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

Sorry June 2028. But you could also have a nice long summer together in between.

I don't know why people are flogging boarding school. Term has already started, it would be traumatic for him to be shoved in boarding school and have his parents emigrate post haste especially knowing his mum is basically picking his dad's company over his own. Simply not an option. But IB from Jan might work if he is a personality who can cope with the sudden switch and especially if he is a generalist. Not so good for a student who's just heaved a sigh of relief at giving up all essay subjects and is looking forward to double maths and physics.

Lots of private schools in the UK do IB. UK Universities are very used to it with UK and overseas students. If that’s the only thing making you hesitate and you’re son’s up for it I’d go!

I definitely would not go at this point in my child’s education.

It wouldn't be 20 months. If the proposed move is August 2027 it would be more like 9-10 months. Join up in June 2028. DS's last A level exam was 18th June.

Otherwise he would be joining half way through the Australian school year and expected to gear change to IB.

Do you have relatives in the area? We have friends and family who have lived with grandparents/aunts/uncles and in one case an older sibling to avoid disrupting their education while parents have gone abroad and then visited (both ways) during the holidays. While I appreciate Australia is a long trip for 1/2 terms etc would this be an option?

I think learning to be independent and no longer finding living away from your husband "traumatic" would do you a world of good!

I'd stay with my son until A Levels and move to my husband as soon as he's finished. Realistically it's only a few months!

Can't be switch to the first year of IB now instead of A levels then do the second year of IB in Australia?

Also although you had a bad experience with boarding school, it doesn't mean he will. I think boarding for 6th form can be quite fun especially now where it's far more flexible. I boarded (and parents were in Oz for some of it) and while I didn't love it, I do think 6th form was the best part of the experience. One of my now best friends joined in 6th form and had a great time. So you could try starting him boarding this year and weekly board while you're here, and then continue when you leave for a few months.

It's feasible to go now, since HSC is a 2 year syllabus, he would have to go back a year into Year 10 for a few months and then do Year 11 in 2027 and sit HSC at end of 2028 (or other states equivalent). We have dual citizenship and I have this in the back of my mind as a possible scenario for our daughter who is currently in Year 10, not sure we will actually do it though. I don't see that you can move summer 2027, he would have done one year of A-levels, he would have not have been learning several subjects for an entire year and his equivalent year group in Australia would be 1/2 way through Year 12 which is their final year. I think you would have to stay here with him until he finishes school and follow your husband after A-levels are done.

@FergussSingsTheBlues

Which subjects is he taking at A Level, OP?

I could be wrong but doesn’t the Australian new school year start in January? If so he would be starting the equivalent of year 12 in Jan which is actually good timing

I think there’s definitely potential for it to work. Does he like the idea of Australia? How would it be for him to leave his settled social and school life? I moved to another continent at 17 and started school there as did many of my friends (war). I enjoyed boarding but missed my old life. We all did really different exams (some moved to Australia from a British style system) and everyone was ok. Just took a while to transition mentally.
If you have a close family and are supportive it could be really positive.

That’s very binary and you are not in a binary situation. For the good of ALL your family your DH needs to take this job. Either you stay with the kids for 2 years (less than really, more like 20months) or you all go and leave your DS in boarding to do his A levels.

The whole families prospects might be torpedoed if you can’t outside the box on this one

If you would not be moving till end of summer 27 then he will be a year in A levels with only 8 or 9 months till he sits the exams. He will presumably be applying for university for September 28. Is there anyone he could stay with for the last year of school?
A lot depends on whether this job is permanent or fixed term? If you plan to return or are emigrating permanently?

Then he should definitely stay and complete his A Levels in the UK. Either with you or on his own. He will be almost 18 and it’s only 9 months. That isn’t traumatic for your family. 9 months passes in the blink of an eye.

What are DS’s plans for uni?

You say you all go or none - but what if he wants to go to uni in the UK?

Some professions require certain qualifications which can be different for different countries.

If he’s planning on living in the UK long term, then he may need to qualify in the UK - perhaps look into this before choosing.

Do you not have any family in the UK?
Many people move to Australia but move back because it’s too far from elderly parents etc.

My plan would be:
*DS start A levels
*You and DH try and find temporary jobs still/downsize to free up some cash.
*DH moves September 2027 and lives cheaply.
*DS finishes A levels
*Both you and DS go over spring 2028
*DS stays a year, working and enjoying Australia.
*DS goes to uni the following year - maybe back in the UK.

What kind of job has your husband been offered, OP?

If it's a good job and accommodation is obtainable, I think that you should go as a family.

What a wonderful opportunity!

Which part of Australia?

we would be moving end summer 2027.

If A levels are 2 years, then he’d have already done a year of it?

So why doesn’t DH move at the end of summer 2027 and then you and DS move over a few months later when he finishes.

It’ll only be about 9 months and DH can come back for Xmas instead of buying Xmas presents.

You will hopefully be able to get some shop work or something in the meantime.

You could also put the house on the market and massively downsize etc

DS can choose to then go with you or it’s here and go uni in the UK (I’d probably encourage him coming over for a year and working and then he can always come back)

When would the job begin? If after Christmas your son would be starting the new school year in Australia at the same time as his peers - perfect! The IB is a fantastic qualification and depending on what subjects he has chosen for A Levels he can almost certainly study them, plus a few more :)

Exactly this! Let him finish off his A levels.

I would definitely talk it through with the whole family. I did the equivalent of the IB in a European country growing up and personally, I think it is the better option over A-levels. Our eldest is moving on to a secondary that offers the IB and we're really glad it does, it gives them better options to study internationally and in my opinion a more rounded overall education.

And whilst I understand your son's sense that this year may have been wasted, I don't think any education is ever wasted! It will have still taught him something in addition to the topical learning, i.e. how to prepare study guides, plan your work etc.

I know “apart” sounds daunting, but in reality, it won’t be for that long. Your DH won’t be expected to start immediately - perhaps he can negotiate a January start? Will need time to sort out visas etc. You can spend the whole summer holidays as a family in Australia and your DH can use his annual leave to come home at Christmas. Then your DS will be heavily into A levels, but those finish mid June and you’ll be able to move there full time. At a push, you could manage some Easter trips as well, maybe? I’d just muddle through for what, in reality, will only be 18 months. Ideal? No. Doable? Yes.

There were a lot more points I made in there for you to consider! I’m glad you are excited at the idea of going as well, and apologies that I got the wrong impression. If you haven’t been working and haven’t been claiming benefits, it may be worth looking into whether you can or should be claiming. Having survived for 2 years on a redundancy payment is surprising. It must have been a massive payout suggesting one of you was on an extremely high salary and/or had worked there for a very long time. Or were you both made redundant? 3 years is an incredibly long time to be job hunting and find nothing - I’m really sorry that you’ve found yourselves in that position. I’m guessing the person with the higher salary was in quite a niche role that doesn’t transfer easily to other jobs? Was one of you previously a SAHP?

if you choose to stay, could you both look for part time work, or much lower salaried full time work? It might help you in the short term without risk to your house?

Just send DH ahead and you follow after A levels? Is he the only earner?

I don't think this year is 'wasted' as such. He will have learnt a lot about how to study independently and built a foundation of knowledge in the subjects he is studying, which might help him in whatever he does next so he might be ahead a little in terms of knowledge and understanding. I think you need to talk it through as a family and make decisions from there. A job offer is obviously something to seriously consider - I am also out of work following redundancy and it's so hard! Weighing up every pro and con is important and it might be that he's up for it and would thrive at the change.

Why don’t you look to move him onto IB now? Does he school offer it? My sixth form (not private did)

That way he’s not wasted a year