school zoning?

We are staring to think about enrolling Archie in Primary school, but the 2 schools that we would be zoned to we really dont like. One is in a REALLy undesirable area and is filled with troublesome kids and parents, and the other is a really huge school, that seems to expand every year due to new developments in our area.

Who do i call to find out the exact zoning areas? Council, department of education????

Would send him to one of the Private schools but they are btoh religious, and we are not, so i don't feel comfortable with that either.

Hi Elissa,

As a starting point I would approach the schools that you like, even if they are out of your zone. Some government schools are not zoned, and others might have a quota of students outside their zone that they can accept. WE have a combination of zoned, unzoned and quotas in my area, and after speaking to some teachers I have been told to approach the school early, even if you can't enrol early, so that they know you are interested.

We are in the situation that the 'zoned' school in our area is not one I would send my son to. There is another almost the same distance that is not zoned, which is not too bad, but the govt school that I would like is in the next suburb, unzoned.

If it came down to it we would send DS to a private or religious school (I'm raised Catholic, DH is atheist) ahead of the local one we're zoned to.

hey rayray,
just wondering what primary school is in your zoned area. I used to be in altona(remember)but now live in werribee too and i feel the same way about most of the schools around here.Next year my son is in grade 5 and i have to start looking into secondary school-the one that i most like so far and is closest would be mackillop but i have also heard that bethany is going to be prep-12 from 2009. As well as considering caranballac in point cook unzoned co-ed prep-9 then 9-12. What feedback have you heard?
Pauline

Hi Pauline,
I went to MacKillop :) It was good when I went there.
we are zoned of glen devon on market road.

Havent heard that about Bethany but my cousins kids go there so I will ask if you like.
Heathdale is P-12, very zealous though, so if you are very religious this might be a good option.

Just thinking, we're actually moving next year so don't know where we are zoned to (Manor Lakes) as there are some schools being built in the estate.

Most of the feedback I've had is only for primary schools, the ones I've heard the bests things about (govt) are Woodville, Derrimut Heath and Cambridge.