Ages of learners SA vs Aus

[Lianne Cawood]

Hello there

Still relatively new at this (everything has happened very suddenly), we will be settling on the Sunshine Coast in Jan 2008 on a 457 visa. My husband will be going ahead - July 2007. Those a bit anti always find something to disarm you. My achilles heel is my children and their education. What has been raised by some as a concern is how behind age-wise SA kids are? Is it correct that Australian kids start school earlier than Sa kids? My daughter is 9 turning 10 and in Grade 4 and doing extremely well. Would she go onto Grade 5, but be with kids a year younger? For those already settled and experienced at this, is this problematic? My daughter is currently doing Afrikaans as her second language choice (who knew?). Would I be wise to enrol her in French as an extra-mural. Is this a language chioce available to the kids. We will probably be going private, or whatever school is smallish and highly recommended in Noosa area. My girls are in Gr1 and Gr4.

Any responses much appreciated. LC

[saffer2]

Hiya.

The age versus years is the same here.

My sons in in grade 0 this year in JHB and will be joining Kindergarten in Sydney in July 2007.

He would have started grade 1 in 2008 and will be doing the same in Sydney next year. We have had his current teascher do an assessment of what he is doing here versus what he would be dong in Syndey, excactly the same. If anything Aus do more reading and writing.

your children are a little older but the years arte definately VERY similiar.

if you are still worried there are very detailed curriculum outcome statements for each year of school for each state. eg: for years 7 - 10 for NSW years 7-10 curriculum

Cheers, Reid

Just found some more interesting info for the relevant years for your children.

See the link attached.... Kindergarten to Year6

Grade 1 = Year 1

Hope this helps.

Reid

Edited May 5, 2007 by Reid

[Lianne Cawood]

Thanks Reid

Your input has been helpful.

LC

[Queensland Girl]

Hi Lianne

Children in Queensland go to Grade 1 in the year that they turn 6.

www.education.qld.gov.au is very informative.

[Lianne Cawood]

Hi, little confused now. Actually reaffirms my need to question 'cos I am getting different answers everywhere. Even from the schools directly. Does this mean that children in NSW start at different ages to children in Queensland?? Despite my confusion, this post is more in line with what I had been told, that SA kids are a year older than Aus kids. Not sure how I feel about this. Thanks for your comments Queensland Girl.

LC

[Erica]

Hi, little confused now. Actually reaffirms my need to question 'cos I am getting different answers everywhere. Even from the schools directly. Does this mean that children in NSW start at different ages to children in Queensland?? Despite my confusion, this post is more in line with what I had been told, that SA kids are a year older than Aus kids. Not sure how I feel about this. Thanks for your comments Queensland Girl.

LC

From friends over there and research Queensland ages are the same my son is 6 turning 7 in july and he is in Grade 1 here and will go to Grade 2 in Queensland . The 3 schools we are looking at have not said anything in the email correspondense indicating anything different

the only thing that i have heard that differs is that they sometimes push kids up based on age

Friends of our in Hervey have a son who is a July child and he was pushed up a year as he had been kept back when he was younger and they felt he would benefit from being pushed up a year

another friend has a daughter who was pushed up in St Hildas (bright child though)

being a little older is sometimes great my daughter is slighly older and it has been great from a maturity prespective (she was the year intake where they tried taking children in grade 0 at 6 )

She will be turning 19 in her matric year and they are not the majority but neither the minority and it has never worried her she loves it as she often gets to do things like drivers learners before some of her friends

so it does have a few upsides as well as the fact that at 19 she wont need the gap year as she will be a little older and wiser as to what her needs are from a career prospective

JUST TRYING TO SHINE SOME LIGHT ON A CONCERN hope it lights it a little bit

[Queensland Girl]

Hi All

My son born Oct 1988 matriculated last year. He was the oldest member of his class. Most of his friends were one year younger.

My daughter born May 1990 is by far the oldest member of Grade 11. Most are 1-1.5 years younger than herself.

My youngest son born Jan 1993 skipped grade 3 and is still on of the oldest in Grade 9.

The only kids that are closer to them in age are ex South -Africans and kids that come from Victoria.

[Guest colton]

Queensland Girl is correct. Children in Queensland start school one year earlier than those in South Africa. No idea what the other states are like but my daughter is one of the oldest in her class and she will be turning 18 only at the end of the year, and she is in year 12, normal for South Africa.

Friends immigrated to Noosa beginning of last year and they pushed her daughter up a year to be on a par age wise with the other kids and she was supposed to be in year 10 this year but is now doing year 11.

Kids get their car licence (P) at 17 so most of her friends are getting cars now. As far as the language goes, at my daughters school the second language choice is Japanese.

Hope that clears things up a little, sorry can only speak on own experiences and only know about high school.

Edited May 7, 2007 by colton

[Erica]

School admission policy for SA - http://www.info.gov.za/aboutsa/education.htm

The age of admission to Grade 1 is five years if the child turns six on or before 30 June in their Grade 1 year.

However, if a parent has reason to believe that their child is not school-ready at age five turning six, they can choose to send their child to Grade 1 at age six turning seven.

The Education Laws Amendment Bill, 2002 set the age of admission to Grade 1 as the year in which the child turns seven. However, a Constitutional Court challenge to the Bill in 2003 resulted in the school-going age of Grade 1 being changed to age five if children turn six on or before 30 June in their Grade 1 year. This was implemented with effect from the 2004 school year.

These changes should put younger SA kids on a par with the Australia system - my daughter and your older children fall into the older category but the little ones going to Australia should be okay I think from what you are saying - a lot of Keagan friends in Grade 1 here turned 6 in the early part of the year - he is older becasue of him being a July baby alot of his friends only turn seven in grade 2 early part of the year

which from i understand from your thread is more or less same as Aus

Any child who went to school before 2004 will definitely fall into the older category - Crystal has a raw ride as she had to turn 7 plus she was a July baby so she really ended up a lot older and then 2 years later they changed the whole thing so it messed everything up. And they only did it at certain school in Durban it was a test

[Lianne Cawood]

Thanks for all input. My kids are July (kate will turn 10 in Grade 4) and Sept (jemma will turn 7 in grade 1), so both missed the early cutoff, so appears they will be older. Currently thinking it may well be a good thing emotionally if they are of the older in the class given the country change etc. Anyway, I will be guided by the schools we select once we know where we will be. Colton, may I ask which school in Noosa your friends kids are at? Queensland Girl headed me in the right direction schoolwise in an earlier post, but would love some personal references.

Many thanks, LC

[Guest colton]

LC,

Not too sure which schools they are in but will try and get hold of them. Haven't heard from them in ages so maybe they are busy moving.

[chantk]

LC,

Not too sure which schools they are in but will try and get hold of them. Haven't heard from them in ages so maybe they are busy moving.

We arrived in Brisbane (Bayside area) in March 2007. My daughter is 8 turning 9 in November 2007. She was in grade 3 in South Africa. The school decided that she would be placed in year 4. She is with children of her own age and seems to be coping with the work. I have spoken with other South African families who asked that their children be placed into the same grade that they had been in in South Africa. I suppose it will depend on the school and what you think is best for your child. My younger daughter turn 5 in June 2008 so she will go to Prep at the primary school.

[PeterNew_za]

Hi

According to friends in Australia and the excellent book - Living and Working in Australia (David Hampshire), there a 6 different school entry ages across the country!!

South Australia and NT - may begin when the turn 5

WA - if born after June 30th then can't start until year turn 7

Victoria - must be aged 5 by 30th April of year of enrolment

Not sure about Queensland and Tasmania

So each state is different but they do seem to start school earlier than South Africa but more in line with UK and Ireland where they start from as early as 4 1/2!!

Peter

[Erica]

Well I guess we are going to just have to wait until we get there

whome:

[Lianne Cawood]

Hey Erica

Absolutely right! I know my lesson in life is to learn to let go and embrace whatever life throws you. Trying, but struggling!

LC