will my son have to resit gcses?

dave&jancook · 24-03-2008, 01:20 PM

Hi
We are a family of 4 from Manchester England going to queensland 2010 my eldest son will be in his last year at school year 11 over here and will have done his gcse's.

dont understand what his position at school will be in Oz when we get there. Will he have to resit his gcse's and repeat his school year, because if he does we can go out there earlier, there doesnt seem any point oing them twice. My son is doing really well over here at school and I dont want to disrupt his education and confuse him!!!!

Also he is very good at boxing, anyone got any info on boxing gyms on gold coast/sunshine coast need to find a good boxing gym!!!!!

Please help!!!!!

Thankx
Jan

Quoll · 24-03-2008, 01:50 PM

No we dont have GCSEs in Aus. It is a totally different system with the final exams in year 12 being the end point of a two year course. It would be better for him if he can do the whole final two years - years 11 and 12 especially if he wants to go on to university or some other further study. If he comes here part way through that course there could be some difficulty in either crediting him with work done at that level or that he would not have done enough of the course to complete the year 12 assessment. Remember that the school year here starts at the end of January. Dont think of it as repeating anything just that he needs to do his final two years of schooling with kids of the same age.

dave&jancook · 24-03-2008, 01:56 PM

Thank you

So would you advise us coming over next year instead of 2010.
Would it be pointless doing his exams over here and would it be better to just start them over there?

Quoll · 24-03-2008, 02:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dave&jancook

Thank you

So would you advise us coming over next year instead of 2010.
Would it be pointless doing his exams over here and would it be better to just start them over there?

Personally I would think there is nothing to be gained by him doing his GCSEs unless he intends to study in UK again at some point. There is too the sense of closure he would get from having done them after doing all the course work. It really all depends on whether he is busting to leave school or not! He could easily begin year 11 and be just a bit older than his cohort if you came in 2010 (they are generally either just 16 or soon about to turn 16 at the beginning of year 11)

dave&jancook · 24-03-2008, 02:47 PM

Thankx alot

We will probably come over a year earlier now!!!!!
Cheers mate
Jan

samozsoon · 24-03-2008, 09:08 PM

I would def come a year earlier if I had the chance again. We waited til our daughter had finished her GCSE's and she had started 6th form (she did 2 mths) before we moved. She was NOT impressed at having to do all her subjects again (maths, science, english) when she thought she'd seen the last of them, nor is she impressed with wearing a uniform again (complete with white ankle socks and big black shoes lol).

Also, you just never know how they will change their minds about coming, and believe me they might and it can cause a lot of upset when they suddenly say they dont want to come.
My advice to anyone with teens is 'get here as soon as you can'.

Sam x

dave&jancook · 25-03-2008, 03:07 PM

Hi

Thankx for that info. youve been a great help
i think I will get him ther asap you never know like you say get him there whilst he wants to go!!!!!

Thankx

Jan
x

marty and debs · 25-03-2008, 03:42 PM

Hi ,
Just reading the threads , we are in the same situ. Our son is 16 and in yr 11 .We are hoping to go with in the nxt yr or so. Does that mean the same for us ???? . If it does , don't know how we are going to break the news to him !!!.

Thanks Deb

amandak · 25-03-2008, 03:51 PM

Hi

We are in the same boat, our daughter is year 10, and one of the oldest in her class she will be 16 in Sept 08. I have been told by some friends in OZ, that she should NOT do her GCSE's because they don't mean any thing over in OZ. Daughter said she is not going till she has completed her GCSE's (quote " I have not study hard for a year to just throw it all away")
I have also been told at her age it will be better for her to go into OZ education to make new friends so she wont feel lonely when and if we ever get our visa. They will need to make friends and school will be a good start Hope this helps.

Amanda

cam7445 · 26-04-2008, 09:52 PM

My son is now in year 11 and he finishes his GCSEs on 11 june!!! I was advised to wait until he finishes his exams otherwise i would be sat in Brisbane now (we now fly on 26 june). It is all personal circumstances, we have to give him a chance. He will have to pay a lot of university fees as he cannot become a citizen for 4 years, ouch!!