NSW - is it hard to get into a school out of your catchment area?
Hello,
DS doesn't start school till 2013 but we've started thinking of schools (public) for him. I didn't go to school here so don't know the schools. A few schools have come up here since DH went to school so he doesn't know how good they are.
We've started researching, and from what friends have said the schools in our catchment area aren't so good - in terms of how well it does and some of the kids there are quite rough. Looking at the MySchool website, they seem right, the results aren't not so good.
There are 2 good schools just near us but because of the border thingie between regions we are out of the catchment area. The schools are just about 5mins drive away and close enough for DS to cycle when he's older. One of the schools, is where DH went to, and he enjoyed there.
If we want to get into a school out of our catchment area, what reasons should we give? Would saying it's a better school help?
You just have to apply and see what happens. We tried to get eldest DD into a high school out of area and we had to fill in an application form and even then it depended on how many were being enrolled in that year. So try to enrol him in the school you want and just see what happens. Do have a back up school to go to though
It depends on the school. BIL was sent to a bigger school for year 5 & 6, to prepare him for the size of high school (primary school only being 12 kids!)
He chose one school, but they said no because they already had too many kids in that grade. The second school was slightly smaller, so they accepted him happily.
A friend of mine just changed her DD's school. She had to pretend the father wanted to spend more time with her & so wanted her at school closer to him.
In my experience, it can be difficult.
We were living in a zone which meant we could only send our daughter to a school different from her brother - the fact that her brother was already enrolled in the school made no difference toward our application for her to go to the same school. We applied as soon as the applications were opened and we found out half way through the year that she had been denied based on the fact that the outside of zone applications were all full. So we tried again with even more supporting documentation (reports, awards, proof of her representing her school in dance, sports etc) and we were denied again. It was awful as we were coming to the time of year where we had no idea what school she would be attending. In the end we moved to an area that is zoned for the school just to get her in. It is insane how it all worked out. We have since learned our lesson and will be enrolling DS2 in a private school for 2012.
Your reasons for wanting to get in out of area will make no difference if there are no places. Schools have to take those in the area first and if there are any spots left then they offer to siblings and so on (I don't know the specifics). None of the schools in my surrounding area had any spots for those out of area this year - the baby boom has meant all have max no of kindy classes while keeping the class size in check. You'd be best off finding out which school's zone you are in (you'll probably have to go up to the school) and then work out if you're happy with it. Personally I think all the schools in our area are much of a muchness, especially with them all being full. We're on the upper north shore.
Schools do take out of area kids if they have space. You need to address the reasons why you want to send your child to that school- they usually are emotional, social, safety.
You will be considered on things like: is it is closer to your work so therefore you can be there more quickly in an emergency or not have to use after school care. Later the child can walk home without crossing a major road. Near to grandparents/other emergency contacts who may not drive in case of emergency if you work full time. Where all the children from his/her preschool/daycare are going so they will have friends initially.
If you need more help next year PM me.
I was advised that if you want a guaranteed placement for your child being in the catchment area is not enough. Especially if there is a waiting list...if I were to move house a year before my child starts high school, wouldn't that be sufficient entitlment for my daughter/son to go to the highschool in that area? Even if its selective?
Would love to know what to do as there is alot of misleading information around.
In NSW if you are in the catchment area the local public school MUST take you, no question.
Selective HS only take children who they offer a place to based on the entrance exam, it doesn't matter if you live next door to the school you have to do the test to get in as there are limited places which are only given to the top achievers in the exam.
Sista- If you live in your local public schools catchment area and there is only one school, they basically have to take you. Selective schools are different, they have an entrance exam and placements are based soley on this. Some comprehensive (regular) high schools have selective classes. You do an exam to get a place in those classes but there's are also "regular" classes for kids from the catchment who don't qualify for the selective classes. Hope that makes sense.
Yep that makes perfect sense, thank you for clearing it up for me.
I live in a very multicultural area but the high school has nothing that appeals to me, moving is my only option unless my kids go through the selective schools test, and we're yet to decide on that.
Its soooo much more confusing than when I was at high school 20 years ago....a big headache!
NSW - is it hard to get into a school out of your catchment area?
Reply With Quote
Bookmarks