[claris]

I just came to Melbourne in Dec from Singapore and have enrolled my 2 girls in prep and year 7. After the school started I realised the syllabus here is one or two yrs behind my home country. My 5yrs old daughter is doing grade 2/3 Math using aus math assessment books and her reading skill is assessed by the teacher twice from level 10 to level 16 which I do not know what it means. The school is putting my girl in advance learning program. My elder one is already doing year 9 aus math at the weekend class. The school not doing anything. She is ahead in math and science. Both my girls are considered above average students in spore. Now they are doing home studied with me using Singapore textbooks in order to continue where they stop. I am just wondering if there is any schools in Melbourne allow students to skip grade based on the abilities? The public school that my girls are attending now do not seem to allow that. Somehow I feel that they should learn more in school than at home academicly but this is not the case now.

[liveworkplay]

At the schools I work at, your DD's would most probably be skipped ahead a grade (they don't like doing that too much due to social reasons) and be accelerated. Level 16 in prep is quite advanced, but not overly so. Both my girls were on that level in prep.

May I ask why they are doing weekend classes? You sound like you have very bright children. If I was in your shoes, I would be concentrating more on then settling into their new life.

[claris]

Sometimes I am tired of coaching them at home alone. With the help of weekend classes which put them into the right class at their level. it helps relieve some stress on me. I am thinking how the school can help them so that it will not be too far behind the standard. Should I change school? my girls keep telling me school life is too easy for them esp the young one. she says only play at school no work and feel that spore is better. I guess too much free times make them think of their friends in spore. I did not do any English with my young one cause I am already busy coaching her Chinese and math. To get to that level in english i am quite surprised. They are just average kids. it is the challenging education standard in spore, they are so used to doing more. Do u mind share with me abt the school u mentioned?

[somila]

Hi claris

I have been told that Singapore has a "high-pressure" education system, so it doesn't surprise me that your girls have done more advanced work.

I'm not from Melbourne, but maybe you should contact the Victorian Gifted and Talented Association for more information about grade-skipping.
http://www.vagtc.asn.au/for-parents/links

The link to the Victorian Education Department's Gifted and Talented Policy does not work, so I think they are probably reviewing it in the light of a recent parliamentary inquiry.
http://www.theage.com.au/national/educatio...1210-2b64p.html

I think, given that your girls have come from a different education system, you would have a case for grade-skipping, but there would be some kind of procedure to go through.

I wish you all the best.

[mum850]

Hi Claris,
What area are you in in Melbourne?
Level 10-16 in prep would be unusual in some schools but not in others.
I think I could say that the culture in australia can be a bit different to that in Singapore. So some people reading your post would wonder why you would coach them on the weekends. Here it's more usual to have the kids play or to do sport or music on the weekends. I am absolutely not an expert but I have heard it said that SIngapore is ahead of Australia in terms of maths and science but that perhaps it's believed that the australian education system encourages more creative thinking and an education that focusses more than Singapore does on non academic subjects.

[mamaknits]

Claris, it sounds like your children have done work ahead of their class, but it is not clear whether they will keep up if they are actually grade skipped or accelerated. Perhaps you need to talk to their teacher and the learning support or gifted and talented teacher in the school to see what is available and where they are at. If they are ahead already, is there any need to coach them? Maybe they need some time to relax, do some easy work and settle into life in Australia.

Obviously I don't know you nor your children but I wonder whether they have had a broad educationlike what is embraced by many/most Australian schools. Clearly they have been allowed to power through the syllabus and move upwards but there is a lot more to education than just learning the content. It is more important thatthey can apply what they learn and have good problem solving skills. Perhaps they already have these skills, and if that is the case, then consider asking around at the other schools around you, especially the private ones as they will have more resources.

[Akatara]

Which part of Melbourne are you in.

Melbourne girls high is selective,,and she would find it very challenging. There are others at monash, and glen waverly I think. Look around at a few high schools. They do differ, some are more focused in academic work if that's what you want.

[KylieMin0gue]

My family emigrated to this country when I was 11. I was put in the age appropriate year at the time which was grade 6. Unfortunately I was way ahead of the other kids in my class due to the education system in my home country being a little more advanced than here. My parents spoke to the principal, and it was agreed that I should be moved up a year level. I basically started year 8 (high school) when I was 11, and the other kids were nearly 13 or 13 already. I still received straight As in the academic classes (maths, English, science) but I was not as bored as I was in the lower grade. Socially, it was a little hard to begin with, but I made friends and was so much happier.
Is this maybe an option for your children?

[tibs]

So you are hot housing your kids but you aren't happy that they are ahead of the standard being taught at school? Sorry I'm not sure I really follow

[epl0822]

It's great that your kids are skilled and talented in Maths and Science. Skipping grades, however, is a big deal for any kids, and my advice is to consider the broader issues.

My #1 concern would be whether they could adjust in a classroom with older kids. If they are brilliant academically but have no friends in their class, not only would they be miserable attending school, but their social learning could suffer. There is no point having a bright and gifted child if she is unhappy and mopey and unable to relate to her peers - there's more to future career success than being able to do advanced algebra.

You could also have a scenario where you have a 15-16 year old starting uni. Are you prepared for your mid teenager to potentially move to another state or country to begin a university degree?

Another issue to consider is whether they will be able to catch up in other subjects, such as English. If they excel in some subjects but not all, it's not fair to make them struggle when they are not ready.