How to tell a good school?
Mar 2nd 2004, 2:24 pm
#31
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jun 2003
Location: Sydney beachside
Posts: 3,505
Originally posted by mike7
Nicky,
Thanks for the information which is very helpful.
With regard to private schools, what is the ball park yearly fees ?. under a 457 sponsered visa, we have to pay $4,500 AUD for each of our girls to attend NSW public schools so going private is a real option.
Any information you can give would be appreciated.
Regards
Michael
Nicky,
Thanks for the information which is very helpful.
With regard to private schools, what is the ball park yearly fees ?. under a 457 sponsered visa, we have to pay $4,500 AUD for each of our girls to attend NSW public schools so going private is a real option.
Any information you can give would be appreciated.
Regards
Michael
Depends a lot on where you'll be living. The private school fees at long-established schools in inner city areas can be very high, but there are just as good private schools in further out areas which cost much less. System Catholic schools are pretty cheap, independent Catholic schools less so.
We always sent our kids to private schools as we figured that you only get one go at educating your kids, so you might as well spend what it takes and we've not been disappointed so far.
Mar 2nd 2004, 2:34 pm
#32
Just Joined
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 27
Sandra,
Thanks for the response.
To be honest, the schooling has been the most difficult part of the move !.
We are intending staying in the Hills District, Cherrybrook, Castle Hill, Bella Vista etc as it appears to have good housing and very family orientated.
I will be working in the CBD District which means extended travelling to work, but good housing in a nice area with good schools is more important than the commute distance to work. We also have friends staying in the area.
To date, we have only heard good reports of the Hills District in relation to housing, schooling etc. Although, my head is starting to spin with all the information and I am becoming confused !.
Do you know anything about the Hills District....what areas are the most desirable etc ?.
Regards
Michael
Thanks for the response.
To be honest, the schooling has been the most difficult part of the move !.
We are intending staying in the Hills District, Cherrybrook, Castle Hill, Bella Vista etc as it appears to have good housing and very family orientated.
I will be working in the CBD District which means extended travelling to work, but good housing in a nice area with good schools is more important than the commute distance to work. We also have friends staying in the area.
To date, we have only heard good reports of the Hills District in relation to housing, schooling etc. Although, my head is starting to spin with all the information and I am becoming confused !.
Do you know anything about the Hills District....what areas are the most desirable etc ?.
Regards
Michael
Originally posted by Sandra
Mike 7
where are you going to live?
ball park does not count.........PLC - can cost as little as $8000 pa but by the time they go into each extra year....count on $15k before xtras in year 10/11 etc
private does not mean better - pay the money for a house and live in catchment for Killara - but on the opposite side they say here in sydney - good school means better job! regardless of qualifications.
where are you planning to work.....then look around, do you mind the girls travelling to school, or is being in the local area important? Are you willing to live in an area for local catchment but then travel yourself?
If on a 457....the kids can go to local schools, but the selective grammer process is not an option - because they get scholorship - not available to 457 peopls in NSW.
sorry PM me if I am not making sense, my girl is 11, boy 13
cheers
Mike 7
where are you going to live?
ball park does not count.........PLC - can cost as little as $8000 pa but by the time they go into each extra year....count on $15k before xtras in year 10/11 etc
private does not mean better - pay the money for a house and live in catchment for Killara - but on the opposite side they say here in sydney - good school means better job! regardless of qualifications.
where are you planning to work.....then look around, do you mind the girls travelling to school, or is being in the local area important? Are you willing to live in an area for local catchment but then travel yourself?
If on a 457....the kids can go to local schools, but the selective grammer process is not an option - because they get scholorship - not available to 457 peopls in NSW.
sorry PM me if I am not making sense, my girl is 11, boy 13
cheers
Mar 2nd 2004, 2:49 pm
#33
Gone Senile Member
Joined: Sep 2001
Location: Sydney
Posts: 3,014
Originally posted by mike7
Sandra,
Thanks for the response.
To be honest, the schooling has been the most difficult part of the move !.
We are intending staying in the Hills District, Cherrybrook, Castle Hill, Bella Vista etc as it appears to have good housing and very family orientated.
I will be working in the CBD District which means extended travelling to work, but good housing in a nice area with good schools is more important than the commute distance to work. We also have friends staying in the area.
To date, we have only heard good reports of the Hills District in relation to housing, schooling etc. Although, my head is starting to spin with all the information and I am becoming confused !.
Do you know anything about the Hills District....what areas are the most desirable etc ?.
Regards
Michael
Sandra,
Thanks for the response.
To be honest, the schooling has been the most difficult part of the move !.
We are intending staying in the Hills District, Cherrybrook, Castle Hill, Bella Vista etc as it appears to have good housing and very family orientated.
I will be working in the CBD District which means extended travelling to work, but good housing in a nice area with good schools is more important than the commute distance to work. We also have friends staying in the area.
To date, we have only heard good reports of the Hills District in relation to housing, schooling etc. Although, my head is starting to spin with all the information and I am becoming confused !.
Do you know anything about the Hills District....what areas are the most desirable etc ?.
Regards
Michael
Loads of people love this area of Sydney and many happy folks there. I am working in Chatswood (when not in NZ!) so I worked on public schools inside a specific criteria for travel. And no bugger ever answered my questions on schools on this site! We moved here on our own info only and are not unhappy - just costing us a fortune!
I came up with Killara and St Ives for public high schools - hence my choice (I could not afford Killara area). Plus St Ives has a deaf unit (daughter needs some help) and selective classes (for the bright ones - my son).
Go with your first choice (hills) and find out about the schools there, if you then do not find yourself happy then think again but I think you will be.
Cheers Sandra
Mar 2nd 2004, 2:56 pm
#34
Gone Senile Member
Joined: Sep 2001
Location: Sydney
Posts: 3,014
Mike and nickyc - have you looked at the pdf list posted here by Mike Stanton - what did you think?
Was your childrens school on it nicky?
it does not paint all the picture - but interesting, they say the northern suburbs/north of sydney has the best - and I think this report agrees?
remember the selectives govs are the top ones of the goverment schools.....the rest still shine?!
Was your childrens school on it nicky?
it does not paint all the picture - but interesting, they say the northern suburbs/north of sydney has the best - and I think this report agrees?
remember the selectives govs are the top ones of the goverment schools.....the rest still shine?!
Mar 3rd 2004, 7:27 am
#35
BE Enthusiast
Joined: May 2002
Location: Sydney
Posts: 410
Mike,
its difficult to say which suburb you'd like as we all have different priorities (and incomes!), what one person will like another won't, so probably best to rent at first and research the areas when you get here, you'll soon know which areas feel right.
We were all set to buy in Kellyville but pulled out because we realised it wasn't right for us and we preferred the more established areas with bigger gardens (and trees). We settled in Kings Langley (between Baulkham Hills and Seven Hills) because it had everything we wanted as a family and great transport links.
Be careful with schools too, ask them to let you look round, most are very obliging. We had one High School in mind as it had good reports, but when we looked around it was very rundown with grafitti, litter and desks similar to the ones I used at school 25 yrs ago.
You can get more info at http://www.baulkhamhills.nsw.gov.au and
http://www.hillsweb.com.au/search/hillsweb.asp
but it all boils down to personal preference.
Good luck and maybe we'll meet up one day if you settle in the area.
Sue
its difficult to say which suburb you'd like as we all have different priorities (and incomes!), what one person will like another won't, so probably best to rent at first and research the areas when you get here, you'll soon know which areas feel right.
We were all set to buy in Kellyville but pulled out because we realised it wasn't right for us and we preferred the more established areas with bigger gardens (and trees). We settled in Kings Langley (between Baulkham Hills and Seven Hills) because it had everything we wanted as a family and great transport links.
Be careful with schools too, ask them to let you look round, most are very obliging. We had one High School in mind as it had good reports, but when we looked around it was very rundown with grafitti, litter and desks similar to the ones I used at school 25 yrs ago.
You can get more info at http://www.baulkhamhills.nsw.gov.au and
http://www.hillsweb.com.au/search/hillsweb.asp
but it all boils down to personal preference.
Good luck and maybe we'll meet up one day if you settle in the area.
Sue
Mar 3rd 2004, 12:10 pm
#36
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jun 2003
Location: Sydney beachside
Posts: 3,505
Originally posted by Sandra
Mike and nickyc - have you looked at the pdf list posted here by Mike Stanton - what did you think?
Was your childrens school on it nicky?
it does not paint all the picture - but interesting, they say the northern suburbs/north of sydney has the best - and I think this report agrees?
remember the selectives govs are the top ones of the goverment schools.....the rest still shine?!
Mike and nickyc - have you looked at the pdf list posted here by Mike Stanton - what did you think?
Was your childrens school on it nicky?
it does not paint all the picture - but interesting, they say the northern suburbs/north of sydney has the best - and I think this report agrees?
remember the selectives govs are the top ones of the goverment schools.....the rest still shine?!
My sons' school is on the newcollege.com.au list in the 50's (bloody well ought to be, the fees we pay). I reckon the Australian's 'Best School' list is a joke though, and I hope no-one takes that one seriously.
I maintain that the 'best' schools are those that have a lot of parental involvement - which tends to go hand in hand with higher socio-economic areas and is borne out by the North Shore public schools having a good name and reputation.
In this area there are very few public high schools left (Bob Carr keeps closing them) and the ones that are around are nothing to write home about. Too much competition from the myriad private schools, I guess.
For those moving to the Hills district, I've heard that Cherrybrook High is pretty good. A friend teaches there and although it's an extremely large school, it was purpose-built as a 'technology' high school and has great facilities. Their HSC results are good too.
