going back to school age 17

[Guest ozziespurs]

Hi!

 

Can anyone please tell me if it's possible for my son to go back to school again, he has just turned 17 and we are coming over 1st Sept. He has not done well in gcse's and went to college for a year to do ict only to realise it's not him. He knows school is his last option and hat's off to him is prepared to do year 11 and 12 if it's possible to get sace please can someone advise us.

Many Thanks.

[Guest Tracey]

Hi, we are flying out 6th September, my son also 17 and just finished his second year at college and was also considering going back a year and going back to school. My understanding is that they can do this, but I'll bet there are loads of people on here who will advise you better than me, i've been looking into it also. Keep us posted and good luck.

[Guest ozziespurs]

Hi!

 

Thanks for answering, what a coincidence my son's Ben too, where abouts in Adelaide are you heading too? Quite like the idea of Hallett Cove but don't know for sure, I suppoose it depends on where the work for sparkies too be found. Good luck.

[Guest Tracey]

AAh, bens, don't ya just love em. lol. not sure where we are going yet. I have job at Queens Elizabeth Hospital so may be south west of there. But you never know, never been to Adelaide before so will be doing quite a lot of driving around once there. My OH a plasterer so he will be looking for work also. all the bestest of luck, perhaps we could meet up once there

[Rachiegarlo]

yep you can put him in yr 11 for the rest of this year. By this age group, no one cares much whether you are a little bit older, the age ranges for each yr can vary by nearly a year anyway. Your son can just be a kid at school for a little while longer. Our teenagers tend to grow up a bit slower( of course there are some who dont) and stay at home longer. they are considered as kids of the family usually well into their early 20s.

[Young Flinny]

If he's not done well with his GCSE's and realised college isn't for him I'd get him working.

[Guest ozziespurs]

The reason he didn't do well in his GCSE was partly our fault, we applied for visa 2007 way before he started his exams, he didn't think we'd be here so let his course work go down hill and when he did his exams it was his course work what let him down, when he knew we were going to be here for a while due to not being able to sell the house he decided he wanted to go back to school but was refused as his grades weren't good enough. He's just so mixed up at the moment doesn't know what he wants to do, but he does want to get qualifications. You say put him to work, what employer will look at him with no qualifications. He knows this is his last chance and at least he is prepared to go back to school and try again,hopefuly learning from his mistakes.

[Rachiegarlo]

no, to send him to work here would make it harder to make friends and to settle. Most kids of his age here are still at school, and the ones that aren't have networks of friends already.

[Guest kellyp]

Hi

 

It's hard enough for young adults to know what they want to do without the prospect of a move to the other side of the world thrown into the equation. I think qualifications, in whatever field, are important. Whatever your son does now doesn't mean he has to do forever anyway, I re-trained as a teacher aged 33!! School would be a great place for his to begin to build his social life and make friends, who knows if there will be people even remotely around his age if he goes to work. He sounds like a good lad who wants to to the right thing and his best, I wish him every bit of luck whatever he decides. Best of luck for the big move out here. Any ideas where you will be based?

 

Kelly

[Guest BraduZ]

heyy! i went to school! and dropped out over here being 18! the schools are no where near as good as english schools! just to laid back! but hey thats aussi's! i have decided to go home, because i hate it here, its to laid back, and for someone my age I find it depressing here, its not that i dont have any friends, because i do! i have alot, but its still not good enough for me! england is better than adelaide, ok more crime but i would rather live with crime that live here in this hillbilly place!! thanks god im off!!

[bill]

heyy! i went to school! and dropped out over here being 18! the schools are no where near as good as english schools! just to laid back! but hey thats aussi's! i have decided to go home, because i hate it here, its to laid back, and for someone my age I find it depressing here, its not that i dont have any friends, because i do! i have alot, but its still not good enough for me! england is better than adelaide, ok more crime but i would rather live with crime that live here in this hillbilly place!! thanks god im off!!

 

Well Brad, judging from your grammar, you would be well advised to enrol in one of those fabulous English non-hillbilly schools ASAP!

[Guest ozziespurs]

In that case judging by what you've just said will suit Ben down to a tee, as he is a very laid back quiet lad himself, as anyone say's who knows him any more laid back he'd be horizontal. He has had quite a lot to contend with since we first told him of this move, apart from his exams he was made to find a home for his dog who he loved, and also he is leaving his biological father who he has just formed a bond with after 16 years. Luckily he's not worried about leaving his mates as he's not that close to them anyway, we did give him the choice before starting this process and he really want's to go just didn't think it would take so long.

[bill]

In that case judging by what you've just said will suit Ben down to a tee, as he is a very laid back quiet lad himself, as anyone say's who knows him any more laid back he'd be horizontal. He has had quite a lot to contend with since we first told him of this move, apart from his exams he was made to find a home for his dog who he loved, and also he is leaving his biological father who he has just formed a bond with after 16 years. Luckily he's not worried about leaving his mates as he's not that close to them anyway, we did give him the choice before starting this process and he really want's to go just didn't think it would take so long.

 

Yeah, sorry about that. No need for my post really. We naturalised Adelaideans can be quite sensitive to criticism of our remote little outpost!

Good luck to Ben, and at least he can say he has tried it.

Bill

[Guest BraduZ]

actually its called slang! youth to day spell things differant being on the internet! and actualy i completed school in england! and got 3 A's 2 B's and a C so i think ok, so thanks for your concern, but its **** here, and hillbilly town, like the deliverance!!! i pitty all the pommes being over here!

[Rachiegarlo]

Brad maybe you would find the Gold coast or sydney more to your tastes. England is always going to be there but a young person like you should travel around and see what is here before you head back to England. Over the years in England I heard so many people who wished they had come here not necessaraly to live but to see all the things you don't get any where else. Team up with a bunch of backpackers and go have an adventure before settling back in the uk.

[Guest Tracey]

That is damn fine advice. You are so right. We have told our 17 year old to go backpacking when he is a little older as Australia is fabulous to explore, especially with friends on the backpacking scene. My husband did it at 26 before he met me and has loved the place ever since.

[Guest katsmajic]

My teens went back to school here, both dropped out within months - not the schools fault at all it was them - both are now enrolled at TAFE/college, daughters doing ok @ 16, 18 yr old is bumming along.

Completing year 11 is a major thing here to get into courses at TAFE, at job wise its essential.

From our experience to get a part time job as a teen you need to be in some form of education - boys not got a job - not that hes tried that hard and daughters only had employment whilst shes studying.

Ozzies may be laid back but they dont like bums.

[lorluc]

Completing year 11 is a major thing here to get into courses at TAFE, at job wise its essential.

 

Not strictly true.

 

My daughter never finished year 11.....she tried for 6 months and just didnt cope with the transition from UK to OZ school. We tried 2 high schools...the first one didnt help her much....all was going well at the second one, until she contracted Glandular Fever and missed so much, so dropped out.

 

There are TAFE courses you can get into without having completed Year 11. My daughter did a beauty/hairdressing course, and had no problems with getting in...but of course it will depend on the course and what requirements they ask for.

 

She started her career in hairdressing which ended in disaster after being used and abused by a salon...cant go into details, but it was not a pleasant time for her...and totally ruined any desire she had to be a hairdresser.

 

Fortunately, not long after we arrived in Australia (end of 2005), she secured part-time work at the local Foodland....so she had a good working record to use to apply for other jobs.

 

She has now been working at Stratco for 18 months and is doing very well. Earns very good money.....has a lovely sporty little car.....pays her way in life and has grown up heaps!!

 

And this is all without any qualifications at all!!!! So...dont panic...it can be done..

 

xx

[Guest harper210267]

My son will be 17 in November and is just about to go to 6th form to do 5 A levels.

We are probably loking at going July now,a she wants to finish his 1st year in 6th form and get his AS levels.

Will he be able to go straight into school until they leave that term?

What will happen next? Can he go to a college over there?

I think it's important that he has at least a term or 2 before he leaves their school system.

My other sone will not be too bad, ad he will eb in Year 10.

So an I right? If we go in July, he'll have a term or 2 left to do with an Adelaide school??