Schooling in Australia
Mar 8th 2013, 12:52 pm
#31
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 10,375
Re: Schooling in Australia
http://bettereducation.com.au/SchoolRanking.aspx
We have chosen the private single sex IB /option as we like the idea of a more international education that does not emphasise regurgitated rote learning and the subsequent exams which put immense pressure on kids.
We have chosen the private single sex IB /option as we like the idea of a more international education that does not emphasise regurgitated rote learning and the subsequent exams which put immense pressure on kids.
, OMG the amount of work, up to 13 exams some terms, and 3 - 6 hours a day of recommended study on top of school.
Mar 8th 2013, 7:17 pm
#32
Forum Regular
Joined: Feb 2008
Location: Aylesbury for now.
Posts: 115
Re: Schooling in Australia
Last one in grade 12 now, so with the 3 of them covered most grades. Did private and state and IB.
Main points.
Kids found school very easy, colouring in in grade 7
didnt laugh then but no wonder they love it, all play no work. Great fun!
Grade 10 11 12 massive shock, suddenly you do work.
Same school could vary massively according to the teacher and mix of kids. Even the amount of work done each year varied, disturbing when they would reach a new year level and had to be asked who had done what Other years fab teachers, you never knew what to expect year from year, but I think the curriculum might be more regulated now.
Schools brag a lot each one had a ' we are the best blurb', would really try to sell you the school, even if it was crap
Little or NO funding for learning disabilities, dyslexia for instance, shocking.
Bullies everywhere, state and private. Drugs everywhere, what would you like? Most parents would be amazed if they knew, my two have left spill the beans on what was going on, one was in private one in state . Lots of sex going on in grade 9 That shocked me more than the drugs. And booze, drinking culture is big here too.
You can do well, youngest has just had his OP estimated and its very very good, but he has that sort of brain, just a state school, there was a knife fight there today so same school, different kids going very different paths, that's it at the end of the day, the kid as much as the school. And sometimes the worst kids are from the best families and vice versa.
Main points.
Kids found school very easy, colouring in in grade 7
didnt laugh then but no wonder they love it, all play no work. Great fun!Grade 10 11 12 massive shock, suddenly you do work.
Same school could vary massively according to the teacher and mix of kids. Even the amount of work done each year varied, disturbing when they would reach a new year level and had to be asked who had done what
Other years fab teachers, you never knew what to expect year from year, but I think the curriculum might be more regulated now. Schools brag a lot each one had a ' we are the best blurb', would really try to sell you the school, even if it was crap
Little or NO funding for learning disabilities, dyslexia for instance, shocking.
Bullies everywhere, state and private. Drugs everywhere, what would you like? Most parents would be amazed if they knew, my two have left spill the beans on what was going on, one was in private one in state . Lots of sex going on in grade 9
That shocked me more than the drugs. And booze, drinking culture is big here too. You can do well, youngest has just had his OP estimated and its very very good, but he has that sort of brain, just a state school, there was a knife fight there today
so same school, different kids going very different paths, that's it at the end of the day, the kid as much as the school. And sometimes the worst kids are from the best families and vice versa.Is it only the private schools that offer the IB or is it also possible in some state schools? My eldest will have completed her GCSEs but my youngest will only be half way through so I'd prefer to have something more internationally recognized just in case it doesn't work out and we end up back in the UK. The schools they currently attend attend work them very, very hard so that side wouldn't worry me so much.
When you talk about the bullying are you saying its everywhere because its a massive problem or a bit like the sex & drugs that its a problem throughout Aus & UK? My children have never, to the best of my knowledge, been bullied but they have always been at schools that have a very tough stance of any sort of behavior.
Thank you for all the info, so helpful.
Mar 8th 2013, 9:18 pm
#33
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 1,603
Re: Schooling in Australia
Some State schools (more of a handful) in Victoria offer IB but these tend to be the selective ones. Can't say for QLD though. As each Australian State varies in their Educational agenda (yes, there isn't one country educational agenda) it's difficult for some of us to help you when we don't live in the State you are planning on going to. Just from Naplan results, etc QLD isn't top of the list and I know someone who went from a top VIC private to a top Brisbane private to find it much easier and less demanding
Mar 9th 2013, 9:55 am
#34
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 10,375
Re: Schooling in Australia
Is it only the private schools that offer the IB or is it also possible in some state schools? My eldest will have completed her GCSEs but my youngest will only be half way through so I'd prefer to have something more internationally recognized just in case it doesn't work out and we end up back in the UK. The schools they currently attend attend work them very, very hard so that side wouldn't worry me so much.
When you talk about the bullying are you saying its everywhere because its a massive problem or a bit like the sex & drugs that its a problem throughout Aus & UK? My children have never, to the best of my knowledge, been bullied but they have always been at schools that have a very tough stance of any sort of behavior.
Thank you for all the info, so helpful.
When you talk about the bullying are you saying its everywhere because its a massive problem or a bit like the sex & drugs that its a problem throughout Aus & UK? My children have never, to the best of my knowledge, been bullied but they have always been at schools that have a very tough stance of any sort of behavior.
Thank you for all the info, so helpful.
Bullying, I guess it goes on because kids are kids worldwide and some kids are plain nasty. In primary it really was physical stuff, and of course in high school its more physiological and often on line bulllying. Nasty age especially girls
Drugs, sex, booze, again kids are kids worldwide and Australia is a pretty rough culture with a lot of boozing.
Nobody when their kids are under 12 think the little sweethearts will do anything wild, but its all here if they want it, and teens test boundaries and experiment and aussie kids are doing just as well as any other place
Worst I had was one teen on a 3 month party after he graduated, settled now, but with 3 of them you meet a lot of parents and what some of them have to deal with in the teen years makes me feel pretty lucky.
Schools have a bullying policy but its often a no blame one, the bully and victim have to be treated the same
Plus bullies dont advertise it, its often very sneaky stuff. Just expect the same as you would in schools anywhere
Mar 10th 2013, 8:16 pm
#35
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Mar 2008
Location: Sydney, NSW
Posts: 7,580
Re: Schooling in Australia
I agree that the IB is tough all through years 11 and 12. DD works very long hours after school to get everything done. It suits a certain type of character though- someone who is an independent thinker. If you just want rote learning, don't enjoy researching, and hate maths, don't do the IB. You have to take 6 subjects,with Maths and English compulsory, a language, a science and an arts/social science subject or another language. You do CAS (Community, Action,Service)which is like a community service and physical ed, and TOK which is Theory of Knowledge.You also have to write an Extended Essay of 4000 words. 3 are taken at Higher Level (HL) which involves extra classes- in her case before and after school.
DD is doing Psychology, Social Anthropology and French at HL, and English, Biology and Maths at SL. She enjoys her subjects, but boy is it hard graft!
DD is doing Psychology, Social Anthropology and French at HL, and English, Biology and Maths at SL. She enjoys her subjects, but boy is it hard graft!
