mhodgson

Hi everyone,
We are due to move to NZ in December/January and our eldest will be 17 in Jan.
Can anyone shed some light on his education options as he is beginning to fret about what he will do.

Many thanks
MH

luvwelly

Is it absolutely necessary to force a move of country and system at this important stage in their life?

AH30

It all depends where you live and what he wants to study.

Kate Rayner

Hi,

In the time I was there (and hopefully when I get back!!) I did a little bit of tutoring (I'm a science/biology teacher in the UK) I tutored a year 12 lad. It's almost like AS levels here. Will your son be part way through AS levels? As term in NZ starts in Feb so it'll prob be best he starts the course in NZ rather than trying to convert?? (Others might know more about this!) I found this site........

http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/ncea/

useful in my prep. as it gave me exam dates to focus on and past papers etc. It's the education site for NZ. Your son will be on NCEA level 2 (If he would be due to go into year 12 in the UK) You will need to get your son enrolled in a school so he's ready to start the term in Feb 2011.

Where abouts are you going?

Hope all goes well.

Kate

killercat

HI,
we are moving over in August this year after my daughter finishes her GCSEs, we have spoken to Orewa school and Takkauna who have adviced that she can start school or attend colledge, most people appear to stay in school until they are 18 and compleat their exams (some schools offer the cambridge style A levels). the other alternative is to attend a local college or look at employment options.
what area are you looking at?

Jacki

Wooly_Cow

I got a job here when our eldest was 17. We decided it was best for her to stay in the UK with the family, to complete her A levels. It meant I was here for a year on my own but she did really well (straight A's) and is now at a very good uni. The family also, whilst finding the year apart very hard, are closer than ever.

We explored what to do for her if she had come here, and to be honest there were no easy choices. Basically she would have had to go back a year and start her Level 2/3 courses again. We explored the Cambridge 'A' level option here but were told the courses are not transferable.

Her brother on the other hand came with us and got here half way through his Level 1 final year. This was our mistake as we put him up a year over here by not undertstanding that although the accademic year goes from Feb-Dec, the cut off for birthdays is June.

However despite being homesick and missing his friends and girlfriend an awful lot, he caught up the time he missed and got an overall Merit (just 5 credits short of an Excellence). He is now studying Level 2 / 3 here.

If your son wants to go to universtity and college, please be aware that once he is living here, despite British citizenship, he must pay International fees at any UK university. Furthermore if you don't have residency here, you will pay International fees here too...and when the law changes (not sure when but due soon), you will need to have two years residency to qualify for 'local' course fees. Oh and to get 'local' or Commonwealth fees in an Aussie Uni, you need to be a Kiwi citizen.

crap coffee

I agree with luvwelly.

Personally I think its a bad idea. I wouldn't do it if I had a kid.

NZ -> UK is OK

UK-> NZ IS Big No No.

I came here (16 years old ?) half way through my secondary school (I was in Japan at that time), and it was like a nightmare, you can't imagine how difficult it was. I became slightly depressed (not just because of language - it's a Sensitive/Critical Period in life...) and my personality has changed too - not in a good way.

please re-think about options, and (reality). Its a life changing decision. (your son might/maybe be ok here tho....)

Charismatic

I moved after I finished by GCSEs and went off to university to get myself an edumucation (which is going real weller than I espected). Would suggest just leaving school and jumping to university at the same time if the lad has a fair idea of what he wants to study (One great thing about NCEA being so rubbish is that universities are really slack on prerequisites).

I don’t see what you are all so negative about there is massive freedom in NZ at 17. Get a car/motorcycle/van (cheap petrol and insurance!) to enjoy the long summer holidays on road trips and going to concerts. Kiwi girls are generally fun and easily charmed. Weed and booze are cheap and easily available .

My only suggestion, as I always suggest to people prior to moving, is to make adequate financial provision. You cannot underestimate the difference in quality of life, we really do rate behind Slovenia in per capita income and it shows .

*Shrug* are you not your own person making your own decisions? Of course that makes me dislike my parents more, now I don’t live with them I have no legitimate reason to lay blame on them .

mhodgson

Many thanks to all for the replies so far. Some useful info and interesting view points.

We are commited to moving, baring major problems, but we are not sure where yet- it depends on the job. He is just finishing his GCSE's here and will go into Year 12 here, in September.
As I see it he would start year 12 in New Zealand (Feb), effectively restarting the year.
I guess it is just a matter of waiting and then contacting a school to get options and/or enroll him.

skybluestu

Hi mhodgeson

We are hopefully moving to NZ in late September with a 13 Girl and 17 (year 12 – first year of sixth form) boy.
My wife will be working at a university and her new colleagues have told us that our son can apply to join a university at 17 / 18. Luckily our sons school do their GCSE,s in Year 10 and do extra AS levels in 11,12. We are sending over his AS points and GCSE results and they will convert them to the NZ system for us. So hopefully so he will not have to do school for another year.
If you need more clarity send me a PM and i will ask the wife to explain as she understands the system and has had the conversation with the Uni.

Stuart

Charlie Paynter

Is this bloke for real!

killercat

Hiya, this is a copy of the email i recieved from Orewa High school re my daughter starting, we are hopefully moving on the 1st August and she wants to start straight away so she can meet people asap.

Hi Jacki,
Your daughter could commence when you move in to our school area. Our term 3 ends 24 September and term 4 starts 11 October. She could do work for Level 1 to finish the year and would have English, Maths and Science and choose 4 option subjects according to availability. Our school year finishes for the senior external exams on 10 November. The new year starts 1 or 2 February 2011. Your daughter would do year 12 next year, level 2 NCEA and have English and Maths and choose 5 option subjects. All of these subjects may be discussed at the time of the enrolment interview when you arrive.

I look forward to hearing from you closer to your arrival. re: school fees, Will you have residency or a work permit , in which case will your daughter have a student visa?

Wooly_Cow

Sorry I think I got it wrong about local fees and international fees. I was thinking about Student loans and grants...see below

For those of you wanting/using student loans to study in NZ, I've just been sent a letter indicating changes that have just been made to it:

The Government announced changes to Student Loan eligibility in May 2010 that may affect your Student Loan entitlement:

To get a Student Loan for study starting on or after 1 January 2011, students need to have held permanent resident status for at least two years, lived in New Zealand for at least two years and be ordinarily resident in New Zealand.

It doesn't affect current loans for 2010.

Check out studylink.gov.nz for further details

Charismatic

It is New Zealand you know...

Linky to the stats: http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/li...e-cannabis-use

Charlie Paynter

So there is wide abuse of cannabis in NZ. But why give it a thumbs up for a seventeen year old? I am sure that parents of teenagers thinking about coming over to NZ will not consider cannabis as a benefit to their kids!