Move to uk system from Australia

[Ozcolemans]

Hi there

Am in the process of looking to move back to uk to Wimbledon or Richmond area from Australia.
Has anyone had any experience of the transition into the uk education system from Australia?
My son is about to start grade 6 here but because of the school year cut off etc, he would go into grade 8 in the uk. One of the independent schools I spoke to said they don't even normally like to take kids into that year because it's high pressure and lots of assessment. It's kind of freaked me out! The uk system is a lot more academic and assessment driven it seems.
Anyone got any advice?

[SavoyCabbage]

Hi, my dd started primary in Australia and almost finished. She missed the last term of grade six and went in to year seven a term late in the uk. We were in Victoria.

There were huge gaps in her knowledge. History and Geography being the obvious ones as they are, of course, studying different things here. She was 18 months to two years ahead of her peers according to her Australian school but had to work really hard to keep up here. And she is in an ordinary state school. We looked at private when we first arrived but decided against it as we thought it might make it harder for them to settle in to the Lucas area.

My younger dd went into year four and is definitely significantly behind. Not in sport though! Living in Australia has taught me to calm the hell down about their education though. I'm much more relaxed about it now.

No worries. 🇦🇺

[Ozcolemans]

Hi there

Aargh! freaked out now! We are in Victoria too and when I have looked at some of the test papers for entrance exams for some of the independent schools Im just stunned by how competitive it is. Its such a different culture it seems. School in australia is so much more about the whole child and teaching them how to learn rather than to a test. I'm worried how my eldest willl cope as he is quite an anxious child. He's bright and loves learning but not into pressure!