Schools around Modbury area

[Guest Ant1382 and kerry]

Hi, im starting work with the Police And will be working at Holden Hill Station form July 10. What im after is advice in relation to schools around the Modbury area, I have a 4 year old and 1 year old, this is the area im looking at living in however not definate so could be surrounding areas.

 

Any advice would be great, due to coming out in July I don't know if i could get my son in before Jan 11. But if i could it would be great so he does'nt go mad:arghh:

[Diane]

Hi congrats on getting Holden Hill. There are some lovely suburbs round and about for you to look at. I think you may find your child won't be able to start school till he is five, so no need to rush into finding schools just yet - you can take your time when you arrive and visit a few and get a feel for what would suit him best.

 

A few suburbs with good schools to start off with are: Athelstone, Thorndon Park, Paradise, Dernancourt, Highbury, Fairview Park, Tea Tree Gully, Banksia Park, Wynn Vale, Greenwith... use http://www.realestate.com.au, put in one or more of those into the search and leave the box that says "include surrounding suburbs" selected to make a start on looking at areas. I know a couple of people through my son's soccer club who work at Holden Hill station - they seem happy enough!

[Claire12]

Hi

I currently live in tea tree gully (previously moved from Paradise), my daugther age 8 goes (& loves) to Campbelltown Primary & my youngest age 3 goes 2 days a week to childcare called il nedo that is nextdoor. Very happy with them both & wouldn't move them. But like Diane said go around visit them all and see which one suits you and your children best.

Hope this helps abit

Claire x

[Guest Messua]

It depends whether you want public or private/Christian schooling. The Heights in Modbury Heights caters for years K-12, which is great for children who have already had the upheaval of immigration.

[Diane]

I have heard mixed things about Modbury Heights, and being at the same school all the way from the age of 5 to the age of 18 seems a little wierd to me, (only my opinion though) but when you come over here, go and look round a few schools to get a feel for them - I went very much on gut feeling and how the staff came across, treated me and treated both my kids and others that crossed our paths, and then you start looking for a decent rental nearby and that may change your choice again!!!....

 

You are actually spoilt for choice over this side of town, so don't worry - it's not like there's one or two good schools and the rest are to be avoided - more like at least five or six (or more) good state schools, and about the same number private, all within about 20 minutes drive of Holden Hill!

 

Some of the schools have Kindies attached so if your son was down to start in the January, he could make a start on getting some friends/getting to know the place in the months before by attending kindy. If you haven't already done so, have a look on the DECS website (Dept for Education and Childrens Services) Department of Education and Children's Services (DECS)

[Guest salisbury massive]

I'm not sure you want to live in a suburb right on the doorstep of where you will be working. We lived in Modbury North when we first moved here and moved out again. Its brilliant for being close to the City and getting about but there are nicer areas. I would recommend all the areas Diane has mentioned, The suburbs of Dernancourt, this is the school website, Dernancourt and Hope Valley are definately worth a look. Hope Valley doesn't have a primary school you would have to use Tea Tree Gully Tea Tree Gully Primary School or Ardtornish Home Page Also Modbury Heights has some lovely places, especially on the Ladywood Road Estate and is only 10 minutes drive at most to Holden Hill. You could look at Oakden, Northgate and the new suburb Lights View. which is right next to Holden Hill, Gilles Plains Primary is rough though and the nearest Private School is Cedar College. http://www.cedarcollege.sa.edu.au/ Though the new super school is being built on Grand Junction Road and will be available to you at a later date.

 

I would recommend Greenwith Primary Greenwith Primary School - Department of Education and Children's Services I would have used it myself but with one at Kings and another at Golden Grove high School it made sense to use Keithcott Primary as they are all close together.Keithcot Website is here Home

 

Wynn Vale Primary Wynn Vale School its Ok my friend wasn't very happy with it though.

 

The dark horse of the bunch has to be Gulfview Heights Primary School http://www.ghps.sa.edu.au/ very small with excellent teacher child ratio. It has great grounds and a fabulous community spirit. The school has about 250 kids from Reception to year 7 though it may be more now. My friend took her daughter out of Keithcott to Gulfview and has never looked back, she raves about the place.

 

Redwood Park is excellent, Redwood Park Primary School Home

Surrey Downs is average, Fairview Park is good Fairview Park Primary School though it may be a touch to far out for you as is Banksia Park Welcome to Banksia Park Primary School You may want to consider The Heights, its had a reputation in the past but definately improved recently and the good side is its all on one site Reception to Year 12 based on 3 seperate campus, so once you start you don't leave until year 12, Welcome to The Heights website

 

Hope that helps

 

Jo

[Guest Weez]

i have 2 boys at modbury heights school and i have worked at the school as well, i would definatly recommend this school for its R-12 schooling, the teachers are great, the staff very supportive of individual kids needs, both my boys hated school in the uk now love it here and my youngest has gone from being a scared little boy into a confident outgoing chap that wants to do everything!! i also love the fact that they stay at the school till year 12 and mix with the older kids. Modbury heights is also a lovely area to live, got several kiddies parks walking distance to TTg library and the plaza. good luck with your looking:jiggy:

[adelaidenow]

Highbury Primary is in Hope Valley.

[Guest Guest5035]

Wynn Vale/Golden Grove great schools great areas great shopping. One word...............DELFIN

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wynn_Vale,_South_Australia

 

Modbury/Modbury Heights getting a bit rusty now, i used to live at the Heights, but never used the school there.

[Guest salisbury massive]

Highbury Primary is in Hope Valley.

 

Silly me, i thought Highbury Primary would be in Highbury. LOL

 

My mistake:)

[Guest Fancy a Beer]

If there's anything to know about schools here in the North our Jo knows it all!! She is the expert!! :-)

 

As for my opinion on Golden Grove Primary, heard nothing but bad things recently and there has been an surge of people from there trying to get into Greenwith Primary, which I highly recommend and is a great school!!

 

The Heights again is another that keep hearing bad things about recently but as is always said each to their own!! My advice look at as many as you can and go with the gut instinct, so many different views on here on such an important matter you are the one that needs to go see if the school suits your kids! Good Luck!

[Guest Fancy a Beer]

Modbury Heights in the "Tiser" today said results there were lower than a lot of other Secondary schools in the area and this school was highlighted for "brighter" kids to attend! Bit of a worry!

[Diane]

Modbury Heights in the "Tiser" today said results there were lower than a lot of other Secondary schools in the area and this school was highlighted for "brighter" kids to attend! Bit of a worry!

 

I was speaking to someone on Australia Day whose son has just finished Year 12 there who said the kids came out of their exams completely befuddled as half the topics in the exams hadn't even been taught to them by the teachers there, so looks like there was some sort of communication mix-up. Poor kids, you really feel for them.

 

On the other hand, once something like that has happened at a school, at least they put measures in place to make sure it doesn't happen again, whereas at other schools, it could still happen.....

[Guest Weez]

Just defending the poor old Heights school again!!!! like was said before, each to there own, i love the heights school i think the teachers there are spot on and they have the ignite program for gifted students which i love as they get the extra input they need and the other kids in the other classes still get a consistent education as they 'gifted ones' are not taking up the teachers time, also they are getting lots of new students from other schools in the area that have had un-resolved bullying problems, the heights has a great policy for this and action against bullying is dealt with straight away, they haven't got a lets see how it goes if we tell the student off a few times policy!! Also Golden Grove primary Imo is good i have several friends with kids there that have again moved from other schools as problems were being ignored and not dealt with, i think if you are a pretty full on parent that keeps in close contact with the school and your kids education then all will be good, its best to got get a feel for the place and maybe see if they have any parents groups to go to and ask the mums there opinions. good luck!!

[tina&steve]

Have to say Golden Grove PS is a great school I moved my son from Keithcot farm as they just couldn't give him the help and support as he has Aspergers. GGPS has been fantastic and it was the best moved we made:D.

[Guest Messua]

To be honest, Diane, I think there are good and bad things to say about every school, but it also depends on the teachers you come across too. In public schools the teachers are only there for a maximum of ten years and are often only there on very short term contracts. My children changed schools twice, but all make friends very easily and haven't come to any harm. Some kids I know have loved being at the same school for the whole 13 years. I think each family has to decide what school is best for the children.

[Leicesterlad]

Modbury Heights in the "Tiser" today said results there were lower than a lot of other Secondary schools in the area and this school was highlighted for "brighter" kids to attend! Bit of a worry!

I work at the Education Department and we did inquire as to why that schools result were down at year 9. It seems that at the Heights the 'brighter' IGNITE kids skip year 9. They go straight from year 8 to year 10 so they didn't sit the test in year 9. That dropped the schools average.