northernbird

We chose to buy here I suppose so you could argue we have put ourselves in this position. If we were renting it wouldn't have been an issue and yes we would have just moved to somewhere else. I will just have to pray a lot between now and March and hope that at least one of the schools comes up trumps for me.

Gems

I dont agree with this, I was doing very well at school in all the top sets.
Then I moved cities in the UK.
The new school I went to was awful, kids were just interested in getting pregnant and throwing things at the teacher and class mates. Also they were a lot lower ability than my previous school.
Needless to say my exam results really suffered.
I did get a college place, but had to resit a couple of subjects for Uni.

Teachers can only do so much, and doesnt matter how clever your child is. If the school is failing and the kids are effecting the work done in the classroom, you will struggle to reach your true potential.

Gems

NKSK version 2

You might be lucky - I think that there will be significant drop-outs over the next 6 months.

renth

I agree, a lot of people take a "shotgun" approach to enrolling their kids on waiting lists so for every 1 place accepted at a private scholl at least one or 2 other places will not be taken up by the same child.

Added to that the forthcoming economic maelstrom that most people in WA don't think will happen (despite seeing their share portfolios halve in value) will mean that many will not be able to afford the fees.

I think you will get lucky.

hoveactually

Sorry I didn't make myself clear; what I meant was, is the score a child receives partly made up of modules/course work, that can be repeated endlessly until you get a good mark, or is it a one-off exam in each subject.

hoveactually

We are in the same boat. If I knew then what I know now we would not have built where we are. Isn't hindsight is a wonderful thing!

northernbird

Absolutely.

NKSK version 2

No. In this respect it is better than the UK system.

It is 50% class based assessment - i.e. school tests and 50% exam.

No coursework as such - although there is the opporunity to do more extended pieces of work. I've never heard of anybody repeating Y12 TEE

But the schools are very tightly moderated - i.e. scrutinised - so that if a school achieves a high set of marks for the school-based component compared with what its students achieved in the exam, then the school marks will be adjusted significantly downwards.


FWIW I've just sent the Maths sample exam for the TEE next year (new course) to a few colleagues in the UK and I've asked them, to comment on the level of difficulty compared with GCSE and A level. I'll report back (assuming you're interested!)

NKSK version 2

NB - I trust that what I'm about to say will be taken in good spirit (and I don't know if you fall into this category or not)...

The trouble with a lot of British migrants to Perth is that they are seduced by the northern suburbs for some reason. Maybe it's the beach, the chance of being with other Brits...I don't know.

But they opt for suburbs like Clarkson, Butler, Joondalup, Carine, Duncraig and Ocean Reef seemingly blind to the fact that the academic results of many of the schools in these areas are woeful.

It's not a major issue for us with primary aged kids, but if I was moving with senior aged kids I'd be asking:

1. Can I afford private education?
2. If yes can I get my child into the school of my choice?
3. If I send my child to a state school where are they most likely to achiveve their potential?

Then rent or buy in that area.

The one advantage of Perth is that if you rent you can access suburbs which you might not be able to purchase into.

northernbird

I agree to some extent. We bought in Connolly because we like the suburb, it's location and proximity to things we like and need. It is slightly older and more established. I couldn't have lived in a new build, it just isn't me. We rented in Sorrento and would have purchased there if the budget allowed. We can afford private schooling and have our names down at 2 schools and won't know until next year. Now some would argue that we have put home ownership before our children. It must look like that. Owning our own home was important for us, not necessarily from a financial point of view but from a settlement point of view. When I was renting I never felt like I actually lived here. Having someone critique my cleanliness every few months just added to those feelings.

Anyway here we are 2 years on and I don't regret buying. I am sure it will work out for the best in the long run but I just have a few anxious months ahead.

I would agree with your advice. If you want to live in a suburb where the state high school is rubbish make sure you dot your I's and cross you T's before you buy the house.

hoveactually

Thank you for explaining the system it's much clearer now. It will be interesting to hear what your colleagues in the UK have to say.

hoveactually

Probably guilty as charged although we chose the northern suburbs for work reasons. We are in our 40s and have always owned our own property so I loathed renting; I never felt comfortable in our rental and found the regular inspections a real imposition. We thought that settling our children in their own home as soon as possible would make the move here easier for them. We made the mistake of only focusing on their primary school needs and of assuming that the promised new high school would be built by the time they got to that age. Where I would disagree with you is that I think it is a major issue for anyone moving here with kids be they primary or high school age. We will be sending our children to a private school (if we can get places!) but only time will tell what you actually get for your money.

If I had my time again I would definately do things differently.

NKSK version 2

All fair enough.

I think it shoud be emphasised on a list of 10 essentials for would-be migrants.

By the way, some of the private schools aren't much cop either in terms of results but on balance they are probably better than the northern suburbs state schools.

sunbather

Yes definitely My son will be taking Calculus, Geometry and Trigonometry as well as Applicable Maths. Do we get a sneaky peak of the exam too?

NKSK version 2

It's in the public domain. Don't forget that this is a draft sample exam - not the real thing....!