School Card

[Selah]

Greetings to all! Just a quick question. Are migrants with a permanent residence visa eligible immediately for a school card or is it based upon benefits that we are not eligible to get for the first two years. I can't get on their web site. We're here on a reccie and hope not to need to use it but we know where we will be living (with in laws in the beginning) and we have been told it will be near to impossible to get everyone into the same school here unless we go private. There's no guarantee as to getting a job immediately of course thus the question. Thanks

 

Liz

[Guest sarahsmartiepants]

School and medical help is based on earnings, I am not sure if you would be intitled to it if on the SIR visa (temp res) but if you are on PR visa and you only earn a little then you would be able to get it. School fees are reduced with this too (not private though..if you can afford private then you wouldnt be earning little enough to claim).

You need to go to the medicare office in Marion (not sure where the others are) athey will tell you all you need to know. It might be worth remembering that what you have earnt in the uk will also effect this amount.

sarah

[Selah]

Thanks for your help!

[hardycot]

HI Liz what area are you going to be living in as I understood that you should be offered a place in your catchment area regardless, if you let me know where you are based I will find out for you.

[Guest ozadele]

Hi Liz, Yes you are right about the school card it is based on benefits / parent income. I am not sure when you say you will not be able to get your children into the same school unless private? It depends on where you will be living, some schools have catchment areas that must take children from the catchment area and there are others that are 'open' and children from outside of the area are abe to attend if the school is not full. Area schools ( of which there are few and generally outside of the metro area) such as Mount Compass, Yankallia, Strath on the south side have reception to year 12 on the same site. You also have Primary schools for children aged 5 (Reception) -through to aged 13 (Yr 7.) Then there are a few schools that have Yr 6 to Yr 9 (Classed as middle school) and then Senior School Yr 10 -Yr 12. High Schools are ususally Yr 8 through to Yr 12. Hope I have not confused you even more....its a bit of a different system to the Uk. I am a teacher so if you want anymore information or if I can help you in any other way re schools please get back to me.

Cheers

deb

[Selah]

Dear Wendy,

 

I 'm sure you are right. The problem is we will be staying with our inlaws in one catchment area and looking for a house in another. They wanted absolute proof of living in the area before granting school place and strongly discourage keeping the place if you move out of the catchment. I don't want to bounce everyone around (and yet again) as with current processing delays, it appears my daughter might have to take at least one term at her secondary school in the UK, bounce to another school for one year back to primary here before moving and yet again to secondary. 3 schools in under 3 years. We are looking at a very low fee paying christian school which would be r-12 or at least somewhere with a middle school so she wouldn't be bouncing around so much. ALthough she's fairly keen to move - she will probably be attending a very nice grammar school in the UK and it will be difficult to tear her away. Maybe I'm worrying too soon and timing will be perfect (but it hasn't so far.) Just trying to look at options! Thanks!

 

Liz

[hardycot]

I think I understand my son had to go to middle school in the uk for a year and my daughter did a year at promary school before we moved over. they had the 6 weeks school hold in the uk then we came here, they were so eager to start primary school here the princepal found them some school uniforms so they could go in the next day!! they were only there for 2 days then it was the end of term 3, they both were moved up to year one and year 4 for the following year and seemed to cope ok with it all, I understand your concern that your daughter might love the school in th uk then not want to move!! But I think if she is keen at the moment and she knows that you will be moving at some stage ( which I know is frustating for you if your not sure When it is going to happen!!) Have you been over here yet or are you coming in blind given that you have family here already? Not sure what area you are looking for but my daughter goes to Woodcroft College which is an r -13 school (also IB) if you are looking at private you might want to put a deposit down and also register as it is sometimes hard to get in this is a usful web site www.ais.sa.edu.au hope this helps ? good luck!

[Selah]

Dear Wendy,

 

We're actually here right now until the 12th of November. We're staying in Greenwith at the moment and we're looking at Tyndale Christian Academy. They've been wonderful - can't promise anything but our kids quite like the look. They are currently 10, 8 & 3. We're actually now going to pop down south to check out southern suburbs. If we suddently change our mind then the whole process starts all over again I suppose and I'll be looking for schools down south. We really didn't know for sure whether we wanted to move or not before this reccie. As the weeks progress, we realise that even if it's for the next 15 years and just until everyone finishes school it will actually be a better lifestyle for our family. I really don't know how people make this decision without coming as it really is completely different than I expected. Not bad different or good different - just different. I'm actually American and although I think Australia is Australia and not "like America" there are certain reasons why I feel I may adjust more smoothly than my husband who's British. However, we'll give it a go for the next 15 years or so and then our kids will have the choice to live where they want to live (and I will face my parent's predicament of having family 12,000 miles away!) Thanks for your help. I suspect that it will work out. I think we were just hoping that the move would take place before the UK autumn 2008 but we're also aware that my inlaws who just moved back to australia for the 3rd time (don't ask!) had problems finding a house in August/Sept and see so much more on the market now that it is Spring. Speaking of Spring - after the worst winter in England - we brought you the rain. We have to laugh as the weather has been better in Cornwall for the past week than here. But good to see in all seasons. (I might just have to get spray tanned before I go back just for my credibility!!)

 

Liz

[hardycot]

If I can help with anything when you come down south to have a look send me a pm and I will meet you for a coffee and chat, good luck with it all

[Guest JulieG]

Can anyone help as Im confused

Were coming over to Adelaide Jan 08 and have a couple of rentals (Marion area and Huntfield Heights second) to see us through until our stuff arrives but!! The school term starts after 3 weeks of this and we going to be moving from1 let another and then to a perm rental hopefully in hallet cove!!

Can I get the boys into a Hallet cove school straight off or do i have to move them with the house moves??

Any recommendations of schools for 10yrs and 13yr boys welcome

 

As I want to get cracking on getting them in any help would be great

Julie

[Guest sarahsmartiepants]

Can anyone help as Im confused

Were coming over to Adelaide Jan 08 and have a couple of rentals (Marion area and Huntfield Heights second) to see us through until our stuff arrives but!! The school term starts after 3 weeks of this and we going to be moving from1 let another and then to a perm rental hopefully in hallet cove!!

Can I get the boys into a Hallet cove school straight off or do i have to move them with the house moves??

Any recommendations of schools for 10yrs and 13yr boys welcome

 

As I want to get cracking on getting them in any help would be great

Julie

You will probably have no trouble getting them into Hallett cove south, as they are not full yet, but I think the east school could be getting that way, both good schools by all accounts

sarah