UK Schooling v's Oz Schooling

[Guest Anya]

Am I the only parent who feels that no matter how bright your child is (unless exceptionally gifted AND mature for her age), not to promote them to higher classes where their peers could be 2-3 years older than they are?

 

For brighter children they do have accelerated learning programs. I personally didn't think it was appropriate to move my kids outside their age group, especially when it is 2-3 years and I am glad I did just that. It gets very tough in high school and especially in years 11 and 12. They need to be able to cope not just academically but also emotionally and socially :-)

 

I also don't think there's much difference in the curriculum as they advance to years 11-13 (VCE vs A levels).

[Guest Anya]

Hi Everyone

 

only because i myself believe it's not the school that makes the child bright, it's a combination of the child's natural ability, home support and the support of their school.

 

 

I could not have said it any better myself. So very true!

[Guest deb31deb]

Am I the only parent who feels that no matter how bright your child is (unless exceptionally gifted AND mature for her age), not to promote them to higher classes where their peers could be 2-3 years older than they are?

 

For brighter children they do have accelerated learning programs. I personally didn't think it was appropriate to move my kids outside their age group, especially when it is 2-3 years and I am glad I did just that. It gets very tough in high school and especially in years 11 and 12. They need to be able to cope not just academically but also emotionally and socially :-)

 

I also don't think there's much difference in the curriculum as they advance to years 11-13 (VCE vs A levels).

 

I totally agree with you it was the aussie system that did this and said they could not cope with my daughters high ability in the lower years in the uk they kept her at her year level with extended work were appriopriate and we requested the same in oz the first school state school she was put in year 2 but work was not challenging her and she was not happy had lots of friends mixed well the school private school she is now at did social and acadsemic assessment and again she was put in year 2 then year 3 as january the new school year. she was now only 6 and work wise coping very well but socially we did not feel appriopriate so the school have now moved her in to year 2 at our request and she is being challenged and socially fits in very well . in the uk they do not tend to move them out of there social groups ages which i totally agree with.:biggrin:

[Guest Anya]

I totally agree with you it was the aussie system that did this and said they could not cope with my daughters high ability in the lower years in the uk they kept her at her year level with extended work were appriopriate and we requested the same in oz the first school state school she was put in year 2 but work was not challenging her and she was not happy had lots of friends mixed well the school private school she is now at did social and acadsemic assessment and again she was put in year 2 then year 3 as january the new school year. she was now only 6 and work wise coping very well but socially we did not feel appriopriate so the school have now moved her in to year 2 at our request and she is being challenged and socially fits in very well . in the uk they do not tend to move them out of there social groups ages which i totally agree with.:biggrin:

 

To be honest, I do both Maths and English with my youngest (age 7 in Year 2), as I think the Nelson Maths book they currently have is completely useless...lol.

 

Whilst there is no pressure in the primary years, I think it gets progressively more challenging and by the time they're in years 10-12, the pressure is well and truly up.

 

So for those with children in middle school, currently in the UK, don't automatically assume your children will be 2-3 years ahead of the Oz system or that they will cruise in their final years of school here by virtue of their UK curriculum or because they are at the top of their class there. They won't, it is equally tough here. Don't ever underestimate how competitive it gets in high school here.

[Guest Anya]

I don't think that either system is better. They are just different.

 

From my perspective, I have two daughters (aged 2 and 4), so neither of them are at school yet. However I have been accused, by various family and friends back in the UK, of ruining our daughters education prospects by moving to Australia. This is simply because our eldest hasn't started school yet, whereas in the UK she would have started. She turns five in April next year, so I am able to send her to school from January, or I can wait and send her the following January, just before she turns six. I am struggling with this decision at the moment because she has been going to pre-school (not compulsory, we have to pay, I send her because she has never been cared for by anyone but me and I felt she needed to experience that before going to school) and she comes home absolutely shattered when she has been. I am wondering whether school full time might be a bit too much at the moment.

 

She is also bright, but I do not necessarily think that this means she needs to go to school. I also think that some of the responsibility for teaching her should come from me, and not necessarily in a formal academic way. Just by exposing her to a variety of experiences and always answering her questions (even if it means I have to look it up myself!), means she will learn. I think that giving a child the ability to learn, the ability to question and think for themselves is extremely important, far more so than test results.

 

Confidence building is also very important, and one which does seem to be more of a focus here than back in the UK. It actually does not matter how many academic qualifications you have if you do not have the self-confidence to use them (I have two bachelors degrees, but no career because I never had the confidence to push for what I wanted). So, if a school can give children that self-confidence and the ability to believe in their abilities, they will go far further.

 

I actually believe that school is only a part of a child's education, and not the be all and end all. I'm not talking about being a pushy parent, just one who encourages and helps their children alongside the structure that school gives.

 

Ignore the ignorant! If someone truly believes that they are ruining their children's education by moving to Australia, needs to think again.

[Paul1Perth]

Hi, I have been tolda that the OZ schooling is below the standards of that in the UK. Is this true? My little girl is very bright and exceeding above her level at the moment, although she is only 5 and time will tell, people are warning us if we are actually doing the right thing by moving to Perth and risking our daughters education! :sad:

Any advise would be very much appreciated.

 

As you say, she is only 5. It would be interesting to find what people are telling you "that the OZ schooling is below the standards of that in the UK"

 

Personally i reckon this is crap. Both my kids have been through the school system here and its fine. Our youngest has a learning difficulty (numerous problems really but most due to Autistic spectrum disorder). He is in a private school which has a program for kids with difficulties. We have been pleasantly surprised by both his teacher, staff and pupils attitude. His teacher is lovely, very hands on and likes a cuddle, just what our kid needs. He has the same form teacher through all the years which helps as he is happier when he has a routine.

Also the kids are great. No bullying problems (at least from what he tells us). He has been on a couple of trips with the school and the students know there is something a little different about him but most accept it without question and go out of the way to make him feel at ease.

He loves going to school and has a great group of close friends.

 

I think whether someone does well at school is more to do with the childs attitude and application than it is to do with the school. Your daughter may be great at 5 but change totally when she is 15 (or before even). On the other hand she may not and excel all the way through. I find if kids have a goal or suddenly realise what they want to do for a career they will get their heads down and can turn from a "bad" pupil to excelling in a matter of weeks.

 

At least here there are a lot of jobs and careers to choose from for school leavers and amongst my eldest sons friends (24 year old) there is not one who is out of work. Some have been to uni and some went straight into apprenticeships. A couple of them work on the mines and are on around $150,000 a year.

 

He has a few cousins who are in the UK, two who have been to uni and both struggled to get jobs. One of them having done a 7 year architecture degree. Another left school about the same time as my Son and has never had a "proper" job. He has been on several government sponsored training courses but they don't lead to jobs. There certainly doesn't seem to be any apprenticeships around anymore.

 

Don't worry about the schooling here. It's up there with the best.

[Paul1Perth]

A good thread however I am not able to comment on Aus schools yet, but surely they will at least GET A PLACE:arghh:

My children, now year 3 and yr 1 sat at home 4 months earlier this year because there were no places in the schools in our area. UNACCEPTABLE!! I tried home schooling them in the mean time, but my 7 yr old has very challenging behaviour and we ended up fighting more than ever about everything. Now they are in two different schools and both start the same time in the morning and the nursery and yr 3 came out at the same time and the one in yr1 at a different time. One is always late now and I am driving like a lunatic 6 trips between the schools a day. Unfortunately I don't know many people in our area to make different arrangements. All are working or don't want to commit to have soneone elses child every day.

Didn't mean to moan, just want a place for all in the same school:arghh:

 

So, are the schools in Aus filled to the brim?

Boesman

 

Didn't have a problem. Eldest went to the local state school and was fine youngest goes to a local private school and is fine. Both within easy biking distance away so no school trips. There are a lot of people who insist on dropping their kids off and picking them up, for some reason, who live a lot closer to school than we do. I reckon it wakes them up in the morning and makes them a bit more independant and organised.

[LKC]

Ignore the ignorant! If someone truly believes that they are ruining their children's education by moving to Australia, needs to think again.

 

You know your child best Just because others send their children to school at age 3, 4, or 5 does not mean you have to. What difference does a year late make? Both my daughters started school at age 5. My oldest hated school and used to be in tears every time I left her, even until age 7. I still tease her about it I agree wholeheartedly! I would say that as my daughter is a year older starting to school, she will get more from it. Plus, I get to spend an extra year with her, which is only good :jiggy:!

 

And let me tell you another little gem - some of my family were also a bit condescending about the education standards here. My nephew from my hubby's side, recently appeared for the entrance exam for admission to a selective school in year 9 (planning in advance for when they move here). According to my m-i-l, this kid tops his class, gets an A+ in Maths, Science and English. So they made the usual assumption, the tests will be a cake walk for him. Guess what, he didn't even make it to the 'Average' band (top 20% of the student cohort) in 3 of the 5 assessments - Numerical Reasoning, Maths, Verbal reasoning, Comprehension, Creative and Analytical Expression. Yes, a number of my family/friends think that their children are 'gifted'.

 

I truly believe that all children have the ability to be clever at something, whatever it be. It is just that some parents push towards the more academic subjects. A truly gifted child will be so, whatever you do. And for the rest of us, just by encouraging a child to go in the direction that they lean is enough. I don't understand what motivates parents to push their children to sit GCSE's at the age of 7 or whatever. Surely the parent living vicariously through the child, seeking glory for themselves rather than thinking about the child.

[Guest Anya]

Schools/education is always an emotive topic on any board! Nobody is right or wrong, it is all down to individual experience. Any country has good and bad schools/teachers. A school that may be fantastic for one child may be completely inappropriate for another. What is wrong is to genaralise and tarnish all schools or the educational standards in [insert country of your choice] as bad based on your own experience.

 

My children have studied under both the UK and Australian curriculum. They are in no way disadvantaged and I can honestly say that my oldest will do just as well in VCE (year 11-12) as she would have if she had done her A levels.

[LKC]

As you say, she is only 5. It would be interesting to find what people are telling you "that the OZ schooling is below the standards of that in the UK"

 

Personally i reckon this is crap. Both my kids have been through the school system here and its fine. Our youngest has a learning difficulty (numerous problems really but most due to Autistic spectrum disorder). He is in a private school which has a program for kids with difficulties. We have been pleasantly surprised by both his teacher, staff and pupils attitude. His teacher is lovely, very hands on and likes a cuddle, just what our kid needs. He has the same form teacher through all the years which helps as he is happier when he has a routine.

Also the kids are great. No bullying problems (at least from what he tells us). He has been on a couple of trips with the school and the students know there is something a little different about him but most accept it without question and go out of the way to make him feel at ease.

He loves going to school and has a great group of close friends.

 

I think whether someone does well at school is more to do with the childs attitude and application than it is to do with the school. Your daughter may be great at 5 but change totally when she is 15 (or before even). On the other hand she may not and excel all the way through. I find if kids have a goal or suddenly realise what they want to do for a career they will get their heads down and can turn from a "bad" pupil to excelling in a matter of weeks.

 

At least here there are a lot of jobs and careers to choose from for school leavers and amongst my eldest sons friends (24 year old) there is not one who is out of work. Some have been to uni and some went straight into apprenticeships. A couple of them work on the mines and are on around $150,000 a year.

 

He has a few cousins who are in the UK, two who have been to uni and both struggled to get jobs. One of them having done a 7 year architecture degree. Another left school about the same time as my Son and has never had a "proper" job. He has been on several government sponsored training courses but they don't lead to jobs. There certainly doesn't seem to be any apprenticeships around anymore.

 

Don't worry about the schooling here. It's up there with the best.

 

I agree with this. Also to do with the attitude of the parents. If you expect a school to provide the whole education, then you will be disappointed. However, if you help the child in addition to the work done at school (doesn't need to be sat down academic work, can be visiting a museum or exploring a rock pool) and you engage and spark interest in a child, they will have a far better well rounded education.

[caramac]

Am I the only parent who feels that no matter how bright your child is (unless exceptionally gifted AND mature for her age), not to promote them to higher classes where their peers could be 2-3 years older than they are?

 

For brighter children they do have accelerated learning programs. I personally didn't think it was appropriate to move my kids outside their age group, especially when it is 2-3 years and I am glad I did just that. It gets very tough in high school and especially in years 11 and 12. They need to be able to cope not just academically but also emotionally and socially :-)

 

I also don't think there's much difference in the curriculum as they advance to years 11-13 (VCE vs A levels).

 

 

No, you're not the only one. Our oldest daughter's birthday is 1st Sept, so has always been the oldest in her year and I have always seen the advantage she has haad over her sisters who were summer babies. We were offered a place at school for her a year early because she was already reading, writing and doing simple sums, but she was at a good nursery where they could cope with her needs, so we kept her there for another year because we felt she would always be ok academically and we wanted a socially confident child.

When we moved to Sydney we were asked which year we'd like our younger two in as they would be among the oldest in their 'proper' years. We opted for them to be in the younger years because, although academically they would have coped fairly easily, we felt it was more important for them to be socially comfortable with their peers. It would also have meant them leaving school at 16 1/2 when they would in no way be ready for university and they may feel pressured to take part in things (alcohol, sex etc) that they're not mature enough to deal with.

It's important to find a balance though. If the school can't or won't offer what the child needs academically it can be very frustrating for the child. Our middle one did start to 'swtich off' when she wasn't challenged, but on the whole, I totally agree with you.

[Cerberus1]

Can I please ask all posters to stay on topic and not personalise posts. I'm in the process of tidying this thread up, so it may be somewhat shorter once I've finished.

Thanks

[Guest The Ropey HOFF]

Cheers Rob.

[elisee]

Hi I'm currently doing my GCSEs at the moment and we're moving to Brisbane next summer. I would definitely advise you NOT to stay in the UK. It's so stressful! They put so much pressure on us to get good results and I think now is the best time to move for you because then your daughter can easily settle in to life in Australia! From what I've heard and seen (we visited some schools in Oz) the schools are more relaxed over there. If you want to move I would do it soon so your daughter can settle in to school life there and make friends!

Elise

[redrobbersdog]

Thanks to all for the great advise and posts it's very interesting to read the differences in states and years. It's settled my mind alot to know that its just not me that is worried about about the difference in education systems, and also I now realise that maybe I don't have to worry at all! )

Thanks once again. Can't wait to get out there now so that I can get my little girl into school and settled with new friends. )

[Guest Anya]

Hi I'm currently doing my GCSEs at the moment and we're moving to Brisbane next summer. I would definitely advise you NOT to stay in the UK. It's so stressful! They put so much pressure on us to get good results and I think now is the best time to move for you because then your daughter can easily settle in to life in Australia! From what I've heard and seen (we visited some schools in Oz) the schools are more relaxed over there. If you want to move I would do it soon so your daughter can settle in to school life there and make friends!

Elise

 

Ditto here Exams are stressful everywhere. And like anywhere else in the world if you want to get into a good University and get a degree of your choice, you have to work very hard and be able to take some pressure. Some degrees demand very high academic results. Competition is cut throat here too, with cut off marks being 98-99 percentile as a pre-requisite to get admitted into some courses.

[Guest Coxy04]

We are waiting for our sponosrship to come back...and are aiming for Victoria, July nxt yr...my 16 yr old has had unhelpful UK skl teachers telling her Oz education is rubbish...but i'm not overly impressed with UK eduction anyhow....personally if you have happy stable children, they will strive to do well no matter where they are being educated! And as has already been quoted...whats the point of having the best education in UK and not being able to get a job because everything is so dire. I am a nurse, love my job, but things are getting dire with the cuts and i don't want to be part of a 2nd hand NHS! We cannot wait to move out.....and would Oz have a thriving economy if all those educated in it and working in it.....were as thick as two short planks due to poor education....me thinks not!!! Roll on July 2011! x

[Guest deb31deb]

jobs are not easy to come by here neither as alot of brits out here have found out if you are a professional you are a nurse as i am you will find plenty of work but the building trade is beginning to suffer which my husband works in and plenty of his friends aussie and uk have been laid of due to lack of work. and his work as a solid plasterer is not stable either. we have had friends move back to the uk as they are unable to find work so life is good here but it does have its problems also with work as does the uk .

[Paul1Perth]

jobs are not easy to come by here neither as alot of brits out here have found out if you are a professional you are a nurse as i am you will find plenty of work but the building trade is beginning to suffer which my husband works in and plenty of his friends aussie and uk have been laid of due to lack of work. and his work as a solid plasterer is not stable either. we have had friends move back to the uk as they are unable to find work so life is good here but it does have its problems also with work as does the uk .

 

It all depends where you live though. It's been said a million times in these forums, Australia is a big country and every place is different. In WA things are looking particularly good for the near future and there is a lot of work to be had for people who are willing to be a bit flexible.

 

I've met a few people who fly in fly out from Queensland to work in the North of WA. I know it's not for everybody but if your desperate enough there is work with good money to go with it.

 

My Son has just finished his electrical apprenticeship and has had no problem in getting local work in Perth with a large electrical contractor. He has a couple of friends who qualified about the same time and they have gone "up North" in search of bigger salaries. One changed his job a few weeks back as he was only bringing home $3,000 a week. He is now on more.

 

So all depends where you go to, what you are qualified in and whether you are willing to do some FIFO.

[Guest deb31deb]

yes i agree with you we are in qld and we hear perth is good for work but we are loving the life on the coast and the children are settled in school so we do not have any plans to move unless my husbands work or lack of work means we have to . however as a nurse im on a pretty decent wage too and theres always work for nurses .

[Guest chris955]

To be fair though the same thing is said all time about the UK, there are no jobs, but it very much depends on where you are. I reckon most people would realize every area is different in most countries and as has been said to me numerous times people are commenting on where THEY live.

 

It all depends where you live though. It's been said a million times in these forums, Australia is a big country and every place is different. [\QUOTE]

[Guest Tim L10]

I am a teacher in the UK and from what I here paying private or going to faith schools is the way forward. However Aussie schools let the pupils enjoy school a bit more and they come out with the same results. I think in the UK we are obsessed with results and do not teach them to think outside the box, put it this way I can't wait to teach down under.

Kids should be kids god knows they are adults for most of their life give them confidence and skills that no test results can control.

Michelle

[caramac]

I am a teacher in the UK and from what I here paying private or going to faith schools is the way forward. However Aussie schools let the pupils enjoy school a bit more and they come out with the same results. I think in the UK we are obsessed with results and do not teach them to think outside the box, put it this way I can't wait to teach down under.

Kids should be kids god knows they are adults for most of their life give them confidence and skills that no test results can control.

Michelle

 

 

Again, depends on the school. If I was thinking of our first experience of an Australian school I would agree with you. However, my children came home crying so many times last year because of the teachers. My daughter was called 'stupid' by a teacher and my middle one was called a cheat and a liar by another because the teacher couldn't believe she could work so quickly I don't blame the whole Australian system, just the school, which incidentally proclaims itself as one of Sydney's best, with fees to match, so there's no guarantee that paying for it means you get quality.

 

My lot are back at their UK school now and are back to their happy, confident selves. Most days they fall through the door at the end of the day laughing and two of them are doing their GCSE courses. Can't say they're overly stressed by it and they have less homework, which has some meaning instead of reams and reams of the same thing, which was never marked. When I questioned why not, the answer was that the teachers don't have time!

My lot also say that the teaching at their school here is much broader and that their school in Sydney taught 'to the text book'. If they asked a question allied to what they were doing, they would be told that they weren't learning about that, whereas here their teachers will teach around the subject.

 

Other people have had much more positive experiences than ours and some had bad experiences of UK education. I really do think it depends on the school, rather than the system.

[Guest Tim L10]

yes Caramac I suppopse it does depend on the schools too.

Nothing is perfect and we only want the best for our kids, put it this way wherever we are it is so different to when we were kids.

Michelle

[caramac]

yes Caramac I suppopse it does depend on the schools too.

Nothing is perfect and we only want the best for our kids, put it this way wherever we are it is so different to when we were kids.

Michelle

 

 

So true. I have no idea what mine are talking about most of the time!

 

Good luck with your move:smile: