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Lianne Cawood: Opportunity on the Sunshine Coast


Lianne Cawood

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Hi. I am from Johannesburg and new to this site. What a fabulous find. My husband has recently been given an opportunity to work on the Sunshine Coast. An opportunity we cannot refuse, given many realities. It will be on a 457 visa. My only real concern is my children. I have two girls aged 6 (in grade 1) and 9 (in grade 4) and am petrified of uprooting them. They are doing really well, settled and happy in a smallish private school. Am I correct in understanding that children start school earlier in Australia? Assuming we start with the new school year, would my youngest move into grade 2, but be with children younger than her? (In SA, grade 1 is 6 turning 7) Is the schooling similar? Do SA kids cope with the curriculum? We potentially might be settling in Noosa, are there any private junior schools recommended? What is the view about state vs private schools? I would prefer to keep them in a smaller intimate environment which is what they are used to and ideally a non denominational school. Are there any schools on the Sunshine Coast reknowned for having SA kids?? A bit of a rambling post, but have many questions and issues suddenly having to think about!!! Any comments and/or guidance would be welcome!

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Hi Lianne

Welcome to SAAustralia. It is the best site I have found specificly aimed at the large numbers of Saffers making the move down under. I have only researched Sydney(NSW) & Melbourne(Vic) so cant really offer much advice on Queensland or Noosa (I do know it is really beautiful up there though) Queensland Girl is our resident expert up there am sure she will have loads of suggestions though she is in Brisbane. I found the Google Australia site excellent just play around with the key words / advanced search options & use "inverted commas" for an exact phrase ... goodluck & enjoy the ride.

:blink:

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Hi Lianne

Also new at this - scary have 6 , 12 & 16 year old we are off in January 2008

We have a couple of friends over there who have been there for a long time they have recommended the following schools to us ( very much like our Kearsney College, St Anne, Michael House type school)

Emmanuel College private lots of SAs a

st hildas and The southport school

My husband is in JHB at the moment on business I will be joining him from Sunny Durbs in a couple of month then we are off to Aus maybe we can meet for coffee when are you leaving ?

Edited by Erica
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Hi All

The schools mentioned by Erica are on the Gold Coast. (South of Brisbane)

You are interested in schools on the Sunshine Coast:(North of Brisbane)

Old school tie/ St Johns,Roedean,St Stithians type school:

Sunshine Coast Grammar School

www.scgs.qld.edu.au

Younger schools-possibly more Crawford College lookalikes but with church financial contribution and reasonably strong religious message (although all denominations accepted):

Caloundra Christian College in Caloundra

www.calcc.qld.edu.au

Good Shepard Lutheran College in Noosaville

www.gslc.qld.edu.au

Immanuel Lutheran College Maroochydore

www.immanuel.qld.edu.au

Matthew Flinders Anglican College in Buderim

www.mfac.edu.au

Nambour Christian College

www.ncc.qld.edu.au

Suncoast Christian College

www.suncoastcc.qld.edu.au

There are also two Catholic Schools

www.bne.catholic.edu.au

The children are the least of your worries. They will adapt to life and school two years before you.

Good luck-Sunshine Coast a really nice place to live.

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Dear Lianne,

Congratulations on your husband’s job offer :P ! Unfortunately, I cannot help you on the schools :blush: , but just want to mention to you that we just came back from our LSD trip and visited Noosa last week Wednesday… Needless to say, that it is an absolutely gorgeous :D !!! You will LOVE it :wub: !!!

Sunshine Coast a really nice place to live.

DITTO!!! ;)

Good luck with finalizing everything!

Lovies, Pippa! X

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Queensland girl you are a star

I am totally confused we get given info from here and there

We have been told to live here there and everywhere. I guess best is to wait until you get there and see what tickles your fancy

Looking and researching on the internet is great but not real

My 16 year old daughter is having a nervous attack worried about what the other kids are like what they wear whether she will fit in the questions are endless - showing her a map with all the places and trying to zoom in and shopping centres and highlights has helped but she can not comprehend - she kees trying to do SA comparison eg so are the shopping as big as Gateway - do the kids do the same things at school. I think the adjustment is going to be hardest on her - not easy been a teenager let alone one in a new country -

ANY EXCITING THINGS RELATING TO TEENAGERS WOULD BE A GREAT HELP

Edited by Erica
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Hi there

Thanks to all of you for your comments! Queensland Girl, thanks for the schools info ... Caloundra was in fact one of the schools that appealed to us during our LSD in December. My kids are currently at the littlest Crawford (Prep to Grade 7) Via literature etc, as schools were on holiday!! One last question, is it a 'do-able' distance from Noosa?

Erica, I would love to meet for a coffee. Our eta is also Jan 2008. My husband will probably go July this year, but rightly or wrongly the kids and I will follow once they have finished the school year. Where exactly will you be living, also Queensland?

Regards

Lianne

Hi there

Thanks to all of you for your comments! Queensland Girl, thanks for the schools info ... Caloundra was in fact one of the schools that appealed to us during our LSD in December. Via literature etc, as schools were on holiday!! My kids are currently at the littlest Crawford (Prep to Grade 7). One last question, is it a 'do-able' distance from Noosa?

Erica, I would love to meet for a coffee. Our eta is also Jan 2008! My husband will probably go July this year, but rightly or wrongly the kids and I will follow once they have finished the school year. Where exactly will you be living, also Queensland?

Regards

Lianne

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To Lianne

No, Caloundra to far from Noosa.

If you want to live in Noosa:and most of them are still a good drive.

Peregian beach College

www.peregianbeachcollege.com

Snt Andrews Anglican College Peregian beach

www.saac.qld.edu.au

Noosa Christian College Cooroy

www.noosacc.qld.edu.au

Coolum Beach Christian College

www.cbcc.qld.edu.au

Closest seems Good Shephard lutheran College

Queensland girl you are a star

I am totally confused we get given info from here and there

We have been told to live here there and everywhere. I guess best is to wait until you get there and see what tickles your fancy

Looking and researching on the internet is great but not real

My 16 year old daughter is having a nervous attack worried about what the other kids are like what they wear whether she will fit in the questions are endless - showing her a map with all the places and trying to zoom in and shopping centres and highlights has helped but she can not comprehend - she kees trying to do SA comparison eg so are the shopping as big as Gateway - do the kids do the same things at school. I think the adjustment is going to be hardest on her - not easy been a teenager let alone one in a new country -

ANY EXCITING THINGS RELATING TO TEENAGERS WOULD BE A GREAT HELP

Erica I would strongly urge you to PM a forum member COLTON here on the Gold Coast.

She has a teenage daughter who has just made the transition from Kwazulu Natal to the Gold Coast.

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Am I correct in understanding that children start school earlier in Australia? Assuming we start with the new school year, would my youngest move into grade 2, but be with children younger than her? (In SA, grade 1 is 6 turning 7) Is the schooling similar? Do SA kids cope with the curriculum?

Congratulations and welcome in advance!

I can only speak from the South Oz persective, but I believe that accross Oz there is a practice in schools to place kids age-appropriately in classes.

If your kid's First language is English then they already have a head-start.

It is about 10 years since i have been a teacher in RSA, so i cannot really make informed comparitive judements on curiculla. I do know however, that after some initial, normal settling-in ups and downs, ex-RSA kids tend to do well in Oz schools.

As a teacher myself, mydaily experience is that all kids perform with their learning in conjuction of their abilities and own effort. We Saffer parents tend to nudge our kids all th etime i.r.o. their schooling and it tends to pay off in th eOz school systems.

Cheers and all of th ebest with your plans!

Dax

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