Ellie 2

Tho' not familiar with bus routes from Castle Hill to Parramatta, I doubt the go near the Cumberland Highway. Old Northern Road and Windsor Road are the main roads. These two roads are busy during peak times but there are dedicated bus lanes.

I have brought up 4 boys in the Hills District. It is a great place to bring up children. It has all the amenities you desire and a very easy commute to Parramatta.

If you don't inspire children to enjoy learning before they reach high school then you have little chance of doing it there. Primary school is where they get the foundations of reading comprehension, written and oral English, maths and science. High schools build on these foundations and if they are not there life is a struggle for the teacher as well as the student. This is why the methods used, as well as the teachers, in primary schools are so important. High salaries are not necessarily the answer. What is needed are people who WANT to teach. Might be cheesy, but I see Teaching as a vocation not a job.

More funding does not ensure better outcomes. I think the methods being used need to be evaluated. All Unions ever think of is money!

Where about in Northmead are you? Near Winston Hills/Old Toongabbie or the other side of Windsor Road?

How wrong can a person be about someone else? I would say to learn more before you comment, but they say ignorance is bliss and I prefer people to be happy.

Westminster wouldn't allow that. Scotland pays 9.9% of the taxes to Westminster and apparently only receives around 8% back in funding. If Scotland seceded the south east of England would have to subsidise the rest on it's own.

Sorry! As I live in Australia I had no idea it was constantly on TV in Scotland.

Best to check with he school to find out which type they use ie AppleMac or PC. I know the Apple stores give pretty good deals for educatiom. However, like everything shop around.

Definitely a big YES! Look at Independent Scotland for some information. They have a Facebook page.

It never ceases to amaze me how many parents state that they have gifted children. These children usually turn out to be of average, or just above, intelligence. In total I taught for 52 years,in both UK and Australia, so I do know what I'm talking about. Please, for your child's sake forget about how intelligent you think they are and be guided by the professionals. I almost always agree with Quoll's posts on education, but disagree that children from the UK are more advanced than their Australian cohort. This has not been my experience.

Anywhere in rural Scotland. Would never be far from a town or city.

Don't do it myself but thousands do. They travel by train or car. If your destination is the City I'd go for the train as there is very often hold ups on the M1.

Two of my sons plus a grandson and grandaughter have done that. They had a ball!

I did read on here also that you could get a reduction or even excused from payment dependant on your income and number of children. I believe you get the application form from Dept. of Edu.

I suppose the the Captain of the Davidson brigade is lying too! I suppose the person quoted was up all night helping - I don't think so.

You're truly are unbelievable, the man has been a volunteer firie for 13 years! He deserves plenty of credit for that. Maybe you should think of doing something useful instead of insulting someone who is.

He can't do right for doing wrong according to you lot. I doubt he would have had any minders when he was back burning at night. Like you they would have been tucked up in bed. You make me at a lose for words and believe me that is no mean feat!

How cynical! There are journalists all over the Mountains and the man has been a volunteer for 13 years. How long have you been a firie? Get off the guy's back!

Western Sydney covers a huge area which makes your statements a grose exaggeration. Ofcourse there are areas where you may not want to live but there are many more areas which are just as nice as the suburbs in the east. Please don't make statements or give advice on something you obviously know little or nothing about.

Ok. Why don't you start a campaign to collect cane toads. Collect them in large containers and when the container is full seal the lid, drill some air holes and send them back to South America. They devastate the local fauna and spread like wildfire. We have, unfortunately, had some idiots come and live here eg cane toad, rabbit introducers, idiots who let their cats run free to become feral. I could make a much longer list but I can't be bothered and I think that you have got my drift.

They definitely must be killed. Apart from the harm they do they breed worse than rabbits. There's no place for them in Australia.

Could be wrong. Shaping up to being that fire danger day. 36C, 12% humidity and NW wind at 8 kms/h. Wind is supposed to get much stronger later today and change direction.

If we get to 39,I believe it will be the hottest October day in around 50 years. If it goes over 39 then it will be the hottest October day on record. Don't know if we'll get there. 31 just now.