jimf

I'm looking at schools in Calgary for 3 children starting September 2009.

According to the rules for starting school, depending on the date of birth, it appears there could be a difference of a year when a child starts school. I have an idea which grade the children would go into but I'd be interested if anyone could tell me what they think.

When I rang the Calgary school board the admissions depart was shut (until July 20) and they wouldn't offer me any opinion on the general information line.

The dates of birth are:

Dec 1997
Sept 1999
Mar 2002

They did tell me that no schools in Calgary are capped right now. If anyone has had a different experience for admission this September it would be good to hear about that also.

Almost Canadian

7
5
2

The cut off time is March 1 of each year

jimf

7, 5, 2 is what I thought also.

In the UK they would be going into Y 7, 5, 3. So in Calgary the youngest would be going back a year. It is only a matter of 3 days so we shall have to see if there is any flexibility in going into G3 instead

Almost Canadian

When we arrived my youngest was one of the oldest in her class about to start reception in England. She missed the cut off date for kindergarten over here by a matter of weeks, so had to wait until the following September to begin. She is one of the youngest in her class now but seems to be doing OK.

It is entirely a matter for you whether you attempt to put your youngest in the next grade up - there are loads of arguments both ways. We decided not too and are happy with that decision.

Best of luck

TomHoney

although its none of my buisness why push for 3.

Having been in school semi recently I would say It would be much better being the oldest in the grade than the youngest.

Almost Canadian

True, but we wished to keep her within her appropriate "Grade".

I wouldn't push for 3, I would keep him/her in 2.

Sam-in-Okotoks

My daughter has a 31st August birthday, in the UK she was the youngest in class and she some what struggled. In Okotoks she went back one year and the results have been fantastic, she is now very confident at school and her average test results for all subjects was over 85%. We are so pleased for her and she loves school here.
Sam

anne-ireland

My youngest went back into kindergarden here, after starting full time in Ireland. It didn't seem to make much difference, except she regressed slightly back into baby ways. However i think it gave her that time to settle without too much pressure.

Again a matter of choice
Anne

misplacedheidi

Cut off in Kingston ON is Dec 31st. Kids born Jan and Feb so are still in appropriate grade but are the eldest. As Canadian kids start later reading and writing we thought about moving them up but really, it is much better to be the oldest than the youngest in the grade, particularly when moving countries IMHO.
Glad we left them where they were.

HTH

tioram

We're going to have a similar problem with our eldest who will have completed Year 2 before we leave but would be going into Grade 2 in Canada, effectively repeating a year.

Having spoken to her teacher here at home who knows my daughter very well but isn't terribly familiar with the Canadian curriculum, he suggested we should try and push for Grade 3 instead of repeating 2.

Given that it seems that the core academic subjects (reading, writing, math etc.) are introduced a little later than they are here in the UK then it's probably quite reasonable to complete UK Year 2 and move into Canada Grade 3.

I guess the only other factor is the social side of things. My daughter is quite mature for her age (always looking up to the older girls) so I imagine she would feel quite comfortable as one of the youngest in her year. She's also very competitive and thrives in a more challenging environment, and I worry that she would lose that if she spent a year doing work she has largely done already.

It's horses for courses at the end of the day. Every child is different. You know your kids better than anyone so perhaps the best approach is to find out more about the Canadian curriculum and decide yourself how best your children will fit in.

Almost Canadian

Canadian "school" is nothing like English "school" For example, in Kindergarten children are expected to be able to make presentations to the entire class - to get up and speak in front of the entire class about various things. This can take the form of "Show and tell" (where they bring something from home and talk about it) and the like. Most of the children over here can do this will little difficulty at all. I can't imagine many first year students in England being able to do so. Not because of a lack of ability, but because, In England, they don't experience having to do so and so, naturally, are shy when asked to do so.

Our children have been taught in Canada to "think" about subjects much more than the "learn by rote" that appeared to be the norm in England.

My children have not indicated to me that they have had to "repeat" their learnings. After all, reading is reading - if you child is an advanced reader, they will read more difficult books.

There is a much more holistic approach to learning in Canada than, from our experience, there was in England.

As I said, each to their own.

leepee

Would just back up what AC said.....In his Kindergarten year (just finished) my son made at least one presentation a month....The first couple bothered him a bit but by the end of the year he loved doing it....

I do agree that you all know your own kids and obviously must do what you feel is right but, schools here are a bit different. For example my younger son's b/day is Feb 13th - the cut off for Kindy is the end of Feb (in Calgary). So he could go to Kindergarten in the September whilst he is still 4....However, I am actively encouraged to keep him back that year and let him start the following September when he is already five......Schools and parents here really seem to understand and place a huge value on children just being children....I would say let your kids just cruise a bit for a year - they won't be repeating exactly what they learn in the Uk anyway....As for having my daughter in a class with the older girls....Well frankly that might be fine now but what about in six yrs time or so when all the 'older' girls are into boyfriends etc....You might be less keen on her hanging out with them then!!????

Ultimately Canadian kids seem to do better than UK kids anyway so the schools must know something!!!!

Good luck anyway
L

ann m

I'll agree with everybody - even those with opposing views !

Daughter Number One was bored rigid during her first year here - for maths and literacy stuff - exercises, tests, spellings, etc. Fall-asleep in the class bored. Because she'd already done most of it. The rest of the curriculum was fine however.

Her birth date took her into the Canadian Grade by about 5 days so I probably could have pushed to move her up a grade. BUT, and it is, and was a big BUT - socially she was confident, but still very much 9 years old. She has settled well and has a great circle of friends. I am glad I did not push to move her up a grade. And looking ahead a few more years, I am very glad she will be with kids her own age. She's 11 now and to have been socialising with 12 and 13 year olds constantly might have pushed her and me too far!!

Daughter Number Two has lazy genes - a touch of the "whatever" attitude. Happy, bright, but could not care less if she repeated stuff or not. A much more shy character.

Overall - leaving them in their age-appropriate grades has worked out well. For social awareness, community, empathy, communication, confidence - whatever you want to call it - it's been a good move.

(Academically, hey, I still have my reservations but that's another thread.)

Helen Parnell

The above comments are sooo true and correct. My son was doing class presentations when he came over in grade 4. (He was in grade 5 in the uk ...we decided to go with the same age group) His cousin in the UK couldn't do this when he was 16!!

If you do decide to move your child up a grade at 7 years old, how is that going to affect them at 16/17/18 when their friends are going off to do things they are not old enough to do.

Of course going to university at 17 might be a great thing for them, then finish the degree earlier at 21 and then start work till you are 65!!

Children can be children, there is no need for us parents to push them to speed up their educaton, they will learn at their own level.

Alberta_Rose

You might find this helpful to give you a better idea of what the curriculum includes http://education.alberta.ca/parents/resources.aspx

You know your own child best, but in general I agree with those who don't worry about their child "repeating a year" (it's really mostly not the same anyway), and allow them to acclimatise to a new environment with kids their own ages ....