Education options for 16year old moving to Aus

[UKClaire]

Hi there, we are working toward emigrating end August 2023 to Queensland. My daughter will have completed her GCSEs.

We would like to know if she’ll have to repeat the equivalent of her year eleven to get her in line with the Queensland education system or will her GCSEs be acceptable for further education straight away. 

Would it be better to move at the time she would start a new academic year ie: end January 2024? I wonder then if she’d have to start further education here in Uk for a couple of months?

Apologies-new to this forum and this will be a big move so we have many questions and want to make sure we time our move right.

Thank you.

 

[horsemad1976]

Hi Claire

I can't comment about QLD specifically as we live in WA. But having just moved with a 15yr old (who was at the beginning of Year 10 in the UK) I'm glad we made the move when we did (we moved in Dec) so she restarted Yr 10 here in the February. Year 10 has given her some breathing space as the curriculum we have found is VERY different! Our daughter will graduate high school after Yr 12 then go onto further study at Uni - she'll actually be almost finished her first year at uni here before her UK friends start! 

GCSE's also mean absolutely nothing here - I am under the impression GCSE's are the equiv to Yr 10 here so personally, I would move before them rather than after. It's a precious time from a social aspect anyway without adding on new curriculum/studies. Hopefully someone who can comment on the education system in QLD will be along soon to give some state specific info for you! 

[Quoll]

Foreign country, totally different system. Ignore the year levels she will have done in UK and GCSEs mean diddly squat in Australia. If she has aspirations for Uni, they will tell you that there are "conversions" but that's very much a gamble IMHO. Over the years there have been posts from people wife been promised things only to discover that they'd been left out on the cold and not able to get into courses they want because the conversions haven't been enough. Best solution is to let her finish A levels - leave her with family if  necessary and that way she keeps all her options open  for Uni in either country and A levels travel better to Australia than the reverse. If you can't do that, then try and get her to Australia for the start of year 11 which will be in the January of the year that she's either just turned or  just about to turn 16. She would be better doing the full two years of the year 11/12 program rather than hoping for a reasonable credit for work done in UK. 

[Marisawright]

I second what Quoll said.  Best plan is to either arrive in time for her to start Year 11, or let her stay in the UK until she's completed A levels.  GCSE's aren't regarded as of any value here.

Edited September 23, 2019 by Marisawright

[rammygirl]

I would check as GCSEs are taken into account in some states and some schools/colleges.  We were told by the Adelaide uni linked college that they get annoyed that people just assume GCSEs are not valued.

Not the case everywhere but please check the facts with possible colleges/schools/ universities  in the area you are intending to settle before making a decision.

Each state has a slightly different education system here so what the above posters say may well be the case where they are but it isn’t the case everywhere. 

[ali]

I guess the thing to remember is the system is differing than the UK in that the children don't go to College to do the equivalent of A levels prior to Uni, they finish year 12 of High School and go right to Uni (unless taking a gap year).

[Roberta2]

The individual states run public education in Australia, so each system is somewhat different - although moving towards more conformity. One thing to consider is school catchments.  You can see these on a Queensland Department of Education map.   The most desirable schools are catchment controlled, so you have to prove you live in the area.  This includes both primary and secondary schools.  The most in-demand schools won't enroll you until you have a signed lease document or proof of purchase, and they can insist that you have six months utility bills in your names.  The most in-demand high school, Brisbane State High (partially selective and my old school),  is especially sticky (not least because of widespread fraud.)    I heard recently that a couple moving up from Sydney could not enroll their kid until they produced the six months worth of utility bills.  For comparing all schools, see the MySchool website run by the federal government. Of course, there are also many private schools - one third of Australian kids go to those.