CelinaOz Posted September 21, 2016 Share Posted September 21, 2016 Hi everyone, wondered if you could help me with this one as I can't seem to find an answer anywhere! We are looking to arrive in Sydney on 1st December (still to sort out where exactly!) and I know schools finish in mid Dec for the summer holidays. So I was thinking that there's no point in starting my 7 year old until the new school year (end of Jan). But legally, does she need to attend for those first few days when we arrive? I'd be grateful for any advice. Thanks X Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 21, 2016 Share Posted September 21, 2016 She'll be fine to not go to school those last couple of weeks. TBH though, she may well be very bored (if she doesn't have friends or family to play with) having so long off school without other kids around what with the summer holidays and all that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJ Posted September 21, 2016 Share Posted September 21, 2016 You can wait till the new term but if you decide what area you are staying in, you could enrol her for the last couple of weeks, might give her a chance to get to know a couple of little friends for playdates during the 6 week school holidays Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CelinaOz Posted September 21, 2016 Author Share Posted September 21, 2016 Thanks guys, you make a good point re friends to play with. Just awaiting to confirm my husband's job package (today). I'm finding it hard to find a holiday let to tide us over whilst waiting for our shipment that isn't crazy money. I want to be around Manly/Northern Beaches, which we can just about manage to rent unfurnished but can't find anything remotely affordable to rent furnished for first 3 months. So am wondering how I enroll her into a school that we won't be able to live in the catchment area of initially. What do others do(?) - just send them to a different school for the first 3 months?! I don't really want to do that as its going to be hard to settle my initially shy one in to start with! Any ideas? X Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 21, 2016 Share Posted September 21, 2016 (edited) Most people don't rent short term furnished for 3 months. Usually 3-4 weeks then move into an unfurnished rental. And make do till the shipping arrives. Cheap stuff from Kmart, blow up beds or gumtree and so on. I know some who have bought an outside table and chairs new and used inside till their shipping arrived and they had a dining table and chairs and then put the outdoor setting outside to use. We picked a few cheap things up off Gumtree and buy and sell pages. You can buy cheap KMart/Target or Ikea crockery and stuff to see you through. One or two cheap pans, a cheap mixing bowl, it doesn't have to be a big expense. We did the camp out indoors thing before we moved so we had the camp out before we left the UK for a few weeks. ETA - We put our son into a nice school nearish to where we first started off when we first arrived and then moved him 7 months later when we bought elsewhere and found a much better school in the new area we were zoned for. We prepared him for it, talked it over, let him do a couple of transition days, kept in touch with his friends from his first school and it was fine. And 2 and a bit years on, he still sees those friends from his first school, a couple on a regular basis a few times a month or more. Has playdates, sleep overs, goes to footy with them and more. Plus we are friends with the parents. Edited September 21, 2016 by Guest eta Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rosiew Posted September 21, 2016 Share Posted September 21, 2016 It may be easier if you can get somewhere to tide you over in the UK for a few weeks before you leave (Air B&B?). You could then ship your stuff earlier so that you can be living in the school catchment when school starts in the last week of Jan - or at least have a lease agreed if you have to prove you live in the area (not always necessary). You will pay through the nose for short term accommodation in those areas over Dec/ Jan because they are let at holiday prices to people staying for a week. If you get a rental early you can camp in it for a couple of weeks while your stuff arrives. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bungo Posted September 21, 2016 Share Posted September 21, 2016 Thanks guys, you make a good point re friends to play with. Just awaiting to confirm my husband's job package (today). I'm finding it hard to find a holiday let to tide us over whilst waiting for our shipment that isn't crazy money. I want to be around Manly/Northern Beaches, which we can just about manage to rent unfurnished but can't find anything remotely affordable to rent furnished for first 3 months. So am wondering how I enroll her into a school that we won't be able to live in the catchment area of initially. What do others do(?) - just send them to a different school for the first 3 months?! I don't really want to do that as its going to be hard to settle my initially shy one in to start with! Any ideas? X Never heard of anyone taking a short term furnished. You need holiday accommodation for when you arrive and start to look for your long term rental immediately. Then it is the joy of indoor camping. :smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quoll Posted September 21, 2016 Share Posted September 21, 2016 No one is going to give a toss if your child is not in school - 2 weeks, 2 months, whatever, even when you have permanent accommodation although the law says that all kids over 6 should be in receipt of an approved education program they're toothless if you decide not to send your kids to school. Get settled - as the others have said - holiday rental then lost term rental agreement then school. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calNgary Posted September 21, 2016 Share Posted September 21, 2016 We arrived November and the school actually advised us to delay starting until the new school in year in Jan. It worked well as he made some friends near where we lived before he started school so didnt feel to 'alien' on his first day. Cal x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joji Posted September 21, 2016 Share Posted September 21, 2016 Don't worry about school on arrival and get yourselves settled , you are arriving at a good time re schools as they break for summer so you have plenty of time to choose a school of your choice depending on where you reside . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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