UK to change the education system...as of 2014?

[Guest AngPhil]

It is all change with the UK education system, see link below:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2162369/Return-O-Level-Gove-shake-biggest-revolution-education-30-years.html

I am so relived both as a parent and a teacher that we are making the move to Australia. I don’t fancy my children been the guinea pigs for the new 2 tier system. Will be fine for the bright who will succeed anyway, but nothing has been suggested for the less academic. Every time a new specification is introduced it takes a couple of years to iron out the teething problems, how long will it take when everything is being rewritten?

Sorry – rant over!

[Guest jewels]

Hi there

I have just been reading your post, as you are a teacher I am interested in what you have said, I agree with what you are saying, what will there be for the less academic, I am worried about which way to go UK or OZ our pr visas expire Jan 2013. My little 8 year old boy has subtle asperges, I am so confused in which would be better UK or OZ, he struggles socially & with literacy, following instruction, We have previously lived in QLd for 8 months, we returned to the uk for a number of reasons, one being he fell so far behind it was scarey so ow I am extremely hesitent in moving to SA, would I be doing his education harm staying the way the uk is going or would it be beneficial to move, we need to make the decision in the next coming weeks, any of your thoughts greatly appreciated.

[Guest AngPhil]

It really is such a personal thing. My oldest son is badly dyslexic (he is 12 1/2 and has a reading age of 8.4), he is making progress at school in the UK, but he goes to a fantastic school. The problem is he will not acheive anything worth while at the end of it all. There has been talk about keeping students in school until they are 18, if they don't pass their Maths and English exams. The problem is everything is changing so quickly and without any real discussion. The impication is that if you don't do the academic qualifications, the others are not worth anything.

 

Maybe I wouldn't feel so worried about what is happening if my children were really academic, but I am relieved that they will be educated in Australia. I don't know that much about it (as I'm not there and working yet), but what I have read is really exciting. My best friend who I trained with has just returned from Perth after 6 years teaching there, she much preferred the Australian system.

 

Good luck. Ang

[ails]

Gove seems to say and do as he pleases ... his day will come I am sure ...

Reading this forum seems to prove that all uk teachers are moving to Adelaide anyway, so who will carry out his great plan!

Jewels - there is less TA support in school in SA, so if your child requires 1:1 support it may be hard to come by ... on a more positive note, everything (staff and children ) are much more relaxed in school, so that may benefit your child - less stress etc.

good luck

Ails

[Diane]

I can't help with any info on the support side of things, but in terms of exams the South Australian system does seem to give credit for non-academic talents in a very good way. For example, my daughter is in Year 12, the final year of school for most here, and can get SACE points for "Solo Performance" and "Performing in an Ensemble" as well as the more usual subjects. That means that her singing (or instrument playing) can be scored and count towards her final score for Uni entrance. Does seem a little odd sometimes to me that if she doesn't do so well in her maths, she can "drop" that score and replace it with her singing score to get a better overall total (which seems to be what uni entrance is based on) but at least it does recognise that kids' talents lie in all different areas and are equally rated

[sally1968]

I personally feel that the education system here is much more rounded. Yes there is a degree of emphasis on traditional subjects - the new sace requires the children to complete and pass 12mths of english in either yrs 11 or 12 and one semester (2 terms) of maths - but there is also a lot more help to get the kids on to practical courses if that is where there strengths lie. The teachers seem more approachable here (maybe this is just in my experience) and they don't write a child off because they are not academically gifted.

 

And Diane - you are partly right about your daughter being able to drop the subjects that she doesn't do as well in to get the best uni entry score but this is not something she will have any control over. It's all done by the education boards. Also there are bonus points for certain subjects that she may not get for the less traditional ones.