Public primary schools in Bayside area of Melbourne. Help!
Sep 24th 2013, 2:42 am
#1
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 2
Public primary schools in Bayside area of Melbourne. Help!
Hello everyone,
I'm totally new to this forum but am looking for advice and any help on our move to Melbourne.
We have just found our we are moving to Melbourne at the end of the year. We have 2 kids ages 7 and 5. For the last 5 years we have been living in Asia. With my husbands job, we will live in somewhere in the South Eastern Suburbs / Bayside area -we will need to rent initially.
My main concern is with finding public school places at this late stage -looking for a Prep & Year 2 spot. Definitely won't be going private.
I've called a few in Hampton (St Marys); Sandringham and Beaumarius and it seems that if you live in the 'zone' they must take you but yet they tell me they are full. Another told me they are not zoned but if I live close to school they may take us. All have said it will be difficult to get a Prep spot but the Year 2 should be easier. I'm confused!
Any advice on schools? Which schools do your children go to ? Are you happy with your choice?
Ideally we would love for the kids to be able to walk to school. At the moment they take the school bus here which may take up to an hour if traffic is bad. We are very much looking forward to a decent outdoor lifestyle!
Thanks in advance!!
I'm totally new to this forum but am looking for advice and any help on our move to Melbourne.
We have just found our we are moving to Melbourne at the end of the year. We have 2 kids ages 7 and 5. For the last 5 years we have been living in Asia. With my husbands job, we will live in somewhere in the South Eastern Suburbs / Bayside area -we will need to rent initially.
My main concern is with finding public school places at this late stage -looking for a Prep & Year 2 spot. Definitely won't be going private.
I've called a few in Hampton (St Marys); Sandringham and Beaumarius and it seems that if you live in the 'zone' they must take you but yet they tell me they are full. Another told me they are not zoned but if I live close to school they may take us. All have said it will be difficult to get a Prep spot but the Year 2 should be easier. I'm confused!
Any advice on schools? Which schools do your children go to ? Are you happy with your choice?
Ideally we would love for the kids to be able to walk to school. At the moment they take the school bus here which may take up to an hour if traffic is bad. We are very much looking forward to a decent outdoor lifestyle!
Thanks in advance!!
Sep 24th 2013, 3:23 am
#2
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jun 2005
Location: Ayr then Hampshire; Now Beaumaris, Melbourne
Posts: 1,034
Re: Public primary schools in Bayside area of Melbourne. Help!
Hi Bels,
Welcome to the forum.
I just replied to a post by Debsnumpty on the same subject so you may want to look at that thread as well.
I currently live in Beaumaris, have done for 8 years, and both my kids went to Beaumaris Primary from the ages of 3 and 5. Both are now at St Leonards College (private).
All the primary schools in Bayside are of a similar standard, I believe. I have friends with children at Beaumaris, Beaumaris North, Black Rock, Sandy, Sandy East and Brighton. All the parents are very happy with these schools. I don't think you would be disappointed at all with any of these.
I understand that the schools have a different approach with regard to accepting children, as you are finding. The problem is that all the Bayside schools are very popular and there is unlikely to be much availability at this stage.
Personally I would contact every school from Elsternwick to Parkdale to see what availability there is and then work out where to live. Elsternwick and Brighton will be the most expensive areas as they are closer to the city. Hampton, Sandringham, Black Rock and Beaumaris are likely to be a little cheaper but are still fabulous area. Parkdale and Mordialloc will be cheaper still as they are further out but also good areas.
Walking to school may have to wait ! The Bayside area is relatively small so the journey time in the car from one end to the other is pretty short.
Good luck. Feel free to PM me if you need any more info.
Cheers
Col
Welcome to the forum.
I just replied to a post by Debsnumpty on the same subject so you may want to look at that thread as well.
I currently live in Beaumaris, have done for 8 years, and both my kids went to Beaumaris Primary from the ages of 3 and 5. Both are now at St Leonards College (private).
All the primary schools in Bayside are of a similar standard, I believe. I have friends with children at Beaumaris, Beaumaris North, Black Rock, Sandy, Sandy East and Brighton. All the parents are very happy with these schools. I don't think you would be disappointed at all with any of these.
I understand that the schools have a different approach with regard to accepting children, as you are finding. The problem is that all the Bayside schools are very popular and there is unlikely to be much availability at this stage.
Personally I would contact every school from Elsternwick to Parkdale to see what availability there is and then work out where to live. Elsternwick and Brighton will be the most expensive areas as they are closer to the city. Hampton, Sandringham, Black Rock and Beaumaris are likely to be a little cheaper but are still fabulous area. Parkdale and Mordialloc will be cheaper still as they are further out but also good areas.
Walking to school may have to wait ! The Bayside area is relatively small so the journey time in the car from one end to the other is pretty short.
Good luck. Feel free to PM me if you need any more info.
Cheers
Col
Sep 25th 2013, 1:31 am
#3
Joined: May 2006
Location: Melbourne - London - Bangkok - Melbourne - Kuala Lumpur - Melbourne
Posts: 658
Re: Public primary schools in Bayside area of Melbourne. Help!
Hi Bels
This is the similar post that Haggis refers to:
http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=809886
We're also moving over from Asia (KL) at the end of Nov. Whereabouts are you now?
Cheers
ajw
This is the similar post that Haggis refers to:
http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=809886
We're also moving over from Asia (KL) at the end of Nov. Whereabouts are you now?
Cheers
ajw
Sep 25th 2013, 2:34 am
#4
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 2
Re: Public primary schools in Bayside area of Melbourne. Help!
Hi Col and ajw,
Thanks so much for your prompt and detailed replies.
I have spent the morning emailing and calling schools - bad timing on my part as most on school holidays. Planning on doing a quick pre-move visit at the end of Nov so will get a feel for schools etc then. Ajw, have been in HK for the last 5 years. Have loved living here and will be sad to leave. Its been a great experience but no doubt Melb will be a great adventure also.
Thanks so much for your prompt and detailed replies.
I have spent the morning emailing and calling schools - bad timing on my part as most on school holidays. Planning on doing a quick pre-move visit at the end of Nov so will get a feel for schools etc then. Ajw, have been in HK for the last 5 years. Have loved living here and will be sad to leave. Its been a great experience but no doubt Melb will be a great adventure also.
Sep 25th 2013, 10:31 pm
#5
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Mar 2009
Location: Kohimarama
Posts: 1,626
Re: Public primary schools in Bayside area of Melbourne. Help!
Hi Col and ajw,
Thanks so much for your prompt and detailed replies.
I have spent the morning emailing and calling schools - bad timing on my part as most on school holidays. Planning on doing a quick pre-move visit at the end of Nov so will get a feel for schools etc then. Ajw, have been in HK for the last 5 years. Have loved living here and will be sad to leave. Its been a great experience but no doubt Melb will be a great adventure also.
Thanks so much for your prompt and detailed replies.
I have spent the morning emailing and calling schools - bad timing on my part as most on school holidays. Planning on doing a quick pre-move visit at the end of Nov so will get a feel for schools etc then. Ajw, have been in HK for the last 5 years. Have loved living here and will be sad to leave. Its been a great experience but no doubt Melb will be a great adventure also.
I don't know any parent who is unhappy with their children's primary education in this area. Have many friends whose children go to Hampton Primary and they love it but they are VERY strict about the zone area. I also posted a link to UK mums playgroup in other post. Many of my friends met through this site
Last edited by Hebe; Sep 25th 2013 at 10:37 pm.
Sep 27th 2013, 7:27 pm
#6
Victorian Evangelist
Joined: Sep 2005
Location: Melbourne, by the beach, living the dream.
Posts: 7,704
Re: Public primary schools in Bayside area of Melbourne. Help!
Hi, we have kids at Parkdale Primary and are very happy with it. It is not zoned and they always seem to be able to find room for new arrivals, my daughters are often coming home saying there is a new girl from England in their class. It is a reasonably large school (500 pupils) and there are around 20-24 kids per class.
Ours are now in grade 2 (twins) and they walk to school part of the way by themselves, after all roads between our house and school have been crossed. Plenty of kids their age walk to school without parents, I was a bit nervous about this at first but now we've done it a few times it's OK!
Please ask away if you want any info about the Parkdale / Mordialloc area.
BB
Ours are now in grade 2 (twins) and they walk to school part of the way by themselves, after all roads between our house and school have been crossed. Plenty of kids their age walk to school without parents, I was a bit nervous about this at first but now we've done it a few times it's OK!
Please ask away if you want any info about the Parkdale / Mordialloc area.
BB
