struggling with it and it seemed the right level for her. BUT she really wasn't mature enough to keep up with the 8 & 9 year olds in her class and I noticed a big change in her, not all good either.

We recently bought a house in a different area and decided to change her school again as it was too far for me to take her every day (I don't drive).

When I got to this one, the headteacher there said that in her opinion the other school were irresponsible in putting her into year 3 when she should be in year two, because when the time came for high school she would only be 12 and would notice the gap in her age to her friends, and it could make it very difficult for her.

She also said that instead of putting her up a year, she wanted to put her in with kids her own age and give her extra work as needed.

I'm glad to say that she is so much happier with it this way and I don't feel that the work is too easy for her as her teacher is a great guy and gives her stuff according to her ability. It probably helps that the school is a lot smaller too.

I would suggest you visit a few schools and compare them. Ask them what they will do to make sure your child is getting the right work for his ability. Go with your instincts :)

Re: Schooling - changing from UK to Oz
 

Hi Wendy.
That's really good advice. I hadn't really looked at it from that perspective with the age difference. I would much rather he was happy and had good friends than how good his results were.
Thanks for that!

Re: Schooling - changing from UK to Oz
 

Your son will have alot to cope with when you move -- perhaps a little time "coasting" wont do him any harm and will give him the opportunity to concentrate on the social aspects of school life!

Re: Schooling - changing from UK to Oz
 

I hadn't either before we came. :)

Re: Schooling - changing from UK to Oz
 

Hi, I have just had the same problem. My daughter is 12 and 13 in nov, In the uk she was in first yr high school . On arrival here 14 weeks ago. I found she could either be the eldest child in yr 7 at primary school, or the youngest child in yr 8 at high school. So i went with the high school, Educationally she is still a little bit in front, and i was called in by her teacher who explained this to me and offered to put her in to yr 9. I have declined this as like someone on here has already said she would then be with people two yrs older than her self.
Also it has made it easier for her to settle as she is not worrying about keeping up . We just keep a check on her work to make sure she does not slip.

Re: Schooling - changing from UK to Oz
 

My two started in Term 3 they had just finished Primary 4 and 5 in the UK and went into Year 4 and Year 5 here, they found the work easy which made their transition into school here a skoosh for them....they didnt have to worry about not being able to do the work, so just had to concentrate on making new friends and settling into their new surroundings and new routine. They love school here...it is so varied and have never wanted to have a day off.....back in Scotland they were always winging

Re: Schooling - changing from UK to Oz
 

Sounds like you have had some really great advice.

My daughter had just completed grade 2 in the UK when we came here. She is an August birthday and so was the youngest in her year in the uk.......

However, because of the July cut off date here in NSW it meant she would be one of the eldest in the year here. She was placed in year 1 in term 4 the year we arrived.

She too is highly intelligent and found things easy academically, and we did have the option of putting her up a year. However, I have no regrets at all about keeping her in the right age socially.

Good luck with whatever you do.

Rudi

Re: Schooling - changing from UK to Oz
 

smaller school seems to be better with quality of teaching, for all ability student.
My son has just turned seven, he was in year2 & one of the young ones in UK & seemed to be doing ok, but hated school.
Here because of he's age, they put him in a class where the teacher teaches year1 & 2 so all of them are almost the same age group just with different ability.
He seems a lot happier, he's not under any pressure at all, they work with him, he can choose if he wants to have spelling test every other day, or have none for a week.
He loves school so much, totally different child, so confident & that's in 3 months.
Reading method that they do in he's school is a bit different too, like he's on level 16, but the books he brings home is on level 15, he's teacher said that reading suppose to be fun, that way your child will feel more confident at home with he's reading, (dont know if this applies to all other schools in Australia).
I think as Wendy said best thing is wait until you get here to check a few schools out.

Farideh

Re: Schooling - changing from UK to Oz
 

My kids went into the same years they left in UK. I personnaly think the education is slower here (i'm in WA) but more upbeat on the PE/games side of things.

P.S...what the hell is that on your avatar:rofl:

Re: Schooling - changing from UK to Oz
 

Yes they do that at my daughters school as well. The teacher says it so that they have a chance to understand what's written as well. Some kids (my daughter included) have a really good reading ability, but don't actually take it in, if you know what I mean.

If I asked my daughter what her book was about before she wouldn't really know how to answer, now she's getting a bit better at it.

Re: Schooling - changing from UK to Oz
 

Same at my kids school. My 6 year old is kept on a slightly lower level because of her comprehension. She is the same as Faridehs kid and went from youngest in year 2 to year 1 in a 1/2 split class. She is happy as larry here and hated school in the UK.

I think they cater better for different abilities in my kids school than in the UK school so I'm sure your son will be given work according to his ability if you choose a decent school. I'd say definitely keep him with his age group.......

Lou
xx

Re: Schooling - changing from UK to Oz
 

Hi

I agree with keeping them in the age related class. My daughter is
an August birthday so was the youngest in the class back in UK. We
came to the Gold Coast in January and was offered to have her put up
to Grade 2 according to her ability but we decided to leave her in
Grade 1 just so she is in the same age bracket as the other children.
She is just soooo happy. But they have addressed the fact that she
is further ahead and takes 'extension' classes with some other kids.
So they don't just get left, they are pushed aswell.
Well this is what happens in her school, I'm sure it is the same in
other schools.

Yorkies

Re: Schooling - changing from UK to Oz
 

From a secondary school teachers perspective, we find that children who have been put up a year by their primary school often end up underachieving as they do not have the maturity to deal with the demands of the course, and get teased a lot by their peers.

A decent primary school, or indeed any school, should be able to stretch a child accedemically within thier correct year group. I would be very wary of any school that wanted to put my child up a year.

Re: Schooling - changing from UK to Oz
 

We left UK last year, my daughter was 8 yrs old and one of the youngest in Year 4. When we arrived she was put into year 3 and one of the oldest in the year. Within a week we were called into see the headmaster, they were worried because it was very obvious that she found the work too easy and would I consider putting her up a year. Because I knew how much she enjoyed school I did worry that she may get bored and lose her healthy interest in learning.

We decided to put her up, she is the youngest in her year but her birthday is only 3 weeks after the cut-off date so no massive difference.

She still found the work easy but she has advanced in other areas, she no longer lacks confidence, she has become very sporty and overall a much happier child.

In our case, we definitely made the right choice for her.