MACBETH

Hi everyone We returned to the UK after 2 years in Oz followed by 2 years in NZ. We have been back 4 years now. Our daughter missed a full year school year through the move, no they don't keep them back but to be honest she has coped fine, still complains that she missed out on the long NZ summer holiday as we returned on the 23rd December and she was literally straight into school. I suppose if you had valid reason for them to go back a year then the school may consider it but she went straight into the year related to her age. I never even gave it a thought about the variations of schools, between Grammar and High Schools and the tests to get in!! We were lucky in Yorkshire that the local Grammar school had space so they accepted her straight away, we moved down to Cheshire a year later and it took 3 weeks to get her in!! She had to sit the entrance exam for the Grammar school, got accepted then we got told the place they had open due to a child emigrating was off the cards as the family had postponed their move. No other Grammar or High Schools had space, luckily our local High School took pity on us and took her in. She picked up the difference in schooling without too much issue however it is GCSE year this year and she said the pressure is awful. She does say that school life in Oz and NZ was much better and less stressful. Although she has made a fabulous friend group she was shocked by the day glow tans and Scouse Brows adorned by 90% of the school population. Oz and NZ the kids just seemed more relaxed and the majority weren't as into make up plastered on and Scouse brows. It has probably all changed now down under and they are all sporting the caterpillar eyebrows

Hi everyone We had a very happy 2 years in Canberra in 2012 before moving further overseas for 2 years and then back to the UK for the past 3 years...... There is a slight possibility that a return to Canberra may be on the cards....eeek. I just wondered how life was in Canberra now a days? Has anything changed? I heard about the light rail system...very fancy....does it work?