Stressed about educational decisions

[sushee]

I sit on selection panels for State Govt recruitment and I've never paid an iota of attention to whether someone went to private or public school, just whether they managed to get the qualifications for the job they're applying for. No panel I've ever been a part of have even mentioned it for that matter. Maybe the banks do it differently, but I don't imagine where you went to school would determine (for me) whether you're suited to a job. The only time I may look at education is when I have two closely competitive applicants, and one has/is in the process of getting a degree and the other hasn't/isn't. It may be the difference between applicants, but only if it's really close.

My local primary school is a good one, plus it's close to us and is the local school for all the kids in the area. The local private primary school is across a major intersection and hasn't got as good a reputation. So no brainer for us there either.

My local secondary school is new, so it so far hasn't gotten the best reputation. But the one that was near our old house, which my 14yo DS still goes to, is ranked in the top ten schools statewide, public and private. We moved house specifically to get the kids into that school.

So Charlie will go to the local primary school and then go to a private Catholic high school. To me, it isn't about whether it's public or private, it's about putting them in the best, most convenient, most advanatgeous (for all concerned) schools.

Hope you come to some decision that both you and your DH can live with, MummaB.

[Kailani]

As others have suggested, I would just book a tentative place for your child at the private schools and then reassess when you get closer to school age! I think that's what I'll do when I get to that stage although it seems miles away

I attended a private anglican girls school throughout primary up to Year 10 (same school) and then did my VCE at a public school. I really think my committment and success in VCE was helped by the education I received at private school. I say that because the majority of students at the public school did not go on to further study and a lot didn't even sit end of year exams. My friends from private school have all gone on to further study and did really well in Year 12. I'm not saying that going to uni is the be all and end all, but maybe that's what's guiding your DH in stressing the importance of private school. My DP never even finished high school and he went public for both primary and secondary. He's gone straight into the workforce and earns decent money. School wasn't his thing and it hasn't hindered his employment opportunities at all - he's a tradie!

I'm really torn between public/private, because I loved both schools but I would definitely send bubs to the private school if I have a girl! If personality doesn't suit, I am very open to change. That's the reason I went public for VCE. The private school wasn't offering the subjects I wanted to do and I'm very happy with the public school I went to. Very different culture and policies though (no uniform for one! SHOCK HORROR!)

Are the private schools your DH's interested in religious? We used to have church every week and religious education. Easter and Christmas time were a really big deal as well. I know a few of my friends who are Jewish and Bhudist had alternative activities to do while the rest of us went to church, so hopefully other schools are open to that sort of thing.

Anyway, seriously good luck with it. I'm already stressing over choosing schools. If I have a boy then I have no idea where I'll start looking! I hope you and your DH find a choice you're both happy with

[*Ang*]

I think that by the sounds of things that you are going to have a hard time convincing both your DH and parents not to send the kids to a private schools. In theory I agree with what has been said here about being able to walk to a local school, having friends close by and having a community feel about it.

In reality, if you are wanting to send your DS to a private highschool the following is a list of "selection criteria" used for enrollements at most private highschools and primary schools:

1) Sibling of children currently attending
2) Catholic (insert app religion here) Children from feeder schools
3) Non religous children from feeder schools
4) Remaining children ie non religous or children from non feeder schools

The important thing to remember is that MOST enrollments are filled from criteria's 1) and 2). I know of one catholic primary school here in Perth that for a kindy class of 30, 28 spots were filled by sibling which only left 2 others and these were given to children who lived in the diocese and whose parents frequented church. So unfortunatley regardless even tho this would be lovely to think:

My hubby feels that if it comes down to one place left they would take the person who went to a private school over the one who went to a public school... i don't think thats the case, i'd like to think they'd go on educational merit.

In reality I doubt that it would ever happen.

As an aside I am catholic and we have chosen to educate our children privately. Both children were enrolled in primary schools within their first year of birth and are also enrolled in a number of highschools too - and I am by no means the first parent to do so! In relation to highschools, I am not necessarily talking about your top 5 "cost wise" in Perth either, I am talking about your "normal" private highschool.

So what I am saying is if you truely believe that you want to educate your children privately and can afford to do so ENROL NOW.

[*Ali*]

I think if it is stressing you out then you just need to put down his name at both state and private schools and say whatever will be will be. Remember what I always say, you dont know what you don't know- and if you didn't know that you needed to put his name down earlier, then you couldnt have possibly done it (plus remember you have recently moved, so even if you had put his name down in his first year, those schools would be over an hour away now!)

I tend to agree with Bath that, for me the quality of the education students recieve in Primary School is what sets the tone for how they learn in High School- if kids are given the basic building blocks of reading, writing and maths, and are not given what I call a "toolbox" of skills which help them to learn, ie. problem solving, critical thinking etc, they are going to struggle whichever school they are educated in.

Something else to remember is that there are good and bad teachers in EVERY school in WA, we are all educated in the same institutions and are bound by the curriculum wherever we teach.

I know how consuming it is trying to decide where to educate your children, I go through the same internal struggle daily, because the local schools are not somewhere I want my kids educated- not because of the schools, or the teachers but because of the area we live in and the amount of 'other' social problems there. So for the sake of my kids education, if I cant get them across the boundaries into a neighbouring school, then I will send them to a catholic primary school- not because it is private, but because I believe it is where my children will recieve the best education.

At the end of the day only you and your DH should have a say where the kids go to school, and then it is up to your DS to make the most of the education given to him, be it private or public.

[ubba82]

Hi MuumaB,
I have a 7 year old daughter in grade 1. She is acedemically well beyond her years, she participates in extra curicular activities, acedemic programes run outside of school and believe it or not - she goes to a public primary school. Sending your child to a private school does not make them smarter or nicer. If they are going to do well they will at public or private.
I would love to send DD to a private secondary school, but I think that's for me. I have friends who went to the local high school and one of them is a federal policeman, and 2 are lawyers. I also have friends that went to a private catholic school and while some went off to have wonderful careers - 1 of them is working at a supermarket and another is a manager at McDonalds.
Primary school doesn't matter so much as they focus socialising rather than training them to be surgeons. I think you would be better of sending your DS to the local school so he can make friends in his area, you can enjoy walking to school and you will be close by if ever you want to be a classroom helper. Weigh up the pros and cons - at the end of the day he is YOUR son - not your parents or inlaws.

[HotI]

Incredibly off topic (but addressing an earlier issue):

My DH works for a bank... one of the big 4... and quite frequently he is asked to help in the selection of managers' assistants.

Do these positions require tertiary qualifications or were they hiring people straight from high school?

Once a person has a degree or diploma, or is 5 years out from school with work experience, i can't imagine them having their high school listed on their CV anyway.

[Bathsheba]

They come from tertiary institutes... bachelor of business for example... but most CVs that my DH looks at has the applicant's high-school listed. They are usually in their very early 20's with not much to put in their CV's so they rely on being able to say that they were a school prefect or house captain or whatever... all fair enough... but often the thing that gets them an interview or not is when DH rings them to "clarify" something. If their speech patterns on the phone are poor (or if they can barely be understood due to a very strong accent) then DH just thanks them for clarifying and says "we'll get back to you about an interview" and that's the end of it. One of the main complaints of clients in Private bank is that when they were standard bank customers they would use the bank's call centre and often struggle to understand the phone operator. It's just a reality that these clients demand service personnel with good clear speech patterns... if you don't have this as an applicant then you often won't get an interview... no matter what school you went to.