Coppock

Hi everyone,
looks like we're possibly set for getting the good old visa next year (finally)...
we're pretty set on the gold coast after getting married there.
I'm going to have to get an office set up in Brisbane, so I was thinking of initially renting a house in or around Robina for the train routes (unless anyone has a better suggestion!)

The question I have is the "schools" one, I have two daughters and the eldest will be 4 in October. If we go next summer when is she likely to start school and does anyone have any recommendations. I'm interested in public or private... she goes to a public CoE school at the moment - we're not religious it's just a nice small school. She's really bright and I'd definitely budget for her education as a priority - so it's really a question of what schools anyone would recommend... I've tried looking on some websites but they all look pretty darn awful sites and I can't find any information that seems to answer any of my questions!

She's very creative, enjoying music, art, dance, swimming and tennis. I'd love a school that would offer swimming lessons and bodyboarding etc!

Thanks everyone!
Jen

NedKelly

I think you need to decide whether you want your daughter to go to a single sex or mixed school first. If single sex then St. Hildas in Southport has a good reputation.

Do you really want to commute for an hour and a half to get to Brisbane?

Coppock

Surely it's quicker than an hour and a half by train?
How is the public transport there?
I'll be working for myself so a commute isn't too bad a thing - and we'd probably be looking for an office just outside brisbane (but with a brisbane postcode), and there's no reason why i'd have to be in there everyday - so it's quite flexible...

School-wise... i'm not really bothered by same sex or mixed, I went to a mixed school, but the school we had decided on for her over here is a same-sex one (they push the arts and sports), so I'm open to options - i'll take a look at St Hildas thanks

Are there any catchment rules?
Thanks
Jen

moneypenny20

Personally I wouldn't send either of my girls there but it's a gut reaction and from hearing from one child who was deeply unhappy there but she was 10 when she started and left for Helensvale SHS when she was 14 and it's all down to the child and fitting into the school which is completely individual.

I have no issues with any of the primary schools on the coast. They all have a great attitude and family feel (from what I've seen and heard anyway). I'd say sort out your suburb - if you guys are not happy with the suburb you live in because you chose it because of the primary school, it won't matter how much the children like the school, you will all be miserable.

St Hilda's is the most expensive girls private school on the coast so there is no catchment area. If you can pay, and they like your child, you'll get a place.

Coppock

Hi, cheers for the advice...
how much are the schools approximately?

Sunbound

Hi Jen ,
We live in Mudgeeraba, which is on the Hinterland side of the M1 from Robina.
Firstly, the trains are good here, but if you go by train here i think its about an hour and a half into Brisbane CBD if memory serves, and i'll be honest i wouldn't want to drive that on a regular basis.
Primary schools in this area have a good reputation on the whole. What you need to think about is if you go for just a primary, you need to think ahead about which high school you will send your daughter to. Here state high schools are fairly strict about catchment areas. As for private schools, they don't have catchment areas, but do have long waiting lists. I think if your daughter is 4 in October she will start school in Jan 2012.(my son is 5 in October and starts Jan 2011)
We have chosen to go down the private route and both the schools we signed him up for start at prep and continue until he leaves school so there will be no moving about (hopefully) I did a great deal of research on schools before we arrived and signed him up within 10 days of arriving after visiting all of the schools on the short list.(We've been here nearly 2 years)He has been offered one place and were waiting to hear on the other.My advise would be to do your research now ( i know you are ) and possibly put your daughter on a couple of waitlists now(if you chose to go private)which costs between $50-$100. If you do decide to go private and wait till you get here to put here on the list there is a strong chance you will have missed the boat.
I know a large circle of mums who send their kids to various schools and along with my info i can let you know the ins and outs if you want to PM me?
Good luck Sunbound

neil248

Hi Jen

If your child is bright and wants to learn then Hillcrest Christian College in Reedy Creek has an ECHO programme for children of above average ability.
Fees in Primary are about $1100.00 a term although there are always a few extras to pay.

You may find that a state school is unable to cater for a bright child. Funds go to the disfunctional first, probably with little effect. We unfortunately had first hand experience of this with a whole school year completely disrupted and a head mistress either not interested or unable to sort things out.

It may not be PC but our daughters current class mates are in a different league to her previous state school. Private schools are able to dispose of pupils who ruin things for everyone else, State schools can not.

We came from just down the road to you in Shrewsbury and love the Gold Coast.

Nix and Mike

You should not write off the government education too quickly - especially for primary school. Our intentions are for a government primary education, and a private high school education. That way we can see where we will ultimately settle, and form our own opinion about which high school is the best. And our daughter (who is now in Grade 2) is receiving an EXCELLENT state education at present - cannot complain at all.
I have heard good things about Merrimac Primary, Varsity Lakes, Clover Hill Primary...... why not see them and make up your own mind?
Just my 2c!

Cheers
Nix

RenShen

"Funds go to the disfunctional first, probably with little effect." Could you supply us with the evidence of this please?

"Private schools are able to dispose of pupils who ruin things for everyone else" We are talking about kids here aren't we? Thought for a minute it was a line from a James Bond movie.

Back to the OP. I personally think that private fees for primary school are a waste of money. My youngest is at Helensvale State Primary School and its fine. My eldest started in year 10 at Helensvale State Secondary School and basically had a year of doing naff all as they didn't recognise that he was bright and did not cater to his needs in any way. We took him out and he is doing years 11 and 12 at Coomera Anglican College (private) which is much more like the Catholic grammar school he left in the UK. That said, I would not dismiss putting the youngest in Helensvale High School if he could get into excellence programmes and be channelled in the best way. Sadly, it was too late for the eldest as those programmes don't exist in year 10.

Its a serious consideration to put the youngest in the state high school then if we are not happy, give him years 11 and 12 at a private school.

neil248

[QUOTE=RenShen;8647894]"Funds go to the disfunctional first, probably with little effect." Could you supply us with the evidence of this please?

"Private schools are able to dispose of pupils who ruin things for everyone else" We are talking about kids here aren't we? Thought for a minute it was a line from a James Bond movie.

First hand experience is our evidence. Special needs covers both ends of the spectrum and we were told bluntly that the disruptive children and children with learning difficulties get funds first and the children who need more challenging work have to wait or get no help if the budget is used up. If you are happy for your child to sit through most of a lesson twiddling their thumbs while the rest of the class finish then no problem.

The child who caused so much grief for my daughters teacher and classmates seemed to have very serious problems and was also dangerous as he was more or less as big as the female teacher and he knew he was untouchable. If it was your child who was affected you would not make flippant comments about James Bond. We were unlucky as there were other bad boys in the class but the teacher and pupils were badly let down by the school management probably because their hands were tied by the system.

Your own post implies that your childs state school was basically a childminding facility and like us you made a choice in your childs best interest and moved him or her to a more appropriate school that is able to cater for their needs in a way that the state school either could not or would not.

I think the main thing here is that if you want to pay the fees you do have a choice in Australia which is not available to ordinary people in the UK.

State schooling is luck of the draw and many kids will get through fine with their particular needs met with no problems and if they are lucky they will have great classmates.

NedKelly

The way I see it, if you are interested in your child's future and can afford to send your child to a private school then you should. In life, it is not what you know but who you know. Your child will grow up and become part of the old boys/girls network at a good private school which may be very useful if he/she is to have a professional career.

Coppock

Oooo it's a tough one.

I went to a public school and absolutely hated it, my parents and I never considered private school (they wouldn't have been able to afford it anyway)... but upon reflection I wonder if I had gone to a private school how much better my own education could have been...

Classes were always disrupted by the usual idiots, and there were always expulsion threats to them - but nothing was carried out. The best one was when I was in the final year, a girl in the year below attacked me, I knew about it beforehand and decided to accept the attack, not retaliate and take the matter up with the police. Sure enough - 20 minutes, a blackeye, chipped tooth, cuts and bruises later I reported it to the reception. The staff in the reception said "oh that was you..." - I couldn't believe that grown adults just sat there and watched! The deputy head had even been warned that it was going to happen, and nothing was done to protect me. The police gave the girl a restriction order, which she ignored and gave me abuse whilst I took her to court - the school did nothing to stop it... Guess that's why I secretly have given up with public schools for my girls.

I had decided on private school here (in shrewsbury!), a girls school called Adcote, we visited and it's lovely, my daughter was very impressed.

I still like the idea of private school, and although I don't mind going for a religeous one the ones i've looked at have all seemed a bit too eerrrr - overpoweringly religeous...

Thanks for everyones help,
I think cloverdale looks nice, I think it's going to take more research! It's difficult doing at the other side of the world, but hey - I'm always up for a challenge!

Jen

neil248

If you are still talking Gold Coast and by Cloverdale you mean Clover Hill then be very careful. Adcote Girls School it is not! and if you are in that league why even look at the State Schools, have a look at Somerset College which ironically is just across the road from Clover Hill and has fantastic facilities if you have the means to pay the fees.

Coppock

Lol, i've been full of cold and my head has clearly been all over the place!
It's been a long two weeks....

Yea - Clover Hill sorry, it kinda reminds me of a school I would have liked to have gone to from the website - however yea it's no Adcote!

Somerset looks really nice, prices are a bit "eek" but hey it's something to save for
I know she really needs to go to private school - she's just too darn clever and talented and i'll regret not sending her otherwise...

Are there any non-religious private schools?

Jen

moneypenny20

I don't think Somerset is religious but I think most private schools have a stronger religious teaching than most state schools even if they're not affiliated to a church.