School Year vs Age

[snowy_apple]

Hi all,

I have 2 boys born in Sept 1999 and Nov 2002 respectively.

They are both in primary school this year (2011). Boy No1 is in Standard 6 and Boy No2 in Standard 3 (Malaysia school system). Next year (2012), Boy No1 will be in Form 1 secondary school.

We plan to move to Auckland by the next academic year (2012) and I'm now searching for schools for both of them.

My questions:

1. Which school year should I enrol them in 2012?

2. Will Boy No1 in intermediate year 8 or secondary year 9?



Based on the following, the school year in NZ is really confusing.

• Years 1–6: Primary School (Ages 5–11)
• Years 7–8: Intermediate School (Ages 10–13)
• Years 9–13: Secondary School (Ages 12–18)

Thank you and have a nice weekend. Cheers...

[Mamee & Co]

My Nov 2001 year boys have just started Year 5, if this is any help, so I assume that your 2002 birthday boy will be year 4 and the 1999 one year 7. However speaking to people here they are not quite as hard and fast on the cut off dates as they are in some countries.

[dharder]

My children would be year 4 and 8 respectively in the academic year 2012 (which is of course the same as calendar year here). They were born in Oct 2003 and Nov 1999. Based on that, I would think your kids to be in year 5 and 8. But, as pointed out above, the schools have some discretion when placing children.

Daniela

[IanW99]

If the children had started school (from the start) in NZ then they would 'officially' be in years 4 and 7.

But as as already been said just as likely 5 and 8, depending on your childrens ability I would push for which year you feel would be most appropriate for them.

Ian

[dharder]

If the children had started school (from the start) in NZ then they would 'officially' be in years 4 and 7

They would now, but not in 2012, which is what the OP was asking about?

Daniela

[IanW99]

They would now, but not in 2012, which is what the OP was asking about?

Daniela

Sorry, I should have said for 2012 i.e. my answer was based on the OP question.

If the children had started school (from the start) in NZ then they would 'officially' be in years 4 and 7 in 2012.

For this year (2011) they would be in years 3 and 6.

This is of course if my calculations are correct

Ian

[dharder]

If the children had started school (from the start) in NZ then they would 'officially' be in years 4 and 7 in 2012.

My kids' school handles this very 'averagely', and my children are all at the ages that all their mates have been born in the same year, so are very well in the realm of 'normal' for their years.

The ones born in 1999 are in Year 7 now, the ones born in 2003 are in Year 3. The little ones have started school here.

Now, how the individual schools handle this may very, and it will also depend on how difficult they might think the transition from one country to another will be. But 'officially', if they had started in NZ, they'd be in Year 8 and 5 in 2012. This is for state schools, private schools can handle this differently yet again.

It really doesn't make much of a difference for planning it now, as in either case, it will not be the gap between two schools (like from primary to secondary), and the school will make a decision once they've had a look at the kids.

Daniela

[IanW99]

My kids' school handles this very 'averagely', and my children are all at the ages that all their mates have been born in the same year, so are very well in the realm of 'normal' for their years.

The ones born in 1999 are in Year 7 now, the ones born in 2003 are in Year 3. The little ones have started school here.

Now, how the individual schools handle this may very, and it will also depend on how difficult they might think the transition from one country to another will be. But 'officially', if they had started in NZ, they'd be in Year 8 and 5 in 2012. This is for state schools, private schools can handle this differently yet again.
...

Sorry again I would agree with your definition if the child is born early in the year (before July) but I am taking into account that the births are late in the year and thus would normally start in year 0 instead.

For children born earlier in the year then I would agree that 'officially' they would be in Year 8 and 5 in 2012.

Certainly not disageeing with you that the OP children are most likely to be in Year 8 and 5, just pointing out that they could be in 7 and 4 if it benefits them.

Ian

[dharder]

Sorry again I would agree with your definition if the child is born early in the year (before July) but I am taking into account that the births are late in the year and thus would normally start in year 0 instead.

This shall be my last post on this, I promise

Year 0 is not normally a full year. So the OP's children, like mine, would have had about 3-4 months of Year 0, and then for the new school year would be in Year 1. For children born earlier in the Year, they would be more likely to be a year ahead, that is if the OP had had an April born child, that would more likely to be in Year 9 in 2012 than in Year 8 (depending how it did in school).

The schools around here (not sure about the rest of the country, of course) at least do not start the school year with a Year 0 class. Children starting school until about May start in a Year 1 class (sometimes called Year 0/1). Then as the numbers get bigger throughout the year, a Year 0 class would be formed around the middle of the year, for term 3 or 4.

Yes, if there are difficulties, a year lower may be the way to go but in this context, I would think it will be Year 5 and 8.

And again, in this context, it doesn't really matter if it is Year 7 or 8, but I doubt we'll have too many 12 year olds in year 7 in 2012.

Daniela

[Mamee & Co]

From my sons' ages, I am sorry, I gave the year for 2011 not 2012 so just add one to the year in each case!!