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Choice of State vs. Private - Pls. help...days left :) thanks


bcbren

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Arrived in Brisbane few days ago and everything has gone smoothly. I will write a post about my experience, but I need help making a decision. Might be something only Brisbane locals can truly influence but I am all ears for the wisdom of others that don't know the two respective schools.

Middle daughter is accepted to Lourdes Hill College and so is her younger sister (9yrs. - Yr. 4) at later stage. For this year I had applied at Sts. Peter and Pauls Catholic private school based on preference and ratings - but it was full - and even after several email request about a spot opening up (and some prayers) it did not. So I resorted to finding a good state school reputation in similar area, and thankfully settled on Norman Park S.S. She isn't enrolled there yet, but I spent my first weekend getting an apartment rental with year lease in the catchment area, so there would be not arguement that she could rightfully attend. This was stressful (and I limited my search to the walkable area around NPSS). Success - we signed a lease and I will email the principle this week to advise her that my daughter will be coming.

About an hour after paying the two week rent on apartment, an email came (after months with no correspondence with St. P&Ps) that a spot was available for Yr. 4 - can I come for an interview. Oh my! I said yes, and plan to go but now am not sure that it right decision.

Our financial situation isn't quite what I expected it might be, lost lots of $ on house sale before moving and my spouse hasn't found job so he will follow in a couple months when I feel ready to quit his employment.... then look for however long it takes.

So, I have five days to decide.

One other fact, even if I could get out of the lease for the apartment and be closer to the st. P&P school, the rents are much more expensive as go up towards Bulimba....however the walk from near Norman Park ferry stop(new apartment) is very far to Sts. P&P - and my youngest gets tired and puffy in heat and with long treks...

hhhmmmm

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I would just keep her in the state primary school until high school. The school seems to have good Naplan results http://www.myschool.edu.au/ResultsInNumbers/Index/78056/NormanParkStateSchool/46948/2013 and it will give you a breather financially until high school.

We arrived when my eldest was in Year 4 and she attended state primary school (she loved it and made great memories) and she is now in Year 8 at a private Lutheran school. Although she struggled a bit with the workload in Year 7 she adapted well and quite a few of the kids from her old school also attend the high school. You will find many Australians put their kids in state primaries and then private high schools.

Everything is more expensive at private school including uniforms and stationery.

Good luck!

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The public schools in Australia are great, basically free and they have great results! At the end of the day, it's not only about school results but more about how your child is equiped to enter into adulthood and further studies.

An interessting extract from this article: http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-opinion/public-v-private-school-its-not-as-cutanddried-as-you-may-think-20111212-1or0s.html

"While private schools have higher rates of students finishing year 12 and send proportionally more students to university, internal research from Melbourne University shows that it is students from public schools who perform better in their first year of university, as they are required to be self-motivated and apply high levels of self-discipline while at school.

In fact, the performance of public school students at university shows that the "real world" is the great leveller. When they're not being propped up by extra resources or facilities, the performance of public school students is equal to that of a student hailing from the private sector."

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In case you don't see in your other thread:

Some recent stories:

"NAPLAN results show students at public schools performing just as well or better than private school students"

See: http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/naplan-results-show-students-at-public-schools-performing-just-as-well-or-better-than-private-school-students/story-fnn8dlfs-1227188898420

"The cost of educating children from Prep to year 12 has been revealed in an Education Index survey"

See: http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/the-cost-of-educating-children-from-prep-to-year-12-has-been-revealed-in-an-education-index-survey/story-e6freon6-1227189999774

And this also may be relevant:

"Parents swap school fees for big mortgage"

See: http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/parents-swap-school-fees-for-big-mortgage/story-e6freoof-1226567056762

Many of the top 10 NAPLAN ranking primary schools each year are state schools...rainworth, chapel hill, ashgrove, bardon, ironside, clay field etc. The fact that you live in a high socio economic inner city area seems to have more affect on the results than whether private, religious or state.

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thank you for all the research and recommendations with are all in favour of staying with the state school. I tend to agree and if my only concern was with results, then I am very comfortable at this stage of education with the quality and impact on her learning to leave her in NPSS. My only issue was with trying to create a circle of support, perhaps not just for my youngest child, but maybe for our whole family. We really do need to make friends and branch out to a community a bit to replace what we left. I was thinking that there might be a difference in this way, since it seems many students from the parish school go on to Lourdes Hill College, they are both Catholic and very close in proximity. I am not sure if the ideal of a parish family exists by extension in the primary school? Perhaps that is not the case, and I can find the same by attending church in area. My three daughters were in the same school all their school lives so far, and now each is separate (one in post-secondary in Canada, one in High School and one a primary)....it is a change for sure.

I was also just thrown off by the fact that the offering of a spot came in the very week that I am trying to get a lease and the principal is very sticky about catchment. Even if we do sign in the right area for a year, if we buy later it has to satisfy the catchment again. Whereas if we are attending the private school, it is of no regard where our address is. Since my husband is still to start looking for a job, our final residence could move a bit one way or another. If that makes sense....

However after all these considerations, I still think that not paying extra money where it is not needed should be my guiding point.

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I have a friend who moved from Melbourne ( her kids were In state schools there) to brisbane, they live in Hawthorne and her oldest daughter is starting at Lourdes hill this year for her first year of high school. Her middle child is at St. Peter and Paul's. I attended midnight mass with her there this year :)

Both are lovely schools and you get what u pay for. That being said, public schools vary according to where they are ( resources etc differ from catchment to catchment)

I would say, living where you do ( reasonable good suburbs) you will be fine sending your kids to the local state school.

I would keep that spot for high school. Go look at your options on the open days and do your research, I guarantee you will be suitably impressed with Lourdes hill. As far as private school goes they not too expensive either so it's good value for money.

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