Primary Or secondary??

[minimel2710]

Hi all. Our visa was lodged on 23rd April and we are hoping to be able to move to Adelaide sometime in August.

I am having real trouble getting my head around which school year my children will be in... They are aged 12 and 13 (13 and 14 in October - so were born in October 2000 and October 2001) and are currently in year 7 and 8 in the UK. I understand the new year starts in January in Oz but my question is if we arrive in August, what year will they be in? Also, do South Australian High schools start in year 7 or 8??

Any help would be greatly appreciated

mel ?

[NicF]

If you arrive in August this year your 12 year old will go in to year 7 and your 13 year old will go in to year eight. If you arrive next year then they will go in to the years above. South Australian high schools start in year 8, although there are a few schools around that go from reception to year 12.

[kelbert]

I was wondering the same. My daughter is 11 and due to start high school in the UK this Sept. We are hoping to be in SA by Sept/Oct so does that mean she will do at least another year at primary? (unless she goes to a R-yr 12 school or similar).

[snifter]

I was wondering the same. My daughter is 11 and due to start high school in the UK this Sept. We are hoping to be in SA by Sept/Oct so does that mean she will do at least another year at primary? (unless she goes to a R-yr 12 school or similar).

 

Most likely, yes. Choose the area you live in carefully if in Adelaide as all state high schools are zoned. There are some great high schools around for sure, and some not so good. I'd avoid the R-12 ones personally and focus on just the high school when the time comes round for her to attend.

[flossybeth]

My children were born 2001 and 2002 and since arriving here (almost 2 years ago) our son (the one born in September 2002) started in year 5, with just one term to go; then he went into year 6 (as natural progression) then we moved and they moved schools and his new school put him back into year 5 (again for just over a term at the end of the school year) mostly I think because that's where they had space but also because that's where his age-group peers are and now he's two terms into year 6 (again!). Academically he could have coped with being in the year above but emotionally he wouldn't have and he hasn't really noticed the up and down but for us it made sense to have him repeat the year 6 just so he has an understanding of Australian methods especially in things like maths.

 

Our daughter on the other hand (the one born in 2001) went into year 6, completed year 7 last year and is now 2 terms into year 8. She's the youngest in the school (being an August baby she's a long way off being 13 yet) but is coping well with the transition. We've just had parent's evening and one of her teachers said the prior knowledge tests she gives before she introduces a subject shows that our daughter has a greater understanding than almost all of the others in her class (proud mummy moment!) but we put it down to the fact that before we moved to SA she had passed her 11+ and had gained a place at grammar school and had had extra tuition to help her with that - so she learnt a lot of really good techniques as well as being quite academic by nature. The only thing I am concerned about her being so young in her co-hort is the relationship focus that they're about to be taught in the next few weeks and I'm just not sure she's emotionally ready to go down that route (and I know i could take her out but that would leave her behind!) when some of the children in her class are 14 already. We also thought it would be just too mean to make her wait another 12 months before starting at secondary when she'd only been 6 weeks off starting in the UK!

 

So from our experience it would appear that schools, although they have set dates, are happy to accommodate your child and their level of learning and move them up and down years accordingly.

 

Sorry, quite a bit of a ramble, I hope it didn't confuse.

[kelbert]

Thanks Snifter and Flossybeth. I guess we will just go with the flow and see what happens. My daughter is academically very advanced but lacks confidence in some ways eg: doesn't like to walk to school on her own. It probably will be better to stay at primary anyway so she gets used to Australian life before she has the challenges of high school too!

[Guest barry family]

Hi I`m hoping to come over October and my children are 12 & 13 (12 will be 13 in march 2015 and 13 year old will be 14 in Dec 14)

I`m hoping to keep them off school for a couple of weeks (to find which school to put them) then get them in for November...give them a couple of weeks before they break up for Christmas holidays. I`m thinking my 12 year old will go to primary then after Christmas go to Senior School where his brother will be?

Which I`m hoping/praying is going to help them settle in having each other to look after!!

We came over Oct 2013 and visited a couple of schools and areas to live but came home still with no idea where to go when we move over!!!

I would love to know which senior schools are considered very good.

 

Good luck on your move Mel and Kelbert x

[kelbert]

Hi Barry family. If you search for the thread location, locatiin, location I posted a few months ago there is lots of info re: high schools in Adelaide. Good luck to you too.

[snifter]

Hi I`m hoping to come over October and my children are 12 & 13 (12 will be 13 in march 2015 and 13 year old will be 14 in Dec 14)

I`m hoping to keep them off school for a couple of weeks (to find which school to put them) then get them in for November...give them a couple of weeks before they break up for Christmas holidays. I`m thinking my 12 year old will go to primary then after Christmas go to Senior School where his brother will be?

Which I`m hoping/praying is going to help them settle in having each other to look after!!

We came over Oct 2013 and visited a couple of schools and areas to live but came home still with no idea where to go when we move over!!!

I would love to know which senior schools are considered very good.

 

Good luck on your move Mel and Kelbert x

 

As I said above, state high schools are zoned, so consider this when choosing an area.

 

There are some good high schools in the eastern suburbs, also a few in the southern suburbs. It depends on what area generally you were considering living in. Keep in mind the eastern suburbs with this ranked schools are on the expensive side housing wise. As are the Brighton and Henley Beach zones, but probably not quite the hit on the pocket as the eastern burbs.

 

Blackwood, Norwood, Brighton, Henley, Adelaide and Unley all seem to be good state high schools. Along with a fair few decent ones in the suburbs a bit further out. They might not get quite as high results in the overall rating score (based on English and Maths) but that doens't mean they are awful or not good schools. I know a few run the Ignite program for gifted and talented kids also so that is something to consider as these schools tend to be in demand also. Some of these are in not so pricey a neighbourhoods so are worth looking at. Still nice suburbs

 

You are usually required to prove you are resident in a zone before the school will take you. Although I have read of some cases where the schools have not been so strict, but many now seem to require a 12 month lease or proof of home ownership. I don't know they will go off the back of a short term holiday rental when you first arrive, you would have to discuss with the school.

 

End of the day, don't panic. There are plenty of good schools to choose from out there We bought in an area with good primary choices and in the zone of a well respected high school. Plus a few private schools within reasonable distance if we wish.

 

I think it boils down to commute to work as this can be a major factor when choosing an area to live, affordability and of course, preferred location (ie pointless splashing out in the east if you would rather be on the coast).

[minimel2710]

Hi I`m hoping to come over October and my children are 12 & 13 (12 will be 13 in march 2015 and 13 year old will be 14 in Dec 14)

I`m hoping to keep them off school for a couple of weeks (to find which school to put them) then get them in for November...give them a couple of weeks before they break up for Christmas holidays. I`m thinking my 12 year old will go to primary then after Christmas go to Senior School where his brother will be?

Which I`m hoping/praying is going to help them settle in having each other to look after!!

We came over Oct 2013 and visited a couple of schools and areas to live but came home still with no idea where to go when we move over!!!

I would love to know which senior schools are considered very good.

 

Good luck on your move Mel and Kelbert x

 

 

Sounds like we are in a similar situation Barry family. It's all very exciting I'm planning on doing the same as you, keeping them off school for a good few weeks just to get used to the whole living in a different country thing, then will send them for the last few months of the school year.

Whats the state of play with your visa? Do you have it in hand or still waiting for it to be processed? We are waiting, patiently! - hope to have it sometime in July and then make the move in August.

X

[minimel2710]

Thanks to all for your comments - they are really helpful

[Guest barry family]

Thanks Kelbert will search for that thread tonight. And thank you Snifter for info given

 

Mel we got our Visa March 2013 and went over October 2014 to validate it.

 

We visited Australia in 2011 fell in love with it, we sold our house went into rented accommodation and applied for our Visa, then a property came up in our town that was in need of renovation and my husband had admired for years and he just had to buy it!! (he is a time served bricklayer and rigger) we have done property developing for the past 20 years and he had to do this last one before making the move! So have just sold the property but my husbands back has been playing up and he has had an MRI and will find out on 19th May if he needs an operation. If he does not need an operation we will be over June but most likely he will and that is why we saying October.

 

When we came over in October we drove around all the places we had researched and liked the look of, thinking it would be easy for us to make our mind up!!!!

Came home still with no idea of where we want to settle. My husband main income is Rigging (oil & Gas) and will try to get a job in an oil refinery or will have to FIFO 2/2.

We have narrowed it down to Port Noarlunga, West Lakes, Marino, Hallet Cove, Flagstaff Hill, Semaphore Park, Henley Beach, Payneham (think this was we loved the outside pool at Payneham) If I remember rightly there was an oil refinery close to Hallet Cove?

We also liked Morphett Vale we just drove through never got out of car.

So as you can see list is still long.

 

Snifter would love your account on areas I have said above i.e. if you thought some areas I have mentioned are really bad and should avoid!! you could pm me to not offend others. Port Noarlunga beach and jetty we loved but on one visit some local kids (2 aged roughly 12) we awful and spitting on sunbathers from above then running to toilets to hide! Hallet Cove on the 3 days we visited over the 2 weeks there was always loads of flies. We loved the houses at Flagstaff Hill but got told it is colder up there. Semaphore Park had a lovely feel to it.

Having said all that I would not live close to a council estate in England so do not want to live close to one in Australia. I don`t want to sound like a snob, myself and my husband lived on council estates until we were 7 & 10 so please do not be offended.

 

Mel have you picked which area you are going to? Are your children boys/girls?

 

I was going to ship my furniture and vehicle over but now decided to sell everything and buy new when come over, was looking at £3.5k furniture or £4.5k with car. so now in the process of selling everything and it`s getting more and more stress full every day. It`s hard to let go of things but needs must I suppose.

 

Again thanks Snifter and Kelbert and sorry for jumping on Your Thread Mel.

 

Amanda x

[Jessica Berry]

Noticed this advert in the free paper and thought it might be of interest to some of you....

 

[Jessica Berry]

We visited Australia in 2011 fell in love with it, we sold our house went into rented accommodation and applied for our Visa, then a property came up in our town that was in need of renovation and my husband had admired for years and he just had to buy it!! (he is a time served bricklayer and rigger) we have done property developing for the past 20 years and he had to do this last one before making the move! So have just sold the property but my husbands back has been playing up and he has had an MRI and will find out on 19th May if he needs an operation. If he does not need an operation we will be over June but most likely he will and that is why we saying October.

 

My husband main income is Rigging (oil & Gas) and will try to get a job in an oil refinery or will have to FIFO 2/2.

 

Just something to take into consideration if your husband has a back operation, a lot of FIFO jobs and jobs within Oil and Gas require potential candidates to undertake a pre-employment medical. In my experience (having worked in HR and recruitment roles in Adelaide) the system here can be very different to the UK.

[Guest cmcmahon]

It's very easy for families arriving from the UK to ascertain year levels for their children! If you arrive in August they start in the year level they have just finished in the UK. It is perfect as they can settle into a new curriculum at a level they are familiar with, make some friends, and then be ready to start the new school year in January in the next level.

Cathy McMahon

Registrar

St John's Grammar School

Belair SA

[NicF]

It's very easy for families arriving from the UK to ascertain year levels for their children! If you arrive in August they start in the year level they have just finished in the UK. It is perfect as they can settle into a new curriculum at a level they are familiar with, make some friends, and then be ready to start the new school year in January in the next level.

Cathy McMahon

Registrar

St John's Grammar School

Belair SA

 

Sorry Cathy, but this is not entirely true. The UK school intake runs September to August whereas the SA intake runs May to April which means that while the majority of kids will go in to the same year there are some kids that will change years when they start here in SA. My son with a June birthday had completed year 6 in the UK and went in to year 5 here. He went from being one of the youngest in the year to being one of the eldest.

[Guest cmcmahon]

hi NicF! Thanks for your reply. I've been enrolling children here for 14 years and we've had many, many families from the UK - it's always been the same! ie if they finish Year 6 in June/July in the UK they finish the year here in Year 6. Unless there are other issues of course! Cheers Cathy

[Diane]

when we came over ten years ago in August ours did exactly that - daughter had just finished Year 4 in England and son Year2 so they went back into those years until december then up to 5 and 3 in the January following. It does lead to a few age gaps as my son had started school at 4 in the Uk rather than at 5 as he would have here, so he is now a little young in his year, but there is a good mix of ages in all years it seems, with kids from different backgrounds/countries and some that skip or re-do a year.

[NicF]

hi NicF! Thanks for your reply. I've been enrolling children here for 14 years and we've had many, many families from the UK - it's always been the same! ie if they finish Year 6 in June/July in the UK they finish the year here in Year 6. Unless there are other issues of course! Cheers Cathy

 

So I suppose I'm imagining that my son went from the end of year 6 in the UK to year 5 here?

[NicF]

hi NicF! Thanks for your reply. I've been enrolling children here for 14 years and we've had many, many families from the UK - it's always been the same! ie if they finish Year 6 in June/July in the UK they finish the year here in Year 6. Unless there are other issues of course! Cheers Cathy

 

Just out of interest what year would you put a child born in June 2001 in?

[Linda21]

I hope this is the case as my August (2001) born son has just finished year 8 in the UK and is about to start year 9 in September (which will be his 3rd year in high school). I thought from my calculations he would have to do year 8 again in Australia (first year in high school). Can anyone confirm or deny this? Many thanks

[Guest Guest12727]

My son's birthday is Dec 1999. He is in Year 9. Generally boys in his year were born between July 99 and june 2000. So if your son had started school here at the beginning he would probably be in year 7 now. Next year he would be in year 8. So if you are not coming over until next year he will start at high school at end of Jan.

 

Don't think your son he is doing year 8 again, it is a different system, he will be in the year with his age group.

Edited July 29, 2014 by Guest12727

[Guest wen66]

Ok, am really confused now....my eldest (born Nov 2002) has just finished year 6 and due to start secondary school in Sept in the UK. So, if we moved in November 14, he would finish the year in year 6, then secondary school in Jan 15...or would he be in year 5 till the end of the year and do his year 6 again in Jan 15.?

[Guest Guest12727]

UK, Infant School (Reception - Year 2 - ages 4 - 7) Aust (R - Yr 2, ages 5 - 7)

 

Junior School (Year 3 - Year 6 - ages 7 - 11) Aust ( Yr 3 - 7 ages 8 - 12)

 

High School (Year 7 - Year 11 - ages 11 - 16) Aust Yr 8 - 12 ages 13 - 17

 

Sixth Form College / College (Years 12 & 13 - ages 16 - 18) Aust no such thing

 

Aus ages used are for simplification, of course there is a range,

 

So, if you all want your child to go into the same Aus year as they were in UK year, they will effectively do one year less schooling. Please think about the age of the child and not what the year is called.

[snifter]

hi NicF! Thanks for your reply. I've been enrolling children here for 14 years and we've had many, many families from the UK - it's always been the same! ie if they finish Year 6 in June/July in the UK they finish the year here in Year 6. Unless there are other issues of course! Cheers Cathy

 

This is pretty much how it worked for us although we moved in the Oct. Our son had done a full year of reception in England and had started Y1 but had only done 6 weeks. He went into YR here then into Y1 the following Jan. Age wise he young but he is doing great in his year group and more than holding his own.

Edited July 29, 2014 by snifter
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