crocodileseamus

Hi Folks,

We were wondering if anyone has any headsup on school fees for Primary and Secondary Schools along the Mornington Peninsula. We hope to move either to Mornington, Mount Eliza or Mount Martha.

We have 4 kids, and although we don't reckon we could afford to send them all to private school, our eldest daughter has Asperger's Syndrome, a form of austism.

She is very intelligent, but her social skills are poor. She doesn't know when people are taking the mick out of her, which is upsetting.

She is currently in a Learning Support Centre, attached to a local primary school and she is integrated daily, but at break and lunch time there is always a classroom assistant on hand to keep an eye on the special needs kids, so they aren't teased etc.

We don't know how much support Lucy will get in Oz, but we are going to try the state school first and if it doesn't work out, we need the contingency of a private school to fall back on and hopefully get her the help she needs.

Hence we need to know the costs.

Sorry for being long winded, but I had to explain.

Good Luck,



Crocodileseamus

Mairead

Hi,

Was looking at the area myself and found info on schools in wiki.

Schools

Secondary education is present either by the local state school on Mt Eliza Way, or via two significant private schools - The Peninsula School, and the girls-only Toorak College. Both private schools provide junior schooling too.

Apart from this cant give any further info as Im not in OZ yet.

Best of luck with the search.

crocodileseamus

Hi Mairead,

Thanks for that.

Maybe someone will come up with a few figures, it's just we want to plan for every eventual cost.

Croc

Smartinis

Hi, we moved to Mornington 2 years ago, its beautiful down here, Mt Eliza is also very pretty. The schools you mention are both excellent I believe, our two youngest boys go to The Peninsula school (TPS), and love it there. They are both older, the eldest is actually just finishing year 12 and his VCE as we speak, the second is in year 9 so has 3 years left. Our boys all went to state school in the UK but although expensive we decided the private system would do better for them over here. Difficult decision but we still think it was worth it even if we won't get any holidays for years or new cars etc. Cost, wait for it!!! You'll be looking in the region of $14-16000 pa per child depending on school year. Plus laptop, uniform, books, trips, sports equipment, music lessons etc etc. Our termly book room account (4 terms) is anything between $500 and $1000 for all the extras. You can get some discount for two at the same school and for paying in full before the start of the school year. But it still mounts up especially in the first year. Is it worth it? I think that has to be a personal decision, we are certainly not rich and have many friend here whose kids go to local schools and they are happy with them, but we looked when we arrived and apart from Frankston High school didn't like any of the local ones on the only visit we had to each. We didn't want to live in Frankston so because of the catchment system that one was out. We visited TPS and the boys loved the look and the feel of the place. It has certainly made the boys really welcome and they made friends from day 1. In fact they have never looked back. Yes there are kids there with very wealthy parents but its not in the least bit snobby and the boys friends are all quite normal!

Hope this has been of some help, our sons don't have learning difficulties so I can't say how this works in the school but I have always found them very approachable, email them and ask.

Good luck, Hope we see you on the Penninsula soon. Just heard we have our citizen ceremony on Australia Day!!! Can't wait.

wolly_bully

Hi there,

We live in Mount Eliza and have been here a couple of months now. Our Son has Aspergers Syndrome too and attends the local primary school here.

I realise (I think I am right in thinking your Daughter would be attending secondary school) that an opinion on a Primary School won't help with your Daughter but I just wanted to assure you that the Schools in this area are all supposed to be really good. Our Son has settled in really well so far but as you probrably know that can change quite quickly sometimes. The teachers have been excellent and if there have been any queries they are on the ball and get back to me the same day.

I would however check that if your Daughter may need additional help/guidance that the school may or may not cover this, so I just wanted to make you aware of this just so you can check as this may cost you extra too.

Our little boy used to have an Occupational Therapist helping him with his motor skills (pencil grip, balance, throwing/catching etc) in the UK but thankfully he came on in leaps and bounds and was discharged from her a year before we left the UK. I am led to believe though if he needed that again (which is probable) then we would have to fund this.

At the end of the day (and you probrably know this more than most) it is if the teacher is compassionate about the child with AS/that they find them endearing and that the children are kind to the child too - some schools help them flourish and bring out what lovely and gifted children we have. Speaking as a parent with a child who has AS they have so much to give when shown the encouragement.

Sorry if I've waffled on abit but I feel very strongly about how special AS children really are. Good luck with your search and I hope it all works out well for you all.

Wolly-bully

crocodileseamus

Thank you so much on the heads up as to the cost of private schools Smartini. Lucy is still at Primary School and is Primary 4 at the moment, but I appreciate the information.

I think we may have to start saving. We have four kids, so we will need to both work full-time in order to pay the school fees, but if it helps the children.

Wolly Bully, I have sent you a PM.

Thanks for the info folks,

Croc