victoriab

Hi,

We are hoping to be in NZ in August (if the house sale goes through OK) and I am wondering which school years my boys will be going into. I know the school year runs February to December.
My elder son has an October Birthday and is just about to finish Year 5 in the UK (he's currently 10, will be 11 in October).
My younger son has a May Birthday and is just about to finish Year 4 here (he has just turned 9).
Any pointers would be great. Thanks.

Lizaberry

Just wanted to give your post a 'bump' cos I would be interested to know too (if you don't mind me coming along for the ride!). My children at the time of our intended arrival in NZ in 2010 will be 12 (as at April 10) and 14 (as at Oct 09)

Thanks for asking such a relevant question, LB

TeamEmbo

The school year starts in February. It is split into four terms, each lasting 10 weeks and then a two week break. There are two winter terms and two summer terms, so the school year starts with a summer term, then 2 winter terms and another summer term ending with Christmas.

Children in NZ start school on their 5 birthday whenever that falls so there are no set intakes throughout the year.

When we came over (2 yrs ago) my kids started school in June. My son, aged 11, was just finishing UK Year 6. He was put in Year 7 here and did the remaining 2 terms of that before moving up to Year 8 the following February.

My daughter was just finishing UK Year 7 (her first year at high school) and she went into Year 8 here (last year of senior primary/intermediate). Her birthday is in October and she is 14 now and in year 10 here (second year of high school).

So the class tends to be the same age but it seems that kids from the UK seem to get put into the next class up as they are generally further ahead academically. Least, that was our experience. My two found the first year at school here a breeze and were getting top marks for everything.

Hope this helps.

southerner

There are no fixed rules, but at our school they are starting to use 31 March as a cut off for birthdays.

So he would be year 6.

And he would be year 4.

Lizaberry

So, what is the scenario then if my eldest will be 16 in June 2010 and will finish Y11 in the UK. What will happen if we should arrive in NZ after this? He is currently in a special school and am doing my best to delay our move until he completes Y11, but will worry that NZ may expect him to repeat Y11 cos of this March cut-off.

Thanks, LB

MOSO

The best thing to do is to email a school in NZ and ask them. I haven't been able to fathom out a rule as such.

My daughter is also 9 just about to finish year 4 (April birthday) and we've been told by 3 schools that she will go into year 5 for this year.

My son is 6 in year 2 (but a July birthday) and we've been told he'll stay in year 2 this year and move up to year 3 next Jan. However, when we went for our reccie and the kids spent a morning at school we were told he'd probably go into the year above as he was further ahead because he'd started reception in the UK at the grand old age of 4 and 1 month whereas in NZ they don't start till 5.

One things for certain, it seems a lot more flexible (and confusing) than the UK.

Am Loolah

I think Southerner was saying just their school is starting to use the March cut off - every school is different.

Both schools that our kids started at were flexible and left it up to us whether the kids went up a year or repeated the 2 terms they had already done in the UK. With them, we decided they would repeat the previous 2 Terms so as to take the pressure off academically and enable them to settle in socially. This worked very well for them - they basically coasted through their first year here.

I would say, with your planned move being some time away and dependent on a job offer you would need to investigate the flexibility of the local schools to the area you choose in the end.

Sorry to not be more specific.

You may all find this site useful;

http://www.tki.org.nz/e/schools/

southerner

Its all very easy to be thinking that you need to get them into the highest class possible, maybe because on the face of it they seem to be ahead of their age peers in NZ (perhaps because they've been schooled longer, or whatever). But please also do weigh up how they will fit in with their classmates. That probably needs to be looked at when you visit the schools themselves, and you can bet that will be what the teachers/principals will be looking at.

southerner

Our school has gone to a cutoff the last 2 years because it avoids them having to argue the toss the hole time. Its a shame they have had to go that way, but I can understand it too - parents these days are very pushy.

Lizaberry

Do they have the same school leaving age in NZ, then? Is there the same expectation of them going on to further education and do they have traineeship/apprenticeship type programmes through the careers service like in the UK?

It is a shame that they do not start school until 5 as my daughter who is just over 2, will be starting nursery in April 2010 and if we move after she has completed her first term, it will be a shame that she will have to wait nearly 18 months before she starts school. Is there no provision at all for the U5's?

Thanks for the info so far, it has been really useful and quite thought provoking, LB

Am Loolah

3 and 4 year olds can get 20 hours free childcare a week from a registered childcare provider. There is quite a useful website called something like kiwifamilies - try googling it.

They can leave school at 15, before they do their NCEA Level 1. Alternatively, they can leave at 16, after their NCEA Level 1. Some do that and then go on to do nothing. Some do that and go in to work. Some do that and go on to polytech or a vocational type training.

Hopefully, they stay on to take their NCEA Level 2 at 18 and the on to Poly or Uni.

Basically they are like O and A Levels.

marbles

NCEA level 1 is equivalent to Gcse's.
NCEA Level 2 is equivalent to AS (which in the UK is usuallly studied in year 12 and the modules can either be awarded or carried on to year 13 so that they can achieve an A'level qualification).
NCEA Level 3 is equivalent to A2 (which means year 13 in the UK and the students who have passed thier AS modules and their A2 modules can recieve the award of an A Level when they have completed them).

Quite often you can get students studying different levels at the same time for example native speakers of Japanese could pass NCEA Level 3 in year 11 and the schools are quite good at speeding students up if they appear to be ready for it. I found most core subjects were studied at the correct time apart from the odd overseas student who was put in a higher maths class.

Hope that all made sense!

BEVS

There is exactly the same expectation for teenagers to go onto Uni. if they wish to.

Apprenticeships are far more common here and the norm.


edit...add link

Perhaps contact Jen Birch re. Asperger in NZ.
She is Asperger herself.

Lizaberry

Do any of you have any experiences to share about children you have or know of that have/had special needs with their education both in school and after they left education. I am getting increasingly concerned that my son with his Apergers may hold back our plans, so need to get as much information together as I can.
Thanks, LB

BEVS

a cross-posting. I will repost this for you to keep in context.


I'm not certain where on the spectrum she comes. She was undiagnosed until attending Auckland Uni I think. This would point to me that perhaps she is lower down the spectrum than your son who has displayed behaviours which led to him being excluded from his mainstream school.

I worked at a Hesley Group school for Asperger boys in Lymington for quite a while. These lads had been statemented by EA's. Were mostly high functioning. Displayed an assortment of very challenging behaviours.

I am unaware of a similar special needs school here for this but that doesn't mean there isn't something out there.

Also contact Autism NZ. They will be able to let you know about training progs. etc.

Out of interest, which side of the family has the traits. Yours or his Dads? Just being nosey.