pmf1977

First I would like to thank everyone for their replies. finally just to clarify, at the time of the visit the children were still attending school. I even made them do their homework the day before their last day we were going to post a letter to the school with various other letters on our final day. Therefore as the children had not yet missed any school and we had not left the country there hadn't even been a pupil absence issue. whenever my children asked about scratches, cuts or scars I had I would always tell them I got them battling tigers or wolves and often had to end the battle shooting the animal dead. I have never had the police round to check if I had a gun or animal welfare to see if I had a collection of tiger skins or wolf pelts.

Even though the older children often come home with worksheets from school that have spelling mistakes or other errors, we make it clear to our kids how important education is. They have attended school and are going to school today. Teachers overheard our older kids talking to their friends about leaving. Writing a letter to school was on the list of to do but we hadn't gotten around to it yet. We have taken our children on a couple of holidays in the past that were not 'authorised' by the school but I am confident that the things my kids learned on these holidays makes up for missed lessons. The school has given my wife a note listing the things they require including forwarding residential address and telephone number address of the school the children will be attending.

Jonny I can understand some of the reasons in that case, partly because it is law for a child receive and education in this country but that law doesn't mean the education has to be in school as you can home tutor and if I was home tutoring my children the council would have no idea I was leaving the country.

Tea4too I understand what you are saying but these are our own children and as we are taking them out of the UK permanently neither myself nor my wife could understand the reaction from the council employee. if I decided to move to some remote location in say Alaska and choose to live off the land and not bother sending my children to school then surely that's my choice. If we are leaving the UK then as soon as we leave UK airspace surely we are no longer under UK law anyway. He told me that if we didn't provide a forwarding address by close of business tomorrow the he would have to file a missing children report to the police. If he did that, who would be wasting taxpayers money as the children aren't missing they are with their parents. My opinion is the same as QSS and freesia, it's none of their business and it is simply information gathering which is all I am trying to avoid. Councils fail to ensure the safety and welfare of many children IN the country so maybe they should focus their efforts there first.

We received a visit from a Pupil Welfare Officer today requesting forwarding address and school as we are emigrating and taking our four children. we emigrate on Sunday and he told us that if we don't provide the information they will need to inform the police that they have missing children. we hadn't yet notified the school we were leaving, it was on our very long to do list. i thought it was ridiculous as they are our own children and to be honest would rather not give any information. we don't have an address yet anyway as we will be staying with a friend until we find somewhere. I have searched on Google and cannot find anything that suggests we need to give this information by law. does anybody know? thanks Paul

That's what I meant by what we have learnt from major historical events but I don't think children need to learn about the battle of Hastings in 1066 or every major battle in the world wars or details about what life was like during the reign of Queen Victoria or the Egyptians (especially as much of what we think we know about the pyramids is still being debated). Do they teach languages in Australian schools and if so, what languages and from what age? Thanks

I wish my kids school focused on quality over quantity too. I already have my kids sitting out of religious studies and reading instead and would prefer to do the same for history too. I don't think children should be introduced to religion at all. As for history unless someone has a particular interest and wants to study history at higher education we should not waste time teaching it. Just incorporate the lessons we have learnt from major historical events into other subjects and focus on subjects that would benefit more pupils in everyday life.

Thank you for the reply it is very reassuring to hear. The twins are in year 5 here, their birthday is in April so I think they will just continue in year 5. Rocco is my 5 year old and his birthdate is 5th July 2009. He started school when he was 4 and was one of the youngest in his class. Reception (prep) was focused a lot on play but now he is in year 1 he is already complaining that he no longer likes school as it is too much work and he gets tired. I feel the system has lost touch a bit here anyway, like you say too much emphasis on league tables and tests. All three get regular homework and there is always at least one spelling error or typing mistake on the sheet the school provide so if the teachers can't get it right how on earth do they expect the children to.

I move to Brisbane in Feb with 9 year old twins who are in year 5 here and a 5 year old who is in year 1 here and I found this post while searching for more information after discovering my 5 year old will be in the prep year in Australia having already been at school for a year and a half by the time we get there. I was a little concerned but have come to the conclusion that either way he will progress at roughly the same pace as the other children so by the time he is 16 they will all be at the same level and as I hope he will want to stay in Australia it won't matter in the end.

I move to Brisbane in Feb with 9 year old twins who are in year 5 here and a 5 year old who is in year 1 here and I found this post while searching for more information after discovering my 5 year old will be in the prep year in Australia having already been at school for a year and a half by the time we get there. I was a little concerned but have come to the conclusion that either way he will progress at roughly the same pace as the other children so by the time he is 16 they will all be at the same level and as I hope he will want to stay in Australia it won't matter in the end.

Don't give up and don't lose hope. I submitted a 175 visa application in 2009 which my migration agent told me should have been processed within 12 months. Next thing I knew things changed and my application even though it had already been submitted was reassigned to priority 5. At the end of last year I gave up on the idea of moving to Australia and after paying a few hundred pounds to submit an expression of interest for New Zealand instead, I received an email informing me my application had been assigned to a case officer and I had to arrange for medicals. In April this year me, my wife and our 4 kids had our visas granted. 5 years after submitting the application. I was in a much better position financially in 2009 and only had 2 children so we have more stuff to move and 2 extra plane tickets to pay for but my dream is finally becoming a reality. We fly out to Brisbane 15th February 2015, 10 days before the initial entry deadline

I have had visas granted under skilled visa subclass 175. Under my application is my wife and 4 children, aged 9, 9, 5, 18 months. We will not be ready to relocate by the initial entry deadline which is February 2015 so we intend to go on a holiday first. If we have to take the 4 children it will add about £4000 to the cost of the holiday. Is it possible to reapply to add the children to our visas if we don't take them with us for the initial entry. We are trying to save money as the holiday will basically be a waste of money until we can sort things with the house etc here in the UK. So if we can just go on our own I am hoping to save quite a bit of money by reapplying for the children in a few months when we are ready to relocate. Or is it going to be a lot of hassle and would we be better off just all going on the holiday and activating all the visas by Feb 2015.

I submitted my 175 visa app in 2009. Case officer assigned Jan 2014, additional information requested and supplied beginning of April. Decision made and visas granted 24th April.

If you applied using the new online system I think you upload it, if you applied before that was introduced you can scan and email it. Think you have to put your name and TRN number in the subject line.

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The Australian immigration website states a substantial criminal record as a person who has been: sentenced to a term of imprisonment of 12 months or more sentenced to two or more terms of imprisonment (whether on one or more occasions), where the total of those terms is two years or more Maybe it is open to interpretation but I have not been sentenced to a term of 12 months. I was sentenced to a term of 8 months for one offence and a term of 4 months for the other offence. The second statement covers more than one term but the total is 2 years, the two terms on my record do not total or exceed 2 years.

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