Repeating a year of School

[Emmer]

I’m currently a student (13) who is planning on moving to Melbourne in October. I am almost finished with school year 9 but because I’m born in August 2006, I will have to repeat a few months in year 8 and the whole of year 9! I’m not bothered about repeating a few months at the end of this year but I am about repeating year 9!
 

I have been told that I have an exceptional ability in maths English and science and I have taken a look at the Australian maths curriculum for year 9 and I have completed almost all of the work this year. I have also looked at the writing standard and I have the ability to achieve it. 
 

Is there any way around repeating a year of school as im aware that the cut off date is in April? I looked on the Victorian government website and they said that if  a child has already completed more then one term of schooling abroad them they will be able to commence their schooling in the same year in Australia. They also start school a year earlier in the UK but I’m not sure if they will let me go into the correct year group.
 

 

[Quoll]

The “correct” year group is the one where your age peers are.   You’ve done schooling in a foreign country so you won’t be “repeating” anything, it’ll be a whole new experience so just enrol with your age peers and forget any year level names that you might have encountered on your educational journey thus far. Australia is a foreign country with its own education systems - we aren’t consistent across the country but an August birthday is beyond any state’s cut off. 

So what if you’re ahead of your peers - you’ll find it hard enough in many regards as it is very different so if you’ve already covered some parts of the curriculum that’ll give you time not to stress over other bits that you’ll be paddling very hard through to try and catch up.  Many schools prefer to offer extension programs for kids who are streets ahead whilst keeping them with their age peers and that social/physical/emotional development is just as important as any skill level.

Bottom line, don’t worry about what the year level you are going into is called.

 

[ali]

My daughter had started HS in the UK before we moved, when we arrived year 7 in WA was the last year of primary school .  She never looked at it as "going back", but settling in.  It allowed her to find her feet, establish herself with a peer group.  Whilst some things were easy, some were more challenging, she was accepted into a HS Academic Extension Programe for Science, English, Maths and HASS,

Don't underestimate how difficult moving to a new country can be - finding friends who are the same age/same interests and establishing an out of school network will be equally important.  A good school will ensure that you're stretched if you have the ability.

[Emmer]

I also moved from Australia to the UK and I skipped the whole of year three. I struggled a lot and but managed to catch up. This is why I feel that I will be repeating a year and I was wondering if schools are flexible with letting me go into the correct year group. 

[Emmer]

13 hours ago, ali said:

My daughter had started HS in the UK before we moved, when we arrived year 7 in WA was the last year of primary school .  She never looked at it as "going back", but settling in.  It allowed her to find her feet, establish herself with a peer group.  Whilst some things were easy, some were more challenging, she was accepted into a HS Academic Extension Programe for Science, English, Maths and HASS,

Don't underestimate how difficult moving to a new country can be - finding friends who are the same age/same interests and establishing an out of school network will be equally important.  A good school will ensure that you're stretched if you have the ability.

When I move it will be too late for me to be accepted into any programs. 

[Emmer]

16 hours ago, Quoll said:

The “correct” year group is the one where your age peers are.   You’ve done schooling in a foreign country so you won’t be “repeating” anything, it’ll be a whole new experience so just enrol with your age peers and forget any year level names that you might have encountered on your educational journey thus far. Australia is a foreign country with its own education systems - we aren’t consistent across the country but an August birthday is beyond any state’s cut off. 

So what if you’re ahead of your peers - you’ll find it hard enough in many regards as it is very different so if you’ve already covered some parts of the curriculum that’ll give you time not to stress over other bits that you’ll be paddling very hard through to try and catch up.  Many schools prefer to offer extension programs for kids who are streets ahead whilst keeping them with their age peers and that social/physical/emotional development is just as important as any skill level.

Bottom line, don’t worry about what the year level you are going into is called.

 

I moved from Australia to the Uk in 2014 and I skipped the whole of year 3. I struggled a lot but I managed to catch up. My point is that in the UK you have an extra year of school and you start a year earlier in the uk. If I go into the same year group it will be the right one for my ability.

 

My sister will be able to go into the correct year group because her birthday is in April. So I was wondering if they will let me go into the correct year group.

Edited June 3, 2020 by Emmer

[Quoll]

24 minutes ago, Emmer said:

I also moved from Australia to the UK and I skipped the whole of year three. I struggled a lot and but managed to catch up. This is why I feel that I will be repeating a year and I was wondering if schools are flexible with letting me go into the correct year group. 

All schools will let you go into the correct year group which is the one where your age peers are.  It is highly unlikely that with an August birthday you will be allowed to be in a year above your age peers. Its not a great idea socially and emotionally either.  Dont sweat it.  You wont be repeating it because you havent done the Australian year before.  Edited to say, if you've been in Australia before you will remember that they dont like tall poppies much so grouping on ability is not a general feature of Australian education.  Dont worry about it

Edited June 3, 2020 by Quoll

[Quoll]

24 minutes ago, Emmer said:

When I move it will be too late for me to be accepted into any programs. 

No it wont.  If a school has an extension program if you fit into it you can join it.  

[Emmer]

9 minutes ago, Quoll said:

No it wont.  If a school has an extension program if you fit into it you can join it.  

How easy is it to join the program? I’ve heard of the seal program but I know that there are only 25 spaces per school and I’m assuming that no one really leaves it. 

[Emmer]

17 hours ago, ali said:

My daughter had started HS in the UK before we moved, when we arrived year 7 in WA was the last year of primary school .  She never looked at it as "going back", but settling in.  It allowed her to find her feet, establish herself with a peer group.  Whilst some things were easy, some were more challenging, she was accepted into a HS Academic Extension Programe for Science, English, Maths and HASS,

Don't underestimate how difficult moving to a new country can be - finding friends who are the same age/same interests and establishing an out of school network will be equally important.  A good school will ensure that you're stretched if you have the ability.

Did she have to repeat year 7? Even though it’s still a primary school year if she was in the same position she was in the uk then that shouldn’t matter that it is a primary school. My point is that I need a teachers input on what happens as I know not all schools have extension programs and I am already ahead for my age anyway.

[ali]

6 hours ago, Emmer said:

Did she have to repeat year 7? Even though it’s still a primary school year if she was in the same position she was in the uk then that shouldn’t matter that it is a primary school. My point is that I need a teachers input on what happens as I know not all schools have extension programs and I am already ahead for my age anyway.

Yes she was in year 7, but going back to primary school after being at high school was a big thing as i'm sure you'd agree that a primary and HS curriculum are very different..  Perhaps your parents could look at a school that specifically offers a gifted and talented program for you - most programs will only run until year 10 anyway because for years 11 and 12 you're doing subjects that will lead to Uni entry (there isn't a collage year prior to Uni), would your intention be be to go to Uni a year early?

[Emmer]

10 hours ago, ali said:

Yes she was in year 7, but going back to primary school after being at high school was a big thing as i'm sure you'd agree that a primary and HS curriculum are very different..  Perhaps your parents could look at a school that specifically offers a gifted and talented program for you - most programs will only run until year 10 anyway because for years 11 and 12 you're doing subjects that will lead to Uni entry (there isn't a collage year prior to Uni), would your intention be be to go to Uni a year early?

Yes that would be my intention however I have already completed 10 years of schooling and I would be going into my 11th year in September so when I go to school in Australia I will be either people who have only completed 9 years. As you can imagine there will be a huge ability gap.

[Marisawright]

On 02/06/2020 at 23:46, Emmer said:

I’m currently a student (13) who is planning on moving to Melbourne in October. I am almost finished with school year 9 but because I’m born in August 2006, I will have to repeat a few months in year 8 and the whole of year 9! I’m not bothered about repeating a few months at the end of this year but I am about repeating year 9!

Is there any way around repeating a year of school as im aware that the cut off date is in April?

I was born in August too.   I can  understand you're reluctant to repeat a year when you're going to be ahead of everyone, so there's a risk you'll be bored.  However, have you thought about how you'll make friends, if you are accepted into a higher year?  Your school work will suit you better, but you'll be amongst students who are all older than you.   It can be challenging to make friends when you come from a foreign country anyway, but even more so if you're out of your age cohort.  

I think it might be better to accept that you're going to have an easy year with schoolwork, which will give you more time to concentrate on developing hobbies, making friends, and settling back into Australian life. You could also take up a new, demanding hobby if you want more intellectual stimulation. 

[Emmer]

20 minutes ago, Marisawright said:

I was born in August too.   I can  understand you're reluctant to repeat a year when you're going to be ahead of everyone, so there's a risk you'll be bored.  However, have you thought about how you'll make friends, if you are accepted into a higher year?  Your school work will suit you better, but you'll be amongst students who are all older than you.   It can be challenging to make friends when you come from a foreign country anyway, but even more so if you're out of your age cohort.  

I think it might be better to accept that you're going to have an easy year with schoolwork, which will give you more time to concentrate on developing hobbies, making friends, and settling back into Australian life. You could also take up a new, demanding hobby if you want more intellectual stimulation. 

For someone who has always had education as a priority and who has never really struggled to fit in with people older or younger, I’ve never really had a problem with everyone being at least 6 months older then me. It will probably be very boring even if it is a different curriculum because I have already completed a year more of school then everyone else.

[Quoll]

29 minutes ago, Emmer said:

Yes that would be my intention however I have already completed 10 years of schooling and I would be going into my 11th year in September so when I go to school in Australia I will be either people who have only completed 9 years. As you can imagine there will be a huge ability gap.

Didn’t you say that when you moved from Australia you skipped yr 3 so you’ve actually only done 9. You’ll be with the cohort you started your educational journey with.  Please don’t get hung up on the ability gap - there are going to be lots of very bright kids in your year, and, at the risk of sounding boring, you haven’t done the Victorian curriculum for that year. The focus of education is quite different - less talk and chalk and more independent exploration. You may find it hard to come to grips with a foreign education system and a whole new High School jungle and you will be much better with your age peers. If you have the ability, you’re going to make it anyway, but Victoria is one of the most draconian states for rules and guidelines and their cut off date is their cut off date and you don’t want to be 17 going to Uni. The social gap gets quite large around that time.   Just another gentle heads up - I mentioned before, tall poppies often find themselves cut down to size quite quickly so be careful about pushing that “different ability” barrow, you’re going to have/want to make friends too and nothing puts the other kids off quite so much as the “I’m better than you are” thing.   Perhaps you could talk to your parents about looking at one of the top level private schools. 

[Emmer]

18 minutes ago, Quoll said:

Didn’t you say that when you moved from Australia you skipped yr 3 so you’ve actually only done 9. You’ll be with the cohort you started your educational journey with.  Please don’t get hung up on the ability gap - there are going to be lots of very bright kids in your year, and, at the risk of sounding boring, you haven’t done the Victorian curriculum for that year. The focus of education is quite different - less talk and chalk and more independent exploration. You may find it hard to come to grips with a foreign education system and a whole new High School jungle and you will be much better with your age peers. If you have the ability, you’re going to make it anyway, but Victoria is one of the most draconian states for rules and guidelines and their cut off date is their cut off date and you don’t want to be 17 going to Uni. The social gap gets quite large around that time.   Just another gentle heads up - I mentioned before, tall poppies often find themselves cut down to size quite quickly so be careful about pushing that “different ability” barrow, you’re going to have/want to make friends too and nothing puts the other kids off quite so much as the “I’m better than you are” thing.   Perhaps you could talk to your parents about looking at one of the top level private schools. 

Private school isn’t really an option and the school I will be going to is considered to be a good school but they don’t have an extension program. When I skipped year 3 I struggled at first but I managed to catch up. This is why I fear I will be repeat a year because of the gap. I pretty much did two years in one so I have completed 10 years worth of schooling not 9.

Edited June 4, 2020 by Emmer

[Toots]

You could have a look at this. https://bettereducation.com.au/AccelerationClass.aspx  I have no idea whether or not it will of any help but just noticed that very able students can be accelerated through secondary school.

[Emmer]

27 minutes ago, Toots said:

You could have a look at this. https://bettereducation.com.au/AccelerationClass.aspx  I have no idea whether or not it will of any help but just noticed that very able students can be accelerated through secondary school.

Ok thanks

[purplealster]

2 hours ago, Emmer said:

For someone who has always had education as a priority and who has never really struggled to fit in with people older or younger, I’ve never really had a problem with everyone being at least 6 months older then me. It will probably be very boring even if it is a different curriculum because I have already completed a year more of school then everyone else.

They will be substantially older than you  and by more than 6 months. My son turned 11 in April and one of  his best friends will only turn 10 in July. The difference in maturity is quite evident . 

[Emmer]

7 minutes ago, purplealster said:

They will be substantially older than you  and by more than 6 months. My son turned 11 in April and one of  his best friends will only turn 10 in July. The difference in maturity is quite evident . 

There is a lot more difference when you are younger then when you are older. I am already one of the youngest in my year In the UK and there is no maturity difference between me and someone who is born in September.

[Quoll]

10 hours ago, Toots said:

You could have a look at this. https://bettereducation.com.au/AccelerationClass.aspx  I have no idea whether or not it will of any help but just noticed that very able students can be accelerated through secondary school.

There usually has to be in depth psycho educational assessments for out of age placement and Victoria is one of the most intransigent states in that regard. Assessments cover not just academic skill level but the broader psycho social capacities and assessed giftedness. Private schools have marginally more leeway because .... money!