Hi hope someone can help, my daughter is just 17 and we are moving to Adelaide on 19th June 08.
I need to know what education system I can get my daughter in, she left school last year after completing her GCSE - she hated school and did not do very well with her GCSE, she was due to start college last September but due to us moving she decided that she did not want to start so for the last year she has been working.
When we move she really wants to start college, or TAFE but she does not have any qualifications so have been told that she may not be able to get in to a TAFE.
Just wondering if it would be better for her to go back to school and hopefully get some better grades, if this is an option what year would she go in, she would want to be with kids around her age.
Sorry I am no expert on this subject but I am sure someone on here can help you so bumping up your thread.
All I can say is that in Australia as far as I am aware the classes really are mixed age groups, as quite often children stay back a school year. My niece when she first started school in Australia was kept back a school year as her speech was not very good, and there was discussions with her Mum to keep her back another year if need be. So it would not be uncommon in Australia for your daughter to be in a class of similar age group but not the same!
I did email some school (it may be an idea if you do the same), and they have advised me that it would be better if my son (who is 17 in October) does year 11 and 12, as year 11 puts them in good stead for their exams in year 12. My other son will be in year 10 which apparently is a good year to start in.
Thanks for your reply, I have emailed a school that is in the area where we are going to be living not heard back from them, it would be great if Charlotte could go back to school as i do think that it would help her make friends and hopefully she might settle down and get some better grades - she would need to be convinced though as she hated school.
I have similar issues with my son. He will be 17 in July, didn't do well at school and now has done one year of a computer engineering btec at college and is not suceeding in this either. He is not continuing into the second year on recommendation of the college. Sadly he is more than capable, but just not interested.
We are hoping to move to Perth in January and he will not even commit to coming. He has an option of getting full time employment here and fending for himself (not my choice) come with us and experience the adventure or go and live with his Father. He just wants to Skate!
Kids eh, who'd have em!
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Feb 4th 2008: Job offer
Feb 6th 2008: Verification pack to NMC £34
Feb 12th 2008: Skills assessment sent to ANMC Aus$ 645/£311
April 21st 2008: Email from ANMC - skills assessment positive
May 6th: Online visa submitted Aus$2060 £1014
May 6th: Police check for myself and 16 yr old £70
May 9th: Xrays x 3 £210
May 16th: Medicals x 3 £261
She could go to TAFE to complete her year 12 studies I would think - she certainly could if she was in ACT. There will be courses which dont have a year 12 pre-requisite but of course it all depends on what her area of interest is. If you look at the TAFE site they tell you what the pre-requisites are and many say none required but HSC/mature student preferred. She could get a full time job - not a terribly desirable one probably - and see how things go and then go back to TAFE when she has a tad more maturity and motivation under her belt. I wouldnt panic as there are lots of options to get mature students (over 23) back into education and training. She could be struggling to find an apprenticeship but even that could be a possibility if she tried hard enough.
At 17 I am not sure that I would be pushing for her to go back into a school environment - to do well in year 12 she would really have had to have done the complete 2 year course which means that she would be well older than her peer group so maybe not the best of situations for her.
In NSW she can go to TAFE and complete her Yrs 11 & 12 and then sit her HSC. I would have thought that SA would have a similar course. Some children are over school at the end of year 10 but are happy to do the finial 2 years at TAFE.
Thanks guys so much for your replies, had a little chat to Charlotte last night and she is not happy to say the least about going back to school, I have emailed the local TAFE but have not had much information back from them. It may be easier when we get over there as can travel round and see the schools and colleges and she might change her mind.
Thanks
Nicky
