Tabb

Hi
We are moving to Perth Jan 09. Please give me opinions on PLC and Scotch College (private schools) please! For example are they worth the money? Why? What's better about these schools than the state schools? Our kids are 7 and 8.
Thanks
Tabb

NKSK version 2

Both are good schools and both have introduced the IB.

If it was me (assuming that I didn't have money to burn) and I lived in Claremont or surroundings, then I'd send my child to state primary and private secondary.

Are they worth the money? It depends on how much money you have, what you're comparing them to and what you want for your kids.
If I was living in that area and I was as skint as I am, I'd send my kids to Shenton College - academic results are nearly the same as Scotch (but lower than PLC).
If I had oodles of cash then yep, I'd send my kids to these schools, great sporting tradition at Scotch, PLC has a great reputation also.

CEM

Hi Tabb. I know quite a few kids who have been, or are at, both schools and all the parents seem happy with them.
NKSK's right when they say public primary and private high school - that's what most of my Aussie friends have done. My eldest daughter was at Nedlands for a while, which she liked and I think East Claremont, Claremont and Hollywood have good reputations too - at least they did 4 years ago.
Are you looking at just PLC and Scotch? My girls were at MLC which we LOVED (again 4 years ago, so may have changed) and it's next door to Christchuch, so easy doing school run with different sex children. Another friend has her daughter at St Hilda's and others have theirs at St Mary's in Karrinyup and their son at Hale (which I've only heard good things about). All seem happy with their choices . Don't suppose there's too much to choose between them - just personal preference and gut feeling.
Although it's what we chose to do (because we wanted single sex education), I think the only real advantages are the extra curricular activities and facilities the private schools have. The public primaries around that area do seem very good and a significant number of their students seem to get scholarships to high schools.
I think though, that I found it easier to make friends when the girls were at mlc. A lot of the Nedlands parents had been brought up together and were already friends and didn't 'need' me, whereas at mlc a lot of people had arrived from all over the world and needed mates too! Mind you, it's a lot of money to pay for friends!!

galba

We are living in Nedlands and are over here on an expat package so luckily fees are paid. I have 2 boys (8 and 6) at the International School of Western Australia in City Beach and my daughter who is 4 is at MLC in Claremont. The boys settled in quickly and have thrived. The girl is loving it now after a shaky start. I put applications in for a number of schools (at $100 a pop) then when I got here we visited and made our decision. The waiting lists are horrendous so you will need to get their names down as soon as possible. My babysitter goes to PLC and friends have their son's name down for Scotch - all are happy.

Best of luck with the move

Galba

Tabb

Hi
Thank you for the help! We are considering PLC by default because they have an intake year next year for my daughter's age group so she might get a place and we applied at Scotch for our son as the schools seem to have a brother/sister relationship. We also thought of doing primary state and secondary private (because it is so expensive), but then thought after such a big move accross continents it might? be easier for the kids just to adapt to a new school once (that is if we get in).

Just another question please. My son is the academic, computers, lego, chess, art etc type (a nerd?). Will there be a lot of pressure on him to achieve in sports in a school like Scotch?
Thanks!
Tabb

NKSK version 2

No - schools such as Scotch are undoubtedly sporty but they tend to recognise that non-sporty types might want to head to chess club and such like. But he won't be able to avoid all sport. House comps, and Friday afternoon sport are the norm.

Kim67

[QUOTE=Tabb;6821151]Hi
We are considering PLC by default because they have an intake year next year for my daughter's age group so she might get a place and we applied at Scotch for our son as the schools seem to have a brother/sister relationship. We also thought of doing primary state and secondary private (because it is so expensive), but then thought after such a big move accross continents it might? be easier for the kids just to adapt to a new school once (that is if we get in).

Tabb, it's usually easier to get your child into private schooling in one of the non-intake years. Intake years are usually the one's prescribed to the hilt. For example, my daughter went to private girls school in Brisbane, she started in Grade 2, they had a place for her immediately. Kids come and go during the year and places become available. However had she started in an intake year, Prep, Grade 6, and Grade 8, it would have been harder to get a place.

galba

[QUOTE=Kim67;6821628] Intake years for WA seem to be Kindy, Year 1, Year 5 and year 7 - correct me if I'm wrong though.

Galba

CEM

[QUOTE=Kim67;6821628] Hi Tabb. It may be easier for your kids to adapt to just one school, but a lot of the children at the state schools move to one of the private schools, so you'd probably find that they'd move with their friends anyway.
If we were still there my eldest daughter would have been joined by 6 of her friends from primary school, in year 8.
As Kim says, it can be quite difficult to find places in intake years - we're finding this at the moment as we're applying for schools in Sydney and our eldest has been offered a place in year 9 (non intake) while the other 2 were put on waitlists for intake years.
Good luck
C x

Kim67

[QUOTE=galba;6821958] Just depends on the school I think - different private schools have different intake years.