State high schools in WA - are they really that bad?

[Paxo]

Hi just recently moved to northern suburbs of Perth from UK with 2 children. Eldest was in year 7 in the UK and enjoying life in a state secondary school. Now she has to return to primary in Y7, although this changes in 2015. I'm concerned about the state high school system here as all I have heard are negative comments about them and that I should enrol her into a private school. Are they really that bad??? Or is it just snob factor??? There doesn't seem to be any kind of OFSTED inspection of schools, so apart from the NAPLAN results, it's a bit difficult to compare them. Concerned that if we return to the UK in a couple of years, she will be behind and struggle with GCSEs. We would struggle to manage fees here as only one income at present. Does anyone have experience of the state system here?

[caramac]

It's the same as the UK - good and bad schools everywhere. There are some really good state secondaries in Perth and, although our girls were at a private school, many of their friends went to state schools and have done very well from them.

If you are going to come back to the UK I, try to make sure it's at the very beginning (or preferably a bit earlier as some schools start their GCSE courses in yr 9) of yr 10. We came back when our eldest had missed the first term - she caught up fine with the courses, but she had only been away a year at that point and she went back to her old school where she was well known and had the support she needed.

[Paxo]

Thanks caramac. It's all such a minefield at the moment. Can you recommend any good high schools? Our catchment area is Ocean Reef HS & Belridge HS.

[caramac]

I'm afraid I only know ones nearer Perth itself, but there are loads of people on here who are further north. I'm sure they'll be along later, when they've woken up! :wink:

[Incata]

I can't tell you who is good but we were unimpressed with Beaumaris Primary School and Ocean Reef High School has a poor reputation, so I would avoid them if you can. I don't know about Belridge as we weren't in their catchment area when we lived in Ocean Reef.

 

You can phone schools that are outside your area and if they have vacancies (not filled by people within the catchment area) they can offer your child a place, so you might want to consider that. Duncraig (not far away), has an excellent high school with a very good reputation, so they might be worth considering. I also understand that Mullalloo High School is well thought of and has regularly taken children from outside their catchment area.

[shellybr]

Duncraig, Woodvale, and Carine are the good HS in the northern Suburbs. You won't get in to them unless you are in the catchment area. There is no High school in Mullaloo, Mullaloo is in the catchment for Ocean Reef High school

[Sammy1]

You will certainly need to be in the catchment area.

 

With the move of year 7's to high school in 2015, the admissions policy of living in the catchment area will be strictly enforced unless a school is under subscribed.

[ali]

My daughter had been in High School for 3 months prior to coming to Aus and doing year 7 in primary. She's got a good head on her shoulders and said it would allow her to find her feet in a new system (curriculum etc.,), and that she's already made a big move from primary to secondary - so it wouldn't phase her having to do it again.

 

Both my children have been to public and we haven't had any problems, good and bad schools everywhere, and private doesn't = better, there will still be some private schools that under perform. Visit the schools and get a feel for them - my children are both very different but we've found a school that my son is really enjoying and my daughter loved (she's just finished her first year at Uni).

[Bob1]

Paxo - the Curriculum Council produce school comparison statistics each year, based on the exam results in Year 12. http://www.scsa.wa.edu.au/internet/Publications/Reports/Statistical_Reports/School_Comparison_Statistics They give lots of information - like the number of students who do stage 2 and stage 3, % who got over 65 or 75%, the top 50 schools in terms of results, the number of kids who graduated etc. If you add this to the information on the my school website - http://www.myschool.edu.au/ you can get quite a clear picture of high schools. There are some great gov schools that produce much better results than some of the private ones - all depends where you are living.

[newjez]

There is a long waiting list on many of the good private schools. My sisters kids went to a catholic primary, but they left as they didn't get on with the 'Italian contingent' as they called it. Many of the cheaper privates don't rate as well as some of the good state schools.

[Guest]

It might not be appropriate but you could consider the Gifted and Talented program or one of the special programs - these are all in state schools but not dependent of catchment area. Entrance exams / interviews are required for entrance but there is a wide range of academic and no-academic programs.

 

Gifted and Talented programs are applied for centrally, special programs at the individual schools.

 

http://det.wa.edu.au/curriculumsupport/giftedandtalented/detcms/navigation/parents/?oid=MultiPartArticle-id-4631873

 

http://www.det.wa.edu.au/specialistprograms/detcms/portal/

[newjez]

Mt Lawley used to have a language program. Not sure if it still exists, but it is a good school.