To those of you who already have experience of primary ed in Adelaide.

Our lovely, over sensitive 5 year old is in year 1 here and, as the youngest in her class (and also quite immature) is struggling badly. Her confidence is at an all time low, her behaviour is 'off'.

As we will, hopefully, be migrating after Christmas at the latest, we are considering asking the school to let her repeat year 1 to build her confidence back up. The social question is not an issue as she has more friends in the current reception than her own class.

My question is - we have read that kids start school later and also they start them on the sounds etc later so does anyone else think our idea is sound. We are figuring it may be more important to build her confidence back up and then when we get to Oz she will feel happy at the level she's at with her peers.

Any comments please?

Louise

Hi Louise
5 year olds here start school in the Reception class. If your young lady is still 5 at Christmas when you come over, you will most likely have the choice whether to put her into Reception or year 1 when the school year starts in January. Likewise, the reception kids that have already started before Christmas will be individually assessed and either kept in R for another year or moved on to 1 (of course, some will have done a full year in R and others only a term or two depending on when their birthday is).

They're very flexible about doing it all to suit the individual child, so I really don't think you'll have any problems.

When you come over, drop into the Marion Primary school (I can give you contacts) and speak to them!

Yes please Elaine

She's 6 at the end of June so I assume she'd be year 2 in Oz (by age). I think it would really help to talk to a school there - although still doesn't help with whether to keep her in year 1 here for remaining months.....

We're quite worried about how this is affecting her.

Louise

Reception - age 5/6
Year 1 - age 6/7
Year 2 - age 7/8

So no, I don't think she'd be in year 2, more likely year 1 - and I am sure they would even be open to having her in the Reception class if you felt it more appropriate. :)

(Kids usually start as soon as they turn 5, but you're not legally obliged to send them to school till they're 6 so potentially there could be 6/7 year olds in Reception. Just remember that they're allowed to leave school at 15 so if she goes all teenager on you later on, she might decide she's leaving school in year 9 :blink: )

As for now, and in light of the above, I don't think there would be any harm in keeping her in Reception if that would make her happy - if anything that is where her Aussie peers will be right now.

Have to agree with what Elaine has said .Our youngest was 5 when we came over and was placed in a mixed rec/yr 1 class as a reception child. I questioned this and was given the option of changing him to a year 1 However he is by no means the youngest in his class , most were already 6 . We kept him at Reception level , and I feel that it has helped him settle better .
Our other sons are in classes according to their age JJ is 8 and is in a mixed 4/5 class (again we were offeredthe chance to put him in a 2/3 class but decide against it , he is managing OK
Cameron is 10 and is in a 4/5 class !Not sure that this is so good for him but the alternative was a 6/7 class where some of the kids are 13 so we decided against this !

Its difficult adjusting to the mixed classes and difference in age levels etc , however from what you have posted I feel that your daughter would do better in a reception class as it would increase her confidence and help her to adjust to what is sometimes a very different school system

Good luck

JUlie

If it is the actual school work that she is struggling with, as well as maturity, then I would definitely ask to keep her in reception. I have found, as a teacher, that if a child is struggling in the early years, then they often continue to struggle as they go on, and often get more behind. Once she starts here, it is often difficult to keep children down, as they tend to put all of them into the next class, whether they are managing or not. The only problem would be if she ended up being too far ahead and a bit bored. However, if she IS struggling with the work as well, and you have the opportunity when you arrive, then it would help her confidence to be one of the 'better' ones, rather than struggling, and she wouldn't face the emotional problem of not going 'up' with her friends, as she would be starting afresh.

Of course, when you enrol her, talk to the principal and teachers about it, as they'll be able to advise best.

Jen

Hi there!

Due to our son starting school a bit later in Scotland and only doing one term before we emigrated he has actually started Reception this year. He was 6 last December so really started school a couple of months after his 6th birthday. He is the oldest in his class but loves it. You can see the difference in maturity and ability to cope with things and I am so glad we didn't push to have him put in a Year 1 class. Your daughter might come on a lot over the next few months but if you get the chance to re-do a year level then I would take it. As previous posts have mentioned they are very flexible over here.

Good luck

Carolyn

Thanks for your replies so far.

I think I'm going to talk to her school here about not putting her up to year 2 in September. She is very much bottom of the class and knows it. This way she'll stay in year 1 here (if they'll do it) and then still be in year 1 when we get to Oz. She'll effectively have over 2 years in year 1 but I think that will do her the world of good.

Need to approach her teacher this morning then....

Thanks

Louise

Hi

If we were still in the UK my daughter Charlotte would have been in year 2 as things have worked out here she has repeated year1 to fit in with her age group. We were a bit unsure of this at first as the work level was behind what she had been doing but have to say now that we think it's been the best thing for her. She was one of the youngest in her class in the UK and although was average she had to work hard to be at that level. She didn't seem to enjoy reading or writing outside of school and I think that was because she saw it all as work and not fun but could have just been her age. I really feel coming to OZ has allowed her to take a step back and learn at the level that suits her age best. Her reading has come on brilliantly and she is writing her own book on fairies but that's a secret so don't tell anyone!

Hope this helps
All the best
Susan

This has been a really helpful discussion.

My little boy, while very bright, does not go in for academic stuff (potential engineer!). He is one of the youngest in Yr1 but does pretty well. He insists he doesn't want to do the same stuff over again but I don't think it'll be a problem for him. :)

on the other hand, I have a 7 year old (gifted and talented apparently) and am worried that she'll be so far ahead of her peers in Australia that it'll cause problems, not behaviour, just motivation and boredom issues - she's always been way ahead here. I don't want her with much older children though, because she isn't socially confident. Maybe we could just let her do piano lessons or something that will tax her outside of school. She has a tendency to be lazy because she has never been challenged so we need to keep an eye on that side of her :rolleyes:

Any suggestions?

Thanks for that Susan

Nice to know that your daughter is blossoming after the move - I think we are just going to have to hope that the visa comes through quite quickly and that we can move shortly after she starts year 2. I had a quick word with her teacher this morning and she doesn't think the head will be receptive to the idea of not moving her up. She says they have only done it in severe cases ie severe autism etc. and that they won't want to set a precedent. I've got an apointment to talk more after school.

Louise

Many of the schools have mixed year classes, so that a child who is advanced for the lower year in the class will be given work for the upper year in the class, without losing contact with her peers.

I know some of the high schools have 'gifted and talented' programs, and Vicky was in a 'high achievers' class at Seaview High until we moved her to Brighton, but I don't know what might be available at primaries. Might be worth emailing one or two and asking? Or checking out the DECS website?

Thanks Elaine

Sounds like Oz year 1 will be absolutely fine for her when we get there.

Don't think her school here are going to play ball with keeping her back for a year - but I'm going to try and push my hardest for it.

Maybe just have to keep giving her lots of love and attention (and maybe a few days off here and there) until we go to Oz. Can't wait to get her out of this inflexible system.

Louise

I think you will find that the curriculum (I think there is one there somewhere ! ) is VERY different to what has been covereed in the Uk Yes they learn all the basics but in a very free and easy way :blink: E.G, My son took a book in to school that the teacher hadnt seen before , they spent the entire day talking about it , reading it , discussing it , painting pictures about it In the UK this would never happen ! The teachers were hard pressed to find time to even look at the book :(
Its all very free and much more relaxed here and far more condusive to happy kids ...IMO!!

As for a gifted and talented child I have one of those too. It was called "special needs " back then when she was 4 (1994) :sign68: The schools answer then was to put her up a year and then another , I fought this and eventually moved her schools , to one that offered extra extension for her and extra curricular schemes ie; french and chess to keep her mind occupied . Since we came here (she is now 14 ) she has been moved up a year , she is now in year 11 so will leave school and be able to start Uni in 7 terms time :sign68: :unsure: :what?: As you say about your daughter ,she has become lazy too and although she has always (until this year !) got straight "A's" she has put only the minimum effort in . She has never done homework as she finishes class work before everyone else . so does homework at school However she is now graded partly on assignments these are expected to be all singing and all dancing with bells on. She is getting "B's" for correct answers but has been told that more effort is needed to get an "A"!
Unfortunately its something that has been unavoidable for her , but schools are more aware now and hopefully there will be something in place to help your daughter .

Good Luck
Julie x

Hi, what you're all saying sounds very familiar. We too have william in year 1, but hope to repeat yr 1 when we get to oz (july/aug)

He too is struggling at school and has lost all confidence since he started school. In reception he had a very strict teacher who would tell children off for 'scribbling in their drawing books' at 4 years of age!!

I think the goal post gets moved each year though as so much is expected of these very young children.

Lin
xx

Lin

It's heartbreaking to see the change in them isn't it? I'm really upset about at the moment. Alice says 'I can't do...' to almost everything now, has started to have 'accidents' (wetting herself) and tells anyone who asks that she hates school. If you weren't leaving in the summer could you see your lad coping with year 2, I can't see Alice coping with it at all. Even tempted to 'home school' for a few weeks until we get to leave....

Louise

Hi Louise,

In answer to your question, no I don't think william would cope well in year 2, especially as all they would be interested in is bombarding them with tests etc ready for the big sats (so important! NOT). :angry:

I think you've got to do what you think is best for alice, but really feel for you. We did talk about home schooling but decided against it. Glad we're not alone though and I'm sure the y'll be fine once in oz (sooner the better).

Like you said just try lots of praise Love and support, and maybe a few days off if things get really bad. Do the school know that you're moving to oz? Anyway feel free to pm me anytime if you need to offload anything or need a listening ear! Keep your chin up, things will get better.

Lin
xx