How to decide - public v private

i think it's like that here too Div - it's all the same school, just different campuses - and it's zoned depending on where you live and i am under the impression you need to fight to go to the campus that isn't nearest you. the high school i went to was the same (well, not in the town i was in - there was only one campus - but there were two campuses as well as the senior campus in the next town - and you were zoned to the school nearest you)

the primary schools in the towns i grew up in were the same. mum actually lived in one of the towns when one of the schools opened and she was one of the poor sods forced to move school based on her address.

id just ring BG!!

you'd think that would be easy for me, given the job i do all day - but i have a serious issue (ok, it borders on a phobia!) of actually ringing people!

Well ive just been through this, picking which school to send our eldest too.

Most public schools are zoned so u would have to check with the school.

Attend all the open days,info nights to help you decide.

find out fee's and extra costs.

My Dh is catholic but doesnt practice it, so we were going to send Ashley to a catholic primary but simply we cant afford to send him. Soo i looked at the local primary took a tour info night etc and it seems to be a very good school. its got 300 students so its not over crowded.

As for the kinder aspect, it all depends on whcih one she goes, but when u attend the open days you will have a fairly good idea and feel as to which best suits E.
Once u get that school picking is basiclly the same.

email? I feel the same, I hate ringing people & won't if I don't have too.

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Well ive just been through this, picking which school to send our eldest too.

Most public schools are zoned so u would have to check with the school.

Attend all the open days,info nights to help you decide.

find out fee's and extra costs.

My Dh is catholic but doesnt practice it, so we were going to send Ashley to a catholic primary but simply we cant afford to send him. Soo i looked at the local primary took a tour info night etc and it seems to be a very good school. its got 300 students so its not over crowded.

As for the kinder aspect, it all depends on whcih one she goes, but when u attend the open days you will have a fairly good idea and feel as to which best suits E.
Once u get that school picking is basiclly the same.

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Talk to the Priest if you really want to go to the local Catholic school, fees should be negotiable or at least payment options.

My cousin is a single parent with no financial suppt from her ex who only works part time, and the school were really good. This was in hoppers crossing, not sure all catholic ones are the same, she just went to Sunday mass and spoke with the Priest afterward.

Pandora - your cousin's catholic school must have been one of the more flexible ones then! My kids go to a catholic primary school and my mum teaches at another one - as she says "schools have become more like a business nowadays" and are actually not that flexible on fees. They are definitely not negotiable and as for payment options, well once you are accepted and in the school you may be able to raise that but inititially I doubt very much at all.

have sent an email to one school tonight. will have a look at the others and possibly do the same.

It may depends on which order it's associated with. Some of the families at my high school used to barter. One man built the school's stone fence and gates in place of fees.

Most schools should be able to tell you their fee structure upfront. None of the schools we looked at had an issue with it.

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They are definitely not negotiable and as for payment options, well once you are accepted and in the school you may be able to raise that but inititially I doubt very much at all.

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My eldest has just been accepted at a Catholic Primary school. We are in a street on the actual boundary so it was touch and go whether we would get a place.

Speaking to the Principal and the Priest, both were adamant that their were payment plans for school fees as they realise that some people don't have the money to pay lump sum. There is also the expectation that we will aid in fundraising, working bees, volunteering etc. They both advised that as my DH and I are working full-time that they will accommodate that as much as possible and minimise the time needed during business hours. When we worked it out, it is only 2 days during the week per year and about 3 days on the weekend.

I am not sure who starting school is scarier for, me or DS.

I am going to make enquiries at the Catholic school, and am waiting on the info pack from the other private one we're interested in. These two schools both come with good reputations. Apparently we can negotiate with the finance officer to start paying fees at the more exxy school as soon as an offer is made (which would be 6 months before she is due to start) and can pay extra so that there is less stress when fees go up etc. i am getting a payrise next week (yay me lol) so i am thinking i may just syphon the extra each pay into another account (i'll open one with mum so i can't take it out again lol) and make sure i have application fees and things ready to go as soon as the time comes around.

i am also getting info about the public schools. the general consensus is that they are acceptable if you can't go private, but the gap between public and private is pretty big

Have you looked at the MySchool website? The info is government sponsored and the test scores are supposedly reasonably accurate.

I personally am not sure about the myschools web site anymore.

I don't think its as accurate as people think.:dunno:

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I'd approach the schools directly if you want to know about their results and performance, rather then the myschool website. Whil i think its good to consider what's on there, It's only based on one test where the schools will have a much better breadth of information available.