onefootout Posted August 11, 2012 Report Share Posted August 11, 2012 After 3 long years our visa application has finally been approved! We'll be relocating to adelaide and one of our primary concerns is schooling for the kids (currently 7yrs old and in grade 1 and 18 months old). Our eldest is in a fantastic private school at the moment(after having been moved at the end of his first from his private school where the standards were just not up to scratch). My understanding is that the education system in Oz is great so we're not too concerned about moving to a government school. We'll be visiting in Sept/Oct to validate the visas and would like to visit some of the schools to get a feel for them. My eldest is very active and fully immerses himself in all his extra murals taking part in anything from chess to lego to rugby. Lately he has taken an in interest in music and does guitar as one of his school lessons. We're looking for a school that is well rounded and offers a variety of activities so that our kids can try lots of different things to see where their talents and interests lie. Not sure if this is even the set up in the australian school system?Any suggestions or help on what to look for (or where) would be great. So far we're thinking Eastern suburbs???Thanks a million..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hermanpaw Posted August 12, 2012 Report Share Posted August 12, 2012 HiThis is not an easy question as there are many factors to take into consideration. Where will your work be, how far are you willing to travel, what are you willing to pay for rentals, will you find a rental etc. etc.In Adelaide, all public primary schools are basically good schools and most will cater for chess and music and sport. If you go private (big bucks) you will be spoiled for choise. In the East look at Sunrise Christian school Paradise, Athelstone schools, Kildare college, Prescott primary Northern. Finding good secondary schools might be a little trickier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onefootout Posted August 12, 2012 Author Report Share Posted August 12, 2012 Thanks for the reply, I'll certainly check these schools out. At this stage I have no idea where I might find work. I'm in financial services so I would imagine somewhere in the city. Travelling to work is not a problem - living in Jhb you can imagine that any travel below 30 min's is unusual. I'm really looking forward to being in the 20 min city We'd prefer to live close to the school. We've found that being further away from the school is really hard on the kids as we only pick them up latish and the last thing they then want to do is spend 20 or 30 mins in the car to get home. So deciding the school is probably going to determine the rest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miraclebabycaw Posted August 13, 2012 Report Share Posted August 13, 2012 hi therewe are also going to Adelaide, and will be arriving early December. From research I have done, really good schools areModbury heightsLinden parkStirling EastHenley primarywoodcroft primarysalisbury heightshighbury primaryInfact there are not many listed as not good. I have had a couple of recommendations to stay away from Charles Campbell but that is it.Private schools, there are a number of good one's if you are going to pay. My daughter is currently in Waterstone College here in Jhb (gr 6) and my son goes to Gr 0 next year. From everything we have been told we are probably going to just put them both into public school there. Again it is dependant on where you can get accommodation. I really like the looks of Linden Park and then Glenunga high for my daughter in a year but the area is VERY pricy so it all depends on where I can find a job. I am in IT so I would think more towards Adelaide but who knows. We contacted a lot of the schools to make appts to see them early december when we arrived but most of them told us to contact them again once we were living in the area.btw if you are interested..we will be having a get together on the 6th October in Jhb for people going/planning on going..If you look under get togethers you will see all the info, so you might want to join us and meet up with othersGood luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VeraB Posted August 16, 2012 Report Share Posted August 16, 2012 @onefootout you need to decide if you want to live in the hills or near the beach.We have been here 7 weeks, the boys go to Sacred Heart (Catholic school), We were also looking for a "high school" in the area as they are in years 7 and 9.We wanted to be near the sea so have found a rental in Glenelg North. Hubby works in Wingfield and it takes him around 30 / 40 mins to get up there with "traffic".If you think I can help you with anything please let me know!Good Luck and contact us when you get here! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joweni Posted August 16, 2012 Report Share Posted August 16, 2012 We live in Fairview Park-lovely suburb tucked into the Adelaide foothills.Fairview Park Primary is a great little primary school but close is Pedare College-private school but I believe quite reasonable fees takes both primary and high school kids.Only 20 mins to Wingfield-my hubby also work sthere Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onefootout Posted August 16, 2012 Author Report Share Posted August 16, 2012 Hi AllThanks to everyone for the responses. I've got some more research to do.VeraB - I'd love to connect when we're there for our visit in September (if you're up to it)Miraclebabycaw - we'll be in Adelaide when your get together is planned. It would be great if we could hook up once we're back though - I plan on doing some looking around at the suburbs as well and can give you some feedback.CheersK 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bronwyn&Co Posted August 17, 2012 Report Share Posted August 17, 2012 hi therewe are also going to Adelaide, and will be arriving early December. From research I have done, really good schools areModbury heightsLinden parkStirling EastHenley primarywoodcroft primarysalisbury heightshighbury primaryInfact there are not many listed as not good. I have had a couple of recommendations to stay away from Charles Campbell but that is it.Private schools, there are a number of good one's if you are going to pay. My daughter is currently in Waterstone College here in Jhb (gr 6) and my son goes to Gr 0 next year. From everything we have been told we are probably going to just put them both into public school there. Again it is dependant on where you can get accommodation. I really like the looks of Linden Park and then Glenunga high for my daughter in a year but the area is VERY pricy so it all depends on where I can find a job. I am in IT so I would think more towards Adelaide but who knows. We contacted a lot of the schools to make appts to see them early december when we arrived but most of them told us to contact them again once we were living in the area.btw if you are interested..we will be having a get together on the 6th October in Jhb for people going/planning on going..If you look under get togethers you will see all the info, so you might want to join us and meet up with othersGood luck@ Miraclebaby - I have to be honest in that some of the schools on your list are in dodgy areas.http://www.optuszoo.com.au/news/top/the-advertiser/fugitive-finks-bikie-tracked-arrested/752989http://mobile.news.com.au/national-old/modbury-heights-mother-questioned-over-childs-death/story-e6frfkvr-1226072558596Just beware & do lots of research! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deroche Posted August 17, 2012 Report Share Posted August 17, 2012 I also saw that.We are quite lucky because our girls are still small so we can do our research but I do want to put them on a list early.We want to rent in Port Noarlunga. Is the school/s in that district good?I think the best thing to do is make friends with neighbours and get options from them as well as drive around the areas.I did read though that your child has to go to the school in the area you are living in however I am sure there are exceptions you would just have to read how to go about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miraclebabycaw Posted August 17, 2012 Report Share Posted August 17, 2012 @ Miraclebaby - I have to be honest in that some of the schools on your list are in dodgy areas.http://www.optuszoo....arrested/752989http://mobile.news.c...r-1226072558596Just beware & do lots of research!Thanks Bronwyn..I've just gone on schools that have been recommended by others on here, FB groups and pomsinadelaide..we will be visiting a lot of the areas when we arrive in December to check them out though. I have an appt with Linden Park...which seems really great, but I think the rentals are going to be beyond our price range. As my hubby says, we aren't rockerfeller, just the otherfeller...Tarryn - have heard nothing so far but good things about PN schools Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wilsonmn Posted September 4, 2012 Report Share Posted September 4, 2012 (edited) Hi my name is Nicole and I am new to this website.My husband and I are from Brackendowns, Alberton, Johannesburg and we are waiting for our sponsorship visa 457 to be approved, hopefully end September 2012. We have a 10 year old child who has slight dyslexia and ADD who needs to attend a remedial school (note - not a special school) in Adelaide where we will be based. I have come across no threads concerning such a topic. I know some mainstream schools have remedial classes but my child would need supervision that only a fully fledged remedial school would be able to provide unless mainstream schools in Australia are such that they provide fantastic remedial assistance to such children in need. Any advice anyone?RegardsNicole Edited September 4, 2012 by Wilsonmn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miraclebabycaw Posted September 4, 2012 Report Share Posted September 4, 2012 Hi NicoleI unfortunately don't have any advice to offer but just wanted to say welcome. We are 'around" the corner from you in Mondeor and are relocating to Adelaide in December. If you are still around on the 6th october we are having a Jhb get together at the Walter Sisulu Botanical gardens. Alternatively it would be great to meet up for coffee or something with you if you have some time? Look into Montessori schools. I am not sure if there are any in Adelaide but I have a friend whose daughter is now 13. She has a form of cerebral palsy in that her hands are affected and she will never learn to write as she cannot hold a pen. She has done marvelously well in a Montessori school in Queensland in Oz. I know they cater much more in Oz for this sort of thing, so you might even find she is able to attend a mainstream school, but I would agree a good remedial school for her to start off in would probably be the best.Good luckShona Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wilsonmn Posted September 4, 2012 Report Share Posted September 4, 2012 (edited) Dear ShonaYes, I have been reading your thread/s and that of others and noted the get-together planned for 6 October 2012. We will definitely attend, that is if we are successful in visa application. If not, we will be crying somewhere in a corner. I have heard rumours that Australia does not cater for children with dyslexia and that is why I am asking this question in this forum. My son was in a mainstream school but does better in a remedial environment who operate at a slower and repetitive pace. He is a boffin at maths and art but struggles with words and spelling. Anyway, first things first I suppose and that is to get the visa. We have been stuck on medicals for the past 4 weeks now and its getting frustrating. So far God has brought us this far, I'm sure he will see us through one way or the other. Thanks for the reply. It is so nice to be part of this forum. RegardsNicole Edited September 4, 2012 by Wilsonmn 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miraclebabycaw Posted September 4, 2012 Report Share Posted September 4, 2012 on another note my husband also suffered mild dyslexia as a child. Of course nothing for them in those days. He battled his whole life with maths and spelling, yet could do accountancy..go figure. Today as a result he hates reading, and is still terrible at maths and spelling (we joke with him that his mom should claim her school fees back). It's sad though. There is a lot more available these days. I suspect that you will find that the mainstream schools are a lot better equipped to deal with this and perhaps that is why they don't have too much in the way of remedial schools as such. I would definitely try the Montessori as I know they have a unique way of teaching and kids are taught at their own pace. Of course I don't know what fees will be like with that, but from what I understand on a 457 you will be paying school fees for government schools anyway, so the differences might not be hectic. Good luck with the medicals. I have heard there is a big backlog, and other friends of ours have also been waiting for nearly 4w with medicals referred. Very frustrating. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bronwyn&Co Posted September 4, 2012 Report Share Posted September 4, 2012 (edited) Hi my name is Nicole and I am new to this website.My husband and I are from Brackendowns, Alberton, Johannesburg and we are waiting for our sponsorship visa 457 to be approved, hopefully end September 2012. We have a 10 year old child who has slight dyslexia and ADD who needs to attend a remedial school (note - not a special school) in Adelaide where we will be based. I have come across no threads concerning such a topic. I know some mainstream schools have remedial classes but my child would need supervision that only a fully fledged remedial school would be able to provide unless mainstream schools in Australia are such that they provide fantastic remedial assistance to such children in need. Any advice anyone?RegardsNicoleHi Nicole and welcome! There are many great support structures in place. I'd start with the DECS website (Dept of Education & Community Services) Here's a link:http://www.decd.sa.gov.au/speced/pages/specialneeds/learningdifficulties/?reFlag=1Whoops looks like they are now called DECD, lol, same thing x Edited September 4, 2012 by Bronwyn&Co 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Springjock Posted September 5, 2012 Report Share Posted September 5, 2012 The thing with schools in Oz is that most of the govt schools offer a high standard of education compared to govt schools in SA, so in the beginning you think its great, but the more you speak to people with kids in pvt schools, the more you want it for your kids. When I told my colleagues that my son is enrolled in a govt school, they were quite surprised. Govt schools are for the 'poor' as they only charge a couple of hundred bucks a year. If you have a half decent job, you aren't meant to be leaching off the govt. Society is very different here in that respect. I'll be sending my boy to a pvt high school, but he has made friends at primary school, so I'll keep him there for now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LizM Posted September 5, 2012 Report Share Posted September 5, 2012 From my experience there are two "types" of private schools in Oz - those that are on par with the likes of Bishops and those that are like the former Model C schools here in SA (with fees to match - these tend to be the faith-based schools).I went to the equivalent of a former model C all girls Catholic school in high school. In primary school I couldn't get into a local Catholic school as we hadn't enrolled early enough (having immigrated).The sister after me went to the local co-ed public school. She got a good education although didn't do as well as I did. I'm not sure if that's because of who she is, or because of the standard of teaching/discipline? The next sister & my brother went to a co-ed Catholic high school. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bronwyn&Co Posted September 12, 2012 Report Share Posted September 12, 2012 http://m.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/parents-of-autistic-children-start-new-independent-treetop-autism-specific-school-in-south-australia/story-e6frea83-1226472968905Looks good Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robbie_P Posted September 13, 2012 Report Share Posted September 13, 2012 Out of interest, my son was accepted into Unley Primary School.As we are not in Adelaide as yet (still in Sydney), it was difficult to know where we would be living, hence knowing which school zones we would fall into.My office will be based in Unley, so I'm sure this helped the application in terms of my son being accepted. We will be making the move to Adelaide next Friday, at the start of the school holidays, so its good knowing that he will be starting at his new school on the first day of the 4th term Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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