Bexie

Hi! I teach in a private school and all 3 of my kids go there. For me it is cheaper to pay fees than child-minding. My eldest left at 13 and went back into the state system. I teach in a lovely co-ed prep school, there is no snobbery, just small class sizes and a loely atmosphere. The school in the catcchment area for us, is not an option. It has failed OFSTED. For me and my OH, who were both educated in the state system, it was not a case of private v state, but more a case of which environment is better for our childrens' education. I won't be able to make a judgement about Oz schools, until I've experienced them at first hand. Having taught in both state and private, I can say that small class sizes definitely benefit the child. FACT!

JaneandJim

That was one of our reasons for going private in the UK but, unfortunately, the school kept putting its fees up until when we left, we were paying £10k per year. It wasn't quite so affordable then. Hopefully that won't happen here. And there are no extra fees at my boys school. Camps, external tests etc. are all included. My friends boy goes to another school and she was charged for the sticking plaster they put on his leg when he fell over. Something else to consider when comparing fees.

Jane

annqldau

Church schools do tend to be a little more regimental I think which for a child who wants to learn tends to be a good thing.

Take a zero off and you have a more realistic price and for my sons school it gets cheaper for every child you send there so it is only child people who are being ripped off.

Was about to mention that to you but see you found it... we pass it to go to another local school which has good rep but scored lower this year but have heard Genesis is a bit more pushier on the Christian ethos which I'm not bothered about being pushed, quite happy with my choice and he's settled now so not changing will have to stick it out at the other one. Have you notice they have a sheep in there grounds all the Dayboro kids must go there one probably rode it down?

The christian school we use didn't push the is he confirmed, which he isn't, but they do run church services, as did his previous school, he's supossed to attend so many church sessions a year to get all the brownie points.

My son's heard it all and still says 'Nah! don't think he exists' so I'm not to worried about it and the American Inteligent Design doesn't seem to have caught on here as much probably because we have the sense not to believe such rubbish.

Think they went to British Public (private) schools which were famous for such stuff.

dottyspots

One of the local academies teaches 'intelligent design' it was on telly a few months ago (the City Academy in Doncaster).

I do rather like the uniforms of the local private school here (boys in caps and little girls in pretty check dresses with matching hats - but that's not really a reason to send them there )

We're planning to home-ed, although the eldest two will likely want to go to school (as they have chosen to recently here, having been home-edded for the past few years).

I'm not anti-school, but I prefer the flexibility that home-ed offers and it certainly stood my eldest two in good stead as they are now excelling at the local schools (although my eldest, who is dx. Aspergers has a few difficulties on the social front, but then senior school is a bit of a social minefield).

I've looked at HE options in Australia and there are some good networks of support over there (although the requirements vary from state-to-state, as schools do).

So our plan is to HE atleast initially and then see whether our youngest two would like to try school in a few years time.

Private school fees are rather out of our league , although I have attended private school for a short period as a child (I lived in Belguim for years so attended the British school there).

GaryKristensen

What have long things that stick out into the sea got anything to do with it?

I think I have said that we would give state schools a chance and consider what is best for our children, but we do lean towards the private schooling having experienced it in the UK to some satisafction.

And just to disarm the natives, I am a Northern Monkey from a broken home, brought up on a council estate consisting of overspill families from the rougher areas of Glasgow, Edinburgh, Skelmersdale and Manchester and comprehensive school trained. Thereafter I am self educated. Same goes for the better half. We are not well off, though we are comfortable enough to have a reasonable lifestyle. We only own a "T" reg peugeout 406 estate with 140k miles on it, don't drink and don't smoke as we cycle competitively. We have some savings and will have some equity from a property sale and pension gratuity before going to Aus, but that will total less than 6 figures all in.

Of course it is whatever is best for the child, backed and guided by the parents, but if you are not even willing to consider private for whatever reason (thinking it is snobby or it is too expensive before investigating properly, etc) then you are limiting the options for your child.

Anyway, I'm glad it has stirred up some debate and brought out some good facts about the private and state schools in Aus, as well as hearing from people who teach in one or both areas. I'm also glad it has reinforced us to think long and hard about what schooling to put our kids in when we get out there.

Good luck to all whatever you decide, I truly hope each and every child is given a fantastic home and school life no matter which option is chosen for them.

Jensen Healey

Hear, hear. I suspect that some of the slightly negative responses you've had are due to the difficulties of emailing as opposed to the spoken word - it's far too easy to take things the wrong way in an email.

One of our big worries is how/where to educate our 2 girls (5 and 8) when we get there. Sadly, I don't think there's a simple answer.

louise4

[quote=GaryKristensen;4660040]

Of course it is whatever is best for the child, backed and guided by the parents, but if you are not even willing to consider private for whatever reason (thinking it is snobby or it is too expensive before investigating properly, etc) then you are limiting the options for your child.
quote]


It's not that i am not willing to consider it, i personally just don't think that it is needed for MY kids at the moment.

i would never limit my child to anything. if they had a particular talent or we wanted them taught in a particular faith then things may change.

what prompted my response was the way in which you expressed your views regarding public schools and parents failing children if they didn't send them to private.

each of us are entitled to bring our children up which ever way we think is right. if you think that private is the best way. so be it. i just think that maybe you could have been a bit more tactful in telling others your views on public schooling, as it is, the higher proportion of kids will go to public school so you are in fact telling an awful lot of parents they are failing.

oh by the way, i spell checked it this time

rabsody

I never had the desire to send my kids to public schools (fee paying) until we got to Brisbane. It still operates very much on the "old boys" system here where the school you went to can impact heavily in your success in this town. Effectively you are paying for your child's future network not the education.

The Courier Mail (that bastion of truth) recently reported that the public schools are being outperformed by the good state schools in Brisbane, despite the cost of $12k per year fees, plus uniform, clubs, camps, laptops (complusory per child in some public schools) etc; so basically double the actual fees. Alas, there are no recycling of uniforms at the schools I am acquainted with I'm afraid - they have you over a barrel! $300 for a school blazer I ask you

An English teacher friend of mine resolutely refuses to send her kids to fee paying schools here in Bris. She taught in the public school system and she came to the conclusion the only difference was that the public school kids could afford better drugs!!!

Having said all of the above, I would never say never ......

GaryKristensen

We thought long and hard before going down the route of private education, especially as I am a primary school teacher and have always worked in the state system. I am not knocking this at all as many of my classes were fantastic. Our son was very ill for the first 18 months of his life and at times we thought we may lose him so his welfare was so important to us. He eventually went with a childminder and had such a bad time we had to get social services involved.
He started at a prep school last Sept and it was the best thing we ever did. They were fantastic, due to his medical problems which are now almost gone he developed a real fear of solid food and for the last six months they have worked very hard with the school chef to overcome this with us and he is now eating 90% of solid food. I know that a state school would not have the time or staff to develop and work like this. We have also discovered he is very intelligent and is working alongside 5 year olds, again from my own experiences state schools more often than not can not afford to give so much one on one time. It is a FACT that private education offers much smaller classes, therefore allowing that extra attention to all children.
I will never forget one incident where at the end of a school day I realised I had not spoken to one child all day as he was so quiet and I was ashamed that others had taken all of my attention (not for the best reasons), so I now make a point of chatting with each child everyday, but I wish it was not like that.

So our reasons for the private route is not so that I can keep him in his itchy uniform all day or boast about the amount of work he has to do, it is then I feel that I am giving him everything I never had and he can achieve the best that he can and do what in the end makes him happy.

I know my husbands posts rile some people, but that is the way he is, he means no harm, but black is black!!

I truly hope no one is offended by our posts as they are not meant that way at all.

Kat (the sensible half!)

louise4

no offence taken Kat,

it just get's that way on here sometimes, people speek in different ways and come accross different on the computer. It is especially noticable when something is very important to that person.

Glad to hear littlun is doing so well. sounds like a little fighter.

Louise

midwifetanya

Hiya,


Tha Grammar Schools in Central Brisbane are around that price...we chose private school just because of the extra opportunities the school offered.
Tanya

midwifetanya

'the cost of $12k per year fees, plus uniform, clubs, camps, laptops (complusory per child in some public schools) etc; so basically double the actual fees.'


Tell me about it...the stated fees are just the beginning!!!:curse:

OzTennis

Just to pick out a few points you make:

There is still little evidence that smaller class sizes actually improve results - making exams easier and pass marks lower then relating this to smaller class sizes is what politicians in government delude themself with so they can say the extra funding they put in place for smaller class sizes is working. The educational research jury is still out on the hard evidence to support this belief. I'm talking about the difference between say 28 in a class and 24 in a class, not 15 compared to 30.

One to one isn't necessarily the only way or indeed the best way to learn.

I don't buy the better discipline structure line. Most Government schools have good structures and policies in place, it's dealing with the issues that arise on a day to day basis which is the problem Fewer disciplinary problems in private schools I would grant you because the professional and monied parents pay after all to remove their children from the riff-raff of the working classes and the council estates. (tongue in cheek) If you think drug dealing, bullying, misbehaviour and so on doesn't go on in private schools then dream on. You just get a 'better class of idiot' at these schools.

More teachers per pupil population - see above on smaller class sizes. More teachers may allow choir master, house master, music instructor or PE teacher to get closer to younger same sex pupils if you get my drift? This is an issue which is swept under the carpet in religious private schools in particular. Another point I would make is that many private schools are same sex. Is it better to be brought up with pupils of the opposite sex from a personal development point of view?

More able to expel pupils? UK government schools are under pressure with the vogue of recent years towards inclusion (i.e. reduce crime by not having the miscreants on the streets, put the onus on teachers not government or parents to discipline trouble makers). However, there are signs that a move back towards exclusion is imminent. I know that parents use the 'I'm paying good money for my child to be educated here' line to avoid exclusion in private schools. They also don't want any adverse publicity eg Wesley College in Perth last week - drug dealers on campus, police not informed by the school (but eventually by parents who got the information out of their children).

Teachers get a lot more time for administration in government schools (can only speak for Scotland). Non-contact class time has been introduced for primary teachers (half a day) and more time for secondary teachers (minimum non-contact time increased by effectively 2 55 min periods per week). An obession with league tables and government targets has increased the administrative burden in teaching. Private schools it could be argued are more obsessed with league tables because their number of pupils depends a lot on their results.

One could also raise issues about how private schools perpetuate rather than reduce class differences - success is still largely down to breeding rather than ability. Not as bad as it used to be in the UK, never was as bad in Australia (more affordable private schools and more egalitarian society).

I would just ask - is the extra you get from a private school compared to a government school worth the UK average annual income (or more in some cases)?

There, that's enough to set the ball rolling.

OzTennis

GaryKristensen

I'm only speaking from the experiences we have had thus far of state versus private schools down South. Scotland may be another issue and I can't comment on that area, but I'm sure my wife will qualify some of my points as she is the teacher that takes the flack at the end of the day and I put them down as they are issues we often discuss about her job and conditions at work. I only teach military students, so much of the above is irrelevant to them as they do as they are told or get kicked out!!!

And to answer your last question, at this time, for us and our little man, Yes, unequivocally.

OzTennis

'Fair enough'. I personally question, as I said, UK average income for one child's schooling as being worth the difference between say a good government school and a good private school (a person who is able to send their child/children to private school is hardly likely to not be living close to a decent government school and will hardly face the choice between a 'Brixton or Toxteth secondary' and a private school). It's a personal thing though obviously.

OzTennis