Is YEAR 6 same as GRADE 6 in Australia?

[Captain Ron]

My son is currently in year 6 in UK, due to start year 7 (high school) in September.  However, we are planning to move to Melbourne late September and im almost sure he will have to go into year 6 'again' (i know diff work and same age peers) -  Just wondering if anyone has had their child do their last year of primary school again instead of doing their first year of high school and how did they cope??

My son turns 11 in June this year (2021) He misses the cut off as far as what i have researched online to go into his first year of high school there (Melbourne)

Also, is Year 6 the same as Grade 6? - (last year of primary school) or are the grades different to UK?

 

 

[Jon the Hat]

Well it won't be a year, is will be a semester, as the School year runs End of Jan / early Feb to December, with the 4th semester from early October to December.  Then 6 weeks holidays and start high school in late Jan / early Feb.

[Captain Ron]

Thank you, yes that is what i am familiar with but i think he misses the April cut off to be able to begin High School there 2022, because his birthdate is June - so as far as i have read online he will have to do year 6 there 'again', starting Jan/Feb 2022. (which i am fine with just curious to see if anyone has done this and how it went).  From what i understand, with him being born in June 2010 he will only start high school in 2023.

Edited March 24, 2021 by Captain Ron

[Quoll]

Yup he will need to turn 12 before the cut off on 30 April.  Don't sweat it, it's a foreign country with a different system, different kids and probably a much less directed way of learning (which he may find more challenging if he's always been "taught" stuff).  His.basic skills will probably be well ahead of his peers (my UK yr 2 grandson is now doing things that my Aus granddaughter was doing here last year in yr 4!) but he may struggle with the self directed learning that a lot of schools think is the way to go.  Either way, he will be with kids his age and that's a plus, and he will go from being one of the younger kids in the class to bring one of the older which might encourage him more into leadership roles.  

Is only going to be an issue if you go back to UK at some point where he will have effectively lost half a year but UK schools seem to be good in getting kids to catch back up if that ever happened.  

BTW everything is different to UK LOL, it's a foreign country. Overall one less year of schooling, generally later starting ages and every state is different so we can't even get it together coherently as a country.  Final year is year 12 and yrs 11&12 are really the only 2 years that are assessed. 

[Captain Ron]

30 minutes ago, Quoll said:

Yup he will need to turn 12 before the cut off on 30 April.  Don't sweat it, it's a foreign country with a different system, different kids and probably a much less directed way of learning (which he may find more challenging if he's always been "taught" stuff).  His.basic skills will probably be well ahead of his peers (my UK yr 2 grandson is now doing things that my Aus granddaughter was doing here last year in yr 4!) but he may struggle with the self directed learning that a lot of schools think is the way to go.  Either way, he will be with kids his age and that's a plus, and he will go from being one of the younger kids in the class to bring one of the older which might encourage him more into leadership roles.  

Is only going to be an issue if you go back to UK at some point where he will have effectively lost half a year but UK schools seem to be good in getting kids to catch back up if that ever happened.  

BTW everything is different to UK LOL, it's a foreign country. Overall one less year of schooling, generally later starting ages and every state is different so we can't even get it together coherently as a country.  Final year is year 12 and yrs 11&12 are really the only 2 years that are assessed. 

Thanks so much. It has been something that I have had to get my head around - Going in to high school vs doing yr 6 'again' - but i understand now how the age with peers and different curriculum as you mentioned is more important.  Are the Years and Grades the same? So UK year 6 the same as saying Australia Year 6?

Edited March 24, 2021 by Captain Ron

[Quoll]

40 minutes ago, Captain Ron said:

Thanks so much. It has been something that I have had to get my head around - Going in to high school vs doing yr 6 'again' - but i understand now how the age with peers and different curriculum as you mentioned is more important.  Are the Years and Grades the same? So UK year 6 the same as saying Australia Year 6?

Basically.  It's the 7th year of school in both places.  Get that "doing year 6 again" thing out of your head, he's never done it in Australia!!!!

Edited March 24, 2021 by Quoll

[Jon the Hat]

15 hours ago, Captain Ron said:

Thank you, yes that is what i am familiar with but i think he misses the April cut off to be able to begin High School there 2022, because his birthdate is June - so as far as i have read online he will have to do year 6 there 'again', starting Jan/Feb 2022. (which i am fine with just curious to see if anyone has done this and how it went).  From what i understand, with him being born in June 2010 he will only start high school in 2023.

Ah I see sorry!

[Captain Ron]

10 hours ago, Quoll said:

Basically.  It's the 7th year of school in both places.  Get that "doing year 6 again" thing out of your head, he's never done it in Australia!!!!

Ok got it!

 

No I meant 'again'.. as in doing year 6 'again', but doing it differently  - Im also okay with it.

[rtritudr]

18 hours ago, Captain Ron said:

My son is currently in year 6 in UK, due to start year 7 (high school) in September.  However, we are planning to move to Melbourne late September and im almost sure he will have to go into year 6 'again' (i know diff work and same age peers) -  Just wondering if anyone has had their child do their last year of primary school again instead of doing their first year of high school and how did they cope??

My son turns 11 in June this year (2021) He misses the cut off as far as what i have researched online to go into his first year of high school there (Melbourne)

 

The cut-offs are state-dependent.  In NSW the cut-off is 31 July.

[Lavers]

Seeing as your son has already done year 6 in the UK, the school will possibly allow him to still go into year 7.

We came to Adelaide last year and both my girls missed the cut off. My eldest by 2 weeks and we asked for her to still go up a year, but my youngest missed it by 4 months. 

She finished reception class in the UK and the school in Aus would allow us to still put her into year 1 but we decided to put her back a year as she would have been 15 months younger than some kids which we felt was too big a gap.

[calNgary]

1 hour ago, Captain Ron said:

Ok got it!

 

No I meant 'again'.. as in doing year 6 'again', but doing it differently  - Im also okay with it.

The whole education system is so different here. When we moved i had a son start  in Yr 4 and a daughter Kindy. My son graduated Yr 12 a few years ago at 17, he was one of the youngest in his year here. My daughter will graduate Yr 12 this year at 18, she was one of the oldest in her year ! (there birthdays are 3 weeks apart) It feels a bit odd when you have got used to the UK system but you will soon get to grips with it all. The advantage of your child doing the last year of primary is that he can make friends prior to high school and it will give you an insight into what High schools are the better ones.

Good luck with the move 

 Cal x

 

[ali]

19 hours ago, Captain Ron said:

My son is currently in year 6 in UK, due to start year 7 (high school) in September.  However, we are planning to move to Melbourne late September and im almost sure he will have to go into year 6 'again' (i know diff work and same age peers) -  Just wondering if anyone has had their child do their last year of primary school again instead of doing their first year of high school and how did they cope??

My son turns 11 in June this year (2021) He misses the cut off as far as what i have researched online to go into his first year of high school there (Melbourne)

Also, is Year 6 the same as Grade 6? - (last year of primary school) or are the grades different to UK?

 

 

When we moved the system in WA was different than it is now and year 7 was the last year of primary.  My daughter had left primary in the UK and started HS in the September (we left in the January) and she commenced the new school year in Primary.  It gave her an opportunity to really settle without much demands, she made friends and  did really well. 

Our chosen school were really good, they set her up with a 'pen pal' before she arrived and she has already formed a friendship of sorts  before we arrived.  I would agree with Cal that the education system is very different 

[Lavers]

28 minutes ago, calNgary said:

The whole education system is so different here. When we moved i had a son start  in Yr 4 and a daughter Kindy. My son graduated Yr 12 a few years ago at 17, he was one of the youngest in his year here. My daughter will graduate Yr 12 this year at 18, she was one of the oldest in her year ! (there birthdays are 3 weeks apart) It feels a bit odd when you have got used to the UK system but you will soon get to grips with it all. The advantage of your child doing the last year of primary is that he can make friends prior to high school and it will give you an insight into what High schools are the better ones.

Good luck with the move 

 Cal x

 

We wanted our daughter to do a year at primary before going into high school, more for her to get used to things rather than us.

[Captain Ron]

4 hours ago, rtritudr said:

The cut-offs are state-dependent.  In NSW the cut-off is 31 July.

Hello, thank you - We will be moving to Melbourne which is April, and his birthdate is June - so not by too much but ive read how rigid it is.  I have emailed one high school to see what they say!!

[Captain Ron]

3 hours ago, Lavers said:

Seeing as your son has already done year 6 in the UK, the school will possibly allow him to still go into year 7.

We came to Adelaide last year and both my girls missed the cut off. My eldest by 2 weeks and we asked for her to still go up a year, but my youngest missed it by 4 months. 

She finished reception class in the UK and the school in Aus would allow us to still put her into year 1 but we decided to put her back a year as she would have been 15 months younger than some kids which we felt was too big a gap.

Thank you - yes i think this is what i need to find out.  I have emailed one high school in this regard and I am waiting to see what they have to say - just to give me some idea.. My middle child is currently in YR 2 and at the right age to go into Grade 3 in Melbourne - but My eldest misses it by 2 months or so.. So it is a case of, am i looking at high school  for one or primary for them both.. :)... Im okay with him doing the Grade 6 in Oz to be honest, he is one of the youngest in Year 6 here. 

 

Hope you are enjoying Adelaide! Did you go before or after covid? Very interested to find out about your journey over there!!

[Captain Ron]

3 hours ago, calNgary said:

The whole education system is so different here. When we moved i had a son start  in Yr 4 and a daughter Kindy. My son graduated Yr 12 a few years ago at 17, he was one of the youngest in his year here. My daughter will graduate Yr 12 this year at 18, she was one of the oldest in her year ! (there birthdays are 3 weeks apart) It feels a bit odd when you have got used to the UK system but you will soon get to grips with it all. The advantage of your child doing the last year of primary is that he can make friends prior to high school and it will give you an insight into what High schools are the better ones.

Good luck with the move 

 Cal x

 

Thanks Cal, very true.  School and friends are so important and if he can make some buddies before going into high school that would make me feel at ease and his transition that much smoother!

[Captain Ron]

2 hours ago, ali said:

When we moved the system in WA was different than it is now and year 7 was the last year of primary.  My daughter had left primary in the UK and started HS in the September (we left in the January) and she commenced the new school year in Primary.  It gave her an opportunity to really settle without much demands, she made friends and  did really well. 

Our chosen school were really good, they set her up with a 'pen pal' before she arrived and she has already formed a friendship of sorts  before we arrived.  I would agree with Cal that the education system is very different 

Thank you for telling me, it does make me feel better hearing how your daughter got on, especially having started high school and then back to primary!  May I ask how you managed to get a school sorted prior to arriving? 

[Quoll]

6 hours ago, Captain Ron said:

Thank you for telling me, it does make me feel better hearing how your daughter got on, especially having started high school and then back to primary!  May I ask how you managed to get a school sorted prior to arriving? 

That would be very unusual, especially in Victoria where rules is rules.  You generally need a permanent address and schools have priority enrolment areas where they are obliged to offer a place to anyone in that area. You may apply for admittance as an out of area placement in any other school but none would be obliged to take you unless they had vacancies.  Only way I can think of knowing which school they’ll be going to is if you choose to go private then as long as you pay the fees they don’t care where you are going to be living. 
With a kid being much younger than their cohort it isn’t so much “now” that is the issue it’s when they get older and they’re developmentally and socially out of step with a whole lot of hormonal drinking/driving/drugging teens and heading for Uni at 17.  If you can see the disadvantages of legitimately being the youngest in U.K. the disadvantage of being the youngest in Aus would be greater - many parents with kids close to the cut off (say Feb-April) will keep the kids back a year in preschool so they are older going to full time school. 

Edited March 25, 2021 by Quoll

[Captain Ron]

48 minutes ago, Quoll said:

That would be very unusual, especially in Victoria where rules is rules.  You generally need a permanent address and schools have priority enrolment areas where they are obliged to offer a place to anyone in that area. You may apply for admittance as an out of area placement in any other school but none would be obliged to take you unless they had vacancies.  Only way I can think of knowing which school they’ll be going to is if you choose to go private then as long as you pay the fees they don’t care where you are going to be living. 
With a kid being much younger than their cohort it isn’t so much “now” that is the issue it’s when they get older and they’re developmentally and socially out of step with a whole lot of hormonal drinking/driving/drugging teens and heading for Uni at 17.  If you can see the disadvantages of legitimately being the youngest in U.K. the disadvantage of being the youngest in Aus would be greater - many parents with kids close to the cut off (say Feb-April) will keep the kids back a year in preschool so they are older going to full time school. 

Thanks so much.  You make total sense about when he gets older! We are hoping to travel to Melbourne in September so will take the time then to look at areas and schools and hopefully find something nice...

[NicF]

1 hour ago, Quoll said:

That would be very unusual, especially in Victoria where rules is rules.  You generally need a permanent address and schools have priority enrolment areas where they are obliged to offer a place to anyone in that area. You may apply for admittance as an out of area placement in any other school but none would be obliged to take you unless they had vacancies.  Only way I can think of knowing which school they’ll be going to is if you choose to go private then as long as you pay the fees they don’t care where you are going to be living. 
With a kid being much younger than their cohort it isn’t so much “now” that is the issue it’s when they get older and they’re developmentally and socially out of step with a whole lot of hormonal drinking/driving/drugging teens and heading for Uni at 17.  If you can see the disadvantages of legitimately being the youngest in U.K. the disadvantage of being the youngest in Aus would be greater - many parents with kids close to the cut off (say Feb-April) will keep the kids back a year in preschool so they are older going to full time school. 

I agree with Quoll on this.  My son did years 8, 9 and 10 in 2 years and then went straight in to year 11.  He is now in year 12 and he was one of the youngest in his year to start with so is much younger than most of the kids in year 12 now and will be going to Uni at 16.  Most of the kids he hangs out with at school are currently in year 11, so in the year he would have been if he had not skipped the year.  Fortunately the subjects he's chosen tend to attract the more studious, hard working and less partying kind of kids so he's not exposed too much to the kids that do the whole teenage hormonal, drinking, drugs type thing but it's definitely there.  And socially he mostly connects with other kids through cricket outside of school and doesn't have any desire to do much else (he's autistic and a late developer which probably helps as well).  I do worry about how he is going to get on at Uni though.

[Captain Ron]

5 minutes ago, NicF said:

I agree with Quoll on this.  My son did years 8, 9 and 10 in 2 years and then went straight in to year 11.  He is now in year 12 and he was one of the youngest in his year to start with so is much younger than most of the kids in year 12 now and will be going to Uni at 16.  Most of the kids he hangs out with at school are currently in year 11, so in the year he would have been if he had not skipped the year.  Fortunately the subjects he's chosen tend to attract the more studious, hard working and less partying kind of kids so he's not exposed too much to the kids that do the whole teenage hormonal, drinking, drugs type thing but it's definitely there.  And socially he mostly connects with other kids through cricket outside of school and doesn't have any desire to do much else (he's autistic and a late developer which probably helps as well).  I do worry about how he is going to get on at Uni though.

Thanks for your input, i appreciate it. High school is new territory for me having both boys in primary school in UK still and its hard enough finding a school here let alone in a new country.  Im actually thinking how much better it will be for him to do Grade/Yr 6 'again' (don't know how else to put it) with kids his own age and settling in that way rather than high School to begin with.  And like someone else mentioned, it will give me some time to get more familiar with the High Schools in the area.  I can't even think of Uni, omg the worry never ends!!

[Quoll]

23 minutes ago, Captain Ron said:

Thanks for your input, i appreciate it. High school is new territory for me having both boys in primary school in UK still and its hard enough finding a school here let alone in a new country.  Im actually thinking how much better it will be for him to do Grade/Yr 6 'again' (don't know how else to put it) with kids his own age and settling in that way rather than high School to begin with.  And like someone else mentioned, it will give me some time to get more familiar with the High Schools in the area.  I can't even think of Uni, omg the worry never ends!!

Just say “go with his age cohort” and drop the “again” (simples!)

[ali]

9 hours ago, Captain Ron said:

Thank you for telling me, it does make me feel better hearing how your daughter got on, especially having started high school and then back to primary!  May I ask how you managed to get a school sorted prior to arriving? 

We'd secured a fixed term rental in the area - the school were great giving me info etc., although we couldn't enroll until we actually arrived.  My daughter (now 26) has said that she really was grateful for the year before HS, it allowed her to 'learn the system' lessons and subjects were different - she went from doing French to Japanese (although picked French up again in HS).   She had missed the applications for the extension program at HS which were done in year 6, but her teacher contacted the HS and asked them to assess her for the program - so that space allowed her to access something she might have missed going right into HS.  

[Captain Ron]

9 hours ago, ali said:

We'd secured a fixed term rental in the area - the school were great giving me info etc., although we couldn't enroll until we actually arrived.  My daughter (now 26) has said that she really was grateful for the year before HS, it allowed her to 'learn the system' lessons and subjects were different - she went from doing French to Japanese (although picked French up again in HS).   She had missed the applications for the extension program at HS which were done in year 6, but her teacher contacted the HS and asked them to assess her for the program - so that space allowed her to access something she might have missed going right into HS.  

Oh i see, that is great, thanks for sharing your daughter's experience with me! I feel good about it.

[Lavers]

20 hours ago, Captain Ron said:

Thank you - yes i think this is what i need to find out.  I have emailed one high school in this regard and I am waiting to see what they have to say - just to give me some idea.. My middle child is currently in YR 2 and at the right age to go into Grade 3 in Melbourne - but My eldest misses it by 2 months or so.. So it is a case of, am i looking at high school  for one or primary for them both.. :)... Im okay with him doing the Grade 6 in Oz to be honest, he is one of the youngest in Year 6 here. 

 

Hope you are enjoying Adelaide! Did you go before or after covid? Very interested to find out about your journey over there!!

If your son doesn't mind doing yr 6 again then I would just do that.

We came last June and flew to Melbourne as flights where £1200 cheaper. We thought that with that money saved we could travel the great ocean road through to Adelaide as the border was due to open the day we finished qaurantine.

Unfortunately shit hit the fan in Melbourne as we finished qaurantine and everything shut, so we had to fly straight to Adelaide and do another 2 week qaurantine in our airbnb, so 4 weeks in total.

Glad we came when we did as if we didn't we would still be stuck in the UK and may never have came.