Secondary education - need some help fast please!!

**helenrimmer** · 22-08-2011, 09:47 PM

Hi, I have gone through old posts re schooling etc - I have an issue that I need to try and sort out - We have our visas and are planning to come over March 2012 - My eldest daughter who is now 16 has just done all her GCSE's etc, she is now planning to go to college to do 4 A Levels - I am trying hard to find out what would happen when we arrive in Oz as to what happens to her? She would be approaching 17 - she would have got her all GCSE's (Predicted all A*'s) and would have done 2 terms studying for her 4 A levels - so my question is - where would she go? School or College? Could she then a year later at 18 be able to go to Uni - would her GCSE results be taken into account over in OZ? Could she join college in Macrh 2012 and continue with the Oz equivalent of A Levels??? She is stressing about it all and is saying that she may stay here now and do 2 years at college and then maybe come out to Uni over in Oz - But I want her obviously to come with us next year! If I can be armed with facts about what would happen for her when we arrive she may feel better - I have been on various eduation sites but sooo confusing I have a HUGE headache!! So hoping that you guys can help!!!

**loopylisa** · 22-08-2011, 10:25 PM

They dont have a GCSE equivalent. They have SACE(South Australian Certificate of Education) which is equivalent to A levels. She would need to do this before she could go to uni but you can also go to uni via TAFE qualifications. I really dont feel qualified to give you too many details as my move at aged 15 was from the Australia back to the UK and i missed half of the GCSE course, I still managed to get 7 A-C grades and then go on to get AAB at A level. Be under no illusion aged 17 will be a difficult age for her to change her education and it is going to require alot of hard work on her part, you and her need to be prepared for this.

**loopylisa** · 22-08-2011, 10:30 PM

This looks helpful http://www.sace.sa.edu.au/the-sace/s...rseas-students

**loopylisa** · 22-08-2011, 10:36 PM

Oh and also the SACE tends to be 'broader' than our A levels. So if she is thinking about options for A level I would say stick to English. Maths and Science even if these arent her 'favourite' it will more closely match the broader curriculum of SACE i.e dont let her take psychology, sociology, film studies etc. Says she with two Psychology degrees :jimlad: or maybe urge her to do only one option like this but make sure she has core subjects

**Janine and Richard** · 22-08-2011, 10:48 PM

Hi
We moved here with a 15year old who had just started his GCSE's in the Sept and we moved in the Nov and we had an 18 year old who had completed his GCSE's and had completed one year of his A level's. The GCSE's will go towards the SACE year 1 which is year 11 here. If your daughter goes back to school for one year and gets her year 12 SACE level 2 she will have an Australian qualification that is recognised and she will be able to go to uni depending on the level she achieve's. We convinced our 18year old who was one of the oldest in the year to go back to school. He had a ball made some great friends and had another prom! Hope this helps.
Regards Janine

**Rachiegarlo** · 22-08-2011, 11:04 PM

Plus there are no colleges like in the UK sense. Year 11 and 12, the final 2 years of school are completed at high school. They are not set apart from the high schools. There are a couple of adult style colleges where she could also enrol to do her SACE, but it may be more difficult to make friends as these students only attend when they need to. If she is really worrying about the curriculum then you could have a look at the textbooks used for subjects here in yr 12 and see how she feels. Typical textbooks can be found here. www.Campion.com.au just click on SA options and click on a school. Most are privates on this list so list their text books that they use on the order form. As said before though, principles of sciences and maths and English don't really change, so these might be the way to go.

**helenrimmer** · 23-08-2011, 01:23 PM

Thank you all for your help and advice - I will keep ploughing on and find more info etc and hopefully persuade her to come with us next year!! Luckily we have PR visas so if she decides to stay in the uK for a bit longer she can always join us down the line once she has finsihed her A Levels - Thanks again all of you xx

**Diane** · 23-08-2011, 11:18 PM

I guess the nearest to what I would call "Sixth Form College" here are places like USC, Eynesbury, and Marden Senior College - http://www.usc.adelaide.edu.au/
http://www.eynesbury.sa.edu.au/
http://www.mardensc.sa.edu.au/

But like Rachel says above, harder to make new friends there I guess.

I know people that go to USC and Eynesbury (in Year 11 this year, aged 17ish) - they are both fee paying schools but both girls seem to have settled really well.

**candylis** · 22-01-2012, 11:28 PM

It might be easier if she stays to do her A levels, because you need SACE and ATAR for uni but she could always go into TAFE, the problem is some schools start their SACE in yr 10. To do a compulsory PLP. Then in Yr 11 you start the rest of the SACE and you finish in year 12. You need to be able to get 200 credits and some compulsory subjects.

You should also check if the A levels can get her into uni./TAFE.

But if that doesnt work out there is a thing called the STAT test and 18 you can take it and get into uni, because it asses the basics like Enhlish and Math.

**Rachiegarlo** · 23-01-2012, 12:31 AM

A level results will be created into an ATAR score for uni enterance. GCSE results can be credited towards SACE credits for yr 11. There are two compulsory components to our SACE, but she would be able to do these in yr 11 and 12 like the international students who come to do yr 11 and 12.