Smartinis

This would be great thanks, our sons are 16 and 12, so the eldest would be starting his VCE next year and the youngest probably back in year 7, although he will have just finished this! Penninsula are looking at their reports at present as both are quite bright, to determine the best year options for them and of course places available. Both are at state schools here and are doing really well, we are very lucky to have great schools in our area here and want to make sure we get it right the other end!

Smartinis

Yes, thanks for this though, we have looked at their web site, but some schools have better ones than others. It looks OK and haven't found anything negative posted anywhere, but the info is very basic. If anyone local to the school or with kids there has any more info we would be really interested. Local knowledge and reputation can count for such a lot where schools are concerned.

By the way thanks for replying Bordy, feel a little guilty, I have been surfing this site almost every day for the past year but have only now had the guts to join!! Think its absolutely fab, its really helped us on so many points. We finally got our visas in Feb. so will be heading south as soon as our two eldest get their exam results in August!

But with no jobs to come to and therefore no income the thought of school fees fills us with horror a bit.

floss

Yes, this is a dilemma I keep going over and over, too.

I have 3 children - 12, 9 & 4.... the two already at school are very bright and have got very frustrated in their state school here... I don't neccessarily believe private is always better than state, but the websites sure make them (specifically Peninsula and Toorak - eldest daughter like her current girls-only school) look pretty impressive. BUT, reading other threads on here which talk about the cost of living, the general consensus is that $80,000 a year gets you a comfortable if not extravegant family life. Add 3 lots of school fees to that and it gets REALLY scary :scared: I'd have to earn the fees through my job - and earning $30,000+ a year and fitting in with school hours/holidays etc....

I just keep muttering OMG and going back to look at the local State Schools -which incidentally look pretty good too.... provided you don't arrive at an awkward time in the school year and can find accommodation in the right place and they have spaces in the appropriate school years.....

Not that this is causing me sleepless nights or anything

Smartinis

Floss,

You sound just like me, we would never have considered private education over here as we have really good state schools and all our boys have flown through the system, or are in the process of doing so. However, our middle son will be entering VCE's, a new system and we just want to make sure he will be able to do as well as if he'd gone on to do his A levels here. However, we would consider sending them private, although like you I will have to earn the difference :scared: he doesn't like the idea of going to a private school however, affraid they'll all be snobs as he puts it!! and will not fit in. I've been told there isn't such a thing in Australia! Don't know if this is true or not, but it certainly is more the norm.

It is a real dilemma, to get into a private school is hard enough and placing them in one you can't even view makes it even more difficult. The whole catchment area thing also is a worry though, we have that here of course, but it seems to me that if you are unlucky you can be in catchment over there and still not get them in, where do they go then?? some second rate state school probably that can't fill its places thats miles away so that they can't get there! :scared:

All we can do at the moment is to keep looking and seaching for info. We are trying to keep off the topic at home at the moment as the middle one is doing his GCSE's and the eldest one his A levels. Not that there'e any stress in our household at the moment or anything

floss

OMG - thankfully we're not yet that far along...

Just to complicate things for us, I originally decided Glen Waverley area would be good for us, found some really exciting looking primary and secondary school (all via the internet, of course...). I contacted them and after an exchange of emails, they agreed to hold places for my 3!!! The idea was that we'd go to have a look around when we went on our reccie in August... but of course NOW I think Mt Eliza may be right.... We're going on a whistlestop tour of both areas, but no time to go around schools as well.....

So if we do decide to head down the coast to live, I will lose the security of these other places...... ARGH!!! But it does sound good....

Still, if I'm sensible ( ) I guess once they're in, and settled, they'll be fine wherever they end up..... right????

floss

... and it also depends what you do & so what your chances are of earning the kind of $$$$$.

I used to work in TV but with the children in school it would probably be difficult to travel up to the city to freelance AND get back in time to pick them up Lately I've been working as a childminder, but however much they seem to be in demand in Oz, the wages wouldn't even cover the uniforms

Could sell a kidney of course, but after 3 children and an occasional tipple (!) they're probably not too pretty!!!!

Sue from Manchester

My sister's boys go to Mount Eliza state school and have done really well. Having said that she did have to send the eldest to a tutor for his maths as he was falling behind. I can only speak about my impressions as I had a tour of the Peninsula school 4 years ago so it's out of date as well but - I couldn't see what extra I would be getting for my money. I was comparing it with Manchester Grammar School, a fee paying very academic school, and I just got the wrong feeling. There didn't seem to be any artwork around anywhere. There has also been a previous poster on the forum whose kid was bullied at the Peninsula. Don't let this put you off, you have to make your own mind up and every school will have good and bad points and bullying happens everywhere. Sorry to confuse.

caz41

My eldest is at Mount Eliza Sec College, he was diagnosed as dyspraxic, so has always been slightly behind his peers, having said that he can be incredibly lazy especially with school work and has used the fact that he is dyspraxic as an excuse.

Anyway not to rattle on too much ( too late ) we on the whole have been impressed, he does seem to be pushed in certain subjects and he too is falling a bit behind in maths.

He became too comfortable in his old school in Engalnd ( which was a good school but concentrated on the league tables ) here I believe he has been made to work harder.

With 3 children we really cannot consider private school but from what we can see there isn't much value. Seems to be more of a status symbol.

Just my 2cent worth!!

Caz

Smartinis

Caz,

Thanks for this info, what are your impressions of the school generally, do they have good facilities, especially for sport, mine are sports mad and the elder one wants to eventually go on and do a sports science degree at uni. Also what does the school feel like? I know this is a personal thing but is it a friendly place? Saying that though I have heard many stories where they are too laid back with discipline out the window and classrooms a riot, my two would hate that as they both like to do their best. If you could give any advice on issues like these or what other parents think of the place I would be very grateful, can't really see how we can afford to send both to Penninsula school. What is the local feeling about the two of them? Do the kids from one hate the other, (used to be the case here locally) or do they have friends at each?

Sorry to ask so many questions, its just brill to finally find someone with a child at the school.

caz41

Hi

Hi I will try to answer some of your questions by grilling my son, who is here now.

He is sports mad,and they have do a variety of sports, including all the usual like soccer, basketball, hockey, ozzie rules, cricket too many to mention really, he is a little uncoordinated still due to his dypraxia, but has never had any problems with the other kids and still remains extremely enthusiastic about this lesson.

He has always been shy but from the moment he started, the kids have welcomed him and he has settled in and leaves the house with a smile on his face and arrives back with one, ( he was bullied at primary school in england ).

As for discipline, he is a good lad never had too much trouble from him, and tells me it does depend on the teacher, some are stricter that others.

On the whole the school feels a good place to be, with lots of good trips for the kids. He is going up to a austrian rest in the dandenongs where they will have a meal practice their german and get entertained all for $28.00.

If you need any further info just pm me or let me know on here.

good luck Carolyn

floss

Oooooh - as much as I feel a little uncomfortable to be eavesdropping on your conversation, I am also desperately keen to find out about both Mount Eliza and Frankston High Schools.... so would be keen to join in any information sharing....

One thing bothers me a little, though - with several of us seemingly in the same boat with regard to moving to the area with similarly aged children... won't the schools fill up (assuming they have spaces to start with..) - will we end up in a race to see who can get there first!!? Actually, we'll be last in - can't even put our house on the market until beginning of September, so no way we'll meet the November deadline for schools setting class sizes etc!

hevs

Just a quick word of caution, unless your names have been down on the list for a private school the chances of getting in are pretty slim. It seems to go strictly in name down order and in the schools round here (s/e ) they make no exception for newly arrived people.

floss

Is this the same for the state schools, too? As some of you may know, I have gone round in circles looking at where to settle in Oz, and have been in touch with lots of different schools in different states. Some didn't even bother replying to my emails; some simply said when you arrive and have a residential address come and see us and if we have spaces, THEN come and talk to us about applying; some have said they would be prepared to hold places; some hold places until end-January anyway specifically to allow for new-comers....

It's not hard to imagine arriving and finding accommodation one street too far away to apply, or even in the zone but finding the school has no places.. So until you are in place, you don't know your chances of getting your children into a school..... and what happens if you can't? Does living in a school zone mean the school HAS to fit you in, regardless of numbers, or simply that you can apply and will get a place if there is one....?

Possibly if I were less of a worry-wart/control freak, I would be able to just leave it, arrive and just assume everything will fall into place one way or another.... but I'm not - and I think the kids would find that all too scary too!! And of course there is always that fear that you, as a parent, are taking them away from a passble school, friends etc - all in pursuit of a different and hopefully, on balance, better life.... not quite going to work if they have to travel hours to an overcrowded, problemmatic school....

aaargh... must go find my valium!

hevs

Floss, remember to breathe......

I havn't heard of anyone having a problem with state as long as they live in the zone i'm pretty sure they have to find you a space

in.......out....in...out....

floss