If money wasnt an issue

[fionas]

That's my completely unscientific opinion dachlostar! And I think the differences between the UK and Australia are a big factor too - you're quite right, the class system is (or at least used to be) very entrenched there which is why I left. Funnily enough my privately schooled ex husband used to say that if he ever started a business, he would employ uni graduates from a working class background because they worked their socks off!

But schooling is just one aspect of a child's confidence of course, parental attitudes are also crucial. I had parents who told me that people like us didn't go to university, that I'd better leave school at 16 and if I was clever enough I might get to work in an office rather than the local factory. So I think that, more than the fact that I went to a state school, had a major impact on my confidence levels.

But there's a lot said by media commentators these days about parents giving their kids too much confidence - y'know the 'you can achieve anything you want, you deserve it' kind of parenting. And I think that has its drawbacks too. My 14-year-old stepdaughter who lives in the US is currently struggling in school getting mostly Cs to Fs. Her mum is still telling her that she can be anything she wants, she can be a lawyer, she can work for the United Nations, hell, she can be president if she wants. Whereas, I believe a bit of realism is called for and I'd be telling her 'y'know what maybe school just isn't for you, maybe if you hate it that much you'd be better off not wasting your time, the teachers time and your parents time. Maybe you'd be better off leaving early and getting a job if school sux that much.' She's no dummy but she's no Einstein either. I know it's a cliche but she's exceptionally good with people and I think she'll be really successful if she finds something that uses those skills. I'm not convinced, however, that spending the next four years nagging her to do her homework when she's clearly not interested is going to be very productive at all. Nor do I think putting her in a private school would benefit her. She's just not interested in learning and would rather be out in the real world, doing. Nothing wrong with that, we all have different paths and we all find our way eventually.

[suse]

That's an excellent point Fiona, not all people are academic, and it's a good thing that they're not. Can you imagine a world where everybody was a lawyer (or a president). Nothing would get done!!

[fionas]

Absolutely Suse. And some of the cleverest, well-qualified people are really quite dumb when it comes to their emotional lives! As I said, I used to think that if someone wasn't dripping in academic qualifications, they weren't worth talking to but in a very difficult stage in my life I spent most of my time drunk in a sticky carpet pub. Not the ideal place to learn life lessons maybe but I regard those few months as being way more educational than all the lectures I attended at uni. They taught me about how kind-hearted human beings are and how wise most people are based on what they've experienced not what they've learnt in books.

[Bathsheba]

Really enjoyed reading your posts Fiona, agree with a lot of what you said

Regarding sexual diversity. At my DD's private girls' school (preschool to year 12) there are at least 2 prominently displayed posters advertising the fact that her school is a gay-friendly place. It also says something along the lines of the fact that 1 in 10 people have gay/bi sexual preferences and that it is a normal part of life. I am really pleased to see this information on display. I'm am only still getting to know the staff in senior school and I can't say for sure what all their orientations are but there are a few "effeminate" male teachers. Not that it matters of course. One of my favourite teachers that has taught my DD spoke a lot about diversity to the girls. I remember in her introductory talk to the parents that she mentioned that her previous role was in a remote Indigenous Australian community. Teaching at a private girls' school was a bit outside her comfort zone (she really enjoyed working in her previous role) but she figured she needed to 'try it' before she retired. Honestly, she was THE BEST teacher..... so committed and actually picked up a hearing problem of my DD's that we never knew about! Anyhow, she taught at DD's school for about 3 years I think... extended her retirement a bit I think because she enjoyed it so much and was given every resource she had ever dreampt of. My DD was soooo fortunate to have her as a teacher... i miss her... she was a truely inspirational woman. Anyhow... enough rambling... i just thought I would share a bit on the gay acceptance issue You would hope EVERY school displayed these posters.

[widdly]

if money were no issue.....

We can afford to send Archie to a private school and quite like the idea os him possibly being in a smaller class and getting more one on one time with teachers. however ther are only 2 private schools in our town, one is Catholic and one is Lutheran. i was raised Catholic but in the last 10 years have really gone a different way and now dont feel religious at all, Archie has not been baptised and has never been inside a church. DH was baptised Presbyterian (sp?) but has no idea what that religion is about and nor do i. So my dilemma is that i dont really feel comfortable with the idea of Archie going to a school where everything is strongly focused around a particular religion.

i don't feel comfortable with sending him to a public school here either. We are zoned to 2 schools, one of which is in an extremely 'bad' area and is notoriuous for bullies (both kids and parents) etc, so there is absolutely no way we would send him to that school we would sooner move house than send him there. The other public school is HUGE, the classrooms are filled to brim with kids and the school is constantly getting even more huge due to the great numbers of new houses being built in our area, so i feel uncomfortable with the idea of sending my little boy to a great big scarey school, and i also figure the class numbers would be right up there...

i think my perfect school would be a small public school, and i think im gonna fight to get him into one of them.....

schooling is such a huge decision though!

i agree with dachlostar that money spent on private schooling would be much better spent on travelling which could teach the child more in a couple of weeks than a years schooling could!

[Phteven]

I just read an article that reminded me of this thread....
NSW HSC results have just come out - out of the top 10 schools 3 are private and the rest are public...

Islamic school's debut in HSC top 10
Anna Patty Education Editor
December 20, 2007

THE Sydney Islamic school Malek Fahd has swept into the top 10 HSC performers this year, joining James Ruse Agricultural High, which has maintained first position for the 12th consecutive year.

State selective schools hold seven positions in the Herald's list of top HSC performers.

The private boys' school Sydney Grammar, which is also selective, and Ascham School for girls, are also in the top 10.

Although Malek Fahd Islamic School is not selective, like some other private schools, it has been known to encourage underperforming students to repeat a year or consider another school.

James Ruse, which selects the cream of the state's academic talent, has bettered the success it had last year. The proportion of its year 12 students who scored 90 or above rose from 65 to 74 per cent, the Herald's analysis shows.

Larissa Treskin, who replaced Michael Quinlan as principal of the school last year after he served 15 years, said students had lifted their overall performance in the HSC this year.

"We had a great improvement across the board in the percentage of students in band six [a score of 90 or more]," she said.

"Their teachers are thrilled that all the hard work by everybody has resulted in such great achievements."

Of the school's 48 year 11 students who completed their HSC agriculture exams this year, 45 scored 90 or above, including James Sin, who topped the state.

Hornsby Girls' High School relinquishes its No.2 position on the Herald's HSC league table, to drop into fifth position in this year's results.

North Sydney Girls' High is ranked second this year, followed by Sydney Girls' High in third position and Baulkham Hills High in fourth.

The first private school to appear on the table is Ascham, in sixth place, swapping the position it held last year with seventh-placed Sydney Grammar.

Malek Fahd is ranked ninth this year and was 15th last year. Sydney Boys' High School is 10th in the table this year and was eighth last year. Malek Fahd and Sydney Boys' High are each ranked in the top five schools for their performance in maths, but close to 40th in English.

The president of the NSW Board of Studies, Gordon Stanley, said there was a record number of all-rounders this year - 1035 students achieved 90 and above in at least 10 units of study. (Most subjects are worth two units, some are worth one and advanced courses are worth three or four.) Last year 800 students scored 90 or more in 10 units.

Professor Stanley said the increase might be the most significant aspect of this year's result.

"The standards are the same but the performance with respect to those standards is up this year," he said.

Professor Stanley partly attributed the increase to a rise in the number of HSC candidates.

He said more students achieved 90 or more in English this year.

Four of the top six schools in the Herald's table are girls' schools.

The first academically non-selective school on the Herald's table is the Conservatorium High, in 39th position, followed by Killara High, in 56th place.

Schools are ranked in this way: the number of credits (90 or more in a subject) a school earns is divided by the number of HSC examinations students at that school sit. It removes the natural advantage had by larger schools.

Raw data, based on the number of credits each school receives, still ranks James Ruse, with 167 year 12 students and 804 credits, in first place and North Sydney Girls' High, with 161 students and 625 credits, second.

If the raw data were used in the Herald's table Baulkham Hills High, with 186 year 12 students and 624 credits, would have displaced Sydney Girls' High, which had 161 students and 533 credits, in third position.

http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2007/...e#contentSwap1

[Bathsheba]

The first academically non-selective school on the Herald's table is the Conservatorium High, in 39th position, followed by Killara High, in 56th place.

I know it's not a popular view but I am happy with my DD's school which is Independent. 70% of the girls got 80 and above as their VCE result compared to 20% in the state system.

I hope the state system improves because despite sending my child to a private school i am too an advocate for the public system. Same as health care. But I feel the standards needs to be raised to meet our needs as a family. I hope the Rudd government is able to achieve this.

[Phteven]

The first academically non-selective school on the Herald's table is the Conservatorium High, in 39th position, followed by Killara High, in 56th place.

I wouldn't read too much into that Bath I'm not sure how the Victorian system works but NSW has a fantastic selective schools system which siphons off many of the high achievers and allows them to meet their full potential in the public system. Obviously those schools are going to occupy most of the top spots. If they didn't they wouldn't be meeting their objective.

ETA - The NSW public school system doesn't just offer academically selective schools it also has Technology High Schools, Sports High Schools, Language Schools and Creative and Performing Arts Schools. I think it's fantastic that students who are gifted in such diverse areas are offered opportunities to pursue their talents.

I think that the best thing about this is that talented students aren't forced to go at the speed of the slowest person in the class which is often the fate of bright students in other systems.

[The_Source]

Just an observation that no one went for option three - home schooling.