GCSE's

[Guest earrye]

I have just been granted my visa but have the problem that my oldest daughter is in her last two years of her GCSE's. Does anyone know of any way that children can sit or continue to study for GCSE's in Australia?

[Guest kdal]

Hi, Welcome to PIO!!!

 

Not sure what part of Australia you are going to, also have feeling some of the states do things differently.

 

We are going to Brisbane my eldest son will sit his GCSE here this year, my youngest is currently in Uk school year 9, so will be going up this September to 10. As we are planning on going this year my youngest will not be sitting his GCSE's here, instead he will be doing the Oz exams!!

 

It is a little upsetting as he is doing really well here but we want to make the move now and if you are thinking of staying in Oz then the English GCSE's will probably not mean anything anyway!

 

I emailed a couple of schools and in Queensland they sit there exams in year 12, and they say that year 10 would be a good time to start school. Unfortunately my eldest will go into year 12 so he will have alot of catching up to do, possibly he may go into year 11 we will see when we get there, as he does want to Oz exams.

 

The first term of school in Oz is January (unlike ours in the September).

 

Hope this helps and wouldnt threat too much about your daughter not taking her GCSEs in England as she would be better to have the Oz ones if that is where you are going to be settling.

 

Good luck

[Guest wardy]

My son is in year 9 at the moment and heading in to his SATS.

 

As we are going to live in Australia we hope permenantly GCSE's are going to be of little use when we get there.

 

So the sooner we go the better. and the quicker he can adapt to the new system.

[ali]

I think all the GCSE's will prove is your childs ability to study - they won't count for much here at all

 

Ali

[Quoll]

What the others have said about the value of GCSEs - not much, here in Aus. However, having said that, if you check with the examinations board you may find that they have international examination centres. I know that Cambridge University definitely has an overseas examinations syndicate because my friend marks papers for them - also, my husband took his O levels when we lived in PNG many years ago now but it is probably still a possibility.

 

If you are looking for internationally acceptable courses, when you get here, look for schools that do the IB (International Baccalaureate) - it is a standardized curriculum with external examinations and internationally recognized.