Education system Aus vs UK

[paulh565]

Hello Everyone

 

I am looking for advice, we activated out PR last year with a big family holiday, and then came back to the UK to continue life and decide what is best for us.

I have been looking forward to the possibility of moving to Australia for many years (since 2004) but i was single at the time, after getting married and starting a family, my dream did not go away logging my application in 2009. It seems like forever to get the visa granted but as Married life is so busy just put it on the back burner.

We enjoy the holiday and activating our visa, but as we returned and continued normal life.

 

Now moving seems like a real possibility again but I would like to understand how the education system is and how it compares to the UK, as my son is in a good independent school which is a good price.

 

What are the real cost of education is Aus (Perth) ?

How do the exam results compare ?

What is the GCSE out in AUS ?

What is the ages that you have to study for in Aus ?

 

any information would be valuable for me.

 

Thanks

[Quoll]

Foreign country, totally different. Each state has its own idiosyncrasies

 

No GCSES, everything revolves around results at the end of year 12. They compare OK with other states but not so good in comparison with other countries although some schools do the IB which travels better.

Private schools range in price from $3k-25kpa. Public schools for permanent residents are free essentially but there will be coincidental costs like voluntary contributions, visits, incoming teachers, specialist sports, some subject consumables costs etc etc.

Compulsory education is from 6 to 17

 

University education is 4 years for a comparable honours degree, fees much the same as UK pa and loans only available to citizens. If you are thinking of Aus HS schooling and UK university, think again because there is a 3 year residence for UK universities otherwise you pay international fees and yr 12 results might not get you into a good uni and foundation years might be required.

[Bound4Tassie]

Maybe we ( uk) should just have national exams at 17/18 ? I'm not sure what use most GCSE's are really. Well apart from maybe something to say you're competent in Maths /English/ IT skills... but who really cares about your C in Dance?

[caramac]

Maybe we ( uk) should just have national exams at 17/18 ? I'm not sure what use most GCSE's are really. Well apart from maybe something to say you're competent in Maths /English/ IT skills... but who really cares about your C in Dance?

 

 

We definitely should. We're now in our seventh (and final) consecutive year of public exams and I'm well and truly over them. Every ssingle holiday, bar the summer, marred by revision for mocks or the real things. Our youngest daughter's preteen and teen years have been affected by them. Such a shame.

 

paulh565, our daughters have been educated in the independent sector in Perth, Sydney and the UK and there really isn't too much difference, except that some of the Australian schools are more English than English schools (boaters, strict uniform codes, shorts and knee high socks for boys all the way through to year12).

 

There are cheaper independent schools and catholic schools, which are more affordable than the $15-30k Scotch College, Hale, Christchurch Grammar, so it's worth having a really good look at what's available before deciding.

The enrolment fees at these schools are eyewateringly expensive now (our daughters' school in Perth was $800 for the whole family in 2001, it's now $4k per child and I imagine boys' schools are more than that. I think our friends have just paid $6.5k for Christchurch, whereas the enrolment fee here has only gone up £100 in the same time, and it's refundable which they tend not to be in Australia). Also factor in extras for technology (printing, computers etc), building funds, stationery and text book costs, which can be a lot and, if it's anything like the last school our girls were in, the requirements change yearly, so no handing down of text books. We found uniform much more expensive, but that was partly because the school in Sydney had changed their uniform, so there was no secondhand market. That said, it cost $4k to kit out our three, but only £300 in the UK when we came back (new uniform), although there are obviously schools here which have more expensive uniform.

 

I think the education is comparable, once you get used to the more relaxed approach, and Australia manages to educate it's population to a good level - several of my daughter's friends had offers from top UK and American universities last year, so they must be at similar level to those from the home countries. Our daughters' friends are all following similar university pathways as their peers here too.

[janlo]

My son got to Uni from an average Oz comprehensive - I think its easier like ive mentioned before. But it doesnt make me any less proud.

[wendylewis]

Hello Everyone

 

I am looking for advice, we activated out PR last year with a big family holiday, and then came back to the UK to continue life and decide what is best for us.

I have been looking forward to the possibility of moving to Australia for many years (since 2004) but i was single at the time, after getting married and starting a family, my dream did not go away logging my application in 2009. It seems like forever to get the visa granted but as Married life is so busy just put it on the back burner.

We enjoy the holiday and activating our visa, but as we returned and continued normal life.

 

Now moving seems like a real possibility again but I would like to understand how the education system is and how it compares to the UK, as my son is in a good independent school which is a good price.

 

What are the real cost of education is Aus (Perth) ?

How do the exam results compare ?

What is the GCSE out in AUS ?

What is the ages that you have to study for in Aus ?

 

any information would be valuable for me.

 

Thanks

 

Firstly, when were you issued your Visa? You mention 2009 you applied and activated last year? The conditions of our PR were to activate within a year and move within 5 years of it being issued or we lost it. Check the date and conditions of your visa. My children came from an Academy in the UK and are enrolled in the local High School. They've settled and are doing brilliantly. We have no fees, other than the minimal contributory amounts which is about $300 per year for both. Depends on when you come and the age of your children as to what year they will be placed into. High School only goes to Year 12 not Year 13. My son skipped a year but my daughter has remained in the same school year as they didn't want to put her up as needed her to get into the swing of it before going into Year 11 for the start of HSC.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Bob1]

Australian results for 15 year olds compare very favorably to other countries. Here's the results of the PISA tests, 15 year old world wide take these tests so I wouldn't worry about the standard of education. http://www.bbc.com/news/business-26249042

 

There are some very mediocre private schools in Perth and you'd be better to be at a top ranking state school - choose wisely.

 

Several Universities are offering foundation courses and you can go straight into them from GCSE courses.

[Andystiz]

I've taught in two private schools in Aus (one Anglican and one Catholic high) and previously taught in England for 18 years.

I can honestly say that students generally work harder in England and lower standards are the norm here in Aus up to around year 10.

In all of my time in England I never knew a single student who took the PISA test, so I'd take it all with a pinch of salt.

I think the schools in Aus are significantly more autonomous and can lack rigour in lower years- this can lead to laziness (invariably in boys) just being accepted and not particularly challenged/pushed to do better, often for fear of confrontation with student's/parents.

Saying that, there are equally many good students who want to do well.

I think my pom perception of what a private school is like is nothing like the reality here - in my limited experience in private education here it is like teaching in an average comprehensive without the smoking and other undesirable attributes at times in UK.

Plenty of room for improvement over here- they could learn a lot from the drive to succeed in england without the endless rubbish.

 

anyway, just my thoughts on my experience

[starlight7]

Look for a school where there are a lot of Asian students because they tend to have higher standards! All the best schools here have a substantial number of Chinese students who work very hard and push the standards up. They don't muck around and are very focussed.

[Bob1]

There's your answer then, listen to the person who has worked in two schools in Oz comparing it to the UK or you can google the results of a scientific, international organisation who conduct studies worldwide and analyse the results, that are published worldwide, pfft what do they know.

.

[newjez]

There's your answer then, listen to the person who has worked in two schools in Oz comparing it to the UK or you can google the results of a scientific, international organisation who conduct studies worldwide and analyse the results, that are published worldwide, pfft what do they know.

.

 

 

To be fair, the difference between my son's school, and the school ten miles down the road is probably greater than the difference between England and Australia. Comparisons between countries may be of value to those choosing the curriculum and standards at a national level, but they are not much help for someone interested in picking an individual school.

[Perthbum]

Only what I have read through 100s of posts on this subject. The education in oz seems to fall a lot short of the education in the UK.

[Guest]

Only what I have read through 100s of posts on this subject. The education in oz seems to fall a lot short of the education in the UK.

 

Does it? Your reading.

 

I am more than happy with it so far in Aus. Its been a big improvement on classes of 31 or more, tiny rooms and meeting targets all the time. Many UK teachers are exhausted with the system as it is now and throughly disheartened with the direction is has gone and is heading. Hence so many leaving within a few years of qualifying as teachers and longer standing ones also heading out the door.

 

The Aus system is for now more independent although the national curriculum is rolling out. I like teachers have more freedom in what they teach here.

 

I for one have been much happier with the Aus system than I was the UK. I like its not so full on from such an early age and how kids learn, its more about the child. If its 'behind' in academic terms in a year on year respect for a number of years that isn't a bad thing IMHO and kids even out and end up in the same place. Norway kids don't start school till 7 but we don't look down our noses at them for being 'behind' UK kids in their learning. If anything I (and possibly many others) look to the Scandinavian system and wish we could be more like that than what the current UK system is. Or the Aus one. But right now I'll take the Aus system over the UK.

 

The Aus system is different and where kids are at when the migrate isn't where Aus kids are at perhaps but that is not a bad thing or a failing IMHO. People need to stop comparing the two as they may be similar in some ways but in others they are not.

[Andystiz]

As a teacher, married to another teacher, we left teaching in the UK because of the endless pressure and results focused state system. It certainly was a major factor in our decision. In my experience, limited as it is, a combination of the best of both systems would be best. Some of the drive and rigour in lower years as in the Uk (without the SAT's- and no, NAPLAN is absolutely nothing like SAT's) to ensure that the basics are correct for all students. Also married with some of the Australian elective style curriculum with a much greater element of student choice.

[Andystiz]

Thanks, obviously I should just ignore my thoughts and tell myself that where I work actually is better because pisa says so...... :-)

[Bound4Tassie]

In the UK, we are assessing reception kids and phonics testing year 1 (5&6 yr olds) This is ridiculous and counterproductive.

[Sammy1]

In the UK, we are assessing reception kids and phonics testing year 1 (5&6 yr olds) This is ridiculous and counterproductive.

 

We are testing four and five year olds here too. It's time we stopped constantly testing and started giving the the kids a chance to learn first. Australia is well on the way to being like the UK in terms of that.

Edited October 19, 2016 by Sammy1

[Bound4Tassie]

Tasmania had a later starting age.for school kids but even they are reducing it to 4...not sure if it has been passed or not. Why the constant pressure to "achieve" at such a young age when all the evidence points to the the contrary. Yes I want my children to learn but not at the expense of their psychological wellbeing. I would like a happy,well rounded child first.

[Diane]

Tasmania had a later starting age.for school kids but even they are reducing it to 4...not sure if it has been passed or not. Why the constant pressure to "achieve" at such a young age when all the evidence points to the the contrary. Yes I want my children to learn but not at the expense of their psychological wellbeing. I would like a happy,well rounded child first.

 

Must admit I was horrified when a parent on one of the FB groups I belong to here was asking about getting a private tutor for her 7 or 8 year old as she didn't feel they were achieving as much here as they did in England! I think that primary schools here rightly concentrate a lot more on developing a child's social skills, and high school then goes hard with academic stuff - that's what we found anyway.

[newjez]

Must admit I was horrified when a parent on one of the FB groups I belong to here was asking about getting a private tutor for her 7 or 8 year old as she didn't feel they were achieving as much here as they did in England! I think that primary schools here rightly concentrate a lot more on developing a child's social skills, and high school then goes hard with academic stuff - that's what we found anyway.

 

 

We've got to compete with the Wiley Chinese.

[Parley]

Sadly Australia is far too focused on teaching things like trans gender issues and promoting same sex lifestyles to our primary school kids than teaching the 3 R's.

[Andystiz]

haha, yes, my kids, both primary age, have had this sort of nonsense whilst neglecting basics!

[LKC]

Sadly Australia is far too focused on teaching things like trans gender issues and promoting same sex lifestyles to our primary school kids than teaching the 3 R's.

 

Really? As a mum with two kids in primary school (year 3 and year 5) I can't say that they've ever been taught anything of the sort! They go to a state school but are still coming home having received a quality education each day, including reading, writing and mathematics, amongst other things. The only sex education they've had is an opt-in after school session which I had to attend with them. I have of course spoken to them about same sex marriage and gender issues at home, since that stuff is so often on the radio - Australian politicians seem to be obsessed with sex and gender so it is barely out of the news. I'd hate for my kids to be ignorant and uninformed and maybe feel vulnerable about such matters.

[AJ]

 

Really? As a mum with two kids in primary school (year 3 and year 5) I can't say that they've ever been taught anything of the sort! They go to a state school but are still coming home having received a quality education each day, including reading, writing and mathematics, amongst other things. The only sex education they've had is an opt-in after school session which I had to attend with them. I have of course spoken to them about same sex marriage and gender issues at home, since that stuff is so often on the radio - Australian politicians seem to be obsessed with sex and gender so it is barely out of the news. I'd hate for my kids to be ignorant and uninformed and maybe feel vulnerable about such matters.

Not happening in our school either. Dont know where some people get their information from!

[benj1980]

It's been in the media and is a schools program which schools can participate in. I can't remember what it's called!

 

I don't think the Australian education system has the same rigour as the UK. But I left the UK education system to get away from the crap that seemed to be increasing year by year. I think there are happier teachers in Australia but maybe I work in a school that has naturally happy people! I also think that comparing systems isn't necessarily healthy because the qualifications you gain at school are still only really relative to that country. If you want to gain an apprenticeship or go to University in Australia if you have passed the 'easier' prerequisite then what difference has that made? Unless you are hell-bent on ensuring your child receives 4 A's at A-Level. (Maybe you would be if you are paying extortionate money?)

 

If your child has the right attitude they can succeed, choosing the right school can open up further opportunities. When looking at schools if you are presuming your child will be going to University ensure the school has good IB or offer of ATAR/WACE subjects, some schools offer a minimal amount and focus on apprenticeships and other pathways.