emmakc1977

Hi everyone, I'm new the boards. My husband and I only had our visa application submitted last week by our agents so we are a way of moving yet, but I was wondering about schools in Queensland.

I heard that private schools are really affordable as are the church schools and that these are much better than the state schools and worth paying for.

My son is almost 4 and goes to a really good C of E school here. We were really lucky to get him in there as we do not attend church and its really hard to get a place there (we live in Greater London so not all the schools are very good)!

Anyway, any info on how much private schools cost and whether you have to be a regular worshiper in the UK to get the kids into church school would be really helpful.

thanks.

hay_123

hiya...
no u dont have to be a regular worshipper.We are catholic but dont go to church and was still allowed in the school fine!! private education can rang from as little as $4000 to as much as $150000!!! the more expensive ones are in the city and really aren't that special! you can get your child into a good one for $4000-$5000.

Depending on where abouts you go in Queensland, I am guessing that the prices will differ. The prices I gave you are just an average for Brisbane schools. There are many such as Southern Cross, Grace Lutheran, Mount Alvernia, Nudgee Beach, Living Faith, etc!!

Southern Cross and Grace Lutheran are senior schools which both has feeder schools attactched to them...with Southern Cross' actually being Southern Cross primary and Grace Lutheran being Grace Lutheran Primary and Living Faith. There is also Mueller College which goes right the way through, this is like in competition with Grace Lutheran. Grace is rumoured to be the better of the two

Hope this helps

emmakc1977

Thanks for the response. Is it true that the church schools are still private schools but the fees are much cheaper than the other private schools? The prices you quoted, did they relate to church schools, private schools or both?

Thanks!

emmakc1977

Forgot to say, is the $4,000 to $15,000 per term? Am I right in thinking there are four terms per year in Australia?

Cheers.

hay_123

yer you are right...4 terms but split up into 2 semesters!!!!
nooooo that is $4000 a year!! the prices I gave for you are private church schools!!!! the majority of private schools are christian schools!!

moneypenny20

From my children's experience in the state schools against the experience of some of their friends in private schools I would not say that the private and church schools are far better than the state but I can only speak from my experience in my area of the Gold Coast.

hay_123

i didnt say that private schools were better, but em asked about them so I told her!!

moneypenny20

I didn't say you did. OP said that was what she/he had heard.

emmakc1977

Just the particular school in NSW is bad (so my friend has found with her teenage daughter) and she mentioned church and private school) - didnt mean to offend just want to find out fees and peoples particular experiences.

cheers

emmakc1977

thanks hay_123 - thats brilliant will look into them when we finally come over, my son is nearly 4 so by the time we get our visas and are ready to come he will be starting big school!

biggy

I would agree the state schools here in CQLD have far better names for themselves that the private ones.............the are far superior academically and socially....just cos u r payin for it doesnt mean its betta

Stitch

Might have a bit of a wait for some of the more popular ones.

Cheers

Ginny

moneypenny20

You didn't offend. Well not me anyway.

From what I gather from threads on here, the quality of education differs a fair bit between states, as well as between towns, cities, children etc etc etc etc.

One person's view is fairly irrelevant to my way of thinking because it depends on what your child requires and whether it is forthcoming. The best school in the world will fail a proportion of children not suited to it.

sheli0508

Hi

Can I ask a question to those of you already over there with your children in school?

we have 3 children (8,5 +3). The older 2 attend a local C of E school over here and I would like them to have some kind of religious education over in Queensland when we get there. Don't get me wrong we only tend to go to church at christmas and occasionally with the school, but I just think it gives them a balance. I don't think we could afford private for all 3, as until all of them are at school I'm not intending to go to work - and even then I'll need something where I can be at home for school holidays... so I'll probably be earning peanuts... so this won't help...

Do the state schools cover any form of christian RE - how do they cover off Easter and Christmas... do they just have them as holidays or do they explain how it all fits together?

I was on the internet trying to get an idea last night but I must admit I came off even more confused and I'm now glad this thread has been started.

any advice gratefully received,

Shelley

aussiegirl10

i would agree.
from opinions and visiting schools in brisbane, i do not see a lot of difference in the state and private system. The state system in Australia are far better than the ones in the uk (you say your from london .. me too)
my children are all at private schools here costing each one just under £10,000 a year!! i have four kids!
when we went over to queensland, we looked at the schools and were very impressed. (we also asked estate agents/family / locals about the schools who recommended the state schools)
Therefore, i am going to send them to the state schools as it looks like they get very good results and have a very good atmosphere. =)