What school to send your child?

Here's a poll to see what BellyBelly members think about schooling and their child.

Discuss your thoughts and share why you have decided on the particular method of schooling.

Will be sending Kameron to a public school. Public system was good enough for us kids so it will be good enough for him.

have a reception to yr 12 school about a 15 min walk away so that is where he will go.

Love

Single sex Catholic Congregational for high school, local Catholic school for Primary

Emily will be going to a public co-ed primary (just up the road from the new house). And more than likely a private school for high, we are looking at Sienna and MLC, this is largely because I am not impressed with the public schools in that area as there aren't many and the ones that are around are way too far from home. I went to public for some years and a private for some years and both were fine. I personally think it depends on the childs willingness to learn and thier personal abilities (do they excel in English, Math etc.) as to which school idealy I would like to send them too. For example Luther has a fantastic english depatrment. As I said I think both are really fine depending on what schools are like in your area, I know of bad public schools and I know of bad private...

Carley

I voted for public co-ed, but if I had the money, I would certainly go private for Secondary School.

I had experience of both, and would say that the Private School was the better of the 2, but that was over 20 years ago.

I was very lucky to get Matt into McKinnon Secondary, which is one of the best public schools in Melbourne. It has a very small zone, and we live outside it, so I had to submit a resume on his behalf to argue why he should be accepted. Fortunately, he was a straight A student, so they were happy to have him, but I sweated on the outcome as the other options in my area were not good. I know of others who missed out on a place who deserve to be given a place in a good school.

Private schooling was always my aim, but alas, finances will not allow me to send them all, so we are persevering with the Public System. I have been impressed with McKinnon, his grades are still good, and the teachers are very committed.

I think at primary level the public system is fantasic, and kids benefit from interacting with the opposite sex.

Regards, Jill.

We plan to send Hailey to a public school for primary and either St Leondards (Patterson Lakes) co ed or Mentone Girls Grammer (girls school) for secondary.

I am not sure which way to go - but I don't think our area has very good public high schools at the moment - of course considering Hailey is only 19months sold who knows by the time she is old enough to go to secondary school!! :wink:

Belinda

I have opted for private schooling for Leonie. There are many reasons some of them being:

closest school (big plus - we live out of town a bit),

religous education - although I don't actively practice my religion we live in a predominantly Christian society - our holidays are religious ones - Christmas/Easter - she is starting to ask questions that I am not sure how to answer - although the school I have chosen is not of my own faith, I feel that most Christian religions basically follow the same path;

discipline.

I realise that by sending her to a private school won't guarantee how she turns out, but I know that I care enough about her education to pay for it and I am hoping that parents of other children attending the school think similarly.

Anyway, its probably the most important decision I have made to date regarding Leonie - I only hope its the right one. LOL

Mum2Three I like your answers very similar to mine.

Paris will go to public PS (I think) mainly because DH & I have talked about it and (he went private I went public) I think he missed out on alot of the "fun" stuff at private PS book weeks, hat parades...just fun stuff. I think PS Education is a lot less low key than high schoolI know that alot of the important learning happens here but I think that at primary school age they are more willing to learn and less likely to get distracted by peers or outside influences. And as for High School I want Paris in a Private HS mainly because a) discipline b) focus on study. I don't deny that there are bad kids at Private or there are good teachers at Public, but I like to think because I am paying for it if I have a complaint they are more likely to take me seriously, and hopefully Paris will take her education more seriously too.

*hugs*
Cailin

Our older DS has started preschool at a state school this year.

We thought about sending him to a lutheran private primary school, but then Bradyn decided he was on his way and this made up our mind.

If we can afford it when the time comes, we would like to send the kids to a private high school.

I've experienced quite a bit on this subject and whether is private or public shouldn't be your main concern, but the education standards. I sent my eldest two to our local Catholic Primary school - as you do being Catholic. I was always a bit sus on the level of education Matthew was receiving, but I would get his reports and feel like I was just being silly. He was well liked by friends and teachers, was on the soccer, cricket, football, swimming team.............. but there was still something that unsettled me. In Grade 3 Matthew sat the GAT test that all Grade 3's across the state take - the results of this totally shocked me. here was a child whose reports said he was on par in all subjects and this test told me his level was around grade's 1 in a few things and PREP in reading! OK - I can hear what you are saying - how did you not notice! Matthew always hated reading especially reading aloud for home reading, yet his journal was always completed by a "reading mum" as wow, great reading, fantastic etc, so I did think he was doing ok. I confronted his teacher (who unfortunately was the sports co-ordinator) who told me that these test never give a true picture of a child, different conditions that they are not used to etc..... I took that on board and then seriously looked at our local primary school for the following year. Zachary would be starting school so it was a great chance to get Matthew a fresh start.
The primary school allowed Matthew and Joshua to come a couple of mornings a week (just like prep orientation) so they could get to know the school and make friends for the following year.
The boys started at the primary school the following year and Matthew's problems were picked up by his teacher in 2 1/2 days. She called me in and we had a chat and we had Matthew in a reading group for the next half of a year. By July, Matthew was up to the standard of an average Grade 4. I was so impressed by the dedication this teacher had. She also made sure that he was in her class the following year so she could keep tabs on his development. Now he is doing great in Year 8.
With us moving later on this year, I have had to make the schooling decision all over again - believe me I really made this into a huge research trip LOL. In the area that we are moving into I have decided on one of the local Catholic Primary schools for Zachary and Christian and a Public High school for Matthew and Joshua.

Emma started school at the local state school but that changed during second term of year 2. Emma is a bright student, especially in the area of language and writes and reads very well for her age (I tested her reading age last year when she had just turned 8 and she was reading at an age of 10yrs). She was put in a composite class (1/2) based on her age not her ability and then there was the danger Em felt in the playground and her maths teacher who said to me on parent night when I asked about homework "Well your a teacher can't you organise something for her?"

The 2 of them now attend the local catholic school and while class sizes are bigger I feel a little happier about their level of education (although I must make an appointment to speak with Em's teachers ... still some issues there with Em saying she hates school because she is bored). Jack loves it and is thriving ... I think he maybe a bright student too ... his special area of interest is anything and everything!!!

They will hopefully stay there until they finish school and then they will be going to Murdoch college for high school. Murdoch is a Co-Ed Secondary school that is on the campus of a University so in yrs 11 & 12 they are able to access the university facilities as part of their learning ... they also have a pre vet course and Em has said she wants to be a vet!!!

I also agree that you need to focus on the education standards rather than the public Vs private issue. I am a teacher in a state school and love my job ... but I choose not to send my kids to a public school because I feel they are better off where they are.

Cheers

My oldest went to Public school (lots of different ones, in different states, we moved around a lot).

When DS started school we lived in the Country - one public school, one private catholic school, we picked the private one.

We have since moved to a bigger country town and enrolled them in the closest public school, they lasted 5 weeks and we enrolled them back into a Private Catholic school.

There were many reasons but the biggest one was that DS#2 turns 5 three weeks into term 2. The public school would not take him until term 3. He had completed four terms of Kindy, so the kindy would not take him either. What was I going to do with a 5 year old that is ready for school for a whole term!!!!!!! Private Catholic school will take him no worries, he has been for two school visits and his teacher thinks he is more than ready to start school.

Also DS#1 is advanced in his reading (year two level in reception) but he was behind in his fine motor skills (writing, cutting etc) The private school identified this and encouraged his reading to higher levels and put him in the LAP program for his fine motor skills. The public school did not even acknowledge his reading skills - instead they put him down and made him read easier books (which he got bored with). They also never acknowledged whether or not he still needed extra help with his fine motor skills. His whole attitude seemed to improve when he went back to Catholic school!!!!!!

I like the idea of proper uniform, which can be expensive at first, but usually it lasts for years and years and they are not wrecking their own clothes.

Hi - I can't help but think, that fees for private high schools at the top end for year 12 are around $15,000 a year and added to this all else that goes with attending one of these schools.

What are they going to be like when our two and three year olds are twelve and thirteen ? $20,000 ?

Nick and I between us, earn just over what is considered to be the *average* wage and just manage to cover bills and put a bit away. Where do regular people get that sort of money ? And twice that if you have two children ?

My parents took out loans with AVCO so my brother and I could have private schooling, and my two sisters went to regular schools and have both excelled. I think someone back there said it depends on the child. I'd like to think we could pay for the second half of high school as private.

Barb.

We are looking at public for primary & private for hgh school for very much the same reasons as Cailin & Marc.

We both went to public primary schools & then the same private high school, so we are happy with how things were for us. The high school that we went to now goes from prep to year 12, but having my sister working in the after school care there has really turned us off having our kids go there from day 1.

We will be sinding Nicholas to a public co ed school. Both of went to public schools so he will do the same.

Kazz & co \/
Nicholas 26/10/02

Hopefully Jack will be going to our small private catholic primary, at the moment it has the best name. Then later on it will depend on how acedemic he is, we have two good private schools which cost a fortune but I don't see the point in sending him there if he is not acedemically minded.

Jo

I am very happy for Aidyn to go to a Public primary school...
I went to public primary and highschools, and was relatively happy with them both. But I do think public primary's are better than the highschools.

We will have to see if we can afford to send Aidyn to a private highschool, and I think it will also depend upon how academic he is.

I have a feeling we may get some interference from MIL though if we decide to go public, as she sent DP to all private schools, and is very pushy when it comes to suceeding academically - it is the be all and end all to her (I think it is a culture thing)...

I have voted for a public co-ed school for primary school because I believe that good public primary schools have just as much to offer as private ones. I am biased because I am a state primary teacher, but it also makes me aware of the new curriculum initiatives and everything that primary teachers have to go through. Trust me, our public schools have some very good quality teachers going through that care about your kids and do all they can to provide an excellent education. It's also a hell of a lot cheaper!
In saying this, I would love to send my children to a private school (Christian College) during high school. High school is a whole other world to primary school! As far as public high schools go, I think they get a raw deal as to what behaviour they have to put up with when feral teenagers are lumped on them. It is very difficult to expel a child from a public school. I don't want my children having to put up with a nutcase child in his/her class (mind you - my kids could be the nut-case children, ).
Friends of mine that have attended Christian College always seemed so happy with their school and they always looked tidy with nice uniforms (unlike us state-school kids that looked like we had just been hit by a bus most of the time - very untidy). There also seems to be more choice of subjects and more one-on-one with teachers. Children are encouraged to become prefects and hold responsibility in the school. It just seems a much nicer environment for young adults.

Your story was interesting mum4boyz in relation to your son's reading levels. I am not sure how the system works in private schools (and please correct me if I am wrong) but, here in victoria, public schools have to follow a curriculum inititative called "Early Years". It is an intensive literacy and numeracy program that all public schools are expected to follow from prep through to grade 4 (5-9 is called "Middle Years"). There are many strategies used to aid children in reading, writing and numeracy that I have seen first hand, actually work. So perhaps this is something you can all look out for. Ask your child's teacher about Early Years and how he or she practices it. I am still in the very beginning stages of learning how it works, but the children in my class are thriving (most of my "lower" readers are onto levels that are quite sufficient for their educational level atm). I know this only applies to Victoria (the sooner they standardise the education system across the country, the easier it will be for all of us!) but I am sure the other states have the equivalent.