Schooling For Thai Child In Australia

[tominoz]

In the near future I want to apply for a spouse/partner visa into Australia for my de-facto partner and her 10-year old daughter. Since 8 month the daughter is taking private lessons (at ECC) in English and her English abilities are slowly improving. I would like to know if anyone had a similar experience enrolling a Thai Child into Australian school.

What needs to be done to find a school in Australia (I live in Sydney)?

What is the best way to prepare for an easy transition?

What paperwork is required from her Thai School?

Is there any website giving further details?

I don't have a child of my own so this is all new to me, however I want to make sure my step-daughter has the best possible start in Oz when we are moving there.

Thanks for your help in advanced!

[garyh]

Both your wife and the daughter will be eligible for free English lessons, I forget how many hours but it is a lot. Would be a good idea to contact the school where you plan to enroll the daughter, they will tell you what they want. My guess is they will just enroll her and see how she does from there. Kids are quick to adapt, I know someone who brought his wife and daughter of similar age to Australia, the daughter had zero English and after 1 year was totally fluent.

[lectito]

The website of the NSW Department of Education has most of the information you need:

www.schools.nsw.edu.au/gotoschool/enrolment/index.php

[Xangsamhua]

If you know the schools in your part of Sydney you can contact them directly. Most schools have a website, too.

Whether the girl is eligible for free ESL support will depend on the conditions of her visa. If she is a dependant of her mother on a spouse visa she may be eligible - I can't remember - but the school will be able to advise you, even if they have to check first. Commonwealth-funded English support is really for permanent residents, but kids that are likely to move from a temporary or bridging visa to a permanent one are often supported and the funds claimed from the Commonwealth later, when the permanent visa is granted. Schools may include a non-resident in ESL classes even if she is not eligible. You'll have to see what is possible on the ground.

Free education generally is only available to permanent residents and certain categories of temporary resident in Australia. Depending on the visa, the child may be eligible for free education with ESL support, or free education without ESL support, or education at your own cost (as an "international student"). The latter is very expensive as non-Australian residents are not expected to be funded by Australian taxpayers; however, if you obtain a spouse/partner visa you will be eligible for normal schooling, either "free" or at the local rate of fees for private or Catholic schools.

When your partner gets her visa you should check the schooling conditions carefully, then check with the school of your choice or with the Education Department or Catholic Education Office for the area that the school is in. A registered migration consultant can also be helpful. You could enquire at the Australian Education International Centre at the embassy here, but I think their interest is more in attracting overseas fee-paying students to Australia.

I'm a bit out of touch now, but hope this helps. Check everything.

[Sporting Dog]

I have done the same thing as the OP but I am in Perth.

My wife's 10 year old daughter arrived earlier this year. She had functionally NIL english ability. We enrolled her into a IEC program (Intensive English Program) - these are self-contained units within an existing primary school. The Immi Dept gave us info about these - as education is a State Govt issue I don't what is the equivalent in NSW.

The school has been brilliant - now, she can speak English enough to converse with everyon and is improving all the time. She really loves going to school. It has great teachers and facilities. (I think my wife is quite 'blown away' by the support the govt, school and teachers have given, for free!! I am quite proud that the Aussie Govt provides this support for new migrants). We're hoping after one year in the IEC she will be ready to enter into the normal school system. If she isn't ready to enter the mainstream school she will continue in the English program until she is. The IEC is part of a normal Primary School so they have lots of interaction with other aussie kids on a daily basis - sports, excursions, activities etc.

Make the effort to suss out what is available, and go and talk to the schools that are recommended by Immi and Govt agencies. We nearly missed out on a place because demand can be quite high but I was told that all entries on TR and PR are eligible for Intensive English Programs, but it wouldn't be too good if you have to wait for months to get in.

We got copies of all her academic records etc from her thai school but they will assess the kids here as they progress through the year. I thought it would be a good idea for daughter to start learning English in Thailand before she came here but its a bit of a waste really. Most thai kids learn very little at their schools and even special classes don't achieve a lot in a short time (I taught english in Thailand too). There's not a lot of incentive to learn or opportunity to speak English in thailand so its a real battle - but not something to be concerned about if she can't speak before she arrives.....Kids pick up language SO quickly when they are immersed into a culture!!

The whole thing has been a breeze - I was like you and hadn't been near an Australian Primary School since I attended as a student.

Good Luck

[tominoz]

Thanks everyone for the input. This is exactly the kind of feedback I was looking for. It's great to hear that Australia is looking after new immigrants and I'm very happy that people with a similar experience share their stories here with me. Thanks again.

I will contact the local schools in the area I life and also talk to Imiigration Department in Sydney and see how they can help us. I'm just hoping that she can go to a normal public school (after completing IEC or similar) to provide her with the best education possible. We are applying for a spouse/partner visa (Subclass 309 and 100). I believe (or hope) that this will allow my partners daughter to join public school in Oz.

[gburns57au]

Perth again.

Was told that to qualify for the 500hrs free through the Adult Migration Education Service the migrant must be over 18yo

My stepson was enrolled in a High School with an IEC program and since has progressed to a local school with an ESL program...

[Xangsamhua]

Thanks everyone for the input. This is exactly the kind of feedback I was looking for. It's great to hear that Australia is looking after new immigrants and I'm very happy that people with a similar experience share their stories here with me. Thanks again.

I will contact the local schools in the area I life and also talk to Imiigration Department in Sydney and see how they can help us. I'm just hoping that she can go to a normal public school (after completing IEC or similar) to provide her with the best education possible. We are applying for a spouse/partner visa (Subclass 309 and 100). I believe (or hope) that this will allow my partners daughter to join public school in Oz.

Unless things have changed in the past 7 years or so, the 100s are all permanent resident visas and the 300s will give your child access to normal schooling as if she was a permanent resident. I'm just not sure if the 300s (temporary resident pending processing to a permanent visa) actually qualify a child for Commonwealth funded ESL support, though there are ways it can be done and, from what other posters say, dependants of 300s visas are getting the support they need, so that's good.