Moving to Australia from New Zealand?
Get all information you need to make a successful and stress-free move across the ditch.
I found it quite hard to find information on Australian schools online, and it wasn’t until I had kids that I figured out how it all worked. The information below will definitely help you find a good school for your child to move to in Australia.
Below, you will find Australian school term dates, which vary from state to state, where to find schools in the area you’re moving to, top-ranked schools and what paperwork you need to get from your child’s current school to give to their new school in Australia.
If your child is four or under, read my Australia Pre-schools and Kindergartens post. Whether they are called pre-schools, kindergartens, child care or early learning centres, this post is about your options for learning/childcare before school.
On this page, you will find the helpful information below:
Australian schools are organized similarly to NZ. There are free government schools with a residential catchment area and private/Catholic/independent schools, which have a cost. Government schools are free for New Zealanders moving on an SCV and for most visa holders. There could still be voluntary contributions like in NZ and costs for uniforms and stationery.
Each Australian State and Territory oversees its own education system, and there are slight variations between them. To view the individual educational systems for each state of Australia, please visit the Australian Schools Directory website.
There are two main education sectors within each State – Government schools and Non-Government schools. Non-government schools are classified as either Catholic schools or Independent schools. Most Independent schools have a religious affiliation, but some are non-denominational. All Government schools are non-denominational.
I get asked a lot about the year a New Zealand student would go into the Australian School System. Below is a table that shows the school year equivalent in Australia (years):
Here is what you need to know when changing your child from a New Zealand school to an Australian school.
Firstly, contact your child’s current school and notify them that your child is leaving. They will have had many children changing schools and moving to another country and will give you everything you need.
Contact your child’s New School and let them know you want to enrol your child. Do this as soon as possible, as some schools have wait lists. Have the following information available:
Possible additional info:
Check with your child’s future school for any further requirements:
Additional points to remember:
The Aussie Educator website has great information regarding changing schools in Australia, and this page outlines helpful information for each state, as they all have different rules and requirements.
One of the trickiest things about starting school in Australia is that every state seems to do it differently! Instead of all children starting school when they are of a similar age, each state has its own set of rules about the age at which children can start school. And to make starting school cut-off ages even more challenging to navigate:
Unlike in NZ, where kids start on or close to their birthday, kids start school at the start of the year, depending on when their birthday falls. For example, in NSW, kids are allowed to start school on the first day of the first term as long as they turn five by July 31 that year.
In all Australian states, however, children must be enrolled in school in the year they turn 6. Confused? Yeah, so was I!
Visit KidsFirst to read a summary of the cut-off dates for children starting school in the state you are moving to. At the end of this summary, you’ll also find information about other schooling options for Australian children.
Unlike New Zealand schools, which all have mostly the same school holidays, Australian school holidays vary depending on the school and state. So the Australian school year differs depending on the state you live in.
The Holidays with Kids website lists all term dates for all Australian states, so you can find out the current year and next year’s term dates.
For Independent or Catholic schools, please check with individual schools. Their term dates can vary slightly from those of Government schools and from one another.
You can find a list of Australian schools by state or territory on the following Wikipedia page lists of schools in Australia, or on the Australian Schools Directory website.
Australian schools are world-renowned. Below, you can find the top-ranked Australian schools state by state so you can make sure you are choosing the best school for your child/children:
You can also compare schools on The Good Schools Guide website, which has an amazing search function that lets parents compare every school in Australia, leading to informed decisions about their child’s educational experience.
The above site has information about each school, including location and travel times, NAPLAN results, key facts, uniforms, the number of students, and the curriculum.
Most Australian schools use modern education methods within a traditional educational framework. Children wear a school uniform that is individual to their school. A few schools follow a particular educational philosophy, such as Steiner or Montessori.
There are Special Needs schools and special education programs within mainstream schools for disabled children or children with other specific needs.
Schools often use remedial and extension classes or other approaches to meet the needs of students with differing ability levels. Some schools offer specialised programs in areas such as sports, the arts, or academia for gifted or talented children.
There is a range of Boarding schools in Australia at the Primary and Secondary levels in the Private school sector. There are a few secondary boarding schools or accommodations in the government sector in some states, mainly for students from remote rural areas. International students can study in schools in Australia.
You can search the Australian Schools Directory for a comprehensive list of Australian schools, including Religious schools (Anglican schools, Uniting Church schools, Jewish schools, Christian schools, etc.), Special Needs schools, Alternative schools (such as Montessori or Steiner schools), and Boarding schools.
Most Australian schools are co-educational – for boys and girls. Some Catholic and Independent schools are single-gender, mainly at the Secondary level but sometimes in the Primary years as well. Some Independent single-gender schools offer co-educational classes in the early years.
Nearly all Government schools are co-educational, and there are a few single-gender Government Secondary schools in some States in Australia.
Australian children usually attend a Preparatory year of school (often called Prep or Kindergarten), followed by Primary school and then Secondary school (often called High School). Including the Pre-School year, most students are at school for 13 years.
Students usually start in Preparatory school around the age of four or five and must start school by the age of six. Entry age requirements can vary by more than six months between schools and States. Read my post-Australia Pre-schools and Kindergartens for more information on pre-schools and kindergartens in Australia.
Primary and Secondary schools are mostly in separate locations, but some Catholic schools and many Independent schools have Primary and Secondary schools on the same campus.
At the Primary school level, there is an emphasis on English reading and writing, mathematics, and the Study of Society and the Environment (SOSE). Students usually also have music, sports, drama, computer studies, science, art, and learn a language (LOTE). Often, there are many extracurricular activities offered outside of class time, such as choir, orchestra, chess, or sports.
Students continue studying English, Mathematics, and other core subjects in the early secondary years. As they progress through their Secondary years, students must study English but can start to select which other subjects they study, and they begin to specialise in certain areas of learning. Again, there are many extracurricular activities on offer, such as debating, school musicals or sports competitions.
New Zealand has a formal agreement to mutually recognise University Entrance awards or requirements with Australia.
NCEA is accepted by the Australasian Conference of Tertiary Admission Centres (ACTAC), which ensures that all states/territories in Australia use a common approach for tertiary entrance ranking.
This means that New Zealand students can apply directly to Australian tertiary admission centres or providers.
What do you need to know if you’re applying to study in Australia using your NCEA results?
You should contact the Australian university or education provider you wish to attend as early as possible to ensure that your Year 13 course will meet all the entry requirements.
The ATAR (previously known as the Interstate Transfer Index – ITI) compares and ranks Australian Year 12 students educated in different states by ranking them in their year group cohort.
NZQA calculates ATAR scores for every eligible student in January each year on behalf of Australian tertiary admission centres. We use the methodology agreed upon by the Australasian Conference of Tertiary Admission Centres (ACTAC).
To get your ATAR score, email NZQA with your full name, NSN, date of birth and the last school you attended here.
Read more about how ATAR is calculated, how to apply to an Australian university, what you need to do, and what the NZQA needs to do for you and state contacts for more information on applying on the NZQA website.
Read my post about pre-schools and kindergartens in Australia and find out about your options for childcare before school, along with learning the difference between pre-schools, kindergartens, child care centres or early learning centres.
The below posts might interest you:
If you’ve read the above content and the answer to your question isn’t there, please write a comment below, and I’ll research the answer for you.
If you need advice on moving to Australia from New Zealand, I’ve created a helpful little questionnaire to point you in the right direction. It takes less than 30 seconds, so give it a go!
Hi… I’m JJ Smith.
I’m the creator and editor of Moving to Australia and have been for 15 years! I know everything there is to know about New Zealanders moving their families and life to Australia. Either from first hand experiences and research or through the questions from visitors to this website… and I’m here to help!
I love helping people via Moving to Australia.
Providing the answers to questions we all ask when deciding whether to make the move from New Zealand to Australia. Even giving individual specific advice where needed.
I have learned a lot over the last 15 years from personal experience and through interacting with visitors. This is my job, making sure the information here is comprehensive and up to date.
If you would like to help me, you can use one of my referral partners.
© 2008 - 2023 Copyright Cybersmith Ltd. All content is copyright.
Design by ThemeShift.
sony
April 6, 2019 at 11:09 amHi Emma,
We are looking to move to Australia soon from Auckland. We have 2 children, one is year 6 and one is year 7. Do they have to pay annual school fee to start school in Australia? I have read your previous answers said there is a fee,but I’m not sure the fee you said is a one off payment fee or annual fee? can Kiwi children apply for school subsidy ?
Regards,
sony
JJ Smith
April 8, 2019 at 11:18 pmHi Sony,
Thank you for your comment.
Like New Zealand, Australian schools charge tuition fees, which are charged per term.
You can find out how much the school fees are on The Good Schools Guide website (https://www.goodschools.com.au/compare-schools). Here you can compare schools in your area and find out what the fees are.
Please let me know if there are any further questions you have about moving to Australia from New Zealand.
www.pelicanpreschool.nsw.edu.au
March 29, 2019 at 7:03 amMy kids study at Pelican preschool in Shellharbour NSW. The school environment is great. They practice play to learn and my kid is very happy to go school everyday.
They also provide childcare services in Shellharbour NSW. Teachers are friendly, experienced in teaching and taking care of children. This Montessori kindergarten has indoor and outdoor space for children to learn and play.
The school fees of Pelican Preschool is very reasonable too. You can find out more about their enrollment process and calendar from their website http://www.pelicanpreschool.nsw.edu.au. Alternatively you can also call (02) 4297 2099 or email pelicanpre@gmail.com.
Hope sharing this is helpful for you if your kids are looking for a good Montessori pre-school with childcare service in Shellharbour, NSW, Australia.
Ashleen
March 24, 2019 at 9:22 pmHi!! So glad I have found your site hope you can help me? Myself partner and 14 year old daughter are hoping to move to Sydney in 2 years . But I am extremely confused about the schooling system! Our daughter will have completed her gcses by then. But I believe there is a hsc there and I think this is equivalent to our UK GCSE’s??Do you know what she would have to do at age of 16 in Sydney?? As u have heard that gcses are not recognised over there??I am so confused and I hope you can help us ? My daughter has intension of going to university hopefully. Look forward to hearing from you. Kind regards Ashleen
JJ Smith
March 24, 2019 at 9:36 pmHi Ashleen,
Thank you for your enquiry.
I have done some research into studying in Sydney and I can’t see anywhere that it states you can’t use your GCSE’s to gain entry into a university.
To gain entry into an Australian undergraduate course you will need to have an Australian Senior Secondary Certificate of Education (Year 12), or the overseas equivalent. Some undergraduate courses may also have specific per-requisite subjects.
Therefore my advise is to apply now to the university and course your daughter wants to attend and see what they come back with. Because entry requirements vary from state to state and different courses.
Good luck with your move.
JJ Smith
March 24, 2019 at 9:37 pmHi Ashleen,
Sorry I just re-read your enquiry and realised you are looking at moving in two years.
I would send your enquiry to the Sydney University and they will be able to give you a answer. Below is the link where you can make an enquiry online (international):
https://sydneystudent.sydney.edu.au/sitsvision/wrd/siw_ipp_lgn.login?process=siw_ipp_enq&code1=EQQST&code2=&code4=IPR_FSTC=1
Then you will know exactly where your at.
Have a lovely day.
Thanks
Emma
December 2, 2018 at 11:47 pmHi there,
I think I read that you are living in Bulimba, that’s one of the suburbs we are looking to buy a house in when we move over in January! We also like Hawthorne. Can you tell me which school would be best out of Bulimba State and Morningside Primary. We have two girls to enrol, one is a netball player. Any tips or info would be greatly appreciated.
Your website is fabulous!
Kind regards
Emma
JJ Smith
December 2, 2018 at 11:50 pmHi Emma,
Thank you for your enquiry.
Both Hawthorne and Bulimba are beautiful suburbs. You can’t go wrong living here.
Unfortunately I can’t personally recommend either, as we are Catholic. However you can compare local Australian schools on the below website: https://www.goodschools.com.au/compare-schools/in-bulimba-4171.
Good luck with your move.
Cara Burgess
October 24, 2018 at 7:03 amHi there, thanks for providing a great website and place to look up info with ease.
We are moving from the Waikato NZ to Gold Coast and havent yet settled on an area as my husbands job could take us anywhere at the moment. But my query is, I have a 17 year old daughter who is currently in year 12 in NZ and I’m getting mixed information from the schools in regards to whether she can start next year as a year 12 in Australia. The schools are saying that because she is past the age of compulsory participation then she may not be eligible to attend as she is over the cut off age. They need more info such as her reports which the deputy prinicipals are going to look into but I wondered if you had come across this issue before and if can you provide any advice as to where we go next as Universities are saying they wont accept her unless she has finished year 13 in NZ or year 12 in Australia. I have been told to look at TAFE which is my goal for tomorrow 😉
Any info or advice will be greatly accepted. Thanks in advance
JJ Smith
October 28, 2018 at 10:17 pmHi Cara,
Thank you for your enquiry.
Unfortunately I have not come across this before. Have you been in contact with schools in the Gold Coast?
Can you please let me know how you get on? It would be really helpful to add your story to my site, to help other kiwi’s moving to Australia.
Good luck with your move. Sorry I couldn’t be more help.
Thanks,
JJ Smith
Kav
September 5, 2018 at 10:45 pmHi JJ
Love your website, thank you 🙂
We are thinking if moving from Wellington to Sunshine Coast in search of warmer weather We will need to enroll my daughter to start primary school, do you know if any fees apply in a public school?
Thanks heaps 🙂
Kav
JJ Smith
September 5, 2018 at 10:50 pmHi Kav,
Thanks for your comment.
Fees do apply for public/government schools. A primary school education is expected to top $140,000 for families choosing to educate their child privately. Parents sending their child to a public primary school can expect to face costs of around $23,000, which compares to roughly $61,000 in the Catholic sector.
Primary school costs across the sectors:
Location Area Gov Catholic Independent Average
National Metro $63,251 $228,942 $458,995 $250,396
National Regional $51,656 $169,870 $323,006 $181,511
ACT Metro $54,073 $208,426 $422,635 $228,378
NSW Metro $69,589 $235,517 $543,334 $282,813
NSW Regional $53,260 $161,374 $344,678 $186,437
QLD Metro $58,259 $242,533 $361,911 $220,901
QLD Regional $50,950 $199,880 $296,806 $182,545
VIC Metro $68,343 $214,821 $504,742 $262,635
VIC Regional $51,281 $152,439 $346,628 $183,449
The ASG survey, was conducted in October 2013, so the above information is outdated.
Thanks,
JJ Smith
Akshara Menon
September 3, 2018 at 11:19 pmHi,
We are a young family with a 6 year old girl and 2 year old boy living in Birkenhead , Auckland.
We are planning to make the move to Brisbane by hopefully end of this year.
My husband plans to come over and start his electrical apprenticeship so that he can eventually get his electrical license there in Australia & I am a software test analyst.
My husband plans to resign from here first and come over and search for jobs.
Once he finds work we all will move.
Would you please be able to answer few questions for me ?
How easy is it to rent a home there?
Could you please suggest some good areas with good schools for my daughter
What are daycare costs like in Brisbane ?
For us all of this comes down to finding the right jobs…which we are still not sure how much time it will take ?
Hope to hear from you soon with some suggestions.
Thanks,
Akshara
JJ Smith
September 3, 2018 at 11:28 pmHi Akshara,
Thank you for your enqiury.
Brisbane is a beautiful place to live! So close to the Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast, with better employment opportunities.
It is easy to find a home to rent in Brisbane if you’re organised. Make sure you have all the paper work needed including the below and so you put your best foot forward and stand out as a great tenant:
– Your last 3 months bank statements
– A written reference from your previous landlord
– Your previous landlord’s contact information
– Proof that your last bond was repaid in full (or an explanation as to why it wasn’t)
– Provide and attach photocopies of documents required to meet 100 points of identification (https://www.movingtoaustralia.co.nz/australian-real-estate/)
It is best to wait until you’ve found work before you sign into a fixed term lease, as you could end up having hours of travel time. Therefore, I recommend your husband rent an Airbnb while he’s finding work and even when you and the kids first move over while your waiting for your furniture to arrive (approx 6 weeks).
Regarding schools, it depends what type of school you are looking for.
There are 1723 schools in Queensland, with about 544 schools in the Brisbane area and 58 Gold Coast schools. The majority of Brisbane schools and Gold Coast schools are government schools. Brisbane Catholic schools and Gold Coast Catholic schools are the next largest group, followed by Brisbane Independent schools. The majority of Queensland and Brisbane schools and Gold Coast schools are co-educational, with a small number of Queensland and Brisbane schools and Gold Coast schools either boys’ schools or girls’ schools. Government schools in Brisbane, the Gold Coast and Queensland are non denominational and among non-government schools there are Catholic schools and Independent schools representing a range of religious faiths or no denomination.
With the choice of so many schools, I once again recommend waiting until your husband finds work and then find a school close to there.
Here are the top Primary Schools in Brisbane 2018 (https://bettereducation.com.au/school/Primary/qld/brisbane_top_primary_schools.aspx) and top High Schools in Brisbane 2018 (http://bettereducation.com.au/school/secondary/qld/brisbane_top_secondary_schools.aspx).
Honestly the best advice we got was from talking to people. Therefore, find work and talk to the people you work with about the areas to live and close schools.
Childcare varies depending on what you’re looking for, just like NZ. The table below provides an approximate guide of costs for child care:
Type of Child Care Price Range
Nanny: $17-$25 per hour live in / $17-$35 per hour live out (+agency fee)
Nanny sharing: $17+ per hour per family (+agency fee)
Au pair: $200-$300 pocket money per week (+agency fee)
Mother’s help: $12 per hour live in $16 per hour live out (+agency fee)
Long day care (child care centre): $70-$177 per day
Pre-school: $45-$80 per day
Family day care: $7.50-$16.80 per hour dependent on location and service
In-home care: $20-$25 per hour
Babysitter: $15-$35 per hour (+agency fee)
Outside of School Hours Care: $15-$30 per morning session, $25-$45 per afternoon session
It’s important to remember that child care costs vary from provider to provider, and from state to state, and they are not regulated by the Government. Most providers charge a minimum daily rate or an hourly rate. Some service fees may be inclusive of food and nappies, while others, such as family day care, require parents to provide everything.
You can also get Financial Support for child care. It’s also useful to remember that these are the prices before the Child Care Subsidy has been taken into account. This subsidy, which was introduced in July 2018 to replace the Child Care Benefit and Child Care Rebate, reduces the cost of care to eligible families. The Australian Government’s Child Care Estimator (https://www.centrelink.gov.au/custsite_pfe/pymtfinderest/paymentFinderEstimatorPage.jsf?wec-appid=pymtfinderest&wec-locale=en_US#stay) can help you determine your eligibility for the Child Care Subsidy and how much support you can expect to receive and our article about the Single Child Care Subsidy (https://www.careforkids.com.au/child-care-articles/article/161/the-single-child-care-subsidy-from-july-2018) is also a helpful source of information.
This is a widget you should use once you have narrowed down some areas you want to live in: CareforKids.com.au Cost Widget (https://www.careforkids.com.au/). This cost widget (https://www.careforkids.com.au/home/childcarecosts) is another way to check prices for centre-based care. Simply type in your postcode, and the cost widget averages out the prices of providers in your area. For the exact costs of care in your area, you will need to contact the providers directly.
Regarding how long it will take to find employment is completely dependent on your circumstances. Have you started looking online for work? As this is the best way to get a feel for the market. You can start applying for work before you go, including contacting electrician’s asking about the possibility of an apprenticeship.
Good luck with your move and please feel free to ask any further questions.
Thanks,
JJ Smith
Melanie
August 19, 2015 at 9:23 amHi There, my partner and I and our 2 children (aged 3 months and 2 years – all of us are New Zealanders) are moving to the Gold Coast in October. Just wondering if we are entitled to the child care benefit for when we put them into daycare?
Kind Regards
Melanie
JJ Smith
August 20, 2015 at 9:57 amHi Melanie,
Thank you for your enquiry.
From the information I can find you are entitled to the childcare benefit on a SCV. Along with family payments, including family tax benefit, baby bonus and parental leave pay, and medical care under MediCare.
For a list of exclusions for a SCV follow the below link:
https://www.movingtoaustralia.co.nz/visas/scv-visa-exclusions.html
Good luck with your move.
K
August 15, 2015 at 11:17 amI have a soon to be four year old and a 5 and a half year old, what grade will they be in and what is the cost of schooling at these ages?
thanks
JJ Smith
August 17, 2015 at 6:03 amHi K,
Thank you for your enquiry.
Unfortunately there is not a lot of information online regarding Australian schools, as it depends on what state and what type of school you are looking at registering in.
However, Australian schooling does start at 6 years, not 5 like NZ.
To find out costs you will need to contact schools in the states and areas you are considering, which you can find information on here: http://www.australianschoolsdirectory.com.au/educationinformation.php?region=41.
Good luck with your move.
Megan
May 11, 2015 at 11:45 amHi
We are planning on moving to the Gold Coast from New Zealand for six months at this stage. Are we allowed to go to school if we are not permanently living in Australia?
Thanks
JJ Smith
May 12, 2015 at 6:16 amHi Megan,
Thank you for your enquiry.
Unfortunately there is nothing on the internet that answers your query.
You are going to have to contact a school in the area you are moving to. However, I know of a family that went overseas for a year and they home schooled their kids through the New Zealand schooling system. They found it fantastic. Worth looking into if the Australian school’s aren’t being helpful.
Good luck with your move. Sorry I couldn’t be more help.
Susan Walker-Tahana
February 21, 2015 at 4:43 amHi There,
We will be moving to Sydney in the next month or 2 and we have 4 year old turning 5 on the 5th October. I’m very confused with all the dates etc. Will he go into a school or a preschool? and if a preschool is it hard to get into with limited spaces? and would that mean he would start school in January 2016?
so different from NZ
Thanks for all the info on your site, its great
Steven
February 1, 2014 at 3:30 pmHi
We are looking to move to Queensland in the coming years and are trying to work out what year our daughter will be in. She is almost 10 and will be year 6 this year in NZ
Cheers
JJ Smith
February 3, 2014 at 5:40 amHi Steven,
Thanks for your comment.
The Australian system does the same number of years as NZ. She would be in Year 5 this year in Oz. In OZ (kindergarten to Year 12) in NZ (year 1 to year 13).
Thanks
Angela
May 14, 2013 at 11:13 amHi, I have a 7 year old and a 7mth old we are looking to move at the end of the year to Melbourne. Due to me being a shift worker and my husband working 9-5 my oldest goes to casual before school care and after school care everyday and my youngest goes to a nursery that is open at 7am till 6pm. Where would I find this sort of information out.
JJ Smith
May 15, 2013 at 6:45 amHi Angela,
Thank you for your enquiry.
As you are probably aware your childcare decision will be greatly based on where you are living and working in Melbourne.
I personally like to visit a centre before I commit to sending my child there and if possible get recommendations or reviews from other parents.
Therefore I have found some resource websites that appear to list all childcare centres categorised into suburbs and some have reviews. Please follow the below links:
– http://www.careforkids.com.au/child-care-centre/vic/regions
– http://www.womo.com.au/search/Childcare-and-Pre-School-Centres-near-Melbourne-VIC-3000/R0501001
– http://www.truelocal.com.au/find/childcare/vic/melbourne-north/
I would also recommend asking the schools you are planning on sending your kids too, as I am sure they will know a lot about the centres close to them.
I hope the above will make your decision easier.
Good luck.
Joy
February 3, 2013 at 3:31 pmMy partner is working in Adelaide and has a house in Sellicks beach myself and 4 children are moving over bout June/July 2013, 2x 16yrs YR 11 who require special needs assistance but still in mainstream and 2x 9yrs YR 5. Can you help me out to find schools to meet their needs, bus transport, zoning etc…I would appreciate any assistance you maybe to help with.
JJ Smith
March 12, 2013 at 4:10 amGood morning Joy,
Thank you for your comment.
This is quite a specialised area that I do not know much about sorry and from what I have researched it depends a lot of the type of assistance they require.
Here is a link to special needs schools in SA: http://www.sa.gov.au/tags/special schools
However, you will probably get the best help by participating in community websites in Australia, as you will be able to communicate and ask questions to parents and organisations who can help point you in the right direction. Here is one I found: http://www.abilitypath.org/.
Sorry that I can’t be of more help.
Good luck.
Deborah
January 31, 2012 at 9:05 amI have 2 primary aged children. How will I know what is a good school or not a good school. For instance do they have a decile for their schools? Are there ERO reports somewhere? And are their schools zoned like they can be in NZ? Any info would be good cheers.
JJ Smith
February 3, 2012 at 6:14 amHi Deborah,
Thank you for your enquiry.
Our intermediate years are included in their primary schools (ages 5-12).
Please find a comprehensive list of Australia schools on this Wikipedia page, which you may find helpful: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lists_of_schools_in_Australia.
Please let me know if you require further information.
Kind Regards,
MTA Team
Leanne
June 19, 2020 at 4:17 amHi JJ,
We have an 11 yr old son in his last year of primary school in WA (yr 6). We are hoping to move to NZ in 2021 when he will start High school (which I think is Yr 9 NZ system). The school we applied to query if he is too young, and not eligible until 2022 to start Yr 9. He was born Nov 2008 and started Pre-primary in WA in Feb 2014.
Thank you for your help.
Kind regards
Leanne
JJ Smith
October 14, 2020 at 10:20 pmHi Leanne,
Thank you for your comment and sorry for the delay in replying.
There is only one year difference between NZ and Australia school systems: https://www.movingtoaustralia.co.nz/schools-in-australia/#Australiaschoolyearequivalents.
So if you son is currently in year 6, it is our year 7 and he would move into year 8 in NZ, intermediate school.
Please feel free to email me back any further questions you have.
Good luck with your move, when you can move.