Got Visa, time to plan! Golden Grove Schools

[Guest mandmick]

Didn't get much chance to look at schools on our trip to Adelaide due to holidays.

We have bought a house in Golden Grove, so catchment area not a problem for Golden Grove Primary.

Daughter presently in private school in Dubai, not much choice in that. Just wondered what views any of you had on private or state in Golden Grove area. She is year 1.

Many thanks

Mandy

[Rachiegarlo]

trinity in Gawler is really not that far from you, about 20 mins. It has an excellent reputation. www.trinity.sa.edu.au

[Guest salisbury massive]

Hi Mandy

 

Golden Grove Primary is a nice school, there are plenty of english people in our area and there are a lot of english kids that go there. As an alternative I would suggest looking at Greenwith Primary also a state school just to compare. Don't be put off by the uniform, state schools are very casual here in Adelaide.

http://www.greenwitps.sa.edu.au/ or there is an excellent state school called Keithcot Farm Primary, situated next door to Kings Baptist Private School, they share some private facilities and the school has just had a fantastic new gym built.

http://www.keithcotps.sa.edu.au/

 

There is a nice private school next door to Greenwith called Our Lady of Hope, its a catholic school and I think you may have to have a letter of recomendation from a minister http://www.oloh.adl.catholic.edu.au/

 

Other than that, there are a number of private schools within a 5 - 15 minute drive of Golden Grove, My eldest daughter is at Kings Baptist Grammar School and my youngest is starting Reception next year. I'm very enthusiastic about the school, the religious side isn't pushed on you if you are not that way inclined and its all on one site which I really like. http://www.kingsbaptist.sa.edu.au/principal.html Its off the Golden Way to the right down Wynn Vale Drive.

 

Also have a look at Tyndale Christian School, its at the bottom of Grove Way, left onto Bridge Road and then right onto Smith Road at Salisbury East. Again its all on one site until year 12. I would have gone there but they didn't have enough places for all 3 of my kids http://www.tyndale.sa.edu.au/

 

Pedare is also an option for you, the junior school is situated next door to Golden Grove Primary and they share some facilities, they stay on that site until year 6 I think and the senior school is based just past The Village shopping centre down Golden Way then left onto Surrey Farm Drive.

http://www.pedarecc.sa.edu.au/

 

hope that helps

 

Jo

[tina&steve]

Just wanted to know what school you went for? being nosey lol we are in Golden grove too

 

I have a 5 year old and he started in Oct at Keithcot Farm school and goes into year 1 when they go back.Not sure if the school is right forhim but its early days yet.

[Maggiemoo]

Hi Jo,

 

Sorry to jump in but thanks for that detailed information. We are arriving in June and are hoping to settle in the Greenwith area. We are looking for a catholic school for our 9 year old son and like the ide of Our Lady of Hope.

 

Do you have any idea of how much the fees are for a private school (don't necessarily want to send him private but would prefer catholic if possible)?

 

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Mags:)

[Guest salisbury massive]

Hi

Private school fees are fairly cheap in comparison to english school fees to start with but once you've been here a while it can get expensive especially in the High School Years. Uniform is very expensive and any camps or excursions are loaded into the next terms fees. There is another private school in Wynn Vale called St Francis http://sfx.adl.catholic.edu.au/ Its fees are roughly the same.

 

Based on what I'm paying for Kings and I think the Catholic Schools are slightly cheaper, I'm paying $1140 per term for a year 10 and around $750 per term for Reception. I think the fees stay roughly the same up to about Year 5 and then they go up each year, thats been my experience with Kings anyway. The Catholic high School feeder would be Gleeson College. Its a great school and my daughter has friends that go there.

 

We get 2 weeks off in July for holidays so I would suggest you have a good look at 3 or even 4 schools, Golden Grove, Greenwith, Our Lady of Hope and St Francis to compare and you can start a few weeks before the holidays so they get to know some kids. For the private schools I would say you've just moved to the area and haven't picked a church yet, that would cover your Ministers letter.

 

Hope that helps.

 

Jo

[Maggiemoo]

Thanks for that Jo, it is really helpful to know. Not really sure what to do yet and a lot will depend on when we actually get there and have a look around - we want to choose what is best for our son and I am sure he will want some say in the matter!!!

Many thanks,

Mags

[Guest salisbury massive]

Its a big decision and one I would firmly include your son in. Just be aware he may like the idea of the state schools here, the uniform is very casual and all the kids wear trainers not shoes to school. The cost involved is a big factor. Most state primarys range from $200 - $300 a year. As per my previous post private schools are a lot more expensive and you have to weigh up the costs for many years. The fees at Kings have gone up every year and I have to pay into a building fund which is compulsory. Despite that I think its an excellent school and the religious aspect is very un-intrusive but give a great community feel.

 

My middle daughter goes to Golden Grove high, she started this year. She's a very sporty type and going to private school was not suited to her at all. The curriculum offered at Golden Grove suits her down to the ground and while many people have expressed surprise that I have some private and 1 at state school, it goes to show that education is purely based on the individual and the feel you get for the school.

 

Jo x

[Maggiemoo]

Thanks Jo, I will certainly bear all that in mind.

 

Best wishes,

Mags

[Guest Fancy a Beer]

Its a big decision and one I would firmly include your son in. Just be aware he may like the idea of the state schools here, the uniform is very casual and all the kids wear trainers not shoes to school. The cost involved is a big factor. Most state primarys range from $200 - $300 a year. As per my previous post private schools are a lot more expensive and you have to weigh up the costs for many years. The fees at Kings have gone up every year and I have to pay into a building fund which is compulsory. Despite that I think its an excellent school and the religious aspect is very un-intrusive but give a great community feel.

 

My middle daughter goes to Golden Grove high, she started this year. She's a very sporty type and going to private school was not suited to her at all. The curriculum offered at Golden Grove suits her down to the ground and while many people have expressed surprise that I have some private and 1 at state school, it goes to show that education is purely based on the individual and the feel you get for the school.

 

Jo x

 

 

Blimey Jo you really are a wealth of information!!

 

Personally we have done the Catholic Private school and whilst it was ok was VERY clicky and if you didnt do the full on God thing then it was frowned upon we now send both ours to Greenwith Primary and I cant sing its praises highly enough, brilliant school the change in both my kids has been amazing, only wish I had saved all those thousands of dollars and sent them there first off!

 

Lady of Hope I have various mates who send their kids there, but what I dont really get is why spend all that money when it shares the campus with Greenwith Primary and all the facilities are available to Greenwith Primary as well as Lady of Hope, this is the case with many other schools here!!

 

It is as Jo says a very personal choice for you and your child and to make mistakes is easy to do, but the good point about living here is that if you are not happy with one school there are truely plenty more to chose from!

 

Good Luck!

[julie-ruth]

Hi I've got kids at both Golden Grove High school and Golden Grove Primary, next to Golden Grove is a private school Peldare (I think that is how its spelt) and the High School equivilent is also next to Golden Grove High School, Christian religion the Private Schools, Golden Grove is a very Large School but the teachers are lovely, be aware though I don't know if its the same for private schools they wear their uniform for sports and they do some sort of sporting activitiy every day, my girls are happy the teacher my youngest had in the infants was lovely like a kind gran always has time to listen to the children, now she is in Juniors the teachers are more strict but need to be to keep on top of behaviour, there are lots of English Children in the School and it is one of the biggest primary school, they are adding more classes at the moment because it is a favourite and people want their children to go there, something that is a bit weird though is the mixing of year classes like year 1 and year 2's mixed together I don't quite know what thats about but I know at the top levels year 5's 6's 7's they are separated into their own years.

 

We are at Wynn Vale if you need any advice on the area give us a shout.

 

Julie

[Rachiegarlo]

Composite classes (the mixing of year levels in one class) are used by schools to maximise the no. of classes that the school can have which gives them more funding for teachers, which in turn allows for smaller classes . It also enables kids to work at their level but stay with their own age group. Some country schools used to only have 2 classes, some 1 and all the kids would be taught together at their own levels. It requires an excellent teacher for it to work well.

[julie-ruth]

Hi Rachel thanks for that I did wonder but didn't like to ask.

 

How's it going by the way.

 

Julie

[Rachiegarlo]

Great

[Guest mandmick]

Hi Tina

 

We've been here a couple of months now and I went for Greenwith as it's walking distance from our house!

I'll pm you too

 

Mandy

[Guest Guest5035]

my lad has been at GGHS for 4 years now, next year is his year 12, its a great state school , he loves it there and he has come on leaps and bounds compared to his last school. Plus its only 5 minutes from where we live!!

 

Stevo

[tina&steve]

we moved my son to Golden grove and must say its the best move we made. They have been great they have even picked up on his probs (even tho he is a lot happier there) and we now know he has Aspergers, and GGPS have really helped him.

 

Mandy I got your PM hun if you want to meet up next week before the kids brake up let me know xx

 

Tina xx