allisonc771 Posted August 15, 2012 Share Posted August 15, 2012 We are hoping to emigrate to queensland in Jan 2013 on PR visa. Our eldest daughter is 16 and has just completed GCSEs and left school here in the UK. We are a little confused, we have been told that her GCSE results will count for nothing in Australia. Is she better doing A levels here and moving out after that or will she slot easily into the Australian Ed system. We dont want to put her at a disadvantage. She is looking at doing Religeous studies, psychology, law and english. Any advice please?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noworriesmate Posted August 15, 2012 Share Posted August 15, 2012 The short answer to your question is Yes she would be better waiting until she completed her A levels before coming out as her A level results are easily transferred into a score that will allow her to get into university while her GCSE results are not. In fact they seem to 'weight' the A level results so that even mediocre A level results in the UK are enough to get into a good uni in Aus. She will find it much harder trying to fit into years 11 and 12 and getting to grips with the Aussie system and thus getting a high enough score to get into uni that way. My Advice (solely on the basis of uni entry etc) would be to delay coming to Aus until her A level's were completed, then coming to Aus for 6 months prior to starting Uni in the Feb (when the academic year starts in Aus) - this will give her time to settle, explore etc prior to studying again. All the best NWM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob64 Posted August 15, 2012 Share Posted August 15, 2012 A levels & then University in the Uk ! Our universities have far more choice of course's !! Check out the university league tables ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NicF Posted August 15, 2012 Share Posted August 15, 2012 I wouldn't want to leave my 16 year old daughter in the UK just for the sake of A levels. Lots of people knock the Australian education system but they still manage to produce doctors, business people and scientists just like the UK. What does your daughter want to do? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob1 Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 Re the university education read this - which was in the paper yesterday - http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/-/breaking/14560949/uwa-ranked-among-worlds-top-universities/ So over 50% of Australia's University make the top 500 of the world list. With only 37 Universities compared to 115 in the UK (many of them old polytechnics made into Uni's) the previous poster may be right saying the range of degrees may not be as extensive - you can't do a degree in horse riding or stand up comedy like you can in the UK for instance.....but there is a still an extensive range of subjects. The equivalent of A levels for school students is the two year programme they do in year 11 and 12 at school. Some bright kids have managed to pick up a new subject in year 12 but really this would require lots of work - you really need both years. Psychology would be no problem except not all schools offer it - it begins in year 11. Same with english and RE - both easy subjects to transfer. there is no 'law' as a school subject - at least not in WA - it is politics and Law and will obviously have some focus on Australian politics and law which is a different set up to the UK. Students will have done some politics from Year 8 upwards as part of social studies so will have a good background in it before picking it as a subject in year 11. I'd advise your daughter to pick another subject. Something like Human biology might be good - has a bit of an overlap with psychology and is mainly fact learning - to do well you need to learn facts rather than write essays. To get an Australian Uni admissions rank she would need at least four subjects though most students do five and the top four marks count. next decision - depending when she turned 16 she may be able to slot into a high school and join Year 11 in January. She wouldn't be the only one who is a bit older. By going into school she will have an instant social group within a couple of weeks - it's the easiest place to make friends. There are a couple of high schools in Perth that are only for year 10-12 and if you could find a school like that in QLD it would be good. Failing that - if she doesn't fancy the returning to school idea then there are college's (TAFE) where she could do her subjects. this is not such a common option here - not like going on to 6th form college in the UK, and it is really for new arrivals, mature age students and over seas students-and students who did badly in their final exams and want to repeat them. I don't think the teaching or facilities are as good as you get in some high schools though I don't want that to be a sweeping generalization - depends where you go. Socially I know of a couple of girls who did this and didn't find it very friendly - as the classes aren't full of same age students and unlike school you can turn up - do your class and go home (like Uni). I would still opt for either of these rather than staying in the UK to do A levels. If your daughter will be attending an Oz Uni then come to Oz now so she has two years of getting to know the culture and developing a social group. My son brought back the University admissions book yesterday and has to apply (bit like uk UCAS). I noticed that one Uni in Perth has an entrance rank of 55 - which is nothing! Sure you could even fail a school subject and still get in with that rank. they are basically saying yes, we'll take most people but it doesn't mean that you'll do well on the course when you get here. I bet their fall out rate is high. So basically if she gets a C in her four subjects, she'll still have a good chance of a Uni place here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob64 Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 I guess I'm a bit biased but my Son did really well in Australia, Dux for his School but came back to the UK to read Law at Oxford University !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freckleface Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 Re the university education read this - which was in the paper yesterday - http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/-/breaking/14560949/uwa-ranked-among-worlds-top-universities/So over 50% of Australia's University make the top 500 of the world list. With only 37 Universities compared to 115 in the UK (many of them old polytechnics made into Uni's) the previous poster may be right saying the range of degrees may not be as extensive - you can't do a degree in horse riding or stand up comedy like you can in the UK for instance.....but there is a still an extensive range of subjects. The equivalent of A levels for school students is the two year programme they do in year 11 and 12 at school. Some bright kids have managed to pick up a new subject in year 12 but really this would require lots of work - you really need both years. Psychology would be no problem except not all schools offer it - it begins in year 11. Same with english and RE - both easy subjects to transfer. there is no 'law' as a school subject - at least not in WA - it is politics and Law and will obviously have some focus on Australian politics and law which is a different set up to the UK. Students will have done some politics from Year 8 upwards as part of social studies so will have a good background in it before picking it as a subject in year 11. I'd advise your daughter to pick another subject. Something like Human biology might be good - has a bit of an overlap with psychology and is mainly fact learning - to do well you need to learn facts rather than write essays. To get an Australian Uni admissions rank she would need at least four subjects though most students do five and the top four marks count. next decision - depending when she turned 16 she may be able to slot into a high school and join Year 11 in January. She wouldn't be the only one who is a bit older. By going into school she will have an instant social group within a couple of weeks - it's the easiest place to make friends. There are a couple of high schools in Perth that are only for year 10-12 and if you could find a school like that in QLD it would be good. Failing that - if she doesn't fancy the returning to school idea then there are college's (TAFE) where she could do her subjects. this is not such a common option here - not like going on to 6th form college in the UK, and it is really for new arrivals, mature age students and over seas students-and students who did badly in their final exams and want to repeat them. I don't think the teaching or facilities are as good as you get in some high schools though I don't want that to be a sweeping generalization - depends where you go. Socially I know of a couple of girls who did this and didn't find it very friendly - as the classes aren't full of same age students and unlike school you can turn up - do your class and go home (like Uni). I would still opt for either of these rather than staying in the UK to do A levels. If your daughter will be attending an Oz Uni then come to Oz now so she has two years of getting to know the culture and developing a social group. My son brought back the University admissions book yesterday and has to apply (bit like uk UCAS). I noticed that one Uni in Perth has an entrance rank of 55 - which is nothing! Sure you could even fail a school subject and still get in with that rank. they are basically saying yes, we'll take most people but it doesn't mean that you'll do well on the course when you get here. I bet their fall out rate is high. So basically if she gets a C in her four subjects, she'll still have a good chance of a Uni place here. Seriously? They offer degrees for these in the UK? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob1 Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/education/360811.stm http://www.hotcoursesabroad.com/study/course/uk/foundation-degree-equine-sports-coaching-fdsc/52595892/program.html#tips (OK it's a foundation degree) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freckleface Posted August 16, 2012 Share Posted August 16, 2012 http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/education/360811.stm http://www.hotcoursesabroad.com/study/course/uk/foundation-degree-equine-sports-coaching-fdsc/52595892/program.html#tips (OK it's a foundation degree) I thought I had seen just about everything but that takes the cake :laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beachlover94 Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 Please stay and do alevels. Im 17 and moved here last October after doing my gcses! And it was the worst mistake! My family is even considering moving back for me to do them! First off, yes, my gcses ment nothing here. Everyone my age who wanted to go uni was already going here! I tried to get a place at a lot of high schools here to do year 12 even though I would be a year older so that I could get the Australian school certificate to go uni. No school would except me because I was a year to old. They finish year 12 at 17 here! Then go straight to uni. Ive ended up at tafe doing a beauty course just to make friends. It's horrible. and I do not believe Australian universities are better. I don't believe the education her is good at all. My sister was in year 8 in england. She had to go back a year her and I can honestly say compared to what her friends are learning in England it's terrible. Shs learning how to use comars in English. This is something you learn in primary. I think Australia is beautiful & the people are lovely but seriously do your alevels! Please Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickyNook Posted August 17, 2012 Share Posted August 17, 2012 I don't believe the education her is good at all. My sister was in year 8 in england. She had to go back a year her and I can honestly say compared to what her friends are learning in England it's terrible. Shs learning how to use comars in English. So the education in the UK is superior? What are comars? Actually the reason that schools probably didn't want to take you (just for Year 12) is that you would have had to squash what is a two-year course into three terms. (The final term of Year 12 is exams only). Not a recipe for success. It would have been better for you to have entered Year 11 and completed the full course. And kids are not all 17 when they go to Uni. My sons were both 18 when they finished school and went. The age of first-year Uni students is determined by when their birthday is and the state they live in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob1 Posted August 18, 2012 Share Posted August 18, 2012 To clarify a few points - it's commas not commars but that doesn't matter The students in WA are 6 months behind the rest of Australia in age in Years 11 and 12 because 11 years ago they decided to change the school starting age to fit in with the other States - so the current Years 10's are the first group to go through with the older birthdays. Therefore if the OP's daughter is 16, there is a good chance that she could slot into Year 11. Not sure which State you are going to though. Your sister didn't 'go back a year' and Oz education system is very different to the UK in terms of the age they start school - Year 8 here is not year 8 in the UK, they're different. This report shows that Australia is way ahead of the UK overall in literacy and numeracy. http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/datablog/2010/dec/07/world-education-rankings-maths-science-reading However it depends what school you go to. There are many high schools that are below the National average and if you come from a good school in the UK to a not so good school in Oz then you'll find that the standard is lower as they have to cater for lots of kids who can't cope with the average level. It's a sad fact that even in the top schools, many students don't understand basic skills - I work in one of the exclusive private schools in WA (makes it into the top 10 every year on exam results) and the English teachers were moaning that many of the students have no idea how to write an address on an envelope! Many probably would struggle explaining when to write teachers, teacher's, and teachers'. I thought GCSE's counted for nothing but I read the TISC guide last night - like UCAS in the UK for applying to UNi - and it says - Applicants with A level results must submit both their A level final certificates and their GCSE certificates. You must show competency in English - documentary evidence would include GCSE English. So if you came to Oz and did Year 11/12 but didn't do English as a subject - but you passed GCSE English in the UK then you may be OK. Likewise, if you failed GCSE English and didn't do an A level in English then you'd have to do additional exams to show your english competency. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob1 Posted August 18, 2012 Share Posted August 18, 2012 Beachlover - I see your sister is going to Belridge - no wonder you think the education is bad here, it's a really poor school and you can;t compare what goes on those there to reflect Oz education. I wonder why you are doing a beauty course at TAFE and not subjects that'll get you a University admissions rank, there are lots of pre-Uni courses that you can do that'll count towards Uni admissions. Why not change if you don't like it and want to get into University? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allisonc771 Posted August 18, 2012 Author Share Posted August 18, 2012 thank you very much this has been very helpful!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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