daveandsarah

Hi

Looking at a place in Castle Hill - can anyone offer advice on nice schools in the area please (for 14 yr old boy) - i'll look at public and private.
Or which website will give us the catchement area ??

thanks

The Mackay Mob

try http://www.schools.nsw.edu.au/schoolfind/locator/ for public schools. I suggest you have a look at Cherrybrook Technology (public) depending on which area of Castle Hill you're after and Oakhill College (Catholic Private). You may have to go onto each school's website to check the catchment (or drawing area as Cherrybrook call it).

daveandsarah

Thanks - had a look at these 2 and at Castle Hill High, which seems to be a lot smaller in terms of no. of pupils.
Any opinions on any of these ?? Castle Hill High would be the nearest to the potential address.
Does the Catholic school charge higher fees for non-residents does anyone know ??
On a 457 visa the fees for public schools and this private option look about the same, and Oakhill looks to have great facilities.

Any experience and/or opinion on these 3 would be most welcome.

The Mackay Mob

Cherrybrook is very popular with lots of families trying to get into the catchment for it. I don't think Castle Hill has as good a reputation, but I don't honestly know for sure and I don't know of anyone with kids there. All the families that I know with kids at Oakhill College are very happy. I don't know about fees for certain visa holders, but the fees are very reasonable when compared to other private schools.

Rudi

Cherrybrook Tech is a very popular school, but you MUST live in catchment to get a place. A lot of the Asian families move specifically to the area to get their children into the school and with their kids having high expectations placed upon them and often extra tutoring, it means that the academic standard tends to be quite high.

Castle Hill is fine - if you can get into the gifted and talented stream then you will do well.

Oakhill College - I don't know much about it - I have girls ;-). However, I never heard anyone speak badly of it and it seems to be a popular school.

Hope that helps

Love

Rudi
x

kronk

Have a look at http://www.myschool.edu.au/SchoolSearch.aspx

that will give you some idea on what schools are in area and how they perform academically. I live in the area but haven't yet really looked at high schools (just starting to look at primary schools for mine!!) I have a friend whose son goes to Castle Hill high, don't think shes overally impressed with it. As someone said, Cherrybrook Tech has good reputation as state school. There are others that are selective so your son would need to take a test. Hills Grammar and William Clarke spring to mind as good private schools in area. You'd then have to look on the schools website which will give you info on their catchment. Hope this helps.

Gibbo

Only state high schools have catchment areas, private and state selectives don't.