acatack Posted April 23, 2016 Share Posted April 23, 2016 Hey everyone. We're due out in Melbourne around the end of May, but will need to go into furnished holiday accomodation while the furniture arrives and while we sort out a long term rental property. The issue is that I have a 10 year old son who will need to be back in school a couple of weeks after we arrive. We're struggling to find a holiday rental where we want to be longer term (Williamstown) and wondered whether we can register him in a school outside of the catchment area so that we don't have to move him after we move to our longer term home in Williamstown? We also have a 17 year old with a similar problem but assume it will be simpler... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 23, 2016 Share Posted April 23, 2016 If there are school zones in action, then if its anything like here, unless you live within the zone and can show a years lease at least to prove this, they won't accept, ie a permanent address. Unless there is not a pressure on numbers in year group or there is room in the year group due to another child leaving or some such then they may consider it. If its a new enrolment for the start of the first year at HS, it may be zone only will be accepted due to pressure on place and so priority being given to those in the zone first and if any spaces left, then onto the (often) long waiting list. I'd not worry about it too much in terms of your son not being in school within a couple of weeks (unless you and your partner have jobs to start or some such). I'd take your time and find an area you like and start him a week or two later once you've found somewhere. And if you find somewhere sooner, bonus. Consider the school year here will run through to mid Dec and if coming from the UK he'll have been going since September already so a bit of a break while you guys settle in isn't a bad thing. It may even be better to wait till the start of T3 then as T2 ends on 24 June from my reading. Starting a new term may be better as often kids move around schools then and start to tie in with the terms. Plus it gives you plenty of time to find an area and school you like. http://www.education.vic.gov.au/school/parents/secondary/Pages/boundary.aspx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quoll Posted April 24, 2016 Share Posted April 24, 2016 Agree with Snifter - no rush to get him into school, wait until you've got something long term. Your 17 year old will have left school I am assuming so he can start work whenever. If, however he hasn't got A levels then he could be in a bit of a pickle, he will need to get a yr 12 equivalent somewhere and his only option might be TAFE because he will be too old to start year 11 in a school setting. If you're on a PR visa that'd be OK and domestic fees will apply but if you're on 457 them you will be paying hefty international fees. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bungo Posted April 24, 2016 Share Posted April 24, 2016 Another vote for the advice above. No need to get him into school so quickly. Most people will find their long term rental within a few weeks, so once you have done that amd signed a lease you can register him. Only two or three more weeks off school. If you are going straight into jobs, perhaps the older child can take a few weeks out of his plans to look after younger one. Why are you not worried about the 17 year old by the way? I would have thought that a far trickier age and situation than the 10 year old? Can be quite an awkward age for moving. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petitescargot Posted April 24, 2016 Share Posted April 24, 2016 The primary schools in williamstown are strictly zoned because of demand and you'll need a williamstown address to register if they have spaces available. There are lots of holiday let apartments in williamstown which often offer a discounted rate for longer lets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sammy1 Posted April 24, 2016 Share Posted April 24, 2016 Hey everyone. We're due out in Melbourne around the end of May, but will need to go into furnished holiday accomodation while the furniture arrives and while we sort out a long term rental property. The issue is that I have a 10 year old son who will need to be back in school a couple of weeks after we arrive. We're struggling to find a holiday rental where we want to be longer term (Williamstown) and wondered whether we can register him in a school outside of the catchment area so that we don't have to move him after we move to our longer term home in Williamstown? We also have a 17 year old with a similar problem but assume it will be simpler... Personally I would not worry about rushing to enrol your youngest. School holidays (two week duration) start at the end of June where you are moving. So if you wait until you get a long term rental, your son will be able to start at the beginning of term 3 in July, without worrying about catchment areas and moving. Schools are generally very strict about catchment areas, so that is probably your best bet. Your 17 year old is the trickier one to place and as others have suggested TAFE may have to be the option. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
acatack Posted April 24, 2016 Author Share Posted April 24, 2016 Thanks all. Sounds sensible to wait to enrol in that case. The only issue will be employment start times. I have a job on a 457 visa but my wife will need to get one fairly quickly so we'd struggle with childcare with us both working. We wouldn't want to leave him with a child minder either so soon after moving to Aus. It sounds like I was wrong assuming it would be easier for my 17 year old. He didn't do very well in his GCSEs so will have finished his Maths resit and a year long IT course (level 1 I think) by the time we go. I've read that it would make sense for him to go into yr 11 and 12 and he was happy with that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quoll Posted April 24, 2016 Share Posted April 24, 2016 II think you are going to struggle getting him into year 11 - bear in mind he would need to start in Jan17 in yr 11 and schools are reluctant to have kids who are of an age that they would already have left school - its a social mix they don't really like and the fact that you are on a temporary visa might make them even less keen to take him. The academic year is Jan to Dec and generally you can't afford to miss half of the first year of study if you want reasonable scores at the end of it. TAFE would be the sensible option and he might even be able to start the VCE course at the end of the year in Semester 2. You will need to pay international fees though and they can be quite heavy. Alternatively you could leave him with relatives to try and retrieve his UK education because you don't know how long you will be staying in Australia and he could be forced back into the UK system with big gaps in his qualifications. If you decide to stay and can get pr he will have had a chance to get A levels so if Uni is in his future he would have kept all his options open for Uni here or there without the possibility of international fees in UK and A levels travel well to Australia. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
acatack Posted April 24, 2016 Author Share Posted April 24, 2016 Thanks Quoll. Sounds like TAFE will be a good option. He loves Geology so anything in that field would be spot on, but he'll find something useful that he'll enjoy I'm sure. Are there any specific qualifications needed to get onto a TAFE course? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quoll Posted April 25, 2016 Share Posted April 25, 2016 Thanks Quoll. Sounds like TAFE will be a good option. He loves Geology so anything in that field would be spot on, but he'll find something useful that he'll enjoy I'm sure. Are there any specific qualifications needed to get onto a TAFE course? Yes, some of them require year 12 or equivalent (Alevels) which is why he will probably have to get his yr 12 quals before he starts anything else and he can do that at TAFE. He might, according to this, http://www.chisholm.edu.au/International/Education/Australian_education_system/Senior_Secondary_School as an example be able to accelerate his yr 12 cert which would be useful but he will have to work hard. I can't see the fees at the moment but they will be a lot of money for you to budget Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
acatack Posted April 27, 2016 Author Share Posted April 27, 2016 We've already budgeted for the costs as it seems to cost between $6,000 and $12,000, so that shouldn't be an issue (especially if he gets a job to help out. I'll get in contact with a few schools and colleges in the area to find out what he will need to do and provide to be able to register. It looks as though the certificates go from low entry level up to more degree level, so he can work his way through. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.