Some school questions!

[Guest BarmyRockChick]

My son is nearly 15 (March) and about to enter year 10 at his UK secondary school, he'll then be starting his options. We're in the process of discussing a move to Adelaide which if we're elidgable etc we'd look at going next year. I was wondering when the new school year starts there? It's september here but obviously with the summer and winter the other way around it'd be different, we'd like to try and judge it so we arrived and put the kids in school when the new started to make it easier on them. My daughter is nearly 5 so would be starting primary school and would obviously find it easier to settle in than her older brother!

Brad is making a fuss already (and we're only in the dicussion stages!) about moving away but we feel that at the end of the day it would actually be better for him as well as us and his sister.

I was also wondering if there was a problem with bullying regards being British and living in Australia? When we lived in Tenerife for 7 years Brad had a terrible time which was in fact one of the reasons we went home to the Uk, I'm sure this is one of the things that bothers him about our potential move.

Did anyone else move with a teen around the same age and did it take much time for them to settle in and make friends or were they homesick for ages?

Neither me or my partner are that close to our families so that wouldn't be a huge problem, my dad and stepmum and stepbrother would come out to visit anyway! I am concerned as I would hate for him to fail at school because we moved him away but at the same time I also wonder if it's better for him to have time at school as it would help him make friends? Also my other half is 41 this year so we would have to get a shift on age wise (I'm 34 this year so I'm ok!).

Any advice, personal stories etc I'd be grateful for! Oh and sorry for the essay!!

 

Jo

[Guest dglamoore]

Here are the school term dates for the next few years Most schools take enrolments pretty much at any time so you do not have to start at the beginning of the year

 

Have your kids found the kids section on here yet? Great way for them to make friends in the same boat as them

 

Lisa:cool:

[Guest Zippy]

Hi Jo,

 

I can't offer any advice re the fitting into school side of things, sorry (except that schools here are becoming increasingly tough on bullying - lots of awareness).

 

Most schools would begin their year in January. The exact date varies between public, private, high school, primary school. I know Lisa posted about school dates but I couldn't see them in her post (am I blind?? ). Here is a website with the info:

http://www.decs.sa.gov.au/custserve/pages/default/pubhols/

Which basically says that the date to begin the school year next year is the 29th of January.

 

By the way, I suppose your son would enter year 10 here as well. Most students turn 16 in year 10.

 

Cheers,

Zippy

[Guest Roo1]

Hi Jo,

 

I know its a huge decision for you and your family to make and of course you are going to be worried about how your kids fit in.

But to reassure you, thousands of families come out each year with kids of all ages. Schools here are used to kids starting mid term and accademically will assess your son to see where best he will fit in. It may take some swapping and changing to get it exactly right but thats what teachers are trained to do.

 

I don't know about high school but I'm involved in a LAP scheme in Hallett Cove Primary school where we focus in on children with "needs", this could be anything from low self esteem to forming friendships with others. Its more emotionally based than academic.

Its becoming a popular scheme and if not already in high schools, it will be in the near future.

 

What I'm saying is, is that schools have an awareness of children's emotional well being here and will try out different strategies to get your son involved in school life and in turn making new friends.

He's at an impressionable age and you are right to plan ahead with this. When you have decided on an area where to live, write an email or phone the headmaster and discuss your worries. I'm sure, if they are aware, they'll have strategies in place for when you arrive.

Good luck

I'm only a PM away if you want to keep in touch.

Judi xx

[Guest BarmyRockChick]

Thank you everyone, I do feel better, it's hard to explain how traumatic some the treatment my son recived in the Canaries was, it was made a lot worse however by the teachers actually joining in! Teachers over there would call an English child to the front of the class and call them names for the pupils to join in with, I know Oz is alot more civilised than that and would never expect it to be that bad but for Brad I think it coloured what he thinks living in another country can be like. A woman in a park actually slapped around the face because she didn't want an english boy talking to her kids!

 

The school term starting times were helpful, I don't think with the best will in the world we'd be able to come by Janurary next year so knowing that alot of children start mid-term is helpful. Our youngest is 5 in November, she's very confident (too much so sometimes!) and makes friends easily so I would think she'd settle fine. Brad is due to take an early GCSE in Spanish at his school, does the Australian curriculum allow for this as well?

 

Personally I think that once Brad was there and settled and making new friends he'd be pleased that we moved, there really isn't much future here anymore. He'll find it easy to stay in touch with his mates over here anyway with email etc, me and other half have emailed a couple of agents for advice on if they think we're in with a chance, should hear in the next few days and then we'll need to make our minds up, start planning and saving hard!

 

Thanks again every one!

Jo

[Guest sarahsmartiepants]

My 2 settled in straight away, they were almost 14 and almost 17 when we arrived, they have had no bullying probs at all, some of the teachers say "not another Pom" but it is just joking!

The younger kids tend to learn Japanese, but when they go into yr11 and 12 they can choose other languages.

On the other matter our daughter did not want to come to oz right up to about 3 months before we left, then she realised we were going and quietly seemed to give in, she setled very quick, after 3 days at school she texted to see if she could go ot the movies with some girls!!!

I asked her a few weeks back what she would say if i told her we were going back to the UK...she said "you can go but theres no way I am I will stay here with someone"

Hope that helps, any questions,,,happy to answer them

sarah

[Guest BarmyRockChick]

Well Brad has had a shift in attitude and is as interested in moving to Australia as we are! His little sister is very excited and loves nothing more than looking at pictures online of our potential new home!

Thank you all so much, lots of info helps make everything seem alot less scary for the kids, will introduce him to the kids site at some point and get him to start chatting to other teens in the same boat.

 

Cheers all

Jo

[Guest kendra]

Gday Jo, Theres a very strong anti-bullying policy in all Oz schools. Most kids are friendly and welcoming anyway. A suggestion - these are some Oz bands so Brad will know what they're talking about - if you can chat about music you've got a common topic!

Hilltop Hoods - Wolfmother - Jet - Grinspoon - Regurgitator

good luck!

[Guest Aussiebound]

Hi Jo,

 

I don't know about high school but I'm involved in a LAP scheme in Hallett Cove Primary school where we focus in on children with "needs", this could be anything from low self esteem to forming friendships with others. Its more emotionally based than academic.

Its becoming a popular scheme and if not already in high schools, it will be in the near future.

 

 

 

hi Judi

 

What does the LAP scheme stand for. I am desperate to find out if I will be able to carry on my career when in Australia.

 

I have studied NVQ 2 in childrens care learning and development and am now completing the certificate in child psychology. I am currently employed as a special needs teaching assistant in primary schools working with children with emotional problems. I cannot find any jobs like this on the career pages, what would this be called in Australia, do the schools have TA's etc?

 

Any advice would be grateful!

 

Sarah

[Skittle]

Hi Jo,

 

We have recently arrived in Adelaide and have rented a house in Hallett Cove. My 2 kids are Chloe 10, and Nick 14. Nick had just finished Year 9 when we moved out here, so would have been due to start Year 10 next week. However, the school have placed him in Year 8 which they say is correct for his age (he's only just turned 14). They have said they will assess him for the rest of the year and move him up in January if he is finding the work too easy.

 

Anyway, I digress.......both kids have said that the other pupils have been extremely friendly towards them and they much prefer school here to the UK. I'm sure your son will have no problems at all Jo.

 

Karen

[Guest sarahsmartiepants]

Hi Jo,

 

We have recently arrived in Adelaide and have rented a house in Hallett Cove. My 2 kids are Chloe 10, and Nick 14. Nick had just finished Year 9 when we moved out here, so would have been due to start Year 10 next week. However, the school have placed him in Year 8 which they say is correct for his age (he's only just turned 14). They have said they will assess him for the rest of the year and move him up in January if he is finding the work too easy.

 

Hi Skittle

Will your son be going into yr9 in january? How they work it out here is confusing isnt it? Maybe it is because he has just turned 14, my daughter turned 15 in April while a lot of her friends have or are just turning 16 now! I thought she should have been in the next yr down when we arrived, she seemed to get on ok though! It is hard to work out, my son went back a yr and joined yr11, even so he will be still starting UNI at the same time as his UK friends, just a few months later due to diferent school start dates!

I believe we both know Carol and Rob???

sarah

[Guest LOUISE HANNAH]

My son is nearly 15 (March) and about to enter year 10 at his UK secondary school, he'll then be starting his options. We're in the process of discussing a move to Adelaide which if we're elidgable etc we'd look at going next year. I was wondering when the new school year starts there? It's september here but obviously with the summer and winter the other way around it'd be different, we'd like to try and judge it so we arrived and put the kids in school when the new started to make it easier on them. My daughter is nearly 5 so would be starting primary school and would obviously find it easier to settle in than her older brother!

Brad is making a fuss already (and we're only in the dicussion stages!) about moving away but we feel that at the end of the day it would actually be better for him as well as us and his sister.

I was also wondering if there was a problem with bullying regards being British and living in Australia? When we lived in Tenerife for 7 years Brad had a terrible time which was in fact one of the reasons we went home to the Uk, I'm sure this is one of the things that bothers him about our potential move.

Did anyone else move with a teen around the same age and did it take much time for them to settle in and make friends or were they homesick for ages?

Neither me or my partner are that close to our families so that wouldn't be a huge problem, my dad and stepmum and stepbrother would come out to visit anyway! I am concerned as I would hate for him to fail at school because we moved him away but at the same time I also wonder if it's better for him to have time at school as it would help him make friends? Also my other half is 41 this year so we would have to get a shift on age wise (I'm 34 this year so I'm ok!).

Any advice, personal stories etc I'd be grateful for! Oh and sorry for the essay!!

 

Jo

 

Dear Jo,

 

Im in the same boat as you, we decided to apply for a visa last year, hoping that we would be out in Adelaide by now. My eldest son is 14 and is already in year 10, my youngest just started high school. It is a worry and I dont want to jeopardise his gcse's as you said. I just want to get over there and get them into school asap.

I hope also that someone can give some information.

 

Louise

[Guest laurajarrett]

Hi there,

 

I wonder whether anyone can offer advise, We have a lovely 11 year old boy.

He has auditory processing delay and quite a short term memory.

Also he is very bright with no behaviour problems.

In England he was funded for extra help as he needed it in Primary school and now in year 7 at Secondary school.

Every teacher that I have spoken to about him cant do enough to help him, partly because he is so keen to learn and such a sweetie.

I am very worried about how Australian schools are with special needs.

Can anyone shed any light on this please.

Ps

The schools have formed a report on him from primary & senior school so I can take this along to his new school.

Can you recommend schools and areas?

We are arriving 6th Nov 07

 

Thanks a lot

 

Lauraxxxxxxxx

[Guest sarahsmartiepants]

Dear Jo,

 

Im in the same boat as you, we decided to apply for a visa last year, hoping that we would be out in Adelaide by now. My eldest son is 14 and is already in year 10, my youngest just started high school. It is a worry and I dont want to jeopardise his gcse's as you said. I just want to get over there and get them into school asap.

I hope also that someone can give some information.

 

Louise

My daughter was almost 14 when we arrived, they dont do exams at the same level as GCSEs here at 16. They can either leave school at 16 with no exams or stay at school till they are 18 or there abouts, after completing yrs 11 and 12, At the end of this they will have their SACE, which is a kind of equivilant to A levels, with this exam they can then start UNI

hope that helps

sarah

[Guest LOUISE HANNAH]

My daughter was almost 14 when we arrived, they dont do exams at the same level as GCSEs here at 16. They can either leave school at 16 with no exams or stay at school till they are 18 or there abouts, after completing yrs 11 and 12, At the end of this they will have their SACE, which is a kind of equivilant to A levels, with this exam they can then start UNI

hope that helps

sarah

 

 

Thank you Sarah,

 

You have put my mind a rest, I was panicking about getting him in school , but I think this will give us a bit of time to prepare better. Would you be able to tell me the age they start high school ? my youngest will be 12 when we arrive, I dindt know if he would be put back to primary school or not.

 

Thank you again

 

Louise

[Guest sarahsmartiepants]

Thank you Sarah,

 

You have put my mind a rest, I was panicking about getting him in school , but I think this will give us a bit of time to prepare better. Would you be able to tell me the age they start high school ? my youngest will be 12 when we arrive, I dindt know if he would be put back to primary school or not.

 

Thank you again

 

Louise

It depends what time of year his birthday is, They start high school a year after they would do in the UK. It does not seem to be an exact science here, I know people whose children are in different yrs to others, so I think it depends on the school and the child

sarah

[Guest LOUISE HANNAH]

It depends what time of year his birthday is, They start high school a year after they would do in the UK. It does not seem to be an exact science here, I know people whose children are in different yrs to others, so I think it depends on the school and the child

sarah

 

Thanks Sarah

 

Youve been a great help !!!!!

 

Louise

[Guest ozadele]

Hi Jo I am new to PIA so have only just found your original posting about your son and schools. I am a high school teacher and coordinate the senior school section of my school (that is students aged 13-18). I am sure your son will soon fit in as we have many Englsih students in Adelaide schools, both of parents who have live in Adelaide for years and some newer arrivals. My own son was 9 when we first came and he soon made lots of friends. The outdoor lifestyle is great for teenagers with lots of sporting clubs to get involved in and of course surfing and water sports if he is into that. If I can help in any way to answer any of your school related questions I am more than happy to. Hope the progress towards moving is going well as it can be a long process.

Ozadele