Cobs_Ahoy Posted April 28, 2022 Author Share Posted April 28, 2022 @Quoll do you know if they generally mix the kids up every year like in the uk? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quoll Posted April 29, 2022 Share Posted April 29, 2022 10 hours ago, Cobs_Ahoy said: @Quoll do you know if they generally mix the kids up every year like in the uk? Probably yes as a general rule. There may be multi age groups as well but it all depends on the school, how many kids in each year group etc. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quoll Posted April 29, 2022 Share Posted April 29, 2022 10 hours ago, emmajane0429 said: I think the handover file is essential for us as we have special needs to consider for 1 child so I guess it depends on your own personal situation. However I have also been told that UK schooling is far ahead of Australia which is good to know and also they are not bothered if you enrol them or not when you first move so it’s nice to know we have a bit of le-way. Personally I know routine is best for kids so the sooner they get to school the better even if it is just for 6 weeks. I will too be letting them have a holiday and seeing some sights and then hopefully get them into school before Xmas so they can see what it’s all about. I think if it’s left too long they may get really anxious about it. Special needs is a whole different ballgame. In that case you will need the whole box and dice - copies of assessments, ieps, therapy assessments and plans, behaviour checklists and adaptive behaviour scores. You were lucky to get a visa with a special needs child. Disability funding (ie support over and above mainstream) is hard to get, just having a label isn’t enough. Most kids who don’t fall into the disability category just sink or swim with whatever the school provides through mainstream funding. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon the Hat Posted April 29, 2022 Share Posted April 29, 2022 12 hours ago, Cobs_Ahoy said: 6 weeks sounds like a good stint to get them settled to me, I think if we were able to make it happen 6 weeks before the end of term we would consider it, just to familiarise her with the school and get to know a few faces. And yes, I’m with you on routines, the past couple of years have been testing to say the least! But I think that with our daughter’s personality, anything less than 4 weeks wouldn’t be enough time for her to get those benefits. looking into schools is next on my list of things to do. I’ve spent so long looking into the Sunshine Coast that now I’m not going there I basically have to start again good luck with your move @emmajane0429 hope it all goes smoothly for you all, not long till September/October now! We moved in September last year, but with 2 weeks hotel quarantine it was then October when we really arrived. Kids started school as soon as we had a lease signed, so about mid October. They really benefitted from the time pre summer holidays, and I think it helped they had made a couple of friends to see over the holidays. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cobs_Ahoy Posted April 29, 2022 Author Share Posted April 29, 2022 Thanks everyone - it’s been really helpful to hear everyone’s tips/experiences, especially when considering the benefits of getting my daughter enrolled at the end of the year or vs the benefits of waiting until the start of year 2. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeachBabe2022 Posted April 30, 2022 Share Posted April 30, 2022 On 23/04/2022 at 20:16, Cobs_Ahoy said: my biggest concern is telling my 6 year old daughter. Has anyone got any experience of telling primary-aged kids about the move? my daughter is very sensitive and hates change, so I already have an idea of how the news is going to go down..... I would not tell her. Just tell her you are going on trip (the flight) for a overseas holiday - after some weeks she will eventually figure out you have moved permanently, and by then she will be use to the new environment. You don't tell dogs you are moving and you move them anyway, and they soon settle into a routine in the new country, so not much different to children under 7 years of age. Probably would not work with an older child though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nemesis Posted April 30, 2022 Share Posted April 30, 2022 1 hour ago, BeachBabe2022 said: I would not tell her. Just tell her you are going on trip (the flight) for a overseas holiday - after some weeks she will eventually figure out you have moved permanently, and by then she will be use to the new environment. You don't tell dogs you are moving and you move them anyway, and they soon settle into a routine in the new country, so not much different to children under 7 years of age. Probably would not work with an older child though. Sounds a bit cruel and insensitive to me. A child is not a dog. I remember us moving house several hundred miles within the UK when I was 5. I have very clear memories of the whole process, including the packing, and certainly would have been aware of the difference between moving house and going on holiday. I also remember saying goodbye to my schoolfriends. If my parents had lied to me about something that important i think I would find it very hard to forgive them when I found out the truth. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cobs_Ahoy Posted April 30, 2022 Author Share Posted April 30, 2022 (edited) 3 hours ago, BeachBabe2022 said: I would not tell her. Just tell her you are going on trip (the flight) for a overseas holiday - after some weeks she will eventually figure out you have moved permanently, and by then she will be use to the new environment. You don't tell dogs you are moving and you move them anyway, and they soon settle into a routine in the new country, so not much different to children under 7 years of age. Probably would not work with an older child though. I reckon she might have an idea when the movers arrive and pack our belongings up, the estate agents plonks a ‘sold’ sign out the front, and we go into temporary accommodation for a few weeks! Seriously though, I’m all for different approaches with different kids, but I really can’t imagine many 6 year olds for whom this would be a good idea. Agree with @Nemesis that there would likely be some long term damage to the trust in our relationship, and rightfully so! Edited April 30, 2022 by Cobs_Ahoy 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cobs_Ahoy Posted May 1, 2022 Author Share Posted May 1, 2022 Just a quick update to tie up the thread for any lurkers who were having the same worries as me.... we told our kids on Friday evening, framed it positively but made sure it was clear it was happening rather than an option. Daughter was initially very excited, then very tearful, then a very rapid cycling between the two extremeness for about 30mins. Ever since she has only been excited. I don’t bring it up with her as want to give her the space to process it at her own pace, but she keeps asking lots of questions and making positive comments. She says she can’t believe she gets to live in Australia, which is obviously a relief to hear, even if the reality of it is totally incomprehensible to her. My son is two so he literally had no reaction at all I have overheard a couple of sweet conversations between them though, with my son asking my daughter if they will meet a koala, and her explaining about needing to look up in the eucalyptus trees. Telling our parents about the move was a different experience entirely, I think we are all still recovering from that particular discussion! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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