Aaarggh the high school debate!

DD1 is in Year 5. Here in WA primary school is finished at the end of Year 6 and you subsequently start high school in Year 7.

To get into a private high school you traditionally have your interview process term 1 Year 5 - so now. Public high school I am not sure about.

DD has been to one interview yesterday and has another one in a fortnights time. The whole choosing a high school business is doing my head in and I am so confused so am after some advice.

Option 1 - Catholic girls only high school. Great facilities. Love the school and the support and education it offers. One of the top schools in Perth re tertiary entrance scores. None of her friends will be attending.

Option 2 - Catholic co-ed high school. Again great facilities. A larger school with good results and support/education. A number of her friends will be attending.

Option 1 is more expensive pa by around $2k but that isn't too much of a factor. DD is a very sociable child so should make friends easily but would it be better to have the transition factor with some friends from her primary school?

I actually love Option 1 and that is my first preference if DD was my only child BUT the big thing that keeps playing in my head is would it be nice for the kids to go to school together?

My sister is 13 years younger then me so we never attended school together. DH says it actually doesn't matter re siblings and that once at school you pretty much ignore each other all day. So in his eyes he thinks I am silly to think about it.

Logistically it would be harder at the single sex schools and it would be easier at the co-ed. For at least 1 year we would have all 3 together.

Thoughts??

Kids generally make their own way to school in high school.

Thus I would go the single sex option with better marks.

I knew nobody at my high school when I started and it was fine.

It sounds to me as though you're already leaning towards Option 2. The only negative thing you've said about it is that it's not Option 1.

I went to an all-girl Catholic school (had to follow what my sister had chosen). I initially loathed it (for no other reason than all my primary school friends were going to the local Catholic Co-ed, which looking back now, I'm very thankful I didn't go to :o ). Anyway by year 8 I had formed firm friendships and some of my best times were had at my school! I knew no one when I started in Year 7 but didn't take long to make friends :)

eta: 20 years on and I'm still bff with my bestie from Year 8 :D

Are you country? Will your kids be boarding, or are you city?

My DD is in year 7 this year & I'm only just trying to decide, but I'm country, so have to send my baby away. We are both prepared for it, but that's why so many of us are trying to keep our year 7's in primary school...

Anyway, I looked at schools in Perth. But I've decided that's too far for us. I looked into an all girls school & I loved the idea for DD. I was thinking about her alone though. And the next sibling is a girl also. Its DS who'd be stuck alone if I were to have gone that way.

I've decided now one of 2 public school with boarding hostels 2 & 3 hours away, or the Anglican high school down in Esperance. All co-ed.

DD also doesn't want to leave her friends, but every child here gets sent away, to different schools all over the south of the state. They all do well at their chosen schools & make plenty of new friends, while keeping all their friends from home very close as well.

Its a tough decision, but I'd do it based on your DD & where she'd be best. If she has an outgoing personality & makes friends easy, then she'd be ok without her friends. But if she's more reserved, she might be better off sticking with her friends..

What does your DD think?

I got to ultimately choose my high school and I went to one where I knew nobody. It didn't worry me. In the end, my friend decided that she wanted to come to the same school but by the end of year 7, we didn't hang out together anyway. I didn't go to the same primary school as my brother, we did go to the same high school and it was awful. He annoyed the heck out of me and teachers compared us. I was more studious than he was - it would have been better for him had he been sent to a school away from me.

If you love option one and your daughter likes the school, then personally I'd go for that.

My kids are/will attend a high school with none of their friends. We chose an Agricultural boarding high school for our kids and they won't have any of their friends attending there. Also, because of the nature of the school, though they will be there together, they will really have limited time where they actually spend time together anyway and only if they choose to hang out with each other. I don't think having kids attend the same school is a deal breaker for that reason, but in terms of logistics it might make a difference if that makes sense? You've got 3 kids and you could possibly have them at 3 different schools. It can be hard to keep up with everything the schools have going on - we find it hard at times and one of them is a boarding school so it's not like we're even able to be there everyday. But what it comes down to is picking the best school for your child. If that means that they will not be there together or all be at the same school, then that's just the way it has to be. I'm guessing it's not a boarding school? And if that's the case, then it might be better for them in terms of their relationship with each other if they aren't at the same school/there together because it gives them a break from each other and they don't take their siblings for granted, if that makes sense?

if you go option 1, where will you send ds?

Hi. I forgot about this thread.

Ginger - thats an interesting question. If option 1 possibly the local Catholic boys school.

In the last week things have now changed somewhat and it may end up all being irrelevant where we send her and whether siblings will attend.

DS is a "gifted child". This is not a parental opinion it is based on tests etc. In the past week we have been discussing his situation with the teachers and at this stage if he continues along this path, they are recommending that he apply for a couple of specialist public highschools that specifically deal with gifted and talented children.

It is all such a hard choice to make. We have our interview tomorrow with the co-ed Catholic school.

Thanks for all the opinions, its great to hear other people's perspectives.