Emigrating with a teenager

[Jilldesp]

Hi, just wondering if anyone has made the move with a teenager and any tips or advice? Did they slit into school ok? Also have u considered re entering them back into school in England if u ever decided to come back? As they wud have no GCSE's. This is a bit late in the day for me to b asking as due to move in July, but all of a sudden thinking if all different things and wot iffs!

thanks in advance for any advice!!!

[Shellybingobingo]

Hi, just wondering if anyone has made the move with a teenager and any tips or advice? Did they slit into school ok? Also have u considered re entering them back into school in England if u ever decided to come back? As they wud have no GCSE's. This is a bit late in the day for me to b asking as due to move in July, but all of a sudden thinking if all different things and wot iffs!

thanks in advance for any advice!!!

 

 

Yes es I emigrated with 2 teenagers at the time ....one who was 14 at the time now 17 has taken to it like a duck to water ....moved to perth ...he loved it broke his heart when I moved him again to brisbane ...but actually he settled in well and is doing better at school in brisbane and I'm dead chuffed for him ...he has lots of friends too ....but possibly moving him back to perth when he finishes his schooling in November ... If I ever went back uk I'll do what ever it takes for him , I'll cross that bridge if I ever come to it ....my 21 yr old who was 18 at the time ...didn't settle so well but he's got a full time job recently and has a girlfriend and he's staying in qld if I move back to perth he says lol ....but wasn't easy for him but he's happy enough now it takes time lots of time for them to adjust ...but my youngest in his final yr living the dream all by himself him and I'm dead chuffed for him

[Quoll]

Personally, I wouldnt, I'd be leaving them to finish A levels in UK, that way they don't burn any bridges and A levels travel well to Aus whereas the converse isn't true. You could have him board with family/friends and visit you for holidays. I would say the same for a move in either direction btw. However, if you have to move him, make sure he does the full final 2 yr course (yrs 11 and 12h - don't enrol part way through yr 11.

[NicF]

Personally there is no way I'd leave my 16 year old in the UK by themselves. And I certainly wouldn't leave a younger child in the UK by themselves, and the OP mentions that her son child won't have GCSEs when they move so is likely to be even younger. Sometimes people get too focused on a child getting a UK education 'just in case' and I can't say I've ever seen the same people suggest that someone should leave their child in Australia by themselves to finish their education here.

 

OP - I wouldn't worry about it too much. Plenty of kids move around the world and fit in with the education system. If you did move back your child may not have GCSEs but a good school would consider what they have done here and help them through the next stage. And there is always 6th form college if your child did want to get GCSEs first. Or even if they want to do A-levels without doing GCSEs. A good school or college should take in to account education up to the age of 16 even if they don't have GCSEs. They may even allow your child to do the key GCSEs along side A levels. If you are really concerned you could always look for a school that does the IB here as that will transfer well.

[Rob64]

I moved five of my children ranging from 7 to 17. Two of them did no GCSE's before leaving for Oz, but on returning to the Uk are both currently in Universities. All qualifications can be recognised in the UK. High School certificate is recognised as International Baccalaureate equivalent which can convert for University entry. The only issue to consider is going to University back in the UK you need to be 3 years back in UK unless you are on a temporary visa.

[Shellybingobingo]

My 18 yr old at the time of moving had his gcses ...and did a diploma in mechanical engineering ...finished that as we moved ....my eldest who's in uk ...did his gcse then A levels ...then he went on to do a civil engineering degree at uni ...he got half way through and decided it wasn't for him ....he's now a policeman ....your kids will make the own way , u can guide them and show them the way but it's their choice ...no point being pushy because they will do what they want to do in the end anyway ....and to be honest my hubby saw my eldest struggled with engineering ...he couldn't see him suffer anymore he told him uve either got it or you haven't ...he's now a policeman and loving it ...they will find their way in life don't worry ! My middle one who's here didn't want carry on with it ...although my hubby isn't best pleased about it because he has got what it takes ..but it's his choice and you cannot force them everyone of my kids are different and they are well grounded kids they will be fine !

[tina0101]

If they have decent GCSE grades they can be claimed as credit for Year 11 here if you child is going to go into Year 12. Having been through the GCSE system, my son is actually better prepared for his Year 12 exams than some others in his class and is on track for a great OP.

[cherries002]

We are hoping to head to NSW in September time. My dilemma is:

 

daughter 1. She is 18 and as she had to be a dependant to be included on the visa she had to remain in education and therefore is on Year 1 of 2 of an animal management etc course. I told her clearly from day 1 that she would only be able to compete the first year as we would have to go to Oz. She's a young 18 and she wouldn't want to stay here on her own. We have looked at her options when we get there and she's so unhappy at the moment doing nothing uni work that she said she can't wait to get out there and spend some time doing some voluntary support in the ecological systems of the rain forests etc. I will support her 100% in whatever she wants to do, she's looking forward to it and I think this will be a turning point for her (fingers crossed). She can then decide if she wants to pursue further education when she's there.

 

daughter 2.. She is 17 and almost completing her 1sy year of a levels. I feel dreadful again that she won't be completing but she wants to go back into the education system when we arrive.

 

we are extremely lucky that this has been ALL our dreams (obviously forced slightly by me when they were younger) but hAve grown to understand that the lifestyle would be of huge benefit to us all. They both have all their GCSEs so that's one benefit. This day in age we all have aspirations for our children, we try to guide them as best we can but ultimately they will make their own decisions once they become young adults. As long as we can support them then that's as valuable as anything.

[ramot]

As a mother who had to leave her almost 14 year old daughter behind in UK, when we had to move to Borneo for my husbands job, as there was no schooling there at that time for her.

I say don't' do it having been there, and been accused of abandoning her, as have many more in the same circumstances.

Can you realistically afford the fares for either you to go back to UK or them to visit in the school holidays? or are you just not going to be with them for the sake of a UK education for years?

Unless you have left a child on the other side of the world I honestly don't think you have a clue how hard it is, how much of their growing up you miss. Is the separation from family really worth it.

 

The older 2 who were already at university managed better, but were 19 and 21, still felt we were a long way away though.

the other point is that if they don't come with you now, then perhaps like my oldest, he was so established in UK after uni, that he has never left.

 

luckily the 2 younger have ended up joining us when we much later moved to Oz, but there was no guarantee that would happen.

 

Not an easy decision and hope I have given you some idea of how hard it can be, as some posters have suggested leaving them behind in UK,

[Dorset]

We moved out 2.5 years ago with three children 17F, 16M and 14M. Our daughter actually stayed in the UK to finish her A Levels first. My older son had just completed GCSEs and my youngest son hadn't done anything.

 

Each state has a completely different education system - so some of the advice above won't apply if you are in a different state. In NSW the GCSEs don't hold any interest for schools as NSW got rid of the equivalent a few years ago. When you enrol in a school they will be keen to see the most recent school reports from the UK but that is about all. The NSW schools are incredibly flexible and most will try to take your son/daughter from where they left off, wherever that may be and will fit them into the best possible fit of program.

 

Our children have done very well out of the move. My older son and daughter are now at a world class Australian university one on the basis of her A levels, the other on the basis of his NSW HSCs. My younger son is happy and doing very well in his preliminary's. With hindsight, I might have tried harder to persuade my daughter to have come over after the first year of A levels instead of staying in the UK as she hasn't got any friends in the Australian town we live in because she didn't go to school here. However, she is happy at University and so I can't complain at the decisions she took.

 

It is likely that coming from the UK your kids will have a far higher work ethic than many in rural Australian schools, so should do well academically if they maintain this. Our kids found the Australian youngsters incredibly friendly -warn yours to expect to have to say vitamin, data and yoghurt many times for the interest of their classmates. It would help if your children are sporty and get involved in local sports teams. The culture where we live is to respect people who have a go, so it doesn't really matter whether they are good at the sport or not.

 

Cherries recommend you get in touch with schools asap and urge them to accept your daughter into the end of year 11. The (Australian) year 12 HSC course actually starts in the last term of (Australian) year 11.