We are hoping to move out in the summer 09. A long way i know! We are waiting for our 15 year old to finish her gcse exams.
I am wondering when you take exams in oz, and at what stage she would be continuing in her education when we get there.
She is heavily into Drama, Singing and musical Theatre, we would like to know about the kind of courses that would be in offer. eg: are there A level equivalant's?
We also have a 2 and a half year old boy, he will be nearly 4 by then. Do they have pre-school education and what age do they start school? This seems to vary.
Also any information on fee's would be great. Is it correct that we would have to pay all school fee's?
Gosh lots of questions and you probably need to give some clarifying information to get advice spot on.
First, where are you going? Different states have different requirements but many states have a final 2 year program which culminate in some sort of year 12 certfication or university entrance scores. If you are planning to stay here then your daughter's GCSEs are irrelevant and you would be best to come so she can do the full final 2 year program. In NSW for example most kids would be 16 or about to turn 16 going into year 11 (turn 16 before end April for ACT or July for NSW). School year here goes from January to December and year level names may imply to her that she is repeating but in reality means that she will progress with her age cohort.
Those final year courses are sort of vaguely like A levels in that you have a selection but not like A levels in that you do more of them and the assessment process is usually more by continuous assessment/exam than straight exam. Arts and drama certainly feature in the final years' progams but some schools will do it better than others obviously.
Payment of fees depends on what visa you are coming over on. International student visas mean that the kids also pay international student fees which can be up to about $14K for upper age students. Temporary business visa - eg457 they charge in some states like ACT and NSW (but you can always apply to have the fees waived, whether they will do so or not largely depends on which side of the bed they got out of I suspect!) other states do not charge.
We have preschool education which starts off being part time and then the kids start their full time schooling at 5 or 6 all depending on where you will be living. Preschool education is free in some places (ACT) but costs in others (NSW)
We still dont know where we wanna go, but are thinking Adelaide or Brisbane depending on which one of us you speak to.
My daughters birthday is 1st of jan, what school year would that put her in at the moment?
Would it be in year 10?
We still dont know where we wanna go, but are thinking Adelaide or Brisbane depending on which one of us you speak to.
My daughters birthday is 1st of jan, what school year would that put her in at the moment?
Would it be in year 10?
Thanks for the replies, it is much appreciated
Adam
Yup she would just be beginning year 10 so the best time for her to start in Aus would be in January 2009 when she will go into the final two years of her senior school program. She will be absolutely average age for that school year cohort. I dont know how difficult it would be for her to start those final two years midway - I do know that some kids here (Canberra) have been encouraged to wait until they can join the course at the beginning of year 11 rather than hopping straight into it part way through. It would be best to contact Qld or SA education departments to see what their advice is on starting part way through those final two years.
Location: Berkshire UK at the moment, hopefully by 2010 somewhere Down Under!
Posts: 45
Now that we're looking a bit more seriously at Australia... and we've got a basic idea, I've got to ask what's going to happen to me as well!! It sounds painful.
By the time we get to go, I'll have already done my GCSE's in: English, Maths, Science, Music, ICT, RS, Drama and History. Completely done all of them... and I'll be 16 going on 17 and will start college in September (year 12/13 - a sixth form college)
I mean we're not definitely going yet, but I want to know what I would have to do just out of interest?
If our GCSE's are no good in Australia, I'm assuming that means I would have to undertake a double lot? So go back and do the two years again (I'm really begging you to say I don't!) And I really hope if I do that it's better than the absolute utter CRAP I've had to sit out here... and actually worth doing?
As for my birthday being July 13th, would that alter the year I was in further as well?
Now that we're looking a bit more seriously at Australia... and we've got a basic idea, I've got to ask what's going to happen to me as well!! It sounds painful.
By the time we get to go, I'll have already done my GCSE's in: English, Maths, Science, Music, ICT, RS, Drama and History. Completely done all of them... and I'll be 16 going on 17 and will start college in September (year 12/13 - a sixth form college)
I mean we're not definitely going yet, but I want to know what I would have to do just out of interest?
If our GCSE's are no good in Australia, I'm assuming that means I would have to undertake a double lot? So go back and do the two years again (I'm really begging you to say I don't!) And I really hope if I do that it's better than the absolute utter CRAP I've had to sit out here... and actually worth doing?
As for my birthday being July 13th, would that alter the year I was in further as well?
If, by the time you go, you are 16 turning 17 then you will be the right age to begin the two year program that will end up with a year 12 certificate and a university entrance score. Our school year starts in January so there will be a bit of a break between your GCSEs and starting with your final two years here. As for it being less cr*p than what you have at the moment - all depends on what your choices are! Some are integral - english, maths, science but the rest are largely a matter of your choice.
So you mean I would have to sit out doing nothing until the beginning of the next academic year?!
Seriously?!
I mean if it was a case of moving here from there we'd be allowed to just set in in the middle of a term/year!
Well theoretically you could sit and twiddle your thumbs but it would probably be better if you enrolled for the end of year 10, that way you could get to meet some mates etc. Because year 10 doesnt end in a blaze of exams it wouldnt be an issue.
Location: Berkshire UK at the moment, hopefully by 2010 somewhere Down Under!
Posts: 45
Hahaha well the less I'm left at home on my own to stuff myself the better!! I'd probably give it a month or so etc to actually find somewhere and then slip in to a year 10 towards the end of the year! Sounds like a plan.
