Secondary Schools in Outer Eastern Melbourne - the Good, the Bad, the Ugly

DD is in grade 5 and is due to start secondary school in 2015 :o (how the hell did that happen?!)

Enrolment preferences for public schools need to be in by mid-May next year. The private schools are earlier.

We have a few schools in mind but are still investigating. I know it's a stretch given most on this site have younger children, but i was wondering if there is anyone out there with some feedback about secondary schools in this area - both public and private - both good and bad.

I feel like this is such a huge decision and I don't want to get it wrong.

Many thanks in advance :)

My DD is the same age. I'm considering Yarra Hills in Mt Evelyn (not sure if you're out that far). So far, I like that it's on the smaller size (because she's currently at a school with 60ish kids) but also that it's part of a bigger school with many more opportunities than she'd get from the school closer to where we live.

I'd rather not send her to the same school DS and DD1 go to.

Thanks Tinks. I am not far from Mt Evelyn.

We are also going through this and it does seem like a huge decision. I have heard good things about Luther college in Croydon. We are east but a bit closer to the city so I am not too familiar with schools in that area. Sorry.

If private is an option I have heard good things about yarra valley grammar - I can find out more about the local state ones and maybe some of the private ones, by asking colleagues if you would like??

NTL make sure you check out Billanook College in Mooroolbark. My brother and I went there and it was a fab school that's now got even better.

Hello to a fellow billanookian! What year did you finish?

Monbulk Secondary is a school parents from Belgrave and Upwey often send their kids to, instead of Upwey High, and it has a great vocational program, from what I understand. Upwey High is hit and miss. If you have assertive kids who keep focussed and out of popular groups it can be a great school, otherwise it has kids who can lead your kids up the garden path before you know it. The fire brigade attended lots of trees and classrooms on fire there, in my time!
Mater Christi (the twistie) is a good place to send your girl if you want her to come home preggers. Nah - whilst I'm only half-joking, I've met alumni who DIDN'T have babies at 17yo and have done rather nicely for themselves ;)
Isn't Tintern out that way a bit? GREAT school, going by my friends who went there and one who has got her girl there on scholarship.

Myturn, that would be great. Yarra Valley Grammar is a good school but works out around $25-30k a year. I would need to go back to working fulltime and I'm not sure that would be a good thing for her???

Billanook is a maybe. I need to look in to it more. At about $20k a year, it is closer to my budget than YVG.

Looking at the Melbourne Rudolf Steiner School at the moment. Anyone had any experience??

Eta - I looked at the Tintern website a couple of years ago and the thing that struck me the most was the complete absence of any mention of social service or community awareness/compassion, etc. It really disappointed (and alarmed) me. Also, their recent years' VCE results are really poor :/

Weare at the base of the mountain so Monbulk/Upwey is too far away. Thanks anyway.

The state schools I am looking at are Ringwood (out of our zone dammit) and Lilydale (although way too big for my liking).

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We are also going through this and it does seem like a huge decision. I have heard good things about Luther college in Croydon. We are east but a bit closer to the city so I am not too familiar with schools in that area. Sorry.

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Ive missed the enrolment cutoff for Luther :/

Have you looked at lilydale heights?

Also MECS if that's your thing?

Re the cutoff - I got a serious shock when I found out many private/catholic schools won't even look at you if you have not applied by july of when they are in grade 5. I know there are waiting lists for many schools but it must be getting even harder to get in. I dont understand it considering the $$$ involved.
FWIW I decided it was better to work part time, go to a "cheaper" school and be able to supervise after school rather than work full time to send her to a more expensive school.
Steiner school looks great.

Upwey was the 'bad' and 'ugly' from your thread title ;)
I was keen to move to our farm before DS had to start his education, so that he could avoid the Upwey influence all together!
Monbulk is a big ole bus ride away from Upwey if not driving (and still about 15-20 mins drive), and probably about 10 mins from Mt Evelyn (the roundabout at the top, anyway), just to illustrate the lengths some parents go to for their kids not to go to Upwey.
Now that you mention it, my friend who went to Tintern is a raging Liberal party supporter and joined the Young Libs at uni...there could be something of a connection between your observation and her leanings! Only half-joking ;)
Another vote for Billanook - kids I knew who went there loved it.

We live near lilydale heights and I've heard mixed reports about it. Our neighbors kids chose lilydale over lilydale heights as it has better VCE results and more extracurricular opportunities apparently.

What about Oxley? My cousins children go there and they love it.

Thank goodness I have years before I have to make this decision because I have no idea where to send my kids!

We grew up in Upwey and my sister and I started at Tintern. My sister stayed but I moved to Billanook because the school suited me much more. I finished year 12 in 1991. Tintern is a very old school and from what I remember it was very conservative. Billanook is a much younger and more contemporary school and I remember feeling like the teachers didn't just teach, they actually cared.

I posted in your other thread, I'll say good for Steiner school at Warranwood. :)

My other niece went to Billanook ( sister to the mrss one!) didn't do super well in VCE but that had more to do with application than school but she loved it! I went to Luther, I loved it but that was ahemmmm 20 years ago (WTF) pity you missed enrollment, might still be worth checking out and being on a wait list, really was a great school. Cheaper than BC too. Oxley is quite religious but meant to be nurturing and wonderful.

Apparently YVG dropped their fees recently so they are the cheapest, Luther is the most exxy of them all.

YVG is $19k for year 7
Luther is $12
Billanook is $15k
Oxley about $10k

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YVG is $19k for year 7
Luther is $12
Billanook is $15k
Oxley about $10k

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That's just for tuition...the extras are another 5k or more (uniforms, books, pcs/iPads, camps, instrument and lessons. The extras really add up.

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That's just for tuition...the extras are another 5k or more (uniforms, books, pcs/iPads, camps, instrument and lessons. The extras really add up.

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For Luther and Oxley the books and class materials and some camps are included in tuition fees. But yes, music lessons and uniforms are extra and I think some VCE units like outdoor education are extra too.
I thought YVG was still the most exxy of them all.

I have serious issues with Oxley, though my experience with them only pertains to several kids who have been in primary levels - happy to elaborate via PM if you want tot know more.

My neighbours 3 kids are at YVG and they're thrilled with it. Broke, but thrilled! I only really know their eldest (14 yo) to talk to and he's an absolute credit to his parents and the school. Lovely, honest, mature, intelligent kid and apparently thriving with all YVG has to offer him.

Honestly, Oxley is very unlikely as they seem Pentecostal - which is not my thing.

Have you looked ino box hill high?

No, I haven't. I know it used to be okay. Is it still good?

I believe so, it's a selective school

If you go fully selective, then check when the application dates are - you don't want to miss out on them. for NSW, the application dates for yr 5's starting yr 7 in 2015 are open this tuesday. Worst thing about selective schools is that they have to sit a series of exams for it

Trill...I meant to answer your earlier post but I clean forgot ( went out). Will respond ASAP.

Are you sure Luther wouldn't accept a late entry?

Dd is going to box hill high as we only live 5 minutes away. It has a good reputation. Selective entry program is meant to be great. I am not sure what the standard is for getting into selective entry. If you are near the train it is a good option.