coolerkingcooler

If anyone has the time, I'd like views on what they have found in the area they live. We have a few young children so primary and high school are relevant.

Not sure on where we may move to yet, but Adelaide is a possibility.

Assuming anyone replies, could I ask that we have no slanging matches please - I must be going soft

Cheers,
Cooler

Hutch

All I'd say is that peoples experiences of the education system here are mixed. This is partly because the individual states are in charge of education, not the federal government, so there is not one national curriculum as in the UK and a wide quality spread.

I live in NSW and all I can tell you is that my son is at an excellent primary school. We live semi-rural, two hours south of Sydney - maybe that helps. All I know is that there are a couple of schools round here that parents want to get their kids into - just like in the UK really. Unfortunately, unless you have someone with a similar outlook to you, similar views on education and first-hand experience of a school - you won't really know until you send your child there.

Let me expand slightly on the above. Over here the primary schools are far more focused on producing well-rounded kids who are as capable of getting along with each other as they are in understanding the basic building blocks of education (reading, writing, maths, artistic expression). Some parents from the UK, who are used to the hot-house atmosphere in many British primary schools, think that the kids aren't 'learning' enough. They do learn plenty here, but it's balanced with a lot of focus on the social side of life, including respect for each other and even things like public speaking. We love it, our son loves it - but every parent's outlook is different and you may not.

coolerkingcooler

Thanks Hutch.

I have been concerned with the content of many posts that seem to imply that that Oz eduction is of a lower quality than the UK. I'm sure many others could concur with your experience. I am a big believer in a more holistic approach which the UK has moved away from - sadly.

Thanks for your balanced reply.

You are the first to reply so your prize is a joke

Q: Why did the chewing gum cross the road?

The Cooler King


A: Cos it was stuck to the chicken

The Clarkeys

Can't comment about what the system is like over there but have heard it is a lot more laid back, but is beginning to head towards what it is like here. Personally as a teacher myself, i think we have it all wrong here - test test test. the stress this puts children under is ridiculous and i only teach primary!
our children is the main reason why we are emigrating as feel there isn't a lot going for them here and the quality of life, hopefully, will be better.

Vash the Stampede

Having spoken to a fair few British expats in my time, I have come to learn that a certain type of Pom will say this about every country they move to - not just Australia (I've heard it said about Canada and the US, to name just two places). So take these comments with a pinch of salt, and draw your own conclusions.

Hutch is dead on: experiences will vary a lot, due to different state systems and curricula. Most states do not have an equivalent of league tables, and there is no equivalent of Ofsted. This can make it difficult to assess the quality of schools in your area.

Word of mouth from local residents is usually the best way.

DadAgain

Obviously schools vary - but if you're into non-anecdotal quantified comparitive research a recent study of OECD country educational standards had Australia ranked higher than UK across the board (search threads on this forum someone posted a link.....).

I'd agree with Vash - dont pay too much attention to the nay-sayers!

quoll

It is difficult to do a relative comparison because children in UK start a year earlier and actually have one more year in a school environment. Many kids then do only a three year degree which leads them to a "pass" degree rather than an honours which is a course work/thesis fourth year. So by the end of their honours year they have been in education for as long as a UK honours graduate.

Education is a real issue - we dont even have a national entry age or school leaving age. Each state has its own curriculum - except in ACT individual schools are given the responsibility of developing their own curriculum. We have no standard approach to literacy learning or to handwriting which is incredibly frustrating to kids moving across a state border. As many of our schools were built in the 70s they have been built according to the prevailing pedagogy of team teaching and group learning which means you have quite a few schools in newer areas which are open space - effectively having 120 kids in a large space with 4 teachers (or more kids with more teachers). I think that idea has just about bitten the dust but it isnt an environment that suits all kids. Older areas will have school buildings that are more established and traditional of course.

As a nation we have a thriving independent system - especially the Catholic system and trends are showing a slow but steady drain away from government schools for whatever reasons - parents are voting with their feet in increasing numbers and I dont think it is for their kids' religious education that they are going.

Of course we turn out reasonably well educated kids - I dont know that they are really any more cultured, confident or well rounded than UK kids but they arent disadvantaged in comparison at the end of the day.

ROSEBABE

hi, where abouts r u living? we use to live 2 hours south of sydney, NOWRA. we came home to the uk in 1998 but are returning to oz hopefully this year when we sell the house. we are going to the north coast, we also lived up there b4. we r staying in nsw. can you give me any more information on the schools. i have a 9 & 8 yr old. they r in a church school at the moment but we will put them in a state school out there. any information like:- whats the timetables like? is there lots of sport in it? are they good with the one 2 one with any children's who reading is behind? read on here somewhere that the one 2 one doesnt happen alot out there. were the ozzie children friendly with new starters in the school? my 9 yr old son doesnt want to go so any information i can encourage him with would be much appreciated. thanks.

comet555

Sounds like my thoughts. I'm a teacher as well and from what I heard about both systems I would choose the Australian system any day.

Hutch

Well the fact is that there are undoubtedly some very poor schools out there, just as there are some superb ones. The parental grapevine is well worth listening to in this regard and if you can canvas opinions from parents prior to sending your kids to a particular school, it'll be well worth it.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/nol/shared/bsp..._nn_unicef.pdf

Hi - yea, I'm 20 minutes north of Nowra ... and if I read your post correctly you're going to try the Northern Beaches instead of the south coast NSW? Don't know what the schools are like up there, but it's a very popular place with British expats, so I'm sure someone can give you better info - particularly if you tell them where you're planning to live.

We've found the NSW curriculum to be excellent, but as I've said before, our son goes to a very highly rated local primary school. Yes, sport is certainly encouraged and there are plentiful opportunities for those that show an interest in it (rugby, soccer, cricket, swimming etc). Our son had no problem fitting in, no hassle from other kids.

rabsody

I am not saying that one education system is better than the other but surely some credit must be given to someone who has experienced both systems, whatever conclusion they come to (and they may well favour the Aussie system).

Obviously there is a cultural element when it comes to education - Brits are used to certain elements like frequent testing and learning by rote early on, Aussies are used to more sport and development of child in different ways, like boosting self esteem, public speaking etc. Who's "right" and who's "wrong"? As with everything, it depends on the individuals involved and what works for them.

FWIW I have not experienced both as my kids were young when we moved here, however both my children (11 & 9) seem happy in their education.

I'm sure a "certain type of Australian" does exactly the same when they move to other countries also. It's called human nature!

busterboy

Our child is not at primary yet but if what I see on trains, out and about etc is on the level, then I would agree with you Hutch.

I see train loads of kids everyday, getting on with each other, talking about a whole host of subjects, with fairly considered points of view. I also notice that teenage boys and girls seem to be able to get on for longer without 'the dating aspect' which I noted as a rather depressingly early age in the UK.

For what it is worth, I think the Australian system can't be that bad, as I find 'the average Ozzie' to be well spoken and failry knowledgeable.

rabsody

This has been my experience also.

NKSK version 2

My view is that Australian primary education - all other things being equal - is a better system than the UK. The secondary is poor.

I can only speak for WA but there are some major flaws in the system as a whole.

1. There is a complete absence of teacher accountability. This means that there is a significant risk of your child being educated by somebody who does absolutely nothing, knows and understands nothing and can continue to 'teach'. It is very distressing when your child has a teacher who is completely clueless and not at all interested. In the UK there is much greater accountability.
This is linked to the power of the unions here. The WA teachers' union has banned the national testing for all students next month. the national tests were in my view a massive leap forwared in informing parents. This now will not happen (because it will allow 'unfair comparisons')

2. University entrance requirements for teachers in WA is extremely low - some courses accept teachers who have not even completed the equivalent of A levels. I don't know about you but I don't want my child educated by a teacher who couldn't even pass the subject when they were at school. And more generally I'd like to think that my child's teachers were generally highly educated.

3. The Department for Education in WA is weak, directionless and incompetent. To try and reassure parents that the curriculum was sound at K-10, it recently constructed traditional syllabus for all years which would ensure consistency and accountability. But.....made it optional for teachers!! What use is that? This is the latest in a series of mismanaged blunders in a dept led by incompetent ministers who have no knowledge or passion for education.

4. There are some (many?) completely demoralised teachers in WA. It really is a profession in decline. I'm not sure how this helps kids. There are so few teachers around that teachers are teaching well outside of their area of 'expertise'. So you have an Econs teacher teaching Maths, a Biology teacher teaching Chem etc etc.

Better funding and more attractive salaries would solve many of these issues.

northernbird

Slightly off topic but when was the decision made to abandon NAPLAN. I received a note home yesterday informing me of the dates my year 5 daughter would be doing her assessments.