Starting Yr 1, after time in Australia

[wombatcheese]

We are British and will have spent 18 months in Australia, returning this summer in time for our 4yr old DD ( July birthday) to commence Yr1. In Australia they start school at 5.5/6yrs, so she attends kindergarten, just playing, v min letters & number learning. I'm worried how will she fit in and cope with yr1? We're doing some Jolly Phonics workbooks and basic number stuff with her, which she's interested in. Also she enjoys drawing and colouring neatly. Thanks for any advice.

We returned to the UK when my dd was 6. She hadn't been at school before and joined year 1 mid way through the year. Like you, we were really worried. Now in year 2 she has caught up and is now one of the best in her class. At this age the children are at many different stages, and the teachers are used to dealing with this. For many children the reception year is not about learning to read and write and and the 'real' work doesn't start until year one. Your child will be gaining in other ways - we found that our dd was far more emotionally mature and independent than her English peers - something we put down to her kindergarten experience. Just keep introducing her to her letters when you get the chance, but don't stress about it. She will not have missed much and you will be amazed how quickly they catch up! (that is after all the reason many countries start formal education 1-2 years after the UK)

Itwasthedog- many thanks for that really reassuring post. Hearing about DDs little friends back in the UK being able to read and things does concern us, but I guess there is a big range of activities and maybe more than sandpit and painting action does happen at kindergarten.

Just checking, but if your dd is going to be 4 this July she will be going into Reception in September not Y1!
The school year here goes from September so children can end up in a different year group from countries such as Australia and NZ where the school year starts in January.

My DD was this age when we moved from Oz to UK. she has coped fine with the schooling and is in top sets etc now 2yrs down the track. The main issue for her was getting her a place in a school (as it's an in-year intake and still restricted by class size etc). Poor love was home schooled for 1 year and then changed schools after doing yr2 at different school to her brothers.

But the main message is, despite her having no "formal" schooling, the Australian kindy approach gave her a great basis and social skills to bound into class.

Is she 4 now or will she be 4 in July? If four now, she would be going into second half of reception which is just a follow on from nursery, introducing numbers/sounds etc. There is a vary broad spectrum of what children achieve in reception. Should be fine.

Ah sorry, I re-read and see you will be coming home around summer holiday time so straight into year 1. Same thing stands though, wide range of abilities at this age.

Thanks for your replies. We're (hopefully- job depending) be returning in time for this Sept school year start.

Jenny- the whole getting a school place is the other big concern. We'll probably be relocating to the NW (I've never been there). Does mean we can initially rent close to where ever we can get a school place.
I guess we just check out online school reviews, taking Ofsted with a pinch of salt, find schools that seem ok and ask if they have a place. DC3 is due shortly before then, so will be an interesting time. Jenny hearing you had to home school for a while has now given me a cold sweat!

The problem is you need an address to get a school place, and you need to know where has a school place in order to rent!

Sometimes the LEA can be quite accomodating to tell you which classes have places and/or waiting lists... but often they can be a bit inundated with queries etc to answer every moving parent's conundrum of spaces & houses.

Wombat, we're the opposite here. Dd is only 3.6 and desperate to go to school

She knows letters and numbers, and won't start school til 6. That's so far away. She's in daycare, and has minimum taught to her, but picks it up quick.

I would love her to start school or some sort of education whilst she's so keen.

Personally, I think your dd will catch up quite quickly, especially as you're doing stuff with her. They're like sponges at that age.

Long distance, I know how you feel. We also have a 3yr old who gets the standard 2.5hrs Kindi a week- all just unstructured play. As she has a big sis she thinks she's older and would really love some directed learning type thing.

The whole need an address for a school place, but don't know where to live till know where can get a school place seems a nightmare, esp to try and sort from overseas. We thought getting jobs for DH and me was tricky!