katherine 4

Hi
I'm new to the forum so not sure if this is the right place to post this.
We are planning our move to Sydney before January 14. We have two boys aged 10 and 11. We are looking for a good catholic secondary school in Sydney. I was looking at st Mary's cathedral college. I have not contacted them yet so don't know the admission but was wondering if anyone knows the school or any other catholic secondary schools.
Thanks

NickyC

There are dozens of them. Every suburb in Sydney would have a Catholic High School in the vicinity.

What part of Sydney are you looking to live in?

You can get a list of of all 55 Catholic High Schools in Sydney here -

http://www.sydneycatholic.org/education/schools.shtml

This includes the systemic and independent schools.

katherine 4

Thanks Nicky. Yes, I thought this is the case bus was wondering if anything stands out? We are thinking about south-east.
Will go through the list.
Thanks

NickyC

I'm not a catholic and not 100% sure where you mean by south-east but well regarded Catholic high schools in the Eastern Suburbs (where I am) are:

Kincoppal Rose Bay (girls) - independent and very expensive
Waverley College (boys) - big independent but not expensive
St Clare's Waverley (girls) - small independent but not expensive
Marcellin Randwick (boys) - systemic so very reasonable
Brigidine Randwick (girls) - systemic so very reasonable

Sorry - just realised you have boys only. I'd recommend you check out Waverley College, then Marcellin, if you're going to be near here.

paddyo

This cracks me up.

Sydney is bloody huge so you really do need to try and help by giving an indication of the suburb or area you will be in. My work colleague went to St Marys, he lived in Canterbury and used to travel by train to school.

Do NOT look for school first and then look for house, do it the other way around otherwise you will completely stuff up your living plans.

As Nicky C stated, most suburbs have a Catholic secondary school but it comes down to how much you want to invest in the schooling and how much you can afford. Generally they are all good with few bad ones so you should be able to find a good one close to where you decide to live. Good luck.

carolinephillips

I slightly disagree- we chose the school first as it was our highest priority. Our daughter's education affects her entire future and we wanted to have her in a good school that could give her a really good education, (she is bright,) and that had a place. Then we looked at where to live so that we were near a trainline into the CBD.

paddyo

Fair enough...we all have different approaches to life.
I just put the family first as a whole rather than concentrate on one person...that way we ALL get something out of such a big move. There is no point picking a great school for your child which is ideal for them and then getting a house without thinking of the earners commute and work circumstances. It gives the child an early indication that you will do ANYTHING for them and spoils them, but, IIRC you are in the northern beach/shore so plenty of good schools and areas there. That area, I used to live in Seaforth, is not renowned for BAD schools so if you pick a decent suburb then a decent school won't be far away.
St Marys for example is smack bang in the centre of Sydney next to Hyde Park, so would need some thinking about when it comes to where to live and commute to work. My colleague loved it...partly because of the train journey and also it was not too close for his parents to visit all the time!

katherine 4

I get your point Padyo but I agree with Caroline. Education is the priority for us and I think this is the best we give give to our children. We are in London at the moment and it is also huge but kids do travel far to good schools. Our son is in one of the best catholic schools and travels up to an hour each way. This is quite normal here. We would love to avoid that once we get to Sydney if at all possible. We will come over in July so will look at the distance and transport links. The only question is if the good schools will have space for them. Can anyone tell me which year my son would go in January 14 (he was born June 2001). Thanks everyone for your comments/advice.

h2oskineil

Check the schools here - http://www.myschool.edu.au/

St Mary's - http://www.myschool.edu.au/MainPages...6wbG4zmA%3d%3d

St Mary's Cathedral College is a Catholic systemic secondary school within the Archdiocese of Sydney educating boys based on the example and teachings of Blessed Edmund Rice. Situated on the eastern side of Hyde Park the College has easy access to the city rail network and bus routes. The school includes a composite Year Five/Six class, consisting of students who are members of the highly regarded St Mary's Cathedral Choir. A number of secondary students also perform with this choir attracting a scholarship that covers their tuition fees. The College is committed to providing an environment where each student feels accepted and cared for and where staff, students and parents participate as valued partners. The College provides an inclusive faith community, emphasises the pursuit and attainment of educational excellence, endeavours to offer each student the opportunity to fulfil his potential in all aspects of his education and works to ensure the provision of a safe environment. The College takes pride in the students' performance in National and State testing. As a student centred community, the curriculum caters for the individual needs of the diverse range of students. Senior students regularly achieve results near the top of the State and the Learning Support Programs provide assistance for students who are challenged, in specific areas, by the school curriculum. Music is a particular focus of the school. Numerous bands, choirs, ensembles and an orchestra provide opportunities for the students to learn and perform. Diversity is also a hallmark of the College's extensive extracurricular program, encompassing a wide range of sports, as well as public speaking, Mock Trial, the Duke of Edinburgh program among others. Sporting competitions are diverse and provide the students with the pathway to perform up to State and National levels. A feature of the school is the healthy teacher/student relationships that exist throughout the school community. This is most evident in Year 12 where students and teachers spend many extracurricular hours working together in preparation for the students' NSW Higher School Certificate Exams and Assessment Tasks. Senior students provide fine leadership within the school community, displaying excellent example to the younger students by the way they study, participate in extra-curricular activities and encourage school spirit. The College teaching and support staff displays a high level of dedication and professionalism. As a resourceful community St Mary's Cathedral College provides a safe and secure environment; makes full use of technology with a 1:1 laptop program and takes full advantage of the accessibility of the many resources found in the CBD to enhance student learning. School website link

michael_w

We took our two boys out of a Catholic school in Sydney two years ago because we weren't happy (and they weren't happy) with the atmosphere of the place. I went to an RC school in the UK and presumed the Sydney schools would be much the same, but we were quite taken aback by the snobbery and the 'blokiness' of this all boys school. The school was an independent one, but not one of the famous ones like Riverview. However it certainly seemed to want to be seen in the same light as a top GPS school and the staff were always making disparaging remarks about the neighbouring state school, which had a much wider ethnic mix. We could never quite put our finger on what it was about the school we felt uneasy about. There was a strong emphasis on sport (not necessarily a bad thing) but to the point where boys who weren't 'good at games' felt left out. In the end I think it was just a very conservative, conformist place, and our kids felt stifled and a bit intimidated there. They were also picking up some very racist, misogynistic and elitist vibes from the dominant 'nouveau riche brat' elements at the school. I can now understand where Tony Abbott comes from (especially his attitudes to women), and I now understand why there has been so much trouble with loutish behaviour at those elite Sydney University colleges that had to suspend about 10 students.
Our boys transferred to a state school in the inner west and really thrived there. They were able to make friends (both male and female) more easily, and just seemed more at ease and confident. I'm not saying Catholic schools are bad - but you certainly shouldn't expect them to be like their counterparts in the UK, especially the Australian schools run by groups such as the Christian Brothers.

paddyo

Not just the kids either...http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/gay-teache...124-2d9oa.html

katherine 4

Thanks, will have to look into that deeper. Thanks for your comment Michael. It's nothing like that here but I'm sure you get the odd ones like in the article from Paddyo everywhere. I think we will have to visit some schools before we make a decision to get the "feel" about the school.
I guess I was hoping someone knows someone who is in a particular school and can tell from their own experience. Michael, your comment made us think hard as sending our boy to boys school only was not an easy decision but he seems happy there. Still early days though...

paddyo

What is hard to comprehend about Australia is just how behind it is with the rest of the 'modern world' in regard to inclusion and acceptance.
The things that are expressed publicly, in politics and in the media would never be said in the UK or the States and that resonates throughout the social system.
I love it here and we are enjoying it and my son gets a fabulous education, but, my concern is the male orientated domains and the old fashioned 'ladies 5 paces behind your man' attitudes. As Michael stated there has been some recent exposure as to the attitudes in Boys Only schools, both State and Private, and it does not make for comfortable reading.

paddyo

Katherine, what I will say is that anyone sending their child to a school is hardly likely to admit that they have sent their offspring to a bad one. It might show badly on them for making a poor choice. So you may not get a truthful or balanced view.
Treat opinions as just that and you really do get a better feel for the institutions by visiting them yourselves.

paddyo

Check out the listings for school results last year...may help in your decision...i.e. do NOT go to St Marys!!
http://bettereducation.com.au/Result...llRounder.aspx