Damson

Is your child happier in their Oz school than they were in their UK one? Do you think that the "state" education (don't think we'll be able to afford private) is comparable there and if no, in what way is it not.

We mayl be moving to Victoria next year and have one child in primary and one in senior, so opinions on both age groups would be very helpful. Like most, we have some serious decisions to make ref school (and I know schooling isn't everything, but it's a pretty large chunk of a young life), and how it would impact on them but also us as a family.

Many thanks

quoll

Schools are schools no matter where you are and you are going to get good ones and bad ones all over and good and bad teachers within all schools. In general, kids cannot transfer as easily back to UK as they can to Aus (A levels travel particularly well but year 12 certs from Aus back to UK not so good - often need a foundation year) and if kids are not on the GCSE merry go round in time then there are all sorts of repercussions eg international student fees, foundation years etc. There is bullying in Aus schools just as much, if not more so, from all accounts, as there is in UK schools. If you dont intend to move your kids out of Australian education until after they have done honours then it probably wont matter much. In Canberra, for example, with nearly 50% of kids in private education, I think that speaks volumes about government education and it isnt because of the disposable income and snob factor that the Ed dept would like to think it is!

HelenTD

That's interesting, I hadn't realised that the number of kids going to private schools was so high in the ACT - I had thought that Perth was high at about one third outside the state system. The ACT's NAPLAN scores, for what they're worth, are pretty much the best in the country, too.

quoll

Hmm, first time this year that HS students went just over the 50% private. PS is still under the 50% but over 40% from memory. Actually, I didnt really think the ACT NAPLAN scores were as good as the dept would like to paint them. Some of the schools' results are shockers! Especially when compared with SES similar schools

HelenTD

Do you know when the 2011 scores will go up on the My School website or released to local papers? I would really like to find out how our school performed compared to similar schools.

toodlepip

Hi, my son was in Y2 when we went to Oz in 2006 and in grade 5 when we left this July. My daughter did Prep - grade 3 in Australia. They have just started year 4 and Year 7 here in England, they are both at very good schools here and in my opinion were at a particularly poor one in Melbourne (it was great when they started then the principal left and it went downhill).

I am much happier with the schooling here and they report being much happier here. Of course it's early days but I can't believe how much my son has matured in the 3 weeks he's been at this school. He goes off with a spring in his step and is enjoying his lessons in a way I never saw him do in Australia.

My daughter's teacher tells me she is behind in Maths (doesn't know timetables) although was deemed on target in Oz. She is ahead in reading & writing and was in Oz too.

It's also cheaper here, I was getting really fed up with the amount I had to spend on stationary etc for what I considered a poor education. My son was constantly bullied and although I accept this happens everywhere I didn't find the school that helpful in dealing with it or even noticing what was going on.

Sorry if that's not what you would like to hear, it us if course just my experience and there is a chance (if my OH has his way) that we my end up back in Oz but schooling was a big factor in me wanting to return and so far what I've seen from the schools here has validated this.

jad n rich

My 3 have done school here covering all grades between them. State, Private and IB.

We were sooo impressed with how happy they were in primary, one big play session really, it took us a while to realise how easy the work was. The entire year P - 7 IMO was very very easy and friends from Germany, Singapore and Canada felt the same. That may be good or bad depending on what you want from education.

One point and often discussed, very very little funding for learning disabilites or dyslexia ADD etc as it would be called in the UK etc.. Dont come here hoping for more help

High, OMG where do I start. ITs not so much good and bad schools, its within that good and bad teachers, some teachers we found to be very casual, its only the last few years they have been expected to get some results!

In primary, it was pot luck how much the teacher decided to teach. EG one kid would cover 48 pages of math text book, next class may cover 156 pages. Great fun when they get to the next grade and teachers are asking "who covered this, who covered that'. Shocking really.

High school is really easy in grade 8 and 9. Grade 10 is a shock its like HEllooooo, we now need to pass some exams.

By kid 3 I pulled him out of the OZ system and he sat exams to do the IB. In QLD that costs us around $1500 a year. In Victoria, the 2 schools offering exactly what he does here charge $24,000 a year, plus the IB fee.

Worth noting there are so many different systems in various States, moving State let alone Country is difficult too, ie 14 year old is finishing grade 10 here, in VIc and NSW he would be starting it next year

Weve had great Years, and great teachers. Weve had great kids who will probably be lifelong friends. Weve also had lazy lumps of teachers who milk the 'laid back' education for all its worth. Bullying has been a nightmare some years, especially after the 'no blame' PC rubbish came in.

Like everywhere the combination of kids/teacher you get will vary each year, no matter how many naplan sheets you swot up on.

paddyo

does that 50% include denominational schools, Catholic etc?? They are classed as private in NSW and generally rated quite well but cost considerably lower.

For the OP, the biggest concern for most parents is how their little darlings will cope with new schools, friends, lifestyle etc. It is of course a genuine concern but always remember, your children will make and lose friends quicker than you can make them breakfast!! Schools I find are ok, I like the all school uniform, I like the manners that young kids here generally have, I don't like all the excess fees but they vary from school to school and some schools use the demographic of the parents to base their charges on.
Wherever you live there will be a good school nearby...its just getting into it that MAY be an issue. Will you be Permanent or Temporary?

Damson

Hi thanks all for your replies, it's really good to hear peoples' experiences, even if they aren't that positive.

I meant to say that we will be on a permanent residency 175. We will probably be state school-dependent as schools seem to be either too expensive for us (having 2) and also, they seem to be catholic. I assume they don't want to know you if you aren't catholic. I was born a Roman Catholic (not practising for a long time!) and could lie about attending a local church here, but have problems in the old religious preaching. We aren't athiests but would like the kids to make up their own minds with time with some exposure to religious education, although not too much.

One further query, am I right in saying that if you live within the catchment area of a school in Victoria, then they are obliged to find a place for you at that school. It's something I read once, but wanted to make sure.

Bugger, just thought of something else. In Victoria, when fees are phrased as $ per term, how many terms are there please?

I wasn't sure if I post these queries on another thread as it's getting a bit general

OzSheila

A good percentage of parents in both Oz and the UK will pay for a private education not because their children are necessarily getting a "better" education but more because of the doors that open as a result of Johnnie going to a certain school

My 3 had an excellent primary education in the UK. Started in the private sector in Oz for high school and then 2 were thankfully granted places in Victoria's only select schools. These schools leave the supposedly excellent private schools for dead.

Have to say we have found pastoral care in private sector superior tho.

HTH

Damson

Well done to your children for getting where they are.

My eldest will be doing her grammar exam here soon, so we will have a good idea of what her capabilities are, not that it will mean much in Oz I guess.

Just out of interest, how many terms there? Private schools charge "per term" but not sure how many there are. Cheers

fish.01

4 terms

http://www.vic.gov.au/Victorian-School-Term-Dates.html

toodlepip

A lot of the catholic schools take non catholic children. If we'd stayed the best secondary for my son would have been the catholic one. It doesn't sit easy with me as a non Catholic but they did seem to be better schools. They sometimes charge a bit more than state schools.

And yes, 4 terms each year and no half term holidays like you get here, you can sometimes get a term of 12 weeks without a break.

Damson

Oh darnit. We pay three terms here, so that makes a fair difference.

Damson

Hadn't realised they would even consider non catholics - I guess it's then a case of principles v a better education. 12 week term - my two are knackered by half term here, but I suppose they get used to it.

Does anyone know if schools in Victoria are obliged to take on a pupil within its catchment area please?