Kids settling into new schools - Your experiences please!

[Seattle7072]

Hi...

 

We are in the process of getting out to Adelaide for Jan 2011. If there's one thing that keeps me awake at night it's the thought of finding good schools for my kids and then seeing how well they settle. I consider the kids happiness to be the real barometer for how successful our move will be.

 

I'd be interested to hear any tips, experiences or good/bad stories about how well other Ex Pats kids have settled in Adelaide schools. We are in the process of finding schools now and would like a little inside knowledge on what to expect. Do the schools give the immigrant kids a bedding in period for example, or are they simply thrown in at the deep end? I've got 3 kids - 11, 9 and 3. Thanks....

[tina&steve]

When my son started school here he went for a few visits 1st to have alook round, then to meet what would be his teacher and that was it he start straight away. They do a buddy system in most school where they get a friend to stick by them show them where everything is and what they do and when so he had no probs.

 

The best thing is to look at a few school see which one makes you all happy,if you can meet their would be teachers that will help.

[Guest Matey]

We arrived towards the end of term one & went in to see a few schools. Our daughter (she was 9 then) fell for one of the schools straight away - they introduced her to her would-be teacher & classmates and had already allocated her a buddy for when she started. The buddy and another family both invited her round to play in the holiday so when she started at the beginning of term two she already knew some friendly faces and slotted straight in without any problems.

[rachel31]

We arrived in time for the kids to start school at the beginning of a new school year which I think helped, rather than mid way through a term. My eldest went into year 8 which was good as all the kids were new together(yr 8 is first year of high school) and the other 3 had made a couple of friends over the summer holidays. They all settled brilliantly and are doing very well at school. we encouraged them all to find an out of school activity too just so they had a broader range of friends.

hope this helps, Rach

[Anne B]

I think it depends on a number of factors - the school, the teacher, the child. My children have had different experiences at the same school - the eldest has settled in really well and loves it, whereas the youngest has struggled, although she has missed one very close friend from England in particular, which hasn't helped. Her teacher was ill for the first few days of term and the relief teacher allocated her a buddy but only for the 1st day and after that she was left on her own. When the proper teacher turned up I think she was too busy catching up to give my daughter much attention. She is much more settled now, but still misses her friends from England.

 

I also think the year the child is put into makes a difference. My eldest went from being the youngest in the class in England to one of the oldest, and this has been great for his confidence. My youngest however is in the opposite situation and has found this harder. As for starting at the beginning of a school year, I can see pros and cons to this. The pros are that everyone in the class is new together (they tend to mix up the classes each year), however it can be that the needs of a child who has more than just a new class to adjust to can be overlooked as the teacher is busy getting to know all the pupils.

[Guest Peachie]

we looked at lots of school before setting on one we felt was compaible to their english school found the state schools to layed back and disipline very lax in this area

 

cathlic school was good and friendly the kids settled very quick son went back a year to reception but the kids in his class had been at school for six months so he was the top os his class but teacher sill managed to strech him and his writing and spelling have come on loads older child went into year seven this was harder as all the kids had known each other since rec after the new girl interest died out (she found the new girl attention awful) she found a few nice friends she is very excited about starting high school as she got her first preferance only one boy from her school will be going to adelaide high so will be another new start for her but all the others will be in the same boat!!!

[Guest hClayton]

Heey,

 

im a 14 year old girl, we just moved out to adelaide 9 months ago, i dont think you need to worry about kids settling in as me and my brother have been acepted straight away they are all really lovely kids here in adelaide.