terrytiler

We need to live and have a very good school within easy reach of Chandler, Brisbane, QLD. Can anyone recommend good schools for 10/11+ yr old boy and 8/9+ yr old girl within this area please?

ABCDiamond

Private or State ?

terrytiler

Preferably state because we don't know how much money we will have to play with yet!

terrytiler

Just thought I'd mention that my son is currently in a Gymnastic Squad and will hopefully be joining one in Brisbane. He is very sporty and will enjoy being at a school which includes a lot of sport. My daughter is doing ballet, jazz and tap and has started playing the keyboard, so all this including sport (she too is keen) is important.

Hope this helps anyone able to offer suitable ideas for schools?!

Thanks

Kim67

Morton Bay College has a girls and boys campus and has a good gymnastics program and has ballet school on site. It's private but is in the mid price range for private schools and has a good reputation. It's close to Chandler.

Rudi

Hi

We were in a similar position to you, but needed to be close to Chandler for diving. We live in Thornlands - it's about a 15 minute drive from here and we are out there 10 times a week UGH.....we do have a good lift share going though!!

As someone else has mentioned Moreton Bay has a gymnastics programme within the school. If your son is good enough you may be able to negotiate a scholarship for him to go to the school and train there as well. If not, he can still go to the gymnastics club there.

At Chandler, as you probably know, they run the QAS training programme. When we were in NSW in order for my daughter to be on a scholarship with the equivalent NSW programme we needed to be citizens. I'm not sure whether it's the same for QAS as we just transferred up here straight into the programme. But again, as you are probably aware, it's an ability based programme, so it depends what level your son is training at. They are desperate for ex gymnasts - especially boys in the diving squad though..... ;-)

Most of the local schools are good. My kids go to school in Ormiston, but Thornlands school is good, as is Cleveland. A lot of the gymnasts go to a school out to the west somewhere - can't remember what it's called, but I know they bus them to and from training each day.

PM me if you need any more info - I know it's tough when kids are doing a lot of hours and gymnastics and diving seem to be the 2 sports where they do soooo many hours. Just another thing - you may find that the QAS gym squad train during school hours - my daughter starts training at 2.30pm each day so leaves school at lunchtime. This obviously means we have to have good support from the school, so that she's not missing out on her core subjects.

Hope that helps a bit

Rudi
x

fish.01

Could that school out the west be this government high school: http://kelvingrovesc.eq.edu.au/wcmss/ ?

Kim67

Kelvin Grove is considered inner city rather than west, I think it's only about 2km from CBD. It's a great school, my nephews attend the soccer program there. When I girls are old enough (Year 11) will probably audition them for the ballet program.

fish.01

Thanks Kim67, when they are possibly new to Brisbane, live far to the east and say "a lot of the gymnasts go to a school out to the west somewhere" I assumed they could easily mean inner west...but I think I got it wrong anyway as I was thinking of dance programme's where they were talking about gymnastics...

Rudi

I meant west of Chandler ;-)

terrytiler

Many thanks to all of you! Wow! A lot to take in. We are coming over in December for a reckie, and to visit the schools (although I think we may need to wait til first week of January because of the holiday), so hopefully we can get a feel for the right school. Would help if both our children attended the same school, ie. Moreton Bay College or Kelvin Grove; however not sure if we will be able to afford fees for both of them and I'm not expecting any scholarships (although our son is winning a lot of Gold medals at the mo!).

I shall carry out more investigations on the net, but any other pointers would be gratefully received. I will most probably PM you Rudi with more information.

Kim67

Kelvin Grove is a state school - so if you live within the catchment or are accepted into one of their excellence programs, it's free (if you're entitled to free state education). Brisbane State High is the same, but as your kids are too young for that one at the moment.

ABCDiamond

A guide to possible school opening times after Christmas:

These were for our school for the 2009 start,
Monday, 5 January Business and Middle School Offices reopen
Monday, 12 January Principal and Senior School Offices reopen
Monday, 19 January Junior School Office reopens

Tuesday, 27 January First Day of Term 1 - Students return

terrytiler

Thanks again! The dates forwarded ABC Diamond are really useful, cheers! By the way, your site is fantastic!

KateandPhil

Hi ABC Diamond just want a little bit of your valuble advice. I have been contact with you before regarding schools in the Bayside area. We are emmigrating in nov/dec this year. I have been in contact with Faith lutheren
and Redlands bay state school which I have had replies from. Other schools
I contacted were St ritas, cleveland state school and Thornlands state school. Do you have recommendations? Is it Faith where your children attend?
We want to make arrangements to visit schools before my children start in Jan and would like to make our list as short as possible. Can you help?