Arriving October/November looking for advice on Schools

[Bubbles]

Hi there

 

We are hopefully heading over October/November time just waiting on house sale going through and a few other bits an pieces to be finalised. Will be bringing 2 Girls (10 & 14) with me.

 

I believe my 10yr old will be going into Yr5 when we arrive. Now younger daughter is very sporty and in school teams for swimming/athletics and hockey. My biggest concern for her is to get her into a school with an excellent sporting programme particularly athletics. If any one can offer advice on schools which these sort of programs that would be much appreciated.

 

We visited Adelaide last Easter and fell in love with the city. I would prefer to live south of the CBD but really have no preference as to hills or beach.

 

TIA x

[snifter]

Hello and welcome

 

First off, are you looking private or state? TBH most private schools will have a good sporting programme and probably offer what you are after in terms of the sports mentioned and the playing for the school team.

 

State schools will most likely vary more and perhaps not offer all the sports or none of them. For example, swimming in the schools I've been to is run during a term once a year and kids attend for the lessons at the local swimming pool. But that is it then for the entire school year. The kids who make the area events or the nationals do so through a swim/diving club outside of school. Swimming in Aus is a big thing so I'm sure you could find a club or squad to join.

 

Y5 will still be primary and lots of state schools run various sporting clubs etc. Our school has 4 or 5 sports on offer in after school clubs plus the PE lessons etc. Things like basketball and netball, soccer and in summer cricket. We have opted to not play sport via the school in this way though.

 

We do all of our sport outside of the school via local clubs which we have found to be a great way of going about it rather than within the after school clubs. Also none of the sports our school does appeal to my son or he isn't quite old enough to play in the school team yet. My son plays footy (AFL), cricket and does Little Athletics and swimming. It may be better if you are opting for state primary to look to the clubs outside of school and find one that meets the standard you are after for your daughter. That way also you are not so tied to an area as you would be school wise. We used to travel about 20 minutes drive to my son's old footy club after we moved and it was fine. We changed clubs for the long term after we moved and now its only a few minutes away.

 

It does seem far more club based here than in the UK. Our local oval hosts netball, cricket and AFL teams for adults and kids and for the kids Little Athletics (and in winter the cross country) also. Little Athletics you can also represent your club at a higher level iirc at events over the summer. Plus other local events and social gatherings these clubs run. It seems that in the last 20 years or so more and more sport for kids has moved out to the local clubs over being held at school. Footy (AFL) was the big one in this respect and not many schools have teams anymore as the kids all go to clubs to play.

 

For example, athletics clubs like this can be found

 

http://www.adelaideharriers.com/

 

Also a list on this site

 

http://www.clubsofaustralia.com.au/Athletics/Clubs-in-South-Australia.html?s_type=s?s_type=s

 

Hockey is non existent within state primary schools that I've visited or checked out. I'd suggest checking out the local websites and seeing what actual clubs there are in areas you are considering or within a reasonable drive.

https://www.activeactivities.com.au/directory/category/sports/ball-sports/hockey/hockey-clubs/location/sa/adelaide-region/adelaide/

 

http://www.hockeysa.com.au/

 

Swimming wise, Adelaide has amazing facilities for swimmers including proper competition pools and diving pool. We had the national trials held here recently to see who would go to Rio for the Olympics. Shown on TV every night and the event was pretty much a sell out crowd every night. They have swim squads etc and I'd check them out as your first port of call. http://www.saaquatic.ymca.org.au/discover/pools.html to get you going, drop them an email and enquire as to their swimming programmes (not the swim lessons) and I'm sure someone will get back to you.

 

I'd suggest perhaps looking to this sort of thing at clubs outside of school if you are opting for state primary. You are more certain to find clubs that offer what you want and the standard you are after. Within the schools, sure if the school offers the sport you can do it, but I doubt any state school will offer all the things you are after or if they do, the level may not be what you are after. I've also found it a really good way to get involved in the local community (more so than school where with older kids you hardly ever see other parents etc) and get to know other families whose kids also have similar interests etc. Our son has made some really good friends this way and with kids who are not always at the same school as him but local to the area. And there are also social events, awards nights and so on run by the clubs so that adds another plus point in my book for all involved.

 

Feel free to drop me a PM if you want to chat more Happy to try to help.

[Anouchka]

If you want a state school then you usually need to be within zone (catchment) for the school.

If you are prepared/able to pay private school fees than catchment not a big issue.

If you want a denominational school then you will have to go private as all state primaries are non-denominational here.

When we arrived, we lived in East Adelaide and there are many very good state primaries in that area. I loved East Adelaide - Parkside, Glenunga, Norwood, Burnside areas. All these have very good state primaries.

Can offer more advice once you know where you'll be moving to; I teach primary here in Adelaide.

[Jacdomgabe]

If you want a state school then you usually need to be within zone (catchment) for the school.

If you are prepared/able to pay private school fees than catchment not a big issue.

If you want a denominational school then you will have to go private as all state primaries are non-denominational here.

When we arrived, we lived in East Adelaide and there are many very good state primaries in that area. I loved East Adelaide - Parkside, Glenunga, Norwood, Burnside areas. All these have very good state primaries.

Can offer more advice once you know where you'll be moving to; I teach primary here in Adelaide.

 

Hi,

We are looking at moving to Adelaide from Sydney in 2017 and hoping to settle in the Eastern Suburbs.

We have narrowed our search for high schools down to Glenunga International, maryatville or Norwood Morialta. Where we live will depend on choice of high school due to zoning.

Do you have advice on any of these three choices?

Thanks☺

[Bubbles]

Thank you for your response.

 

In the UK my girls attend private school but this was due to the poor choice of schools available to us due to our location, we chose private school as an option rather than moving as we loved our house. So i wouldn't rule out private school however both my daughters have expressed a desire to attend a school close to where we will live and where they will be able to walk to their classmates houses if that makes sense. Although they love the private school they currently attend and the education standards are excellent they are limited in subject choices due to the size of the school. I myself went to a state school in a poor area when many children where simply not interested in being there, luckily they separated the children so that those who wanted to learn could do so without interruption.

 

 

When we last visited Adelaide in 2015 they was a couple of areas that we really liked, these are and the reasons -

 

Christies Beach - we spent quite a few evenings enjoying the sunset and meeting up with friends at cafes, I also liked the main street with the range of shops that it had with the closeness to Noarlunga for public transport. Slightly concerned about the reviews for Christies Beach HS

 

Port Noarlunga South - this was a lovely part of town and felt like it had a great family feel

 

Moana & Aldinga Beach - Great beach side suburbs but possibly a little too isolated for my daughters

 

Aberfoyle Park - Could not fault this area from what i saw, enjoyed a lovely meal at the Hub but children want to be closer to the beach

 

Hallet Cove - lovely area, my concern was the hills as we enjoy going out for a walk after dinner with the dogs so not sure that this would be possible without driving first

 

I have also considered Mitchum Girls School, does anyone have any information on this school?

[snifter]

So are you wanting a high performing (as in results and NAPLAN and all that) high school as well as good in other aspects? You need to read the myschools website and check all the info re school income, pupil numbers, socio economic info etc. Of the areas you mention, Mitcham Girls School and Aberfoyle Park have probably the two most highly rated high schools. Depending on what you are wanting, you really need to research the areas and the schools to find one that meets your wants and needs and you like.

 

NAPLAN isn't the be all and end all but you sound like you do want a good standard of school and one you are happy with so check out all your short list and see what appeals once here in person. Christies Beach HS doesn't seem to have the greatest reputation but as we ruled out living that way from the off I never investigated further. I don't know you want to go from private in the UK to Christies Beach HS in Aus. I don't know if the school will be what you are after moving the other side of the world. Aldinga was always way too far out for us to consider. I think I'd have been far more limited for work options all the way down there too. Hubby didn't want to live that far south either. We considered McLaren Vale as we really like the town but it was too far for lots of the social things we do so it was ruled out.

 

Personally for us there were areas we ruled out based simply on the schools that we would be zoned for. We were not massively struck on some of those areas to begin with usually and the schooling options had us ruling those areas out early on and focusing more on areas that had schools that were rated and therefore preferred by us. I took the top 100 for primary list and top 75 high schools list and put a line through them at those points. And any school below that point was not a consideration and we focussed our search on areas we liked with schools in the top 100/75. Just gave us a clear starting point and a cut off. Made it a lot easier in terms of where we then looked and so on. Of course we may have missed some decent schools in other respects but I wanted a simple starting point and not having to wade through more options just made it easier for us. Its not the way everyone would go about it but it worked for us.

 

FWIW we live in a hilly area and it doesn't stop us going out for a walk after dinner with our dog What does stop us is the heat and you will experience that anywhere you live here in the hot months. We are also able to be at the beach in the car within 10-15 minutes. Plus we have the option of lots of walks in the hills and along the trails around where we live and can do this from our house without need for the car. Hallett Cove IMHO doesn't have such a natural feel to it (by natural I mean more nature, its more stark than the hills where gum trees and wildlife abound all round) when out and about. It has parks/reserves and the beach and so on but not the sort of walking trails and nature we have up here. There is the conservation park but not sure you can take dogs there. If you live coastal then chances are most of your dog walks are beach based or around the parks/reserves if suitable for off leash for a dog. Inland a little ways I do think you have more options dog walking wise. Depends what you want from it all at the end of the day. Keep in mind too that chances are, unless you live a few minutes walk to a beach you'll go there in the car anyways much of the time. Walking a 20 minute walk each way to and from the beach in 35C heat isn't fun.

Edited August 3, 2016 by snifter
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