Choosing schools

[Guest mike]

I have a 12 year old duaghter and we are trying to work out which school to choose. I cant seem to find an easy way of assessing how good or bad a school is as there are no league tables. I am teacher so i have a bit of an understanding about it but finding it frustrating. The only way i have found is to go on each school website and assess that data. That is taking for ever!

[Guest kate]

In the South of Adelaide... My 5 yo is at Braeview Primary school it is BEAUTIFUL community orientated school and the cirriculm is fantastic...... She was enrolled into St Martin De Porres which was private and lovely but the cost was more and the education didnt seem to be as good...

We are enrolling her into Woodcroft College for high school only because im not keen on any of the other high schools around my area.

 

Public HIGH SCHOOLS :Brighton High (in Brighton),

Private HIGH SCHOOL Woodcroft College (in Woodcroft)

Public PRIMARY SCHOOL: Braeview Primary School (in Happy Valley), Private PRIMARY SCHOOL: Woodcroft College (in Woodcroft), St Martin De Porres ( in Sheidow Park)

 

Thats my opinion for the south of Adelaide in the area i live in OLD REYNELLA.

Regards

Kate

[Guest mike]

Thanks you have been most helpful! Does the quality of the school determine house prices like in the UK?

[Guest kate]

Yes and No.......... however you can live in a suburb and commute 10 mins to goto school and be in a completely different 'class ' of suburb without being a snob!!!! Depends on your choice of living style and whats important to you for work, school, fun and housing.

 

Look at Westminster school (suburb i think is MARION but dont quote me) on the net ...very expensive private school and in the same suburb there are a few ramshackle houses around that area ready for bulldozing but some very pricey and beautiful.

 

Kate

[Rachiegarlo]

St Johns Grammar in Belair is a moderately priced private school doing some good things. You can buy reasonably priced houses in Belair, Hawthorndene, Blackwood, Coromandel vally, Bellevue Heights and Eden Hills. Most of the kids at St Johns come from this area and the parents afford the fees by both parents working, ie not super rich people. It's an Anglican school but religion is not overly overdone. If you don't want private schools then Blackwood, the high school for this area is good.

 

Glenunga International High school is good. It's very multicultural and they have a lot of full fee paying overseas students. It's a state school, zoned but it's possible to get in through the IB programme, that they all follow until yr 10 and then they can choose to do SACE or the senior IB. Blackwood High also offers the IB.

 

There are no league tables and I'm afraid you will have to assess each school. Private schools do make known the percentages of students who got As, Bs etc inSACE. Read the school's newsletters around Jan, Feb if they have them on line.

 

These High schools in inner Adelaide are good academically Unley High, Glenunga Int High, Marryatville, Norwood Morialta, Adelaide High. Brighton High. There are a lot of good schools in the outer suburbs too. You need to decide what it is you want from a school for your daughter, what she herself likes to do and make a shortlist. State schools have to accept your child if you can prove you live in the catchment zone. Usually a long term rental agreement eg 1 yr will do or you buy in the area but those in the Eastern suburbs are in the pricier areas.

 

Schools to definitely avoid are Pasadena High, Hamilton secondary, any in Elizabeth/Smithfield Plains, Wirreanda.

I will say though that students come out of these schools and do well. They usually live in the area and have grown up with the others who go there..... a newcomer can be a target.

 

As your daughter is 12, she could be in yr 7 or yr 8 depending on when you come.

[Guest mike]

Thanks: What are the 4 schools like in Wallara? Only one of the schools , after reading the school context info, Aberfoyle looks ok. However, my daughter is quite academic and all those schools in Wallara seem to be more concerned with vocational education. This is the area we would like to move to as eastern adelaide is too expansive! I like the look of Brighton High but as that is in another distirct I take it that if we lived in Wallara my daughter could not go there. As i am a teacher is it easy to get a job in Adelaide?

[Rachiegarlo]

Most people wont have a clue where Wallara is. It's a school district made up by DECS, I think it includes Hallett cove, Aberfoyle Park etc.

 

Aberfoyle Pk has an IGNITE programme that bright Yr 7s can sit for in Feb. It covers numeracy, reading, writing and Raven's. Glenunga and one other school has this programme. If they get offered a place at Glenunga there is then an interview to see whether the child would suit the accelerated class (yr 8 & 9 in 1 yr) or the co-ignite class where they will be accelerated in certain subjects. Aberfoyle Pk is probably similar. Across the 3 schools there are about 180 places.

 

Brighton High has a music stream, if your daughter plays an instrument she may be able to get in that way. Adelaide High has a languages stream. The Yr 7s sit the suitability test in Yr 7 about Feb, those accepted have to do 2 languages.

 

If a school has a special programme then children living out of the zone can apply to go. It is common for children to travel across town to attend a school that better meets their needs, it's just a matter of getting in.

 

What do you teach. Don't forget to look at the private schools for jobs because they can hire who ever they want, whereas the state system has guidelines of who gets preference, where teachers can apply etc.

Rachel

[Guest mike]

I teach Humanities. My specialist subject is RE. I am head of faculty; that is head of RE, History and Geography, but the public schools dont seem to offer Humanities in the same way as in the UK, though the UK sytem is changing to become similar to the Ozzie one. I have been reading some rather bad experieces about UK teachers strugling to get jobs in OZ unless they teach in the middle on nowhere! Are there shortages in Adelaide? In England my step would be Assitant Head, not sure if I could apply for those positions in Adelaide; i might have to supply first.

[Guest salisbury massive]

Maybe you should apply to some of the private schools. My daughter goes to Kings Baptist Grammar School in the North East suburb of Wynn Vale. Its a Christian based school as is Pedare Christian College in the same suburb.

 

She does RE and christian based teaching every week. This week they went off to the local park for some Christian reflection time.

 

As most of the private schools are religion based, you may have better luck there.

 

Jo

[Guest Libby1971]

Mike,

 

I think I have been emailing you but just in case not, jobs in metro Adelaide are harder to get in the field you have identified on a permanent basis. That doesn't mean to say they are impossible.

 

Maths and Science seem to be a shortage subject globally.

 

As for good schools, I personally think Brighton is over rated. But that's just me. I don't think much of Brighton myself unless right on the seafront. Don't shoot me.

 

I would think Mike you would have to do supply initially as you are going to need an Aussie reference - and that is the quickest way to get it. If you are up against a candidate who does have an Aussie reference who can get the info back to the Head sooner than you can with the time difference, then why would they wait? You would have to be an exceptional candidate and not saying that you aren't, but there are lots of available staff here.

 

As for your daughter, I think the best bet is to come, rent and take her round the schools, and see what she thinks about them.

 

If I can give any more help, let me know.

 

Libby

[Guest mike]

Thanks for your help; i have not received any emails though! Am i allowed to get a non teaching job on a teachers visa, as my wife works in retail so she does not earn that much, could I apply for other work and then keep looking for a teaching post, or even, simply not teach and do something else? What scares me is my family and I not beeing in a secure finacial positon like we are now!

[Rachiegarlo]

Once here you can get any job you like, I couldn't imagine the Government saying no to your tax money or to someone trying to support yourself and family. Basically there are people who get their visa using whatever they can and then do something completely different when they get here.

 

Financial stuff is scary, but for every horror story you hear there will be double that in success stories. However you just need to make a plan of action, a budget and give yourself time to get a job and at the end of the day if it's not for you then you can move on or back.

 

As teachers say.... preparation is the key...painters also say that.

[Guest Libby1971]

sorry, my email address is eawarner60@hotmail.com

 

You are more than welcome to email me as many questions as you like and I can reply in more detail than I can fit into a post on here.

 

You don't get a teachers visa per se but you do get a skilled visa on the basis you are a teacher. You work in whatever field you can when you get here.

 

Finances are obviously going to concern you. But yes, you can work in a diff field although teaching is well paid compared to other jobs.

 

Libby

[Guest Meggs!]

Hi, my name is Megan and I am 13.

My mum and I are hoping to come to Adelaide for about 3 months from Nov to Jan, as part of our Round The World trip.

I was wondering if you have found a school for your daughter and if you knew whether I would be able to go to school there for a few weeks.

Thank you very much.

Meggs!

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