hereshoping

Surely a lot of this is to do with the individual school rather than the schooling system. A child staying in the UK but moving from a top grammar to a bog standard comp could well experience the same 'why bother' attitude and flunk out.

From a teachers point of view I think the Ozzie system is much more sensible, less target based and more faith put in the professionals abilities to judge what is best for their students rather than contrantly testing and making students work to the test all the time. For me it may not be so good at getting results, but better at educating. I know I'd much rather put my (potential, hypothetical) children through the Oz system.

Assegai

I think it's a very poor excuse to say that a child was doing well at a UK grammar school blah blah but when he/she came to Oz sat back, wasn't stretched etc.

If a child has real potential he/she should be resourceful enough to succeed wherever and whatever the circumstances.

Vash the Stampede

And the teachers will be more likely to offer a child extra work if it is considered capable of more.

quoll

Having seen quite a few UK migrant kids come into our system, they generally arrive with skills at least 12 months and, more often, a couple of years in advance of their age peers here. I have dealt with several parents who have gone back to UK because they have been dissatisfied with the standard of education their kids were getting here and I hate to say it but I couldnt disagree with them. Teachers sometimes do a fantastic job but we also have quite a few jobsworths who think that the kids need to bend to the norm and wont put themselves out to extend, much as we could hope they would!

In ACT, close to 50% of kids go to private schools which is an indictment on what the state school system has to offer IMHO - and no, it isnt just snobby parents, it is parents who are concerned about what their kids are learning (or not) and voting with their feet. Our system in particular is low on accountability and our year 12 is a moderated continuous assessment process - at least the other states have some semblance of a formal assessment where you know who is sitting the exam at the end of the day. Even so, they tout the international tables which says our skill levels are up there with the best of the world (if that is the case, the rest of the world is stuffed!!!)

My boys' experience of university was quite negative even though they went to ANU - so much of their assessed work was based on group work and they were both pretty conscientious boys who did their best but they were both, at various times, incredibly frustrated by group members who did not pull their weight either through apathy or through a total inability to understand the English language.

At the end of the day, kids achieve what they do despite the education they receive rather than because of it. Kids certainly wont be disadvantaged on the world stage if they are educated here but whether they would be advantaged is another question. Australia doesnt like tall poppies in general so if you are prepared to plod along in the middle you will be fine.

WelshSarah

My son got silver in the maths challenge too and started an excellence programme at uni when he was 12. He is now 2nd or 3rd in his classes at the Queensand Academy for Health Sciences in Southport. There is also an Academy for Arts in Brizzie and one for Science,Maths & Technology. They all study the IB course and begin at year 10. I have nothing but praise for them!! My eldest left his UK school 4 months before sitting all his GCSEs where he was expected to get straight As... He now is far more challenged and has had to really work for his grades this semester. Harder than at home he admits!!! I am more than impressed by this standard of education but this is a new school and not quite the same as the normal state schools I admit. It is a state school though...

MartinLuther

From my experience the UK system is better. I have a reading age of 45 whereas Australians of the same age as me (41) mostly have a reading age of 41 or 42.

WelshSarah

PaulandNic

I'm NOT trying to worry you, it's JUST our experience here. other people will have no worries I'm sure.

Ok, I AM talking about 'state' schooling here. If we could've afforded it they'd of gone to private without a doubt, but with one school quoting $14k a year cos we wasn't a PR here, we couldn't afford it. Our goal (for all of us) was to gain PR, and that's where our money went.

My daughter dropped out half way through grade 11, half of her class did and either got a job or went to TAFE and did some kind of course. My son has recently left and was in grade 10 going nowhere.

As I say, this is JUST my experience here, but no 'poor excuse' ... proof IS in the pudding!

Pomster

It does seem to be down to individual schools.

A report this week in UK said that bright kids are let down by schools, as they tend to cater for the mediocre kids and it is all about meeting league table results, which seems to lead to little result. (apparently some unis are having to offer 4 year degrees to get the freshers up to speed with reading and writing- in Telegraph this week).

My mate's daughter here in Oz is bright. She went to a good state school in Geelong. Moved to another area and changed schools- which was awful, no structure, no homework, no textbooks. She started at a private school this week and is already much happier.

It seems that schools here are much more about producing rounded individuals than exam results. I have seen very few Aussies turn up in London and be turned down for jobs on their academic skills. Mostly they are regarded as excellent employees.In my (huge multinational) company, proportionately more Aussies end up abroad than any other nationality.

PaulandNic

Agreed, and why I say I'm sure 'others' will be fine.

The school my kids went to is very new and seems to be VERY unorganised, to say the least. The left hand REALLY doesn't know what the right is doing there.

As for homework! ... they got hardly any!

We picked this school over loads of others we see on a reccy in 2005, and it DID seem to be the best that the state could offer. We looked at several private schools too which admittedly DID seem sooo much better, but out of our league really ...

We have friends who's son goes there and is in year 9 or 10, and she was saying the other day that her boy is starting to slack and getting poor grades ... He was doing fine in Scotland.

debsy

Paul
Your children are still young -there are plenty of opportunities for them to re-enter the education system should they wish - it is never too late.

I personally, have been very happy with the education system here. My eldest attends an excellent school which has one of the best results in Qld. I think a lot depends on the school that you choose for your children, and of course your expectations.

Deb

Mikeyc

From MY own experience being a student in school in 3 countries, MY opinion is Australia is the worst.

I could not believe the things we did in school here at such a late age (They didn’t start algebra until late high school) in Ireland we started it in Primary. We never did Physics or Calculus here and never once did Geography in any Australian school I went to (that explains a lot now when Aussie’s ask me “where is Ireland” or say “Ireland, that’s part of London, right?”). I went to Private and Public in both Australia and Ireland.

Just to give you an example on the difference, let me show you the subjects I had to do in in High school in WA and in Ireland at same age.

Australian School:
English
Maths
Typing
Health Studies
Metal works

Irish School:
Gaelic
English
Maths
French
Physics
Biology
Science
Geography
Art
Religious studies
Social Studies
Drama
Music
Business Studies
Computer Studies
PE

See the difference? The Australian system was so pathetic I ended up dropping out and convincing my parents to let me go live in Ireland so I could finish a proper education.

I also noticed any Australian school I went to never even went on school trips, the one in Ireland took us to several European countries and to the US.

That's my opinion from my own experience.

Also with the Australian system it depends what state you go to, NSW and VIC have the best, QLD and WA have the worst (QLD don’t even have national exams and in WA exam subjects (TEE) are optional). Not sure about the other states.


Mikey

PaulandNic

Yeah I know, but to be honest they're both happy with what their doing now. My daughter has been working in real estate since leaving school and recently obtained her QLD licence to sell. In Sept she's 18 and can go get a job selling. Hopefully the market will have picked up by then ...

My son is working part time now for some pocket money and we're treading water till I can hopefully get him a traineeship where I work. Failing that an electrical apprenticeship is looking fav.

They''ll be right! ...

PaulandNic

Yeah my kids was doing about 5 subjects including a whole day for sport! ...

I remember my son coming home after being here less than a month and saying they was just starting to do algebra. He said they was doing it 2 years ago in the UK.

Ok, on the flip side they DO more here to make kids more sociable. We're constantly amazed how good the kids friends social skills are. "hello, how are you?" ... "nice to meet you" ... "goodbye, see you again" etc etc. Not a grunt in sight! ...

I DO agree that schooling shouldn't just be about academics, targets, SATS, and all the rest! ... but a little homework wouldn't go a miss either!

I've said before, altho my kids have left school without any qualifications, I'm glad they did most of their schooling in the UK, qualifications or not.

Mikeyc

Another thing I noticed in the difference is that in Ireland when you go to School you are told you can become anything, aim or anything and they will help you get it. In Australia they seem to only want to set you up for a trade. (no offence to anyone in a trade), it’s great if that’s what you want, but if you want something more out of life then it will be very boring. Australians don't seem to want to aim high or explore the world?

They way I also look at it is by looking at the people I went to school with, all the friends I went to school with in Australia are still living in Perth working in a call centre or supermarket, everyone of them and all still in Perth.

The friends I went to school with in Ireland all have their masters, high paying jobs and working around the world.

Mikey