To take my son to live in Australia?

[victorhelmet]

DH and I are considering a move to Adelaide. My DS1 is half way through Y9 and starts Y10 in September? DS2 is a baby so no issues there.

DH thinks is unfair to move him just before starts GCSEs and we should wait the two years that it will take for him to complete them. I think it could be beneficial to move before so his education fits in with other school leavers in Australia.

Does anyone have any experience of this?

AIBU?

Also it is worth noting that DS1 is thinking of an apprenticeship after school as opposed to Alevel/ uni.

The important years at Australian schools are years 11 and 12 (stage 1 and 2 SACE in South Australia) so your plan to go now would work out well. Year 10 will be his adjustment year for making new friends etc, and then he can buckle down and get serious for years 11 and 12

I don't have experience of the Australian education system but I do have experience of my niece moving between the US education system and the UK at 16. Based on this I'd recommend a move sooner rather than later to give a good settling in period (and period of curriculum readjustment) before anything serious is expected.

I would go now. Nearer year 11 and 12 will be harder

Also, Australia has a pretty decent system for learning trades, and skilled tradies are generally paid well. You can have a very nice life as a plumber or boilermaker in Australia, especially if you are based in Adelaide which is much more affordable than Sydney or Melbourne.

Most people enter trades through the TAFE system (which shares some similarities to college in the UK) for vocational training. You start by doing a certificate course at TAFE, and then go into a paid traineeship or apprenticeship.

When I was at school (years ago), you could go to TAFE straight after year 10 for many vocational courses. I expect this is still the case now.

As long as you understand the Australian education system is rubbish, falling behind the rest of the world quickly and not much sign of recovery. You may not worry about this too much if your son is set on a trade, but just so you know.

My mum's Australian, did her education there and came to the UK to take up a place at Oxford, then got a PhD. Not all Aussies are poorly educated

Hi SnowFairy, if you read my post, I didn't actually say Australians were poorly educated. I am in fact a highly educated one myself (although not Oxford, zzzzzzz, how British of you to drop this in to conversation!), as are my two children. My experience comes from moving my own children from a top performing (for Australia) school in Sydney to an state school in London. My previously top of the class children were very, very behind. Not just curriculum lag. I think the key point of my message was declining standards. My personal experience is backed up with many league tables showing the falling level in attainment of the Australian education system. The OP asked about education, in Australia, and I just thought she should be aware of this when she is thinking of moving her son at this critical education juncture. It took me five seconds to find this, keep searching you will find many more, from different global studies. www.abc.net.au/news/2016-12-06/australian-school-performance-in-absolute-decline-globally/8098028

What does your son think? at 15ish I would presume he has a viewpoint. Does he even want to live in Australia as an adult? If you wait two years he may choose not to go with you.