Caroline Baxter

I have an 11 year old who is going into year 7 in January. She has settled in ok at Point Cook College in year 6 so your 10 year old will be fine. It is a big thing for them but both schools really are fab (well we like them anyway).

That sounds good to me, do you have any more children at all? If you come over in January your son can settle into the area before starting school as school doesnt start until February. I also know of some boys your sons age who are going to the same school and starting in year 10 so if you do decide on Point Cook Senior I could speak to their mums and see if they are upto meeting up too. Anyway let me know nearer the time and good luck with your move. Caroline

Hi Midwife99 My eldest also didnt want to come over but in the end she became excited like the rest of us. She has settled into Point Cook Senior amazingly well. She didnt mind having to re-study for her exams and starting in year 10 has prepared her for her option years in 11 and 12. She started in February with everyone else so every child was starting a new school at the same time in her year. She was concerned about making new friends as I am sure your son is as it is a big haul for a child of that age as they have many friends who they have grown up with and now they are being taken away from their comfort zone. By day one she had many friends even one who only lived in the next town from us in the UK and has been here for 3 years. She now has loads of friends so tell him it will happen and he will make lots of new friends. She would tell you that the teaching over here is alot more relaxed and the teachers and kids arent as stressed out as they are in the uk. I think she finds the work easier over here now whether thats because alot of the work she has already studied and done in the Uk I dont know. In English for example she is studying Romeo and Juliet which is what she studied in the UK so a head start in that subject We have a progress report every month on every subject and of course the usual parent/teacher meetings twice a year. The subjects they choose are swapped over at the end of the first semester so they dont study all the subjects they choose all the year apart from Maths and English so last semester she did Graphics, History, Rec and then English and Maths and this semester its Biology, photography and CAP and English and Maths. Then exams at the end of each semester. She is that happy here now she is looking forward to 4 years time and becoming an Australian Citizen now thats a turn around from this time last year. Honestly your son will settle in with no problem and if you decide to bring them here then I am sure my daughter would love to show him around and help him best she can. My youngest loves it here too. Point Cook College is a great school. I was a Teaching Assistant in the Uk and I am now helping at the school as a parent helper so I have seen the difference in the education first hand. They are so much more relaxed in their teaching, have plenty of time for a chat with the kids and the parents yet they get the work done. Again she has made lots of new friends. Lunch times are different in both schools than in the UK, Point Cook College they have their lunch in the classrooms then go out to play and Point Cook Senior they just chill out around the school. Well I am not sure whether I have given you an insight but I have no problems with either schools, I find the teachers very approachable. My youngest has always wanted to come over so we have had no problems with her. They both miss their friends in the UK but they do speak on Facebook and Skype, my eldest has a blackberry so she can speak on BBM to her friends in the uk for free via that although I must admit she is now only in contact with 3 or 4 friends in the UK (part of growing up as I told her that once she leaves school in England everyone goes their own way even if she stays there or comes here). Now both girls have said that they wouldnt go back there now, life is so much better over here and they have so much space to run around with the amount of parks that are around. Does your son play sport? If so there is now shortage of sports he can choose from. Let me know how you get on with everything and good luck. Anymore help you want just let me know.

Great post. We have been here 6 months now and are loving every minute. I agree with everything you have said including the sausages, dont get any wet or fat out of them. I agree about the school too. My eldest has got excellent results in her end of semester exams and all because like you have said they arent as stressed out and the teachers and the kids are more relaxed. All the best for the future.

We moved over here from the UK in January and my daughter was due to complete her GCSEs in the UK now. Due to the GCSEs not meaning anything over here we gave her the option to either complete her GCSEs or move over in January to start year 10 in February. This is what she has chosen and feel that she has made the right decision. She is with children her own age and she is getting use to the education system over here before taking on her VCEs . She is excelling in her education over here and loves every minute. Good luck in your move. Caroline

Skips crisps and quavers. We can get hula hoops and monster munchs and twiglets here but not skips and quavers. Back bacon we can get from Coles and our butcher does pork pies and black pudding which is yummy.

Hi, We had a wicker basket and we couldnt bring it over with us :sad:. Good luck with everything. Caroline

Hi We moved to Point Cook in January, we dont have a pool or dont have any facilities. The nearest pool is in Werribee where there is an outdoor one or the Wynham Leisure Centre where they have a lovely indoor pool. We also liked going to the beach on hot days at Altona which is only about 15 minute drive away. Good luck with everything. Caroline

Hi, We moved to Melbourne in January and we have a 15 year old (16 in August) who was due to do her GCSEs now. Due to her being told by a friend who moved to Perth that really GCSEs arent recognised in Australia, we decided that it would be a good idea to move out before the GCSEs. It meant due to her age that she has gone back a year into year 10. This we consider a great move as she has got use to the education system and the courses available to her. She has settled in great and really enjoys it even though she is hearing about her friends in the UK taking their exams and leaving school. There is nothing wrong with going back a year if thats what your daughter will need to do. It sounds rough but at the end of the day she will be the same age as everyone else. It all depends when her birthday is anyway. Good luck in all that you do Caroline

Really pleased you have settled in well, I agree with everything you have said, we have been here 5 months (Melbourne) and love it and have no intentions to go back. Heres to the next 6 months. Caroline

We are with Telstra and we pay 2c a minute and 45c connection fee.

I do the same as freckleface and tisme, it doesnt bother me to be honest. I find it friendly unlike the ignorant so and so's in the UK who just dont seem to want to be there.

We arrived in January in Melbourne and all we needed was the same as Shusselmann. We did have previous reports incase they needed them but they didnt ask for them. Good luck. Caroline

OMG I would have screamed !!!!!!! At least he cant get through

Hi We went to Werribee this afternoon and caught 2 Australian salmon, both we put back and then saw that infact we could have kept it. A man next to us caught about 6 fish, dont know what they were though. Dont give up Jason I am sure they are there somewhere. Caroline