Technical High Schools

[miran]

Hi, we got our Visa today!!!!! Adelaide is our first choice. My son is currently in Gr. 5 (11 years old). Our biggest factor in choosing a suburb ect. will be a Technical High School. Any advise or recommendations will be welcome.

[Bronwyn&Co]

Miran I'm not personally aware of technical high schools (but I did find one by googling) St Patricks:-

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Patrick's_Technical_College

I also wanted to mention that if your child has an interest in agriculture, animals, wine farming, etc there is a fantastic school at Urrbrae (which can be difficult to get into because people from all over South Australia want their farming kids to study there). I think it's part of the State system, so low fees. Here's a link:-

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urrbrae_Agricultural_High_School

The Urrbrae school is in quite a pricey part of Adl but because they are a specislist school they don't seem to be that strict with catchments.

I'm not sure where St Pat's is (looks quite far North), imho be a bit careful with suburb choices. Can get a bit hairy in some parts up North (just being honest, don't want to ruffle anyone up). Definitely there are good parts too, just get advice when the time comes.

Edited May 12, 2014 by Bronwyn&Co

[AndreaL]

Most High Schools offer a range of subjects for kids, including technical subjects, and usually kids have chosen their career path by about year 10, you will find that in some schools it is possible for kids to get technical qualifications via TAFE whilst still at high school, these are called TVET.

Here is an example from NSW TAFE https://www.tafensw.edu.au/courses/types/tvet.htm#.U3FGDChUMxM

[miran]

Great answers, thank you so much!!!! My son is very good at maths, inventing, building and fixing stuff. (thank you Lego!) He has a keen interest in Engineering and architecture. I will definitely look into TVET. The Urrbrae School sounds perfect for my daughter though!

So many important decisions must be made in the next 6 months - schools being 2nd on our priority list.

Thanks for your VERY helpful answers.

[RYLC]

All high schools offer VET subjects (the equivalent of technical in RSA) but only from the higher grades - not Grade 5.

St Patricks is in Salisbury and is for grades 11 and 12 only. Golden Grove / Wynn Vale / Ridge Haven are only just up the hill and are great suburbs to live in.

[AndreaL]

Yes, traditionally high school started in year 8 and the kids would do a range of subjects to get a feel for what they liked and by year 10, pick their subjects, but high school starting from year 7 is being phased in.

Is there a particular reason you would like to place him in a technical school? Schooling is very different here and many high schools offer traditional academic paths as well as Certificate qualifications. Our local high school has work experience placements and also apprentice type programs, so perhaps you may not need a technical high school depending on what he would like to do.

[snkc]

Hi Miran

Congrats on the visa and welcome to Adelaide. We have been here 6 months and are loving Adelaide! We are in Burnside and my boys go to the local primary school which we are zoned for and we are really happy with the school. My oldest is 10 and in year 4.

Maybe the Department website can help you out with some more information: http://www.decd.sa.gov.au/ and I am also happy to help where I can.

Good luck!

[Bronwyn&Co]

Hi Miran

Congrats on the visa and welcome to Adelaide. We have been here 6 months and are loving Adelaide! We are in Burnside and my boys go to the local primary school which we are zoned for and we are really happy with the school. My oldest is 10 and in year 4.

Maybe the Department website can help you out with some more information: http://www.decd.sa.gov.au/ and I am also happy to help where I can.

Good luck!

Awww my kids went there too!

[Bob]

I'm not quite sure what a "Technical High School" is?

After Year 7 or 8, you go into high school where you do another few more years until 18, when you take final exams which get you into Uni or another career or trade pathway.

Living up in the Adelaide Hills, to the east of Adelaide, there are two private schools . . . .

Cornerstone Lutheran School

http://www.cornerstone.sa.edu.au/home

St Francis de Salles Catholic School

http://www.stfrancis.catholic.edu.au

There is also the local state Mount Barker High School which doesn't cost anything to send kids to.

My own kids went to Cornerstone. Son now has his own mechanical workshop where he earns lots of $$$$. He was South Australian state apprentice of the year in 2006 and runner-up Australian apprentice of the year 2007.

Daughter is a dentist practising in Brisbane in two public hospitals.

Neither of them smoke, have taken drugs, and son is married to a great girl and has a son of his own nowadays, daughter is a long relationship looking to get married soon.

I can't praise Cornerstone up enough in supporting the values that we, as parents, were trying to give our kids. Family values, thrift and hard work.

It seems to have worked out in their cases.