Pell Posted May 27, 2014 Report Share Posted May 27, 2014 When does the subject choice happen in Australia (NSW specifically)? Year 10 or 11?In SA, we chose the subjects for grade 10, 11, 12, but reading the forum and doing some research has shown that subject choice is mostly done in Year 11 in Australia? Is that accurate?I'm asking because my daughter will be starting year 11 next year when we arrive in Australia.Many thanks in advance to anyone who answers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parks Posted May 27, 2014 Report Share Posted May 27, 2014 (edited) Hi Pell,They select in Year 11. My daughter is in the same boat. We heading for Queensland hopefully sooner than later.Best of Luck Edited May 27, 2014 by PARKS 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pell Posted May 27, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 27, 2014 Hi PARKS,I was thinking of letting her finish grade 10 here, for continuity... I am now wondering if I made the right decision. She's been accepted at both government and private schools, and they tell me they help them adjust etc., but I am sooooo worried.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Willa Posted May 27, 2014 Report Share Posted May 27, 2014 (edited) In Yr10 they selected their final subjects for Yr11 & 12 and usually they'll have an introduction for those subjects in the last two weeks of Yr10 Some subjects may have limited vacancies. That's why when they do choose their subjects for Yr11 they have to select more than just the six if there is an overly big interest.Make sure to have a look on the schools website what subjects they teach and what interest the kids have in those. Also have a look at what they might want to study and see what subject requirements there might be. Have a look at What University What Degree website. Edited May 27, 2014 by Willa 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parks Posted May 27, 2014 Report Share Posted May 27, 2014 Hi Willa,Thanks for the info will have a look at that site as she has aspirations of being a dentist.My daughter is currently doing Bio, Physics, Maths, Geog, Eng, Afrik and LO. She would love to continue these subjects. Do most schools offer them?Hi Pell,Go with your instincts. This is new to all of us.Another reason for me wanting to go earlier was so that come the December holidays my three children would have at least made some friends they could hang out with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bronwyn&Co Posted May 27, 2014 Report Share Posted May 27, 2014 (edited) Hi Willa,Thanks for the info will have a look at that site as she has aspirations of being a dentist.My daughter is currently doing Bio, Physics, Maths, Geog, Eng, Afrik and LO. She would love to continue these subjects. Do most schools offer them?Hi Pell,Go with your instincts. This is new to all of us.Another reason for me wanting to go earlier was so that come the December holidays my three children would have at least made some friends they could hang out with.Parks you're not going to get Afrikaans here, lol. Also Physics is not a separate subject to my knowlege, it forms part of Science. The rest all look fine.Where in Qld are you headed?B Edited May 27, 2014 by Bronwyn&Co 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pell Posted May 27, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 27, 2014 Thanks, Willa and PARKS.My daughter is currently doing the compulsory 4 (Eng, Maths, LO and Afrikaans) plus Science, Business Studies, History and Advanced Maths. She initially wanted to become a doctor but she's not sure now, it changes all the time, as it does at this age.... The school she was accepted at indicated that they would help us later on this year with the subject selection to make it easier for when she arrives... you are right, this is new to all of us and there are mountains of research to do.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Willa Posted May 28, 2014 Report Share Posted May 28, 2014 (edited) So in Yr11 they have 6 subjects, that change to 5 in Yr12. In NSW you get scored on 5 subjects. You decide if you would want to drop one subject or not. Most kids do as they'll have more time to focus on those subjects to achieve higher marks. If they would want to take a TAFE course while in Yr11, they automaticly drop one subject. With a TAFE course at end of YR12 you will have a headstart. Physics is split here into Physics and Chemistry. She'll be fine with Biology, Maths you get General, Maths Unit2, Unit3, Unit4, Maths Extention. If she went to an Afrikaans school she will most properly do English ESL, (English Second Language), the score on ESL is higher than on your general English. Once again English as an subject is vastly different from what she would've experienced to date. There is no grammar, no structure or rules. Most of your assesements will be essays, that's your literature, poems ext. No structure or tenses get tested. LO will be PHPDE or something like that, my Yr11 daughter does that and really enjoy's that. Look at the school's website she will attend, they will most properly have a booklet in PDF format of al the subjects they have and the rules of what you can select. Currently there is no compulsary subjects other than English that the kids take. So one less stress factor to worry about. It's a good idea for the last cemester, we did that and the kids just fitted in nicely.What you also can do is find out from the school if there is currently some SAFA families enrolled in the school and see if you can maybe connect with them. The school will not give you any details of the families, but maybe they can pass your details onto such a family. If you're on FB you can ask to join South African Moms in the Hills District (if that's where you end up) or South Africans in Sydney(Hills) and ask there. Edited May 28, 2014 by Willa 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pell Posted May 28, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 28, 2014 Thank you, Willa.I read the school website and the subjects offered, I just wanted to make sure that I understood everything correctly, that there is no 'trick' or something that I overlooked, which happens.... The more I read, the more I learn, though at times I'm not very sure, theres always something that pops up...I will definitely look up the FB groups you recommended It was quite surprising to hear from the school where my daughter was accepted that the only compulsory subject was English, but I'm sure that the subject choice for a pathway to med school will be quite tough, they told me as much. Anyway, it is what it is, but at least in Australia she will have a better chance of getting into a university based on her results and the work she does, not because of skin colour (though I'm sure Oz has its quota systems too for previously disadvantaged). 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Willa Posted June 2, 2014 Report Share Posted June 2, 2014 To get into the medicine course they write a unprepared exam, that was in Victoria, not sure of the other states. Your score at that exam determine if you wil get accepted into medicine. It is quite tough i hear but do able.Will see if I can find some info on that for you. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parks Posted June 2, 2014 Report Share Posted June 2, 2014 (edited) Hi Bronwyn,My daughter is thrilled about no Afrikaans, she has always battled with her second language.We have to choose a regional area, a requirement of the 489 Visa. We will go wherever my husband can secure work. Hopefully not to far from the ocean.Kind regardsT Edited June 2, 2014 by PARKS 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.