THESHARMANS

We move out to Brisbane end Jan and have emailed St Paul's School,Bald Hills re enrolling our 14 year old. I have had no reply yet from the school and understand that intakes are usually,except in special circumstances, for prep year and yr 7. Does anyone know if it is likely our son will get a place? And is this the case for most private schools?

Salma

Are state schools in Aus really bad?
As I keep on hearing they arent good etc etc

THESHARMANS

As far as am aware there are many good/excellent state schools but my preference is to send my child to private

Satch_Boogie

We had similar problems getting a response out of my eldest's private school here in England. We found a telephone call got better results than email.

stepbeanie

My sister I were in private schools in the UK & when we went out to Oz my sister got a place no problems while I could only get a place boarding (15mins away from my home!) Most private schools I believe require an entrance exam (although my sister didn't need to sit one), I was told I could either drop a year or go ahead a year although my maths would hold me back (finished in the top 2% of NSW in maths so it really goes for nothing ) I was given the option & chose state school, my sister wanted to specialise in languages so it seemed that private was the way to go however I would have to say the schooling we both received was on a par with each other in fact I would even go so far as saying that my school (intermixed with both girls & boys) set me up far better in life than my sisters girls only regime. Have to say I find girls or boys only schooling slightly disturbing but whatever floats your boat! I wanted to go to the school in Sydney where they gave you all the work at the beginning of the year & you just went to visit tutors as & when you needed them, but my parents weren't that forward thinking.

I would definitely give the school a call to see if they have places and when the entrance exams (if they have them) are.

THESHARMANS

thanks, will give them a ring and find out what is expected.

UK-2-OZ

Give them a call most Ozzies don't communte well via email

NickyC

I've only ever heard of one private school in Sydney having an entrance exam - and that's the selective, boys only, Sydney Grammar.

Private schools will want to interview prospective parents (and the child), before offering you a place but there are no exams involved - unless you're after a scholarship, which is a completely different kettle of fish...

stepbeanie

Was Barker & Knox, no scholarship but things may well have changed now (keep forgetting how old I am )

Olibeneli

Scholarships............different kettle of fish..........TOO RIGHT.

Don't ever try a scholarship exam at a church aided school unless you are already at Gods right hand.........at the required church.

The head actually told parents, to my complete amazement, that scholarship exam results are only a guide to who get the scholarship..........too bloody right when we found out that the school chaplains sons got it....on top of already reduced fees.

Why have the bloody exam in the first place ?.

Nepotism doesn't begin to describe things.

THESHARMANS

Just to update, I rang St Pauls and things couldnt have been simpler. They are going to send an enrollment form and can guarantee my son a place,they have even said that my younger son is likely to be offered a place in Yr 7 if I put his name down as the waiting list is very small at present.(He is currently in yr 6 here)They apologised for not replying to my email but werent aware they had received it. I hadnt planned to ring them today but when my 14yr old barged into our bedroom demanding a clean shirt at 5.30 this morning I thought it an ideal opportunity! Anyway,just to freak him out I told him I was enrolling him at Genesis - as one who believes in the big bang and not the big God - his face was a picture!