School Calendar Year

[Gretchen]

Hello,

We are considering a job transfer to Melbourne.

One question I have is about the Australian school calendar year and how it will affect our elementary aged children. My understanding is that the school year runs from March through Dec. Assuming this is correct, does anyone know how to handle the transition from a calendar year here in the US from Sept - June to one that runs March - Dec. Our plan was to move at the end of this school year, but that puts the kids smack in the middle of the Australian school year.

Thanks!
Gretchen

[Byo]

Hi. Our school year runs from end of January to December. I know someone who moved over from Europe, think their school terms run the same as yours. She put her kids into school the second term, which was end of July so they have two terms getting used to school before the summer holidays in December/January. It worked out really well for them. The teachers are understanding of the difference of school terms.

[Gretchen]

Originally Posted by Byo

Hi. Our school year runs from end of January to December. I know someone who moved over from Europe, think their school terms run the same as yours. She put her kids into school the second term, which was end of July so they have two terms getting used to school before the summer holidays in December/January. It worked out really well for them. The teachers are understanding of the difference of school terms.

Great info, thanks for the feedback. Am I correct in assuming then that your friends had their children complete the school year in Europe, then "repeated" the same grade for the second term, July through Dec. in Australia, then began the next grade at the end of January? Or did they begin the next grade immediately in July?

This is all so new to me and confusing. While we would love to accept this assignment, a big concern is that my kids remain on course with their grade level, and not end up repeating a grade and attending classes with children one year younger than them because of the difference in the school calendar year, nor do I want them to struggle b/c they have missed half a year of schooling.

Any other advice from others who have dealt with this is greatly appreciated.

Gretchen

[Byo]

Originally Posted by Gretchen

Great info, thanks for the feedback. Am I correct in assuming then that your friends had their children complete the school year in Europe, then "repeated" the same grade for the second term, July through Dec. in Australia, then began the next grade at the end of January? Or did they begin the next grade immediately in July?

This is all so new to me and confusing. While we would love to accept this assignment, a big concern is that my kids remain on course with their grade level, and not end up repeating a grade and attending classes with children one year younger than them because of the difference in the school calendar year, nor do I want them to struggle b/c they have missed half a year of schooling.

Any other advice from others who have dealt with this is greatly appreciated.

Gretchen

Glad the info helps. It is all very complicated isn't it. Yes they finished up school in Europe then repeated some of the year here. That way rather than struggling with a new curiculum and settling in they had the added bonus of repeating. They had never been taught in English so that was there only fallback and they are doing really welll now. Kids are very resilient its us parents that worry too much. But I know how you feel. Good Luck!!

[MichelleAlison]

In the UK the school year runs from September to July. Here in Argentina the school year runs from March to December. We decided it was easier to pull the children out of school in October so that we would have time to find schools in Argentina before the year finished. The school here was very helpful and allowed the children to attend a couple of times a week so that they could learn how the school worked and to make friends before the holidays. The holidays allowed my children to settle in to their new home without the added worry of school. Come March they were ready to start their school without too much worry. When children are young, I wouldn't worry about them missing a few months school - they have their lives in front of them.


I wouldn't worry about ages and years. In the UK the children pass automatically to the next year, but here they have to pass the year or retake it. Therefore we found different ages in the years, although not drastically different.

We also found the level of work extremely high and the school provided extra maths tuition and also extra Spanish language classes.

I have to say that children are so adapatable. Mine are now aged 13 and 16 and did really well in their first year. To see them studying in Spanish is wonderful. My 13 year old just passed his Spanish history oral. He couldn't have done this in the UK in English, let alone a foreign language.

I would therefore make sure that children were ready to start school at the beginning of the new year in their new country as so much goes on at this time.

Good luck with your plans

Michelle