What School Year?

**eammon** · 29-01-2010, 10:28 AM

Can anyone help me on this.... I'm soo confused.
Our daughters are aged 14 (October Birthdate) and 8 (September Birthdate). They are currently in Years 9 and 3.

I thought they would stay in those years when they join school in February, however my eldest daughter is convinced she has read that she will go in to year 10 and is now really concerned, that she will have missed the last 6 months of year 9 schoolwork and will be behind when she joins her new class. She is quite apprehensive about the move anyway, so this is just adding to her worries.

Thanks Denise x

**northernbird** · 29-01-2010, 10:39 AM

If you were to start school on Monday your children would be in years 10 and 3. Don't worry too much, the schooling is different so she may find herself on a similar level to the year 10 children.

**eammon** · 29-01-2010, 11:02 AM

How come Kerry would move up to year 10 from year 9 but Grace would stay in year 3. I'm sooooo confused!!!!

Denise x

**northernbird** · 29-01-2010, 11:14 AM

They changed the cut off dates a few years ago from Jan-Dec to July-June. If you were born before 1 January 1997 you come under the old rules as your eldest does.

**Quoll** · 29-01-2010, 11:31 AM

First thing - this is a new country with a whole new education system (actually several systems, all different) with a whole new curriculum, assessment processes and teaching strategies. In fact, very little about it is like UK so best to forget anything you knew about education and just go with the flow.

If your elder daughter is worried by it though, you could ask for her to go into year 9, a bit of extra maturity probably wouldnt be a disadvantage to her down the track and she would only be a bit older than the next cohort coming through.

**lisa** · 30-01-2010, 06:10 AM

Hi

We have just arrived in Brisbane and my son was 13 in December. In England he was in Yr 8 but the school yrs here go from Jan-Dec so he was supposed to go into yr 9 here but I asked for him go into yr 8. The school were fine about it

Lisa

**eammon** · 30-01-2010, 07:38 AM

Hi Lisa - is your son okay about going into Year 8. It seems such a good idea, but I'm just a bit concerned how Kerry might feel being older than all the others in that year and pupils the same age in the year above? But if it means not missing 6 months of education then I guess it would be worth it. Still sooooooo confused and unsure :(

Denise

**lisa** · 31-01-2010, 03:47 AM

Hi Denise

He was initially a bit worried but then when people ask he just says that he was in yr 8 in england so his mam put him in year 8 here. My concern was as his birthday is in December he would leave high school before his 17th Birthday and then start uni at 17 - but in England he would not start uni till nearly 19 following 6th form. i am aware that the education system is different but it still seemed odd to me

Lisa