AUSTRALIAN SCHOOL CURRICULUM

[Nicki G]

Hi Dax

We are going to go to Queensland. We are going to be sending Marc to Grade 1 at a government school, everyone is saying - No stay away from Government rather go private but it is quite pricey and we need to find our feet first. Are they similar to South Australia at all and are government schools so bad, they cannot be worse than SA schools with 32 kids in his class at the moment

Advice is so welcome

Nicki

[Dax]

State schools everywhere in Oz are almost like finger prints, no two are the same in respect of neighbourhood, types of kids etc.

I really don't know about individual Queensland schools, but what i would have done in your case would have been to to research individual schools.

You will have problem kids in every school, but at primary schools the probs are not so big, and in Gr1 (Year 1 over here) there should not be more that 26 kids in the class.

Go onto the Queensland Educ Dept website and check if they have a search portal for Q/Land schools like South Australia. Check for jargon like;

* Challenging students

* Special needs clientele

* Disadvantage Index ( It usually ranges from 1 - 7, 1 depict high disadvantage issues, 7 is the OK schools)

* Avoid schools in the 1 - 3 disadvantage classification

* Disadvantage - this word depicts challenging behaviours, low socio economic situations, etc.

Hope this helps

Dax

[Dolfyntjie]

State schools everywhere in Oz are almost like finger prints, no two are the same in respect of neighbourhood, types of kids etc.

I really don't know about individual Queensland schools, but what i would have done in your case would have been to to research individual schools.

You will have problem kids in every school, but at primary schools the probs are not so big, and in Gr1 (Year 1 over here) there should not be more that 26 kids in the class.

Go onto the Queensland Educ Dept website and check if they have a search portal for Q/Land schools like South Australia. Check for jargon like;

* Challenging students

* Special needs clientele

* Disadvantage Index ( It usually ranges from 1 - 7, 1 depict high disadvantage issues, 7 is the OK schools)

* Avoid schools in the 1 - 3 disadvantage classification

* Disadvantage - this word depicts challenging behaviours, low socio economic situations, etc.

Hope this helps

Dax

Thanx Dax, this will help a lot

[Nicki G]

Hi Dax, if you look at this school annual report, would you say yes or no, not sure waht jargon to look out for

http://www.parkavenss.eq.edu.au/

Nicki

[Dax]

Hi Nicki,

Not much info to go by really.

A good indicator in there is staff/pupil attendance, and th eschool is relatively small for Oz standards, which may be a plus point as well.

Students' performance against National benchmarks is not a good indicator, however high, as th eNational benchmsrks are notoriously low in comparison with the states' actual performance. Thus, most schools in Oz are virtually expected to score way above the benchmarks.

I would suggest that you contact the school directly. If you don't mind waiting a bit I'll check around the traps to see if I can' find out a bit more, due to my proximity here in Oz.

I'm not really saying yes/no, but I'm definetely saying that there are way too little info on this webssite/report. Even by the school annual reports that i'm used to here in South Oz, the report falls far below standards.

Sorry thatI could not help much at this stage,

Dax

Edited February 4, 2008 by Dax

[Polyanna]

Hi Dax

We are going to go to Queensland. We are going to be sending Marc to Grade 1 at a government school, everyone is saying - No stay away from Government rather go private but it is quite pricey and we need to find our feet first. Are they similar to South Australia at all and are government schools so bad, they cannot be worse than SA schools with 32 kids in his class at the moment

Advice is so welcome

Nicki

Hi Nicki

For what its worth, my advice is to wait until you get to Rockhampton. Go and personally meet the prinicipal of the various schools and have a guided tour. Ask questions, and get a gut feel for the school.

I get peeved off when I hear people say stay away from the state schools. People shouldn't be passing comment as to which route to go, state school or private. Just like emigration, this is a personal choice. My boys are in a state school and they have adapted well. My son jumped two grades last year (from grade 3 to grade 5) and the school brought in extra support for him. I AM A PROUD STATE SCHOOL SUPPORTER!

[KathyW]

Hello

Yesterday we were granted our VISA and now that I am back on Planet South Africa I have realized that we have to be in Auz by 14 June which means that I must seriously look into schools now, we are going to Brisbane, my daughter of 12 is in Grade 7 and son in Grade 12, I was thinking of leaving Gareth here to finish his Matric but as far as our visa papers say is that we all have to be in Auz on that date, so this idea is now out. Question here........ We would obviously be there for the 3rd term. How will he cope? Will he manage to complete half of the SA curriculum and still do well enough to pass the next 2 terms on the Auz curriculum. Should I maybe just put him straight into a college when we get there? Not too sure on his last remaining educational years on what to do.

If anyone could please let me know the web addresses, advice or personal experiences on the schools in Brissie I would appreciate it.

My daughter in Grade 7 is quite an adaptable child and does not mind at all about new changes, but the Son does get affected with new changes.

Thanks to Dax about all the info you are sharing, half of it is quite hard to understand but I think now that I have to find out more on Schooling in Auz the more I will learn on the differences in the schooling.

Cheerio

Kathy

[Dax]

Hi Kathy

This link leads top a search facility on th eQueensland Education Dept's website. Follow the prompts to find a school.

Alternatively you can justy click "search" with all fields blank and it should display all schools in Queensland.

Search for Queensland schools

Let me know what aspects are new/strange to you, maybe i can clarify them for you.

Dax

Edited February 5, 2008 by Dax

[Polyanna]

I was thinking of leaving Gareth here to finish his Matric but as far as our visa papers say is that we all have to be in Auz on that date, so this idea is now out. Question here........ We would obviously be there for the 3rd term. How will he cope? Will he manage to complete half of the SA curriculum and still do well enough to pass the next 2 terms on the Auz curriculum. Should I maybe just put him straight into a college when we get there? Not too sure on his last remaining educational years on what to do.

Hi Kathy

I stand under correction, but I think Jongman was in the same boat when they came to Aus.

Maybe PM him and he could help with advice.

Greetings,

Kim

[KathyW]

Hi Kathy

I stand under correction, but I think Jongman was in the same boat when they came to Aus.

Maybe PM him and he could help with advice.

Greetings,

Kim

Thanks Kim have done what you have suggested. I await his reply with bated breath.

Cheerio

Kathy

[Mara]

I have pinned this topic, as requested by Dax!

[Wilma Alberts]

We have 3 kids, Grade 10(girl), Grade 7(girl) and Grade 2(boy). We can go to Australia during the course of the year but I have asked my Employer to only go in December as I want the kids to finish their school year in SA. Currently they are in Afrikaans schools and I am to scared that they will not be able to adapt to going to English Schools and a new curriculum. They are very excited to move to Australia. We want to move to Sydney at the end of November / beginning of December. Don't know if we should wait or pack-up and go?

[AEbing]

Hi All,

new user and not sure if I'm a "vlieg in die salf " now. If I am SORRY!

I read somewhere that there is 3 Afrikaans schools in OZ is this true?

[Dax]

Hi All,

new user and not sure if I'm a "vlieg in die salf " now. If I am SORRY!

I read somewhere that there is 3 Afrikaans schools in OZ is this true?

Nope, I don't think it's true

There are schools in some centres where there is a high number of Afrikaans speaking kids. and you have the odd Afrikaans speaking teacher like me (teaching in English, of course) that are teaching somewhere in Oz, but that is about it, I would say.

I sometimes hear people moot the possibility of opening such a school, but there are too many pitfalls.

Regards,

Dax

[Nolan]

I was thinking of leaving Gareth here to finish his Matric but as far as our visa papers say is that we all have to be in Auz on that date, so this idea is now out.

Hi Kathy W,

I could be wrong here, but wouldnt your son just need to validate his visa by the said date and have approx 4.5 years thereafter to join you again?

Regards,

Nolan

[AEbing]

Hi All,

new user and not sure if I'm a "vlieg in die salf " now. If I am SORRY!

I read somewhere that there is 3 Afrikaans schools in OZ is this true?

Dankie Dax,

Hoop tog hulle maak 'n afrikaanse skool oop in die toekoms.

[Annette]

I'll put in my two pennies worth in as well. Just to complicate things, the school that my kids attend here in Adelaide follows the International Baccalaureate Middle years program, with year 11 and 12 choosing to do either SACE or IB diploma. The primary schools in the catchment area follow the IB primary and middle years program. The teaching methodology is very similar to what Dax described, but they do do exams every year from year 8 to 12 with tests every term. This is a public school.

There is quite a lot of difference between states but even in the same state between schools. For example, there are state primary schools here which offer a Steiner or a Montessori stream as well.

I have been delighted with the schooling my kids are getting and there is certainly a lot of excellent schools around. It is unusual for people here in Adelaide to put their kids into private primary schools, unless they are religious fanatics or snobs. It's much more the norm to send your kid to the local primary and then about 30% go to private school when they move up to high school.

Kathy, my instinct would say put him back into year 11 and then he has much more time to learn how things are done here and feel more comfortable with doing his exams here. It's not just the syllabus which will be different, the style of teaching and assessment will take a lot of getting used to for a South African kid. The work in year 11 and 12 can also be quite challenging especially in the mroe academic subjects. My brother is visiting and he looked through my daughter's Biology textbook, then said that the work she's doing for year 12 is at 2nd and even 3rd year Uni level in SA. He was very surprised (he teaches at uni).

[Erna Reynaers]

Glad I could help.

I'm in Primary Education, at a school in Seaford Rise in the south of Adelaide.

Dax

Hi Dax,

PLease can you explain the LOTE thing I see in all State schools. Most schools have Japanese, Chinese, etc. Are there actually schools where the kids don't have to learn these languages. It will be very hard for achild from SA to suddenly learn Japanese, etc. WE're looking at Brisbane.

Thanks so much

Erna Reynaers

[Erna Reynaers]

Hi Dax,

From what I've read you seem to be the expert. Do all the schools have weird foreign languages or are there state schools that have just english? How does the LOTE work? Would my girls (10,12) be expected to now learn Japanese/Chines from scratch? We are looking at Brisbane but it's still quite a ways off. I've only sent my docs for degree assesment 2 weeks ago. How long does the visa application process take? I've heard 6 months and 18 months? Who is right?

Thanks a mill,

Erna

[Dolfyntjie]

Hi

Ek weet daar is twee skole erens in OZ waar hulle Afrikaans as tweede taal aanbied maar die taalmedium in die skool is nogsteeds engels. Een van hierdie skole het 'n afrikaans sprekende suid afrikaner as skoolhoof. Daar is nie afs skole sover ek weet nie, miskien in die nabye toekoms.

[Dax]

Hi Dax,

PLease can you explain the LOTE thing I see in all State schools. Most schools have Japanese, Chinese, etc. Are there actually schools where the kids don't have to learn these languages. It will be very hard for achild from SA to suddenly learn Japanese, etc. WE're looking at Brisbane.

Thanks so much

Erna Reynaers

I'll get back to you later today with a longer reply - I was a bit hard pressed for time this morning.

Regards,

Dax

[Dax]

Hier is ‘n bietjie meer oor LOTE in Aussie skole.

LOTE staan vir Languages Other Than English. ‘n Hele swetterjoel tale word volgens hierdie metodologie in skole aangebied.

Maar: - moet nie bekommer nie, die onderrig en standaarde is nie naastenby op dieselfde vlak as 2e Taal onderrig in Suid Afrika nie. (Of, soos ek dit geken het toe ek nog daar was nie. )

Dit behels basies dat leerlinge kennis neem van basise woordeskat, frases en ook die kultuur onderliggend an die taal wat hule as LOTE neem. Die doelwit van LOTE veral op Primêre Skool is geensins taalvlotheid nie.

DIE LOTE by die skool waar ek skoolhou is Japanees, en die kinders geniet dit baie, aangesien ons LOTE onderwyseres ‘n Japanese dame is wat woordeskat en frases oordra deur middel van interessante aktiwiteite waarmee sy die kinders ook ‘n goeie oorsig van Japanese kultuur gee.

Ekself het aan die begin, 10 jaar gelede, toe ek by ‘n skool was wat nie ‘n LOTE onnie gehad het nie, vir my eie klas Duits as LOTE aangebied. Ek is OK met Duits (praat & lees en basiese skryf) en ek weet heelwat van Duitsland en Duitse kultuur, dus kon ek Duits sonder moeite aanbied as LOTE, maar ek sal nooit waag om dit as 2e Taal aan te bied nie, 2e Taal onderrig s ‘n perd van ‘n ander kleur.

Moet nie bekommer nie, julle kinders sal OK wees met LOTE wattter een dit ookal sal wees.

Groete,

Dax

[Erna Reynaers]

Hier is ‘n bietjie meer oor LOTE in Aussie skole.

LOTE staan vir Languages Other Than English. ‘n Hele swetterjoel tale word volgens hierdie metodologie in skole aangebied.

Maar: - moet nie bekommer nie, die onderrig en standaarde is nie naastenby op dieselfde vlak as 2e Taal onderrig in Suid Afrika nie. (Of, soos ek dit geken het toe ek nog daar was nie. )

Dit behels basies dat leerlinge kennis neem van basise woordeskat, frases en ook die kultuur onderliggend an die taal wat hule as LOTE neem. Die doelwit van LOTE veral op Primêre Skool is geensins taalvlotheid nie.

DIE LOTE by die skool waar ek skoolhou is Japanees, en die kinders geniet dit baie, aangesien ons LOTE onderwyseres ‘n Japanese dame is wat woordeskat en frases oordra deur middel van interessante aktiwiteite waarmee sy die kinders ook ‘n goeie oorsig van Japanese kultuur gee.

Ekself het aan die begin, 10 jaar gelede, toe ek by ‘n skool was wat nie ‘n LOTE onnie gehad het nie, vir my eie klas Duits as LOTE aangebied. Ek is OK met Duits (praat & lees en basiese skryf) en ek weet heelwat van Duitsland en Duitse kultuur, dus kon ek Duits sonder moeite aanbied as LOTE, maar ek sal nooit waag om dit as 2e Taal aan te bied nie, 2e Taal onderrig s ‘n perd van ‘n ander kleur.

Moet nie bekommer nie, julle kinders sal OK wees met LOTE wattter een dit ookal sal wees.

Groete,

Dax

Ag, thanks a mil, I see why you are a serious addict

[Annette]

Hi Erna,

Just to add to what Dax has said - my son started Japanese here 2 years ago having done no second language at all while he was at school in England. He loved it and it wasn't much of a problem that the other kids had done it for years. I think it's quite cool that he can now actually read some of the symbols on the signs at the Japanese garden in Adelaide . In high school, he is now doing German, which he also loves. A second language is compulsory in the school where he attends, but not at all high schools.

No worries - your kids can only benefit from learning other languages. Just a tip - best to try and unlearn the habit of referring to some foreign languages as "weird". in Australia, more than 30% of people were actually born overseas and a much larger percentage speak a language other than English at home (like us ,for instance! ). Oriental, or Asian laguages are very popular and very useful because of Australia's proximity to the big Asian economies and close ties to those countries, both through the immigrant population and in terms of business. Nothing is "weird" here - tolerance is the name of the game

Hoeveel Griekse, Chinese, Italiaanse, Romeense, Lebanese, Duitse of Punjabi skole is daar in Australie? Hoekom 'n Afrikaanse skool? Ek verstaan nie...

[Dax]

Hoeveel Griekse, Chinese, Italiaanse, Romeense, Lebanese, Duitse of Punjabi skole is daar in Australie? Hoekom 'n Afrikaanse skool? Ek verstaan nie...

Ek stem saam Annette.

Selfs in 'n area waar daar demografies genoeg "klandisie" vir 'n Afrikaanse skool sal wees, dink ek nie dit sal slaag nie, selfs as 'n private skool.

Australia se egalatarian beginsels sal so-iets nie maklik aanvaar nie, en sal as iets ekskusiefs gesien word, terwyl instellings in Australia dinge van 'n inklusiewe oogpunt benader.

Ek kry 'vibes" in die algemene media dat hoofstroom Australia selfs begin knorrig raak oor Moslem skole, selfs al is die voertaal Engels.

Ek kan myself nie indink dat 'n eksklusiewe, skool met 'n taal anders as Engels as voertaal, met ope arms in 'n "town" soos Adelaide aanvaar sal word nie. Ek kan nie vir die ander stede praat nie.

'n Tipe private skool met Engels as meduim van ondderig, maar waar Afrikaans, plus basiese Christelike beginsels, 'n prominente plek het, sal waarskynlik meer haalbaar wees.

Maar dis slegs my mening

Groete,

Dax

Edited April 9, 2008 by Dax