What year in school???

[kiwihusker]

Hi All, so I am a bit confused on what year my older son will supposed to be going into when we arrive in NZ. We land in September, and I know they will be in the middle of their year. But I do want to have a good idea what year he will be in. I am working with him this summer to keep him reading and doing maths etc. I have a feeling he will be behind as we held him back two years ago because of maturity etc. So in the US he has completed Kindergarten and First grade (I guess that would be Year 1 and Year 2 in NZ). And he is technically turning 8 at the end of October. Please advise. Thanks ever so much.

[JandM]

Many NZ schools are flexible about placing compared with a child's actual age. A lot of people have found they check out the child's skills and existing knowledge before making a final decision. In any case, your son is going to have some readjustment to do, because teaching methods, the order things are taught in, and the accent and spelling norms, are all going to be different. NZ teachers are well used to dealing with this in immigrant children, so don't worry - he will have help, and allowance made.

Here's an old thread that may help. http://www.enz.org/forum/showthread.php?t=31994

[kiwihusker]

Thanks J&M this helps. Much appreciated.

[dharder]

And he is technically turning 8 at the end of October. Please advise. Thanks ever so much.

As JandM said, schools here have some degree of flexibility with this.

But just as an example, my daughters are 8 and will turn 9 this October and are currently in Year 4. So you might assume Year 3 for your son, and then take it from there. He'd only have one term in that year anyway.

Daniela

[Hagabel]

Year 3, I think but if you, and the school feel that he is not ready for yr 4 they may keep him back. My (7) yr old now is in yr 2. We arrived in Sept 2011 and he had just finished Kindergarten and due to enter first grade so 1 term of yr 2 he was not ready for yr 3 so he just repeated, is completing year 2 now and doing awesome. He was luckily in a mixed 2/3 yr class so same kids and teacher!

[kiwihusker]

Thanks all, this helps a lot!

[Adams Girl]

He'll be in Year 3.