Starting the school year in September

[Luke and Robs]

Is it too late to start year 9 and 10 in September? Do you think I should let my boys finish their school year in South Africa?

[Jacovl]

We've decided to move over in July for the same reason.

Remember that final exam prep starts after the September holiday with approx a month to go before the exams.

You can also consider using the kids marks up to that point, and get them to attend some classes till year end. This should assist them in making new friends before the long December holiday.

All the best with your plans!

[HFamily]

We decided to let my son finish his grade 9 year here in SA, and then start year 10 in Perth next year. We felt it would be too unsettling for him to start a new school in a new country halfway through the year. As a result, my husband is leaving in July and my son and I are leaving end of the year!

[RYLC]

Remember that final exam prep starts after the September holiday with approx a month to go before the exams.

What exam prep? Are you talking about South Africa because there are no end of year exams as such in Australian schools - only in year 12. Most of the time there are very short tests and more usually assignments which the kids work on over a period of time.

[julesktm1]

Hi Everyone we had a skype interview with the headmaster of one of the schools we had enrolled Carla in, early this morning.

If its high school (especially Grade 8) - course work does indeed start normally in September, in her case we will fast track her through with extra lessons and the packs of work missed in that wuarter, will be sent through to us for the Christmas holidays as he already feels that she is jumping from Grade Six to Grade Eight - but we will keep a steady eye on her progress. So hope this helps in a little way, for those of your trying to make the right decision.

He understood also totally why we wanted to finish the year in one country rather too than jumping as it also gives a child a satisfaction of knowing that they accomplished and finished the year, wherever they are, and sometims the emotional well being of a child can be just as important.

Good luck to us all, have a great weekend xxx

[McCabes]

What do the boys think about it? I think it can work either way - ie, letting them use their SA marks and using the end of this year basically as a settling in period, it could be nice for them to already be used to the new school and the grounds and find their feet without the added pressure of lots of new academic-type stuff.

But I think it could also work to let them finish and then go. If you're not pressed for time, I think jules has a good point in terms of them feeling they have finished and accomplished all they needed to.

I think they're old enough - if not to make the decision, then at least to give an opinion of what they feel would work for them. Are they going to repeat the year they are doing here now, or are they going into the next grade up, or skipping? I've heard of people doing any of the 3

I think it'll work out whatever you do

[Bronwyn&Co]

Is it too late to start year 9 and 10 in September? Do you think I should let my boys finish their school year in South Africa?

That's a bit of a tough call. On one hand I want to say let them finish off the year with their friends, emmigrating is tough enough at that age.

On the other hand I think 3 months at the end of the year will help them. They'll start to find some mates, get their uniforms sorted, know their way around the school, etc before it all gets going. Teachers do tend to jump in from the first week with assignments etc.

So I asked my son who is in year 11 and he says definitely start in the new year, because all the new kids start in the new year so they won't stick out too much

What state are you going to?

Hi Everyone we had a skype interview with the headmaster of one of the schools we had enrolled Carla in, early this morning.

If its high school (especially Grade 8) - course work does indeed start normally in September, in her case we will fast track her through with extra lessons and the packs of work missed in that wuarter, will be sent through to us for the Christmas holidays as he already feels that she is jumping from Grade Six to Grade Eight - but we will keep a steady eye on her progress. So hope this helps in a little way, for those of your trying to make the right decision.

He understood also totally why we wanted to finish the year in one country rather too than jumping as it also gives a child a satisfaction of knowing that they accomplished and finished the year, wherever they are, and sometims the emotional well being of a child can be just as important.

Good luck to us all, have a great weekend xxx

Jules that is really nice of the school to offer to send the work over. Wondering whether that will be on email? Just curious if that is a govt or pvt school?

Edited May 16, 2014 by Bronwyn&Co

[julesktm1]

That's a bit of a tough call. On one hand I want to say let them finish off the year with their friends, emmigrating is tough enough at that age.

On the other hand I think 3 months at the end of the year will help them. They'll start to find some mates, get their uniforms sorted, know their way around the school, etc before it all gets going. Teachers do tend to jump in from the first week with assignments etc.

So I asked my son who is in year 11 and he says definitely start in the new year, because all the new kids start in the new year so they won't stick out too much

What state are you going to?

Jules that is really nice of the school to offer to send the work over. Wondering whether that will be on email? Just curious if that is a govt or pvt school?

Hi it is St Stephens in Carramar, they will be sending it by post actually to wherever we will be at the time - they post - so that she can start going through it. It is indeed private and very pricey, but it is closer to home for Carla and one bus route all the way from what I gather, and although much more expensive I like the mentoring system that they have in place. For elevtive classes they have 22 in a class and those non elective can go to 27. They reassured me on her keeping up. She would miss Grade seven and go into Grade eight and I feel that could be quite difficult but have been reassured that we will work on it together.

I have a whole list for schools in Joondalup with contact emails etc., that I contacted, that I can email anyone that needs it - please know that they are all private except Kinross High/Mindarie. plese email me on julieta.dias@mopani.com.zm .

[Dill]

Hi Everyone

We'll be moving from the Northern hemisphere academic calendar, which runs from September to June (British Curriculum in Dubai), so a slightly different angle but also something we have had to consider.

Our son has been offered a place at a school of our choice, to start Year 7 in 2015. This means that he'll start secondary school here in September, then start again in February. This ties in with all the age/year dates and requirements and suits us perfectly as the 3 months in high school here will be great for his confidence levels.

The other option was for him to finish Year 6 here in June (SATs, graduation from primary school and the big fuss that goes with that), then start in year 6 in July. We felt it would be unfair to deprive him of the long summer holiday and that repeating half a year of primary school would be really boring and demotivating.

As it happens, we can't go until the end of the year anyway.

What would have been ideal, and what has worked for a lot of people from here, would be to spend the last few weeks of the year in Year 6 with no pressure to pass as he would already have a transfer certificate and report! This way he could make a few friends to spend time with over the summer holidays and would know a few familiar faces in February.

Obviously this is more difficult to do from South Africa as the school year runs over the same time, but if you know for a fact whether your child will be "repeating", moving to the "right" year or "skipping", it might be possible to arrange with the school.

I'm not saying that this is the norm, or that the schools will be accommodating, but worth a try if all your duck are in a row.

Jules, great to hear you have a place for Carla and I'm sure that your list of schools will be very helpful for newbies in the future.

Good luck to all with your schooling decisions - from other post and posters, it seems that we worry to much and that it all work out well in the end

Dill

[Luke and Robs]

Thanks so much for the input. We are heading for Perth. My husband and I are hoping to leave at the end of July and the boys will come over as soon as we have found work and are 'relatively settled'. We thought it would be a bit cheaper that way as we can board with mates for a while to start with as we find our feet. Not many people are happy to take on a family of 5 for too long (we also have a 3 year old). If luck is on our side, they could come over as early as August if we have work. i have emailed the schools in Woodvale Secondary, Duncraig SHS and Greenwood College to ask their advice and then we'll make a decision. Private schooling is not an option for us right now. Granny might lose it if she has to look after 2 teenagers for 4 months! I might die without them too!

[julesktm1]

Ah Robyn, much better although you will miss the boys - they say its better to look for jobs out of the December/January period anyway. Oh the best of luck and I know it will be hard but two people can camp down anywhere, and its all for a good cause. I am sad you leaving the kiddies behind as I know how you will feel but really so excited for you. Remember wherever you rent if there is a school in that catchment area they have to take you. Much hugs cant be easy but you so determined I know you will pull through. Travel safe. xxx

[miraclebabycaw]

Hi Everyone we had a skype interview with the headmaster of one of the schools we had enrolled Carla in, early this morning.

If its high school (especially Grade 8) - course work does indeed start normally in September, in her case we will fast track her through with extra lessons and the packs of work missed in that wuarter, will be sent through to us for the Christmas holidays as he already feels that she is jumping from Grade Six to Grade Eight - but we will keep a steady eye on her progress. So hope this helps in a little way, for those of your trying to make the right decision.

He understood also totally why we wanted to finish the year in one country rather too than jumping as it also gives a child a satisfaction of knowing that they accomplished and finished the year, wherever they are, and sometims the emotional well being of a child can be just as important.

Good luck to us all, have a great weekend xxx

Please be very careful with this. Year 7 is a big year in Maths and Science and not a year that should be skipped very lightly (not that you are..I don't mean it like that..I know you are worried about it as well from your investigations..just wanting to give my findings). We did the same thing with my daughter. She was an A student in RSA. We moved over and she jumped year 7 because of age. We were worried but because she is so mature for her age and because she did so well in RSA we thought it would be ok. She battled terribly with Maths especially because even though she had been in a private school in South Africa, she was missing vital concepts that year 7 should have given her. It was not a good year for her. She did year 8 and achieved very well...above average in all other areas but finished with B's in Maths and Science (and we had a private tutor as well for her). We were happy with this but she wasn't. We were not 100% happy with her school so had been looking at other options. Found another school who is consistently within the top 20 schools in South Australia and they did tests. She actually only scored at a D level based on end of Year 7 maths because she was still missing out on the concepts. The school advised us that we might consider having her redo year 8 where they could assist with all the concepts for year 7 as well as give her additional higher level work (basically because she wants to do medicine so maths and science need to be top). My daughter is very mature for her age and also a book worm..very level headed. We discussed it with her fully and said if she wasn't happy to do that then she would go into year 9 and they would assist as much as possible in helping her catch up. She chose to go back to year 8 and believe you me it has been the best decision ever for her. She is loving school, has made new friends, loves maths and science and is achieving so well. The school is doing a higher level of maths even then her previous school and at the end of term 1 she achieved A+ (and yes her school does tests.. just not end of term exams) in both Maths and Science. The principal at her new school also said that it is a hard year to skip and they don't recommend it if they can help it because it is a big foundation year. IMO they have a hard enough time adjusting at this age to such a big move especially if they are not really keen to move, they miss their friends and don't need the added pressure of feeling inadequate at school. I know it depends on the kids and how they handle things but just wanted to tell you our experience with the same issue. I guess it also depends where you go. We are in Adelaide and had not really researched much in the way of high schools because we had approached a couple of the good public high schools and they all told me she should go into year 7, so we looked at primary schools only...until we got here in Dec 2012 and then they all met her and said no year 8. We ended up going Private as well because the school was recommended and we had no idea about high schools. She is now still in Private but we are all much happier with where she is and what she is doing.

Good luck with your move though. She will love it. My daughter catches the train home every day, goes up to the local shops and library with her friends and is just so thoroughly enjoying the freedom. At 14 she has realised why we came and is making the most of it.

[julesktm1]

Please be very careful with this. Year 7 is a big year in Maths and Science and not a year that should be skipped very lightly (not that you are..I don't mean it like that..I know you are worried about it as well from your investigations..just wanting to give my findings). We did the same thing with my daughter. She was an A student in RSA. We moved over and she jumped year 7 because of age. We were worried but because she is so mature for her age and because she did so well in RSA we thought it would be ok. She battled terribly with Maths especially because even though she had been in a private school in South Africa, she was missing vital concepts that year 7 should have given her. It was not a good year for her. She did year 8 and achieved very well...above average in all other areas but finished with B's in Maths and Science (and we had a private tutor as well for her). We were happy with this but she wasn't. We were not 100% happy with her school so had been looking at other options. Found another school who is consistently within the top 20 schools in South Australia and they did tests. She actually only scored at a D level based on end of Year 7 maths because she was still missing out on the concepts. The school advised us that we might consider having her redo year 8 where they could assist with all the concepts for year 7 as well as give her additional higher level work (basically because she wants to do medicine so maths and science need to be top). My daughter is very mature for her age and also a book worm..very level headed. We discussed it with her fully and said if she wasn't happy to do that then she would go into year 9 and they would assist as much as possible in helping her catch up. She chose to go back to year 8 and believe you me it has been the best decision ever for her. She is loving school, has made new friends, loves maths and science and is achieving so well. The school is doing a higher level of maths even then her previous school and at the end of term 1 she achieved A+ (and yes her school does tests.. just not end of term exams) in both Maths and Science. The principal at her new school also said that it is a hard year to skip and they don't recommend it if they can help it because it is a big foundation year. IMO they have a hard enough time adjusting at this age to such a big move especially if they are not really keen to move, they miss their friends and don't need the added pressure of feeling inadequate at school. I know it depends on the kids and how they handle things but just wanted to tell you our experience with the same issue. I guess it also depends where you go. We are in Adelaide and had not really researched much in the way of high schools because we had approached a couple of the good public high schools and they all told me she should go into year 7, so we looked at primary schools only...until we got here in Dec 2012 and then they all met her and said no year 8. We ended up going Private as well because the school was recommended and we had no idea about high schools. She is now still in Private but we are all much happier with where she is and what she is doing.

Good luck with your move though. She will love it. My daughter catches the train home every day, goes up to the local shops and library with her friends and is just so thoroughly enjoying the freedom. At 14 she has realised why we came and is making the most of it.

Thank you so much for this advise I will really take it on board. I did aks if she will be tested and then placed accordingly which they were a little reluctant to do but would consider it. There is a smaller private school that has also jsut come back to us on the same so I will also take this up with them. Please do not apologise whatsoever - we all want the best thing for all of our children and its better to be informed than bury ourheads in the sand.

So glad its working out for your little girl exciting to hear and soo glad that she is happy thats all we reallyw ant isnt it.

Robyn who started the thread will also I am sure read this and this will help her alot as well. All the best to everyone and thanks again for the advice much appreciated.

[Luke and Robs]

Thank you SO much!

[Pell]

Very glad to be reading all these points of view, so thank you everyone!

I fully intend to ask the school if they can send some samples of work from this year, Heavens know we will be paying enough in school fees so they should be accommodating, I hope...