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.

Hi everyone,

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.

thank you:)

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.

Snap MrsMac :)

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!

Just bumping this up as I have further questions!

I need to send my son to a primary public school that I really like however I'm not in the catchment area. What sort of reasons can I show to strengthen his application? My daughter is in and out of hospital and needs care, is there anything else that I need to say, apart from the good qualities the school has?

thank you :)

The areas you need to address are *safety- ie is it safer for your child to get to the out of area school- no main roads etc, bus route near your home.
* Work/emergency care- is the out of area school close to yours or DH's work so the child wouldn't need after school care for as long or at all? Do your emergency contacts live in the area for that school ? Is it easier for them to get your child in that school than the local in area school?
* Social- are all your child's friends form preschool going to that school not your local school? do you have relatives or close friends who attend the school?
* After school care? If you use it does either school have it? You are in a really good position to get in out of area if you need after school care/vacation care and the other school doesn't have it.

Many schools will take out of area with no questions asked but some are very popular and will refuse any out of area. My school has already sent out their out of area acceptances so you need to hurry up and enrol because the longer you leave it the harder it is to get in.
If you need any advice please ask as I am a teacher in the NSW state system.

Hi MrsMac :)

Thank you for your reply.

I visited the school morning, and had a quick talk with the principal too. He said that they won't know what their places for out of area applications until next year. My reasons are mainly for the fact that as a school they have lots of extra curricular activities and a healthy attitude to education and learning, it is not limited to just academics.

Another school that is in my area (I'm not in the catchment for it though) outright refused to take him at all.

Thats a pain, with not knowing until next year, how are you supposed to get organised?? It must be either really popular or disorganised LOL.
I know some schools who do flat out refuse as they fill up with in area children.
It will be much harder to get in just for extra curricular and their attitude as they are not things that carry much weight with the dept. (i have got my daughter into out out of area high school so I know the system well!)
Out of curiosity are you in Sydney??

I know :( Its like I'm stuck until I know what they are doing - they are quite popular and yes I'm in Sydney.

I know that they may not get much weight but I grew up very close to that area and live very closely to it. My biggest reasoning is that my daughter is ill and needs my extra care and I don't feel that the school within our immediate vicinity will serve our purpose at all :(

If you have medical back up to support that it would help, did you explain all that to the principal??
Which part of Sydney?

I absolutely do, we have been in and out of hospital for months so there will be no issues there - we're in the Western suburbs. And yes I did explain it - he didn't lean towards any particular direction though but was a perfect gentleman. The lady at the office gave me their school policy and for the school, having a sibling already and then a medical issue was their first two reasons for accepting children out of area.

Having said that, the medical issue isn't with my son as such (he has a learning difficulty but not a major one and is currently being assessed)but my daughter and it has made us reassess our priorities and as such to give our son the best chance possible. Pretty much the school's vision is right in line with what we've set up as our children's foundation...what's right for one parent, isn't necessarily right for another though is it!