sparkywater

We intend moving over in June/July 2012 after my daughter has finished her GCSE's at the end of year 11. We think and hope she will go on to year 12 & 13 in New Zealand, I would like her to start school shortly after arrival to assist in making new friends etc. As the school year in NZ starts in January she would effectively be resitting her last six months. In light of this would she be expected to sit exams again at the end of the NZ year 11 having done hardly any of the course work? I know this a pretty dull post but it is one of the many what if questions that I am being asked by the wife and kids.
Cheers in advance for any help

Tomsk

You're in exactly the same position, school wise, I mean, as we were last year. Son sat GCSEs in England, we flew out mid June once he'd finished them. We'd already done the groundwork with the local schools via email before we arrived, so that first week we arranged school visits, bought school uniforms etc, and my children were in the schools of their choice by the 2nd week . 3rd & 4th weeks were the schools end of term 2 week July holiday

We had chatted at length with the year 11 Dean about which year group to put our son into, the general feeling was that going into year 12 when they were already a good half way through their NCEA2 work, and had already achieved a good number of credits for assessed coursework which he'd just never be able to make up, would just be too difficult for him. So he went back into year 11 and it was very much the right thing to do for him, in that he was able to concentrate on settling in, making friends, and coping with different syllabuses & teaching styles. He sat a combination of NCEA1s & Cambridge GCSEs at the end of year 11, but there was no pressure on him. He just did them because his friends were, but it was his GCSE marks that were looked at when he applied for subjects in year 12. Then in Feb he went into year 12, and is doing just fine

That said the school was very flexible, had we pushed for him to go into year 12 I think that could have happened, and certainly they said that if they'd judged him to be able enough to do well in year 12 they'd have moved him up. Sadly he put so much effort into settling in...to the soccer team....that his school work seemed to come second

Good luck with the process

sparkywater

[QUOTE=Tomsk;7887243]

Thanks for that another tick in the box.