UK to Aus, skipping grades for gifted child?

[Whitewalkernightwalker]

Recently moved 'back' from UK, DC in year 2 in Aus after just finishing yr 2 in UK.
DC is gifted, ahead of curriculum by some years, and struggling with boredom as well as missing friends. Boredom was an issue in UK school too, but seems amplified now.
Teacher suggested skipping a grade next year which I'm reluctant to do as he's young for year here and in high school, I worry about socially being isolated. Can anyone share experiences of grade skipping or differentiation within class? Do providers such as Gateways offer much (the school apparently does use them?) Am meeting with school and it would be good to go in with some ideas....

I had a gifted child (now 30!) and was advised not to skip a year. This was in the UK though. I think the age gap really shows as adolescence hits and if they struggle socially then this will be worse. We got him a very wise tutor for an hour a week to do extension work. In fact he had a total of three tutors during his school life. This worked well. I was advised to go for breadth in learning and I think that worked.
I think your instincts are correct and "ship a year" is lazy teaching.

We moved UK to US so not quite the same but maybe the principles are similar.

DD is gifted but young for her year. The school convinced us to keep her with her age group rather than her academic level.

This was OK socially, but academically it was fairly disastrous. She ended up very bored and depressed. Bear in mind this is one of the top 3 schools in our state.

Eventually she applied to a magnet boarding school that assigns students to class by ability rather than by age, and it was a huge success. Also it was such a small school that everyone mixed no matter what age they were. At 14 she had very very close 18 year old friends.

That was a success, and did make me wish we'd just moved her up a grade when we first arrived in the country.

I skipped a grade when I was 8 and it was hell socially as I grew up. When kids were getting learner’s permits (they do so at 16 now) I couldn’t, when they were going out dancing, etc, I was the lame duck. In primary school my language skills were still years ahead and kept me isolated, so it made no difference going up a year socially then. Kids are brutal.

I'd recommend staying in DC's grade and using the Gateways programme . My DD teaches gifted and talented children at a Brisbane school, and she uses the Gateway programme extensively. It's great for enriching the kids' educational opportunities , while staying in their age-appropriate grade. Gateways offers a lot of choices , so the kids can be challenged in areas which interest them.

Just check where you are living for Gateways. We would love to use it, but they are a fair distance from us, so not especially accessible. I'd ask the teacher how they could extend in the classroom - DC is often given special assignments, like making an infographic chart about the Amazon fires. Year 3.

I confess I dislike the term gifted child. Some children progress faster at different points. Because dc is professing faster now doesn't indicate a future rocket scientist.
They need not be bored at school as they can always be encouraged to help others, work in parallel and complete diverse work. My dd is now 17. Remained grade appropriate. Yes was ahead by about 3 years in year 1. Now in year 11 she is top half of the year. Plans on eventually doing med. very glad we kept her age appropriate. They really do all level out.

They don't all level out. Mine certainly didn't.

At my DS's school a number of kids have maths/science etc with the year above, but stay with their own year group for everything else (art, sport etc).

Is this an option?

No some kids will be above average some below. We have a son with a brain injury too. He has intellectual impairment and will always be below average. Dd will always be above average. But was certainly not harmed by being in an age appropriate class

DD1 was put a year ahead when we moved here during primary school, then again accelerated at high school for a couple of subjects and in those classes, the other students would be 2 or even 3 years older. . It is ok for the content but socially she hates it. She would always lie about her age, and the difference increases in the senior years when half the class already drives or goes to the pub.
In sydney, there are selective high school and opportunity classes for primary where those more advance thrive, but we were excluded as on a temporary visa.

She is doing part of her her HSC this year, which means half of her friends will go to uni next year while she still has to do the second part of hsc. Some courses, the extension ones, you are not allowed to be accelerated, you must do them with your cohort.
I think it is tricky around puberty when the difference in body shape is a lot more visible and in the 16-18 year when the learning to drive or drinking legally at parties, or not going to schoolies, and so on,

Thanks all, that's really useful.
We're going to take up Gateways and there is scope to look at joining other grades for a subject. Hopefully DC settles in socially, as this is also a worry with missing UK friends, old school etc.