Hi, we're moving to Perth in Novemeber and my 16 yeared old daughter will finish her GCSE's in June this year she would be going onto college in the UK but after spending hours looking on the internet we have no idea wether she would be required to go to school or TAFE in Oz does anyone have any idea or links that may help us.
Hi Alan
We had the same query with my son, he is at the excact same stage as your daughter........ GSCE in June. We are enquiring about getting him into a TAFE college for plumbing..... but I understand they can stay on at school, like our years 12 & 13 or chose to go to college, depends on what course she wants to do really!
Try the link below, it explains quite a bit, but i also understand things vary from state to state...... so do a google search on education in Perth, should also get links from there about colleges and their course too!
Good luck :biggrin:
__________________ Finally living in Mount Martha, Melbourne......... and loving it !!!!!!!!! TRA passed - Feb. 07 ...........Visa granted (136- General Plumber) 14th June !!!!!!!! Landed in Oz 9th December 2007!!! PIO Skilled Trades database for Victoria: http://www.freewebs.com/victorianskilledtraderslist/index.htm
Thanks for the quick reply, I'll look at the links and let you know how I get on, I think She's just worried that she may have to wear a uniform !!. Alan
Hello! We are in Victoria and my daughter is in Grade 10. She will stay at the same school until Grade 12, which will give her an equivilant qualification to A Levels in U.K. She will have to wear her uniform right through, including white 3/4 length socks and 'proper' school shoes! Unbelievably, this has never been an issue (even though I think some of the people going to shool look like 'The Crankies' (for those of you who remember).
Many of her contemporaries left school at the end of last year to begin apprenticeships and there is a big drive to encourage people to learn trades. Personally, I think this is a better system as there is no pressure on people to pursue academia when they would clearly be better off learning crafts and skills. It also means that the people who wish to remain in school are not hampered by people who would rather not be there (if you get my drift)..
The benefit of the system here is that we found that in the U.K. AS and A Levels and were becoming a minimum requirement but here, people value the skills and trades that are so desperately needed and people are not pressured into going to Uni.
So, at this stage, you are absolutely right, the choice is continuing at school, or going to a Trade College (TEFE). The downside of continuing at school at that you will have missed half the course and what you learned in the U.K. is unlikely to correlate...
Whatever you choose, good luck! The opportunities here are endless!
Hi, we're moving to Perth in Novemeber and my 16 yeared old daughter will finish her GCSE's in June this year she would be going onto college in the UK but after spending hours looking on the internet we have no idea wether she would be required to go to school or TAFE in Oz does anyone have any idea or links that may help us.
Thanks Alan
G'day
Here in Perth it is mandatory for kids to remain at School (or in an approved Educational / trade course) until the end of the year in which they turn 16.
So, if she was born in 1990 and you come over here later this year, she is not required to go to school. If she was born in 1991, then she is required to study until the end of this year. Obviously if you arrived in November, it sonds silly for her to attend school for only a few weeks but it might be a good chance for her to make some friends and meet a few locals.
Depending upon her likely career choices, it might be best for her to do some studying in 2008 even though it is not compulsory.
Thanks For the Replies,
Unfortunatley or fortunatley (depending on the day/mood) I have a very head strong daughter who will be throwing away her uniform on the last day of school, and having looked on the internet and seen the uniforms worn in Oz the chances of me getting her to wear one are slim to none existant. Although this is not a good reason for looking at TAFE's for her future, she has seen courses that intrest her, so can I confirm with anyone that the dress code at TAFE's in WA (Probably South of the river) is more relaxed and also do they accept GCSE's as a entrance qualification.
I'm afraid I can't say about WA but, here in Victoria, I see some pretty dodgy uniforms on TAFE students too!!! You will have to look up each college you are interested in and check their uniform policy... Plenty of TAFE students don't have to wear uniforms at all.. What is your daughter planning on studying? The most ridiculous uniforms I have seen in Melbourne have had names of Beauty Therapy colleges emblazoned across them!!
Hi, Krista
I don't think I'll tell her that some TAFE's have uniforms just yet !. She can't wait to get there one day and the next its the end of the world as we know it(today is an end of the world day I made the mistake of telling her she had to have a blood test as part of the medical !!!). She is hoping to study French and IT/Media but the TAFE's are not very helpful with course details when your still in the UK so we don't know if she can mix subjects like this as you can in the UK and I think there will be lots of driving around when we get there for uniform inspections !!!
Another question I've thought of I understand that the main term start is January so when do they have the main enrolment period ?
Hi Alan.. you are quite right.. the new academic year starts in January and I have just had to fill the forms in to enrol my son into school for next year (Grade 7). The cut off date is 31st May 2007 for entry in Jan. 2008). I have no idea if this date is Statewide for all levels of education. In my last post, I referred to some major changes... these were mainly pertaining to the lack of European language options over here. The main LOTEs (Language other than English) seem to be Indonesian, Japanese and Vietnamese..
Where are you hoping to settle? If it is in Melbourne, I could conduct a survey whilst I'm at work!!!
Sorry for the slow reply, I'm busy painting the house so we can get it on the market !!. We're hoping to settle in Perth WA as we have relatives there. But ant info about schools and TAFE you can share will be greatly recieved. If anyone else knows when the enrolment period for TAFE's is in WA I would be enternally greatful as my wife is now flapping like a mad woman when I said we may have to try and sort something by the end of May !!
