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That whole education issue.....as referred to by Go bananas diray

That whole education issue.....as referred to by Go bananas diray

Old Sep 27th 2004, 11:21 am
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Default That whole education issue.....as referred to by Go bananas diary

Folks...........I'm sure everyone has read Go bananas diary today and the concern on education and what solutions may exist out there......this one scares me.

The main reason for going is our kids welfare.....we want a better life for them, more enjoyable, more outdoors, more sport but education is important.

We plan to go circa when our boys are 10/11 years of age....about to hit secondary school.

Anyone out there with some concrete comparisons between Uk and Oz secondary schools or is it just too hard to compare.....like comparing
a leafy suburb school in Devon with a concrete jungle school in Hackney.....

All I would say is......clever kids will always rise up......as it is natural they are inquistive and actually want to learn more....

My take is that secondary schooling in the UK has "fallen back" from my day. If teachers with years and years of experience say that new exams aren't as tough as the old O levels*......then that's enough for me to think secondary schooling is not of the same level as my day. How we can virtually pass everyone that takes a GCSE is just not right. In my class, we had very very very clever kids (boys grammar school...11 plus entry).......some got straight A's some didn't. they went on to Uni to study to be dentists, doctors, vets, chemical engineers, etc......we certainly didn't have the half the class passing with grade A which seems to be the case now.

Guess some folks will be bored stiff with the same old argument.....but haven't seen a thread on here lately about secondary schooling so thought I'd open one up.

*Evidence for this was last week.....I read that a school is deciding to drop GCSEs as they are too easy and don't test kids because too much is relied on from course work.

cheers

Last edited by Olibeneli; Sep 27th 2004 at 11:32 am.
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Old Sep 27th 2004, 11:50 am
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Default Re: That whole education issue.....as referred to by Go bananas diary

Originally Posted by Olibeneli
Folks...........I'm sure everyone has read Go bananas diary today and the concern on education and what solutions may exist out there......this one scares me.

The main reason for going is our kids welfare.....we want a better life for them, more enjoyable, more outdoors, more sport but education is important.

We plan to go circa when our boys are 10/11 years of age....about to hit secondary school.

Anyone out there with some concrete comparisons between Uk and Oz secondary schools or is it just too hard to compare.....like comparing
a leafy suburb school in Devon with a concrete jungle school in Hackney.....

All I would say is......clever kids will always rise up......as it is natural they are inquistive and actually want to learn more....

My take is that secondary schooling in the UK has "fallen back" from my day. If teachers with years and years of experience say that new exams aren't as tough as the old O levels......then that's enough for me to think secondary schooling is not of the same level as my day. How we can virtually pass everyone that takes a GCSE is just not right. In my class, we had very very very clever kids (boys grammar school...11 plus entry).......some got straight A's some didn't. they went on to Uni to study to be dentists, doctors, vets, chemical engineers, etc......we certainly didn't have the half the class passing with grade A which seems to be the case now.

Guess some folks will be bored stiff with the same old argument.....but haven't seen a thread on here lately about secondary schooling so thought I'd open one up.

cheers
I have a very good memory of my schooling in England and I can say that my kids here (now in Years 10 and 12 at a private school in Sydney) have on the whole covered similar topics at a similar stage (give or take six months or so). And I was an 11+ passing, grammar school kid back in the 1970's so we're talking decent standards here!

Their maths in particular brought back special memories - they were doing areas of algebra at age 15 that I never touched on in my O-level class. Their English syllabus too has been excellent.

I cannot comment on other schools (or other states) but I've never had a moments concern that my kids education here is any different to what they would have experienced back in the UK. But I am comparing an expensive private school with an old-fashioned grammar school.

However, people should also maybe consider why such a huge number of people here send their kids to private schools......

Last edited by NickyC; Sep 27th 2004 at 11:53 am.
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Old Sep 27th 2004, 12:03 pm
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Default Re: That whole education issue.....as referred to by Go bananas diray

I just went and had a read of the post on the Banana's posting.

I can't answer for high schools, but my experience has been quite different from the Bananas.

My kids (well the 2 in school) are 5 and 8. My 8 year old would have just started year 4 in the UK.......she is completing year 2 here........even though she already did year 2 back in the UK system......(just where her birthday is means she falls within year 2 - decision was ours to put her in at that level rather than bump her up a year). She was always near the top of her class in the UK and she was at a good school with excellent SATS results. She is also among the top 3 in her class her in Australia. She's not way ahead of them which surprised me. She has computer classes and science classes at school.

My five year old would have started school last September.......she started in January in the Australian system. She is doing what I would have expected her to be doing in reception in the UK. She's reading well and learning mathematics. She uses the computer in school.

I guess it very much depends on the individual school and area. I know some schools do not teach kindy kids to read for example. I guess at the end of the day it depends where you think your children will be studying in their senior years. If you plan to stay in Australia, does it really matter that schooling is not perhaps as accademically orientated as the UK - your kids will be up against Australian kids for uni places and jobs.

If you plan to return to the UK - well yes, maybe it would be an issue. My 8 year old would probably drop down a year back in the UK. Her birthday is at the end of August so it's not a huge deal and hey - it would mean an extra year at home with me!! We don't plan to return to the UK so hopefully it won't become and issue anyway.

I think we all make comparisons with what we are used to and expect our children to be keeping up with their peers in the UK. The thing is - we don't live in the UK now so it should not matter..........................
 
Old Sep 27th 2004, 12:14 pm
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Default Re: That whole education issue.....as referred to by Go bananas diary

Originally Posted by nickyc
I have a very good memory of my schooling in England and I can say that my kids here (now in Years 10 and 12 at a private school in Sydney) have on the whole covered similar topics at a similar stage (give or take six months or so). And I was an 11+ passing, grammar school kid back in the 1970's so we're talking decent standards here!

Their maths in particular brought back special memories - they were doing areas of algebra at age 15 that I never touched on in my O-level class. Their English syllabus too has been excellent.

I cannot comment on other schools (or other states) but I've never had a moments concern that my kids education here is any different to what they would have experienced back in the UK. But I am comparing an expensive private school with an old-fashioned grammar school.

However, people should also maybe consider why such a huge number of people here send their kids to private schools......
OK first question is....what is the school you use and how expensive is it !!

We could be Sydney bound too.

Our kids birthdays fall in September 30 (he will be 9 this week) and March 27th (twins will be 8 next March)....so any ideas what years that would put them in ? They are in years 4 and 3 right now.
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Old Sep 27th 2004, 12:24 pm
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Default Re: That whole education issue.....as referred to by Go bananas diary

Originally Posted by Olibeneli
OK first question is....what is the school you use and how expensive is it !!

We could be Sydney bound too.

Our kids birthdays fall in September 30 (he will be 9 this week) and March 27th (twins will be 8 next March)....so any ideas what years that would put them in ? They are in years 4 and 3 right now.

Depends where you are in Sydney. We live in Glenhaven and our kids are at the local public school. We are more than happy with it, but do plan to send them to the Catholic High school.

If you follow what the rules are here then right now your son (9) would be in year 3 at the moment and your twins would be in year 2.

I know that may seem like they are going backwards......but as I explained, with my daughter we decided to keep her in the correct level according to the Australian education system despite the fact she ended up repeating grade 2. We felt it was more important for her to integrate socially than push her forwards academically. We have no regrets about doing so.

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Old Sep 27th 2004, 12:28 pm
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Default Re: That whole education issue.....as referred to by Go bananas diary

Originally Posted by nickyc
I have a very good memory of my schooling in England and I can say that my kids here (now in Years 10 and 12 at a private school in Sydney) have on the whole covered similar topics at a similar stage (give or take six months or so). And I was an 11+ passing, grammar school kid back in the 1970's so we're talking decent standards here!

Their maths in particular brought back special memories - they were doing areas of algebra at age 15 that I never touched on in my O-level class. Their English syllabus too has been excellent.

I cannot comment on other schools (or other states) but I've never had a moments concern that my kids education here is any different to what they would have experienced back in the UK. But I am comparing an expensive private school with an old-fashioned grammar school.

However, people should also maybe consider why such a huge number of people here send their kids to private schools......
What school are you using and how expensive is it ?.....if you don't mind my asking!
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Old Sep 27th 2004, 12:30 pm
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Default Re: That whole education issue.....as referred to by Go bananas diary

Originally Posted by Olibeneli
OK first question is....what is the school you use and how expensive is it !!

We could be Sydney bound too.

Our kids birthdays fall in September 30 (he will be 9 this week) and March 27th (twins will be 8 next March)....so any ideas what years that would put them in ? They are in years 4 and 3 right now.
Your 9 year-old would go into Year 4 in 2005 and the twins would go into Year 3.

My kids were at Claremont College in Randwick for primary school (Anglican school) which was not too bad expense-wise. Can't quote figures as it's bound to have gone up since we were there. Now they're at The Scots College www.tsc.nsw.edu.au - (nominally Presbyterian) which about as expensive as you can get.

The eldest finishes school this year - thank goodness!
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Old Sep 27th 2004, 12:36 pm
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Default Re: That whole education issue.....as referred to by Go bananas diray

Good god what have I started ????

In answer to some comments, we do not plan to go back to the uk, my fear is her boredom. But only time will tell and I will just have to be patient and see how it goes.
I was just telling it like it is for ME, it's a diary after all and no doubt I'll look back in years to come and think 'Geeze I was a nutter back then!' you guys probably think that anyway. I'll calm down in a day or two and then onto the next crisis

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Old Sep 27th 2004, 12:42 pm
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Default Re: That whole education issue.....as referred to by Go bananas diary

Originally Posted by nickyc
Your 9 year-old would go into Year 4 in 2005 and the twins would go into Year 3.

My kids were at Claremont College in Randwick for primary school (Anglican school) which was not too bad expense-wise. Can't quote figures as it's bound to have gone up since we were there. Now they're at The Scots College www.tsc.nsw.edu.au - (nominally Presbyterian) which about as expensive as you can get.

The eldest finishes school this year - thank goodness!
So....we're talking AUS$5,000 a term or what ???.....nothing on their website
about fees I could find.
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Old Sep 27th 2004, 12:47 pm
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Wink Re: That whole education issue.....as referred to by Go bananas diray

Originally Posted by Go Banana's !!
Good god what have I started ????

In answer to some comments, we do not plan to go back to the uk, my fear is her boredom. But only time will tell and I will just have to be patient and see how it goes.
I was just telling it like it is for ME, it's a diary after all and no doubt I'll look back in years to come and think 'Geeze I was a nutter back then!' you guys probably think that anyway. I'll calm down in a day or two and then onto the next crisis

Jill
Your diaries are ace....keep them up. When you have sold the rights to them and Hollywood has made a film about your life you can lay back on the proceeds.
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Old Sep 27th 2004, 1:07 pm
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Default Re: That whole education issue.....as referred to by Go bananas diary

I'm not 100% certain about the UK but I do know that in Ireland the entire cirriculum changed a few years ago so my youngest daughter has learnt in a completely different way to my other two. The emphasis for the first few years of primary schooling is now more focused on developing their social skills, learning to speak correctly and interacting better with others. They don't begin to put the emphasis on reading and writing until their 3rd year in school. I worried a bit about this at first but she is now 9 and I can tell you at the very least equal to her 2 sisters at the same age. Her ability to learn and retain information is far greater and her confidence and social skills are excellent. There probably is no right or wrong way and a lot is down to the individual child.
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Old Sep 27th 2004, 1:25 pm
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Default Re: That whole education issue.....as referred to by Go bananas diary

Originally Posted by CK2B
I'm not 100% certain about the UK but I do know that in Ireland the entire cirriculum changed a few years ago so my youngest daughter has learnt in a completely different way to my other two. The emphasis for the first few years of primary schooling is now more focused on developing their social skills, learning to speak correctly and interacting better with others. They don't begin to put the emphasis on reading and writing until their 3rd year in school. I worried a bit about this at first but she is now 9 and I can tell you at the very least equal to her 2 sisters at the same age. Her ability to learn and retain information is far greater and her confidence and social skills are excellent. There probably is no right or wrong way and a lot is down to the individual child.
That's a great observation..... There's a lot to be said for developing these skills first and then heaping the academics on later. If a kids being taught to read at aged 5 but can't express his feelings or is unhappy with something completely unrelated, he ain't going to want to read !!!
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Old Sep 27th 2004, 1:33 pm
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Default Re: That whole education issue.....as referred to by Go bananas diary

Originally Posted by Olibeneli
So....we're talking AUS$5,000 a term or what ???.....nothing on their website
about fees I could find.
Some School fees are listed here:
http://www.dest.gov.au/Ministers/Med...n900260804.asp

The Scots College is about half way down the page, and mentions a figure of $13,772 pa.
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Old Sep 27th 2004, 1:43 pm
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Default Re: That whole education issue.....as referred to by Go bananas diary

Originally Posted by ABCDiamond
Some School fees are listed here:
http://www.dest.gov.au/Ministers/Med...n900260804.asp

The Scots College is about half way down the page, and mentions a figure of $13,772 pa.
.
So that's circa GBP £5,500 a year.......for a school that near the top end of expensive.

Do Oz secondary schools have their equivalent of O levels or GCSE ?
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Old Sep 27th 2004, 1:52 pm
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Default Re: That whole education issue.....as referred to by Go bananas diary

Originally Posted by Olibeneli
So that's circa GBP £5,500 a year.......for a school that near the top end of expensive.

Do Oz secondary schools have their equivalent of O levels or GCSE ?
When you consider that a lot of private schools are between $2,000 -$5,000, that figure is expensive. $13,772 is about 28% of the average gross wage.

NSW has the HSC But i'm not sure how it all compares.
 

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