KenA

Hi Everyone
As We've got the Canadian PR, thinking about the moving.

I have my daughter she is in Grade 3 now

Schools start on February every year in Australia and End around the end of the year December.
While in Canada schools start on Sep and end in Jun

If we moved in August that will be mid school year in Australia and by that maybe my daughter have to re-do grade 3 again in Canada as she did not finish grade 3 in Australia yet

Thinking of moving in Feb when she start Grade 4 so she can continue in Grade 4 in Canada
not sure if there are certain rules for that or the way i am thinking is right or not..
would appreciate if someone would clarify things about moving schools if possible.

Thanks

Allie73

It won't matter if she has finished Grade 3 in Australia. She will be placed in a grade entirely dependant on her year of birth. For example, my December 2008 born twins are currently in Grade 4. They are the youngest in their classes because the kids are born from January 1, 2008 - December 31, 2008. My 2007 born child is in Grade 5. When we moved to Canada our he was in the middle of Year 2 in the UK. Because of his year of birth, he was put into Grade 1, despite the fact he had already completed the work. He was pretty bored at school for a couple of years but they would not advance him. We're in Ontario, but I'm pretty sure it's the same across the country, but maybe someone can offer advice about another province.

Dorothy

Not only what the above poster said, but weather wise you would be mad to move in February. Whenever I go home to Canada in winter I suffer terribly with the cold. You will be much better to go from June to August when it's summer. Besides, starting school at the beginning of the year will be easier for her socially than half way through .

scilly

I would say that much better to move in June-August, and for her to start school here in September .........

1. she will be put with her age group,

2. she will start the year with the class, probably as several newbies, and as such will integrate faster. If she moves into the class at the beginning of January, it could be hard for her to integrate into already formed friend groups.

3. The school year begins on the day after Labour Day, which is the first Monday in September, and the January term usually begins somewhere between Jan 3 to 10, depending on when New Year fell and how long a Christmas break is ordained by the local School Board.

It is no good moving here in February as the term will be almost half over and would be even harder on her.

4. The whole family will have climate shock moving in December, especially if you are moving to anywhere 100 km inland from the Vancouver area all the way across to the Maritimes or Newfoundland .......... you could quite well move from +30C or above to -30C or below.


Note that in some areas you might have difficulties getting her into the neighbourhood school in the middle of the year. The classes may be full and she may be assigned to another school that is a distance away from where you are living.

KenA

Thanks guys

Atlantic Xpat

Worth pointing out that school year start, criteria for being placed in a particular grade etc will vary from province to province. So Allie's experience in ON might not necessarily be the same for you if you are moving elsewhere. In most things in Canada, it's the province you live in that dictates rules, regs and policies rather than being in Canada itself.

carcajou

You will want her to start at the beginning of the Canadian school year.

Oakvillian

There are good arguments for starting at the beginning of the school year, but there's also a strong case to be made for coming before the end of the previous year and enrolling in school before the summer break. Not only will you be certain which grade - and which school - she will be in at the beginning of the next academic year (and won't go through the scramble of "is there a place available in that grade at that school" that sometimes happens in oversubscribed school districts), but there will also be opportunities to meet classmates before school breaks up, and therefore more likely to have somebody to hang out with over the summer, rather than being stuck missing old Aus friends until school starts up again in September.

Frankly, as she's only in Grade 3, I'd move when it best suits your whole family, and don't sweat what it will mean for your daughter. Kids are resilient - she'll be fine whichever way you choose to go. I'd imagine the curriculum is sufficiently different that even if she "repeats" half a grade there will not actually be much repeated instruction, and if there is then she'll already know the answers!

scilly

Oakvillian has a great point about arriving here in May or June, before the end of the school year, so she gets an early start on meeting friends.

and the curriculum is likely to be pretty different ...................... for one thing she might have to learn to speak Canajun

Allie73

If you moved in May or June, you could consider putting her in day camp for a week or more in July and/or August so she can meet some kids. You register them by the week and they usally run form 9am to 4pm. They won't necessarily be kids she will go to school with, but it would keep her busy and social. Have a look in the area where you're moving because there are almost certainly a lot of camps to choose from with themes like various sports, arts, nature, technology etc. Some of the grocery stores (Superstore and Longos where I live) have one-day cooking camps.

Aviator

Come in April and have back to back summers!

Tangram

Advantage in not coming over in the summer, there will be administration staff at schools to help with any questions.