AIBU to turn down Australia job offer because son has started A levels?

Easy solution - hubby goes abroad and works while renting for a bit and ds finishes his a levels.
Will be much easier, then you can join dh after ds has done his qualifications. There will be no rush to move then and you will have time to sort out educational options if ds is considering uni.

We belong to a church and a couple (both doctors) moved out on a missionary placement years ago. Their 3 children went with them, but are now all her (working, uni and 6th form). Obviously, if you don't think the move is right, don't go, but I don't think you should just be presuming it will be wrong.

He'd start in late January-February, and take public exams in November - December.

Doing the equivalent of A levels, with a whole new curriculum, in just one year?

Just be aware that if your son ever wanted to go to a UK university he would have had to have lived in the UK for three years directly beforehand in order to access student finance for tuition and maintenance (totally separate from the home/International fees issue - even if he got home fees and had been in AUS for a couple of years, he's likely have to fund himself (unless there is an Australian loan system that would lend for this - no idea)).

I lived abroad as a teen and did IB instead of A-levels. It has caused no difficulties when applying for uni or in later life!

Presumably you're looking at international schools if you've found one that offers IB? They're normally very well set up for students transferring part way through the year and from different educational systems. I really wouldn't let this be the thing that stops you going.

If you are seriously thinking about it could you move for him to restart the Australian school year in Jan/Feb which is like their September? Then he wouldn’t lose a year

Sorry don’t have time to read the whole thread so apologies if someone has already mentioned, but this is important: even if he gets home feeling status with universities, he will not get a student loan.

As others have said, your husband goes now and you and son stay in the UK while he finishes his A Levels. You move to Australia at that point. Son may then choose to remain in the UK or move to Australia.

I speak as a parent of a son who did IB in the UK instead of A Levels. It was very hard work. I can't imagine how hard it would be being thrust into a new country, new school system and new qualification all at once, with no friends there for support.

i believe school years in Australia run January to December. So he may not miss out on graduating any later.

I appreciate you not wanting to divide the family up based on your own personal trauma, that's really sad. however try not to put that trauma on your son, you and your husband are obviously much more aware than your own parents were, does he have any other family members he could stay with? or even a close family friend. I would have thought he would be more upset about leaving friends than his A-level course, i know i would have been at his age.

Nothing to do with your child's school, but:

when making your decision, please don't forget if you earn more than equivalent of appx 47,000 pounds (95,000 joint in a dual household) you HAVE to take out private health insurance. According to Aus gov average bill to patient for calling out an ambulance is 500 pounds plus nearly 10 pounds a mile!

He'd start in late January-February, and take public exams in November - December. He'd lose 6 months, but could jin a school in July in Australia (it's winter there then, remember). Long summer holiday is December-January. Although good luck with weeks at 30 degrees (why I came back to the UK, reason #324)

My grandsons (age 9) father went to Australia last year to work supposedly a fantastic job, that would get him a great job when back in uk. It was supposed to be for 2yrs and he was supposed to fly back every 2 months to see my grandson. He came back 3 times in a year and now he's coming back for good didn't last 2yrs and the job hel be doing back in the UK he could have trained for anywhere here. Australia isn't all its cracked up to be I know a lot of people who end up back home. But to leave your kids is horrible and unnecessary. Can't you wait? Can't you manage until your boy is over 18 & knows what he wants to do?

Australian schools are very good, and easily comparable to UK schools (probably ahead on maths & science, although behind on European languages).

It's not the quality of education, it's the timing. OP says the move would take place in summer 2027, when her son would be half way through studying for A Levels which he would expect to take in May/June 2028. He would have to start all over again in Australia.

And your qualms about the IB are misplaced - it's an excellent curriculum, and superior to A Levels in one respect: it requires a much broader range of subjects/disciplines, and offers a much broader base for HE.

What subjects & disciplines is your DS interested in ?

Whereabouts in Australia are you looking at relocating? And are you looking at a permanent move? If so, your son doesn't need to continue with A Levels. The Australian secondary school is 6 rather than 7 years (ie 5th & 6th form, not 5th then Lower then Upper 6th - or the Year equivalents ...) So he's likely to be on par or even ahead. I was 18 months ahead when we migrated to Australia and so I skipped a year of school.

Lots to think about, and your desire to refuse the job because of A Levels suggests you haven't quite thought through the impacts of migration at a deep level. Australia isn't just England with jobs & sunshine! Have you spent time there? Talked to Australians with DC in high school?

YABU.

If you're emigrating to Australia, you're living in Australia as a migrant. You're living there, not as an "ex-pat" - you're a migrant!

Most Australian states do a Higher School Certificate, or similar, which is enough for your DS to get back to UK HE if he wanted to, and if you wanted to pay international tuition fees. Australian schools are very good, and easily comparable to UK schools (probably ahead on maths & science, although behind on European languages).

Australian universities are excellent: the old "sandstone" universities - University of Sydney, University of Melbourne, University of Western Australia, and University of Queensland, are regularly in the top 50 universities in the world (via QS rankings).

Young people from all over Asia (especially Chinese diaspora in Malaysia, and the Taiwanese) go to Australia for their last 2 years of school and then stay for university. The country has an excellent education system, particularly attractive to Asian "tiger mothers"!

IB is just as good as A levels. English universities accept it so if he wanted to come back to UK for uni he would be fine. I actually think IB sounds more impressive than A levels anyway. Shows you have experience of living in a foreign country.

I’ve not read the full thread but we emigrated to Aus recently. Ministerial direction 119 has massively extended wait times for offshore visas. If you’re looking at a PR visa your son may be well into or have nearly finished his A levels by the time it is granted, and you generally have a year to enter from the grant date.

If you’re seriously considering it I’d probably speak to a migration agent about it as it might be possible for you all to come over to activate the visa and you and your son to return to the UK temporarily to complete his A levels if it is too early.

Are you absolutely sure there’s no full time work to be found anywhere in the UK for either of you? No full time jobs in cleaning, care work, delivery driving, hospitality or retail? It seems very drastic to uproot your whole lives and to disrupt your son’s education at such a crucial stage by moving to the other side of the world.

Do you absolutely have to go as late as summer 2027? If you could possibly move in January instead he could start the school year with his peers and not really be behind. If you’re not currently working is there much difference in costs, or can you persuade the employer to take him on earlier?

There's a forum called PomsinOz OP, I'm sure there'll be people having experienced very similar dilemmas on there.

How well do you know Australia? What would your work permit/visa situation be? When your DH applied for the job surely you had this discussion about what would happen if he got it. Why are you both out of work now - that’s a very long time for both of you to be job hunting. If it’s not a permanent job, if you’ve never been there and if you can’t get a visa to work I’d send your DH and let your son finish school. It’s only 20 months between now and A levels being over. I lived in NZ for 6 years so I know how hard it is to emigrate even if it’s what you really want to do.

Dd3 has just finished her IB (in UK) and she enjoyed it. She had university offers from top universities. Maybe find a school that does it here.

Surely you go, DS goes into the IB class, if he is behind you get tutoring or he redoubles.

The IB Diploma is a really amazing opportunity and if you are moving soon then there are schools in the UK that offer the IB for him to get started - mostly private schools. He could then transition over. Talk to your son and find someone who knows the IB Diploma inside out to talk it through

If your son is a strong all-rounder, I would recommend he does IB in any case. My kids did IB and, although it has a high work load, it offers a broader education than A levels and is well-respected by UK universities. It's a great opportunity for him and shouldn't be the reason to turn the job offer down.