worzel

We have a friend who teaches at Kinross SHS and he won't send his kids there.

Wanneroo actually does well in the league tables and is having a lot of money spent on it.

Kim67

What about the National Testing that takes place every year for children in years 3, 5, 7 and 9. Every parent receives a copy of their child's results and it tells you how they're doing compared to the national average. They were previously state based, but are now national.

http://www.naplan.edu.au/

janeyrich

EXCELLENT!!!!

northernbird

Up until this year it wasn't national testing just state based and I don't believe the states talked to one another. This year NAPLAN came into force but I will reserve judgement on its validity until the results come out.

NKSK version 2

Not only that but it already seems as though Gillard is caving in to the states - results will be delayed and won't be as explicit and as much in the public domain as first desired by the Rudd govt. In otherwords the states have yet again removed any chance that parents may have had of school comparability and accountability.

NKSK version 2

Worzel - which particular data shows Wanneroo as doing well?

The set which I think is most indicative shows Wanneroo in an appalling light.

Just 7.6% of its Y12 students get the equivalent marks to the top third in the state. (Yet 61.5% of its kids are in the bottom third of the state)

On statistics alone your child has a pretty abysmal chance of achieving success at Y12 at this school.

worzel

There was an article in the paper a few months back listing the top 20% in WA and Wanneroo was in there. Our MLA, Dianne Guise, has also told me it has good results.

NKSK version 2

Well, she's a politician - she's pretty much guaranteed to be clueless.

She really needs to substantiate what she thinks. Certainly the data that I can see on the curriculum council website undermines her completely.

NKSK version 2

The only entry that I can find for Wanneroo in any of the "Top 20" or "Top 50" lists for 2007 is that the one for graduating students. In other words those kids who actually completed the basic level of education.

It doesn't appear in the top 20 or 50 for WSA results (wholly school assessed - non-TEE (usually for lower ability kids)), for TEE results or even for VET results (vocational results).

You're a pretty aware sort of guy and this is what makes me so cross about the education system in WA and possibly Australia. If you are of the opinion that Wanneroo is a good school when none of the avaliable data supports this, how conned are the rest of the public going to be who don't take an interest?

The whole thing is a complete con. I'm telling you - you need to have your eyes wide open as a parent in WA. If you arrive as a new migrant expecting the state to take care of your child's education you are likely to really let them down. You need to be actively involved like you'd never believe.

worzel

I am not naïve, just trying to convince myself it will be alright. I cannot fault the standard of primary school care here – okay they are behind the UK in some subjects time-wise but there is more focus on building rounded individuals than robots who can recite stuff and I really like that.

But the high schools are another matter by most opinions. Against my principles we tried to get M into the local private school but it is a very good / popular one and not being churchgoers never stood a chance as we weren’t in Perth to register her before she was conceived. There are other private schools but they often attract negative comments for religious teaching bordering on the wacky (Waco?).

We are discussing moving in 12-18 months time to get in the catchment for a better school than Wanneroo SHS. Woodvale was top of our list but it is sports-focused and M is not at all sporty. It also seems to be getting increasingly negative comments. Kinross never gets a good rap. Ocean Reef has as many negative as positive reports but always to one extreme or the other.

So I can’t help wondering if Wanneroo is not such a bad option after all. It specialises in the arts which my daughter loves and is having a shed load of money spent on it. I am sure a lot of its bad reputation is based on history (even suburbs like ours gets called Hicksville because 10 years ago they were in the middle of nowhere failing to recognise the massive changes in that time). Wanneroo suburb has its fair share of trouble but catchment for the school now comes from areas like Carramar, Tapping etc which are full of cashed up and, hopefully, well-intentioned, poms.

I remind myself that while the education in the UK may be better my daughter is less likely to get bullied, happy-slapped, or stabbed here.

I do not assume my daughter has to get top marks at school, go to Uni and be a professional at something. She is just as likely to take a vocation / trade for which being the top of the class swot is not a pre-requisite.

I went to the local comprehensive and it was a very poor one for results but I got AAB for A levels so a lot of it is down to the individual.

For all the above reasons, I am not that worried.

NKSK version 2

Very good points. Ultimately it does come down to what you personally feel is best for your particular child.

For me, school is primarily about getting the best academic results. Everything else is secondary - be it sport, whole personness, etc. So for me, I focus purely on academic result data as this gives the best indication of what type of kids are attending the school in question.

Which brings me back to thie ssue in hand - that is, for me, none of the schools that you've mentioned are worth a look at. If I was in your position I'd take the plunge and move to the catchment of a really good school - Shenton, Churchlands, Rossmoyne etc BUT again this is if I was in your position as me and with my children! (if that makes sense)

I still think that classing Wanneroo as a top 20 school is really stretching credulity.

Kim67

I agree with you in only one respect, that's that I too would move to the catchment of a really good state school, or send them to a private school. However, I agree with Worzel that academic achievement is not the be all and end all - not every child is going to be an academic. In saying that you would rule out choices on anything other than academic results - sporting etc does not rate for you - does that mean that if your child was a brilliant sports person you wouldn't send them to the AIS or was a fantastic ballerina, you wouldn't send them to the Australian Ballet School?

All kids have different interests and talents and it's up to parents to recognise these and send them to a school that's appropriate for their needs and desires.

worzel

Being good academically did me no harm at all, so I take your point. but trying to push someone who is not in that direction is probably worse IMHO.

It is a shame none of those good schools are up in this part of Perth.

I will take your comments about Wanneroo on board and investigate some more. I meant to write top 20% BTW, not top 20 outright.

Samuel Spaniel

[QUOTE=NKSK version 2;6550768]

Which brings me back to thie ssue in hand - that is, for me, none of the schools that you've mentioned are worth a look at. If I was in your position I'd take the plunge and move to the catchment of a really good school - Shenton, Churchlands, Rossmoyne etc BUT again this is if I was in your position as me and with my children! (if that makes sense)

QUOTE]


That’s all very well, but when you cant buy a house in any of these areas for under $900K (I know I’ve checked), you have to look at what is on offer and make the best choices for your kids.

melbournegirl

Here is an interesting article from The Age Newspaper entitled "Are we teaching children or fattening pigs?" regarding methods of teaching in the U.K. and U.S.A.

http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/wer...0511-2d1k.html