Originally Posted by Kim67

When they were in school in Perh I made sure they were in a school with a good reputation in a good suburb. We rented in an area where we knew even state school education would be okay. I did have to make an effort myself though, the school we chose didn't have a strings program so I had to make the extra time to take my eldest to private cello lessons, I had to try a couple of ballet schools before I found the right one for my girls - everything's about trial and error, if you don't get it right the first time, try again.

Originally Posted by Mahuac

Hi there, I just anted to flag something up at a secondary school level, I've been teaching for four years (UK based) and we have a lot of Aussie teachers in our school. The things I will say that is VERY noticeable is that whilst they are good teachers they are not used to differentiating their lessons in the way that UK trained teachers are and therefore sometimes they struggle to meet the needs of each child.

Of course the issue of whether teachers actually do this day in day out is a separate one. However the way we are taught to do this at uni and the expectations that parents have of how we do this is different when compared with Aussie teachers. I line managed one teacher and what was clear from his teaching was that he wasn't accustomed to tailoring his lessons for the needs of each child, unless the child had English as a second language, which is in some ways easier to differentiate for. His teaching style was more formulaic and teacher led and this is a pattern I have seen in a lot of Aussie teachers. Obviously other peoples experiences may be different, but I do have a number of Aussie friends who have also noticed a difference between the way we teach and the way they were taught.

Originally Posted by Kim67

No I'm not there and not returning to WA, though they were in the WA system in 2008. My kids would love to return to WA as they loved it and their school in South Perth was the best school on the planet according to them (and they've been to a few) but I hate the cold, we have our own house in Brisbane, and the East Coast is more happening for us.

When they were in school in Perh I made sure they were in a school with a good reputation in a good suburb. We rented in an area where we knew even state school education would be okay. I did have to make an effort myself though, the school we chose didn't have a strings program so I had to make the extra time to take my eldest to private cello lessons, I had to try a couple of ballet schools before I found the right one for my girls - everything's about trial and error, if you don't get it right the first time, try again.

Originally Posted by northernbird

You are fighting a losing battle Kim.

Originally Posted by floss in dubai

Yes. And as I said, me included. I had a very successful 'career' in London. I was educated in WA. As were my friends who also managed to support themselves and survive in the business/teaching/oil worlds of the UK.

Originally Posted by Kim67

Don't be silly, of course all we born and bred aussies are complete morons, raising more morons. If it wasn't for us, you'd have to complain about.

Originally Posted by floss in dubai

Hay! Speek for yourself. I'm knot a moron. I'm reely good at speling and righting and I can even ad up reely hard sums if I youse a calcyoolater. I can only hope my kids have the same suksess. Although, as the yungest won has now inrolled into the state sistem, I have proberbly doomed him to a life of ignoranse and no hope of eny sought of career.

Originally Posted by Kim67

That's coz yoos been in Dubai too long communicatin' with the wrest of us hunheducumated lot.

(By the way, heard from Poitin today and they're off to Brisbane to find a rental this weekend, so exciting, can't wait to get home.)

Originally Posted by floss in dubai

Have yoo been on that uther site that likes to do nuthing better than slag off the edyoocashun system in Dubai?

Heard from her myself a week or so ago but was slack in finally replying. Our sons are on Facebook to each other but being boys, spend ages on it without actually exchanging any information.

Hope you're enjoying your last Ramadan at the height of summer.

Originally Posted by mohogony

MOST of the posters here seem to be from Perth, l wonder are schools in Melbourne and Sydney better, they have a much larger population so maybe more variety of schools.

Originally Posted by scotsista

Yes, I'd be interested in that too!

This post has caught my attention as we are hopefully about to relocate to Melbourne and my oldest will only be starting school.

So depressing to hear of such awful teachers and schools..............

Originally Posted by floss in dubai

From my experience at two primary schools and one high school for my kids and 3 primary schools and one high school for myself; no schools were awful and most teachers were more than competent. The system is DIFFERENT. It's not as academic in the early years but that's not necessarily a bad thing. My kids went from Australian to British Curriculum. My daughter was receiving level 7a/8 when we left the British Curriculum, so her time in the Australian curriculum couldn't have been THAT much of a disadvantage.

Originally Posted by renth

A good friend of mine (a psychiatrist) told me for young children (which is what this thread is all about) it's more important for them to develop socially, to feel like they belong in a group rather than be filled with facts and figures.

2 of the three primary school in Australia my kids have attended have been great for this - Poseidon and Ocean Reef.

However secondary school is what's really important for an academic education and every day I thank my lucky stars that my kids go to and will be going to what I believe is the best school for miles around - St Marks.