Dennic Posted October 15, 2012 Share Posted October 15, 2012 Hello, Just wanted to ask for some advice. I have 3 boys aged 3,8,11 we are moving to Perth in November this year as OH has a job in Kingsley, but I am unsure of when to apply for school places. Can I apply from uk? We are going on 4 year visa. Wow this is more stressful than getting ready for the big move, I'm not even sure what year group they will be in but it would be nice if I could get them a school place before we go, or is this a bad idea? All help welcome Thanks Denni Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 15, 2012 Share Posted October 15, 2012 Hello,Just wanted to ask for some advice. I have 3 boys aged 3,8,11 we are moving to Perth in November this year as OH has a job in Kingsley, but I am unsure of when to apply for school places. Can I apply from uk? We are going on 4 year visa. Wow this is more stressful than getting ready for the big move, I'm not even sure what year group they will be in but it would be nice if I could get them a school place before we go, or is this a bad idea? All help welcome Thanks Denni Can't speak for Perth but I know where we are going (this is state schools btw) they say you have to wait till you are in Aus, have an Aus address (some schools are zoned also so you need to live within a certain area for kids to be able to attend) and so on. They won't consider you if you are outside of Aus. They all say contact us once you arrive, come see the school and go from there. I'd be very wary of enrolling for a school you've not seen, even if it has a good reputation or someone says its decent. It might not be the school for your kids or you might not feel the same way as others when you actually see it. Also you don't know exactly where you are going to end up living. I'd wait till you are there, you'll have a few weeks breathing room I am sure. You don't have to start your kids the moment they arrive. Let them find their feet, get over the jetlag and you can explore and see for yourselves what you like. I have a short list already having done lots of research into schools from here in the UK (have also visited one last time we were over in Aus and its on my list) and have 3 or 4 others I want to visit and check out once we are moved over. Then and only then will we make a final decision. We are lucky in that we have family members who are teachers and know a fair amount about the schools we are interested in and they even suggested a school we hadn't put on the list. And since we have I've heard lots of good things about it so am looking forward to seeing it for myself. Also I've spent time in Aus and know pretty much where we ill be living and so on. But some of the schools are still further away and will mean a bit of a commute. ETA - School year ends in December. Depending on when you arrive in November you could be pretty much only a few weeks away from the Aus summer hols starting. But you should defo have enough time to go round and check schools out even if they then don't start properly till the new school year the following Jan/Feb. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoneyandTimmy Posted October 19, 2012 Share Posted October 19, 2012 Yes, I enrolled my boys from the UK but my husband was in Perth already and dropped the forms off. I arrived with the kids a few weeks later, let them get over the jet lag for a week, then took them in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
northernbird Posted October 19, 2012 Share Posted October 19, 2012 You can make a provisional enquiry but a school will not enrol you properly until you have an address in Australia. If you are in catchment for the school you choose then they have to take you. If you choose a school that isn't close to where you live then the school will only take you if they have space in those year groups. Some schools will require you to have a 6 month lease agreement not just a holiday rental. It varies. I wouldn't rush, leave it until you are here and have a permanent home. What are their birth dates, I can tell you what year groups they will be in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dennic Posted October 19, 2012 Author Share Posted October 19, 2012 Thanks for that. I have 3 boys 03/10/01 12/06/04 15/01/09 I know about the small payment every year at non private school but i have read that on the 457 4year visa it might abit more? We have flights for the 26th nov so have a few weeks to look around before the schools end for the holiday. I am wanting them to start at the first day of new year Thanks for your help Denni x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
northernbird Posted October 19, 2012 Share Posted October 19, 2012 Thanks for that. I have 3 boys03/10/01 - Would currently be in Year 5, starting Year 6 in 2013 12/06/04 - Would currently be in Year 3, starting in Year 4 in 2013 15/01/09 - Kindy in 2013, non compulsory and 2.5 days per week. I know about the small payment every year at non private school but i have read that on the 457 4year visa it might abit more? We have flights for the 26th nov so have a few weeks to look around before the schools end for the holiday. I am wanting them to start at the first day of new year Thanks for your help Denni x See my replies to dates in red above. Voluntary contributions at state primary schools vary. Ours is $45 per child per year. They are voluntary but the schools really rely on them. All books and pens/pencils etc have to be purchased usually around $100 per child per year. Hope that helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dennic Posted October 19, 2012 Author Share Posted October 19, 2012 Once again a big thank you! Now I feel that I have one less thing to worry about. Your a star :wubclub: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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