Which school year??

[Guest Bluebell]

Hi,

Just a bit of advice we are moving out to Adelaide in just over 4 weeks, could you advise which year my boys will be in as I'm a bit confused! The oldest one will be 13 the week before we arrive and is currently year 8 in high school here and my younger one is 8 and a half year 3 UK. I've been to their schools and have all relevant reports on order but to be honest haven't looked at schools in too much detail as not sure where we will be living. We have booked temp accommodation in Hallett cove but I'm worried that will be too far out to travel into the CBD each day for work, opinions would be gratefully received.

We really like the southern coast but Glenelg too pricey.

Thanks for any info oh and are any schools particularly good with supporting dyslexia as both boys are dyslexic just to make my challenge of finding a house, school, car, furniture just that bit more exciting x x

 

Sue (still in denial that we leave in 4.5 weeks)

[Diane]

Do you know where you will be working yet? That might help narrow down some areas...

[Guest Bluebell]

The Calvary Wakefield hospital CBD I start on the 6th May x

[Anne B]

Sue,

 

Your eldest boy is on the borderline - my son is 13 and in year 8. A couple of boys in his year are about to be 14 and a couple are still 12, about to be 13. If he goes into year 8 (first year high school) here he will be one of the youngest in the class, if he goes into year 7 (final year primary) he will be one of the oldest. As he has already been at secondary school for over a year he may find it hard going back to primary school, and it may be more disruptive because he would then have to change schools again next Jan/Feb. However, it depends on what type of child he is, only you can judge what would be best for him, would he cope being the youngest in the class (socially and academically) if hew went into year 8? Would he be better off having an easier year at primary to help him get settled in?

 

As for your youngest, if he is 8 and a half I reckon he will be in Year 3.

[Lazy Cow]

As he has already been at secondary school for over a year he may find it hard going back to primary school, and it may be more disruptive because he would then have to change schools again next Jan/Feb. However, it depends on what type of child he is, only you can judge what would be best for him, would he cope being the youngest in the class (socially and academically) if hew went into year 8? Would he be better off having an easier year at primary to help him get settled in?

 

Totally agree with Anne B but thought I'd add this!

 

If your eldest went straight into Year 7 he would still get three terms in primary. The last year in primary is fun because he would get to graduate as well as make friends with the kids that will probably go to high school with him.

 

This will mean that when he gets to high school, he will understand the system, be able to talk about which primary school he went to as well as what his graduation -and all the social events that go with it! - was like. It might enhance his feeling of belonging as kids do seem to talk about their old primary schools quite a bit lol.

 

Year 8 kids tend to have a camp early on in the year which is great in helping kids to get to know one another. Perhaps check with the high school to see whether your son would've missed it? If he did decide to go straight to high school, I'm sure he'd be fine. Being there at the start if the year isn't the be-all and the kids seem to happy to help new kids.

 

But as Anne B says, only you know your child and perhaps things will become clear when you look round the primary school for your youngest.

 

LC

 

PS. We're in the southen suburbs and my OH drives into Calvary each day. The only downside of driving is apparntly finding a park lol!

Edited March 16, 2013 by Lazy Cow
I wanted a PS!

[star123]

my daughter is 11 going to be 12 in April, she is currently in year 7 of primary and goin off to high school next year, she will then be 12 in year 8 turning13 a short few months later, when we arrived, the schools basically put them all in the same school year that they were in in the UK, they did not way to put them a year as the work be too easy etc and also they feel confidence wise its not great for the child to be put back a year. in my kids classes there are kids of laying ages, so it works well. good luck and i am sure the school you decide on will know what year is best.

[Guest Bluebell]

Thanks for the advice, i'm thinking year 7 would suite him as he is quite a young 12 nearly 13 and is a bit worried about starting high school when they have all started together already but we'll see. Ill take him around and look at all the options when we arrive.

[Guest Alexis]

Hi!

My husband moved here 6 months ago and myself and our 2 year old and 6 year old followed 2 weeks ago. I had the same dilema as you with school years (Poppy is 6, almost 7) and in the end we left it up to the school. Originally she was going into grade 1 (she is an April birthday) but due to her leaving the uk in year 2 the school decided to place her in grade 2. She is one of the youngest in the class but academically the teachers are more than happy with the level she came in at and she is doing brilliantly so far. We live in Flinders park (Poppy goes to Flinders Park Primary), about 20 minutes drive from Glenelg and about 10/15 minutes from the CBD. Beaches are about a 5 minutes drive away which is lovely!

Hope your move goes well. I know how stressful it is but the minute you arrive here you realise it was all worth it!

Alexis

[guerns0708]

Hi,

 

My eldest was in Yr 7 in the Uk and when we arrived here last year she was put in Yr 6 but my other daughter was Year 5 and stayed in Yr 5. I think it depends on when your birthday is in some cases. My daughter will be 13 in August and is one of the eldest in her year.

Hope this helps a little bit.

 

Jo

[talentedali]

Hi,

 

If some one can provide the dates as follows, it could be easy to understand/guess that the child will go to which school year for the people who are planning to move.

 

 

1) Date of School Admission

2) Date of birth of child

3) School year in Uk

4) School year admitted in Adelaide.

 

 

Regards

[Guest Helen B]

Although the school year here runs from Jan - Dec, the ages/birthdays don't follow this as they do in the UK (Sept - August), they actually go from July - June. Our son had done a term in year 7 in the UK when we moved here in Jan and has a Dec Birthday so we were expecting him to be one of the youngest in Year 7 here, but he's actually in the middle as those in his year have birthdays between Jul 2000 and Jun 2001. Also, the move to senior school depends on whether you are in the state or private system, which really confused me. State primaries run R-7 and 8-12, whereas some private schools move to a 'middle school' in year 6 or 7. Hope this helps!

[NicF]

Although the school year here runs from Jan - Dec, the ages/birthdays don't follow this as they do in the UK (Sept - August), they actually go from July - June. Our son had done a term in year 7 in the UK when we moved here in Jan and has a Dec Birthday so we were expecting him to be one of the youngest in Year 7 here, but he's actually in the middle as those in his year have birthdays between Jul 2000 and Jun 2001. Also, the move to senior school depends on whether you are in the state or private system, which really confused me. State primaries run R-7 and 8-12, whereas some private schools move to a 'middle school' in year 6 or 7. Hope this helps!

 

Actually there are some new rules about when kids start school coming in next year I think and the birthdays will go from May to April I think it is. Either that or April to March, can't remember exactly. The schools seem to be already running to this kind of timescale now in our experience. The school my kids are at started my son, who was born June 2001, in year 5 when we arrived last July. He had just completed year six in the UK. If the years went July to June he would have been put in year six and would have been one of the youngest. It is possible schools work differently at the moment though.