School Years help please.

[janeyo]

Hi everyone

Was wondering if anyone could help with the school years. We have 2 children in primary school at the mo in the UK. Eldest is in year 3 (born November 2003) and youngest is in year 2 (born May 2005) Because of the way the school years start in the UK my boys are only one year apart at school but I beleive in NZ the school year starts in February meaning there would be 2 years between them? We are wanting to move over and get them settled well before they start high school. As my eldest child is currently 'one of the older children' in his class at the mo would he therefore move up a year at NZ school and be one of the younger ones? Hope this makes sence, not sure if I have explained it very well.

Thanks

[sophiedb]

NZ has a funny system! While the schoool year runs Feb-Dec, the oldest children in each year tend to have been born in May/June and the youngest in March/April. This is mostly due to their staggered starts throughout the year, usually on their 5th birthday. Otherwise, kids who start school in Nov/Dec get only a few weeks' schooling before suddenly moving up a year.

So.. your November child will be in the middle for birthdays in his year, not among the youngest. If he were here right now he would probably be in Year 4.

Your May child could go either way, as schools have some leeway over kids born around the usual borderline depending on ability, maturity etc. Probably Year 2, but possibly Year 3.

[JandM]

Also, I think it's fair to say that NZ schools are fairly flexible with their immigrant admissions - they tend to see what a child can do, and base the placement partly on that, not just on their age. And if you feel it matters a lot to them that your children are only one school year apart, as they have been so far, mention that when you talk to the teachers.

[fury147]

I know this doesn't apply yet, but being the "baby" of their year level might not be what they want when they're the last to turn into a teenager or even bigger, the last one to turn 18 (months after most when they're at uni!) Having said that, they might be fine with it. My point is, being the oldest/first to turn certain ages may be important to them.

I have a friend who's born in June and was the baby for the entire year level, there were even children in the year below who had their birthdays before her! So she turned 18 in June 2009 (and myself in July 2008 as I was one of the older ones and previously a "baby" when I lived in England), but many in the year level below turned 18 in March, April and May 2009 which actually made her feel like she had to "grow up" and act older. Seems silly but these sorts of things do affect people.

[dharder]

My younger ones are born in October 2003, and they are currently in Year 4. They are among the older ones. Schools seem to be a bit more flexible but also rather different in their approaches, so your May child would probably be places in a class depending on ability/maturity/preference, etc, it could be either, Year 2 or 3.

Daniela

[janeyo]

Thanks everyone for your replies. We dont mind which year they go into its more just a case of timing. Was hoping eldest could settle in primary before moving onto high school. Can I also ask, is the first year of high school year 7 as the same as the UK?

Thanks again.

[JandM]

Primary schools teach Year 1 to Year 6 children.
Intermediate schools teach Years 7 and 8.
"Full Primaries" teach Year 1 to Year 8 children.
Secondary schools teach Year 9 to Year 13.

There's a diagram here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Educati...s_of_schooling which sets out the various possibilities visually.

[janeyo]

That's great. Thanks and thanks for the link.