Grammar equivalent or high academic achieving schools

[Toni2]

Hi there I am , after a long time weighing it up, want to move to burleigh heads. I am a nurse and have three kids aged 12.9.7.  My 12 year old is in a grammar school here and is very academic. Please can anyone give me some info on schools. She is currently in an all girls school here in the uk

[Marisawright]

I can't give you any advice on schools, but have you established whether or not you can even get a visa?  It's not easy getting a visa as a nurse.

[Toots]

The only schools here that fit your description (Grammar equivalent or high academic achieving schools) are selective high schools.  There are approximately 40 of them in NSW.  Selective high schools cater for academically gifted students with high potential who may otherwise be without sufficient classmates of their own academic standard.  I don't know about Qld.

[Loopylu]

There are some selective free high schools in Qld but I only know of ones in Brisbane.  I have not heard of any on the Gold Coast.  Hopefully someone from the Goldie can advise one way or the other.  My kids have all gone to a local State High School and it ran extension English, Maths, Science for the brighter students and also an academic achievement program.  If you want a school on the Gold Coast that selects by ability you'll probably have to pay for it unless your child is bright enough to obtain a scholarship.  I'm also not aware of any state schools that are single sex.  Personally I don't agree with single sex private schools as, certainly here in Qld, it creates old boy networks that locks poorer men and all women out of the better jobs....

Edited May 22, 2020 by Loopylu

[Toni2]

On 22/05/2020 at 03:55, Loopylu said:

There are some selective free high schools in Qld but I only know of ones in Brisbane.  I have not heard of any on the Gold Coast.  Hopefully someone from the Goldie can advise one way or the other.  My kids have all gone to a local State High School and it ran extension English, Maths, Science for the brighter students and also an academic achievement program.  If you want a school on the Gold Coast that selects by ability you'll probably have to pay for it unless your child is bright enough to obtain a scholarship.  I'm also not aware of any state schools that are single sex.  Personally I don't agree with single sex private schools as, certainly here in Qld, it creates old boy networks that locks poorer men and all women out of the better jobs....

I’m not looking specificity for an all girls school. She does attend one currently and is thriving. Her grades are consistently above average across the curriculum. Hence why, this is a big issue for us as a family. I have to research thoroughly before committing. I have found a school, but it’s private. I’ll await to see if more reply to this thread. 
 

many thanks   

[Toni2]

On 20/05/2020 at 02:54, Toots said:

The only schools here that fit your description (Grammar equivalent or high academic achieving schools) are selective high schools.  There are approximately 40 of them in NSW.  Selective high schools cater for academically gifted students with high potential who may otherwise be without sufficient classmates of their own academic standard.  I don't know about Qld.

Thank you. This is exactly what I’m looking for. She finds a grammar school here in the uk easy. She needs to be with likeminded people. Especially as they go back a year too. She will be twiddling her thumbs x

[rammygirl]

They don’t go back a year as the school year here starts in Jan/feb. so half a year really. 

[Tulip1]

2 hours ago, Toni2 said:

Thank you. This is exactly what I’m looking for. She finds a grammar school here in the uk easy. She needs to be with likeminded people. Especially as they go back a year too. She will be twiddling her thumbs x

Do all those likeminded people really have to be together? Do academic students really twiddle their thumbs in a standard school?  I have a friend who’s daughter is the same age as my youngest, we actually met at an antenatal group and are still good friends 20 years on.  From early on, it was obvious that her daughter was smart. She has only ever gone to her local, village primary school followed by her local catchment area comprehensive school. Everything she has done she has excelled in and was on those gifted and talented registers. My friend was never interested in sending her to some other school with ‘likeminded’ students, she always said she wanted to make sure she didn’t have a chip on her shoulder that she was better than anyone else.  At GCSE level, she took two extra, something allowed for students that can manage them and apart from one subject that she got an A in, every other was an A*.  At A Level, she took four when most took three and she achieved straight A’s. She’s grade eight in piano and on it goes. She’s very bright and was in the local newspaper as her results were outstanding, although her name wasn’t mentioned, at her request.  She is now at a Russell Group uni doing very well, as expected. My friend has always wanted her to remain a balanced person and she has achieved that. I’m not suggesting all kids that go to elite schools aren’t balanced but I’ve certainly met several over the years that think their shit doesn’t stink. Her daughter has always been a ‘normal’ student, has had her part time supermarket job since she was 16 and still has it today. No matter what school you go to, you can only achieve the highest grade and that can be achieved at any school.  I understand you want the best for your child, we all do but you don’t necessarily need to hunt out that elite school. If your daughter has the ability, she can achieve those top marks wherever she is.  

Edited May 24, 2020 by Tulip1

[Toots]

Our boys didn't go to a private school but they did go to an all boys state high school.  It worked well for them.  I never wanted them under any pressure to 'do well' though they both did.  Our elder son always wanted to be a vet and he has been a vet now for 10 years.  He is currently working in Ireland.  The younger one is a Chartered Accountant and is working for a large firm in New York after working with the same firm for a few years in Sydney.

[calNgary]

3 hours ago, Toni2 said:

Thank you. This is exactly what I’m looking for. She finds a grammar school here in the uk easy. She needs to be with likeminded people. Especially as they go back a year too. She will be twiddling her thumbs x

Hi Toni

 Somerset College, AB Patterson and All Saints Anglican school seem to be the ' better' schools on the GC. St Hilda's all girls school and Emmanuel College are also up there.  Maybe have a look at their websites and try making a short list.

 Lots of luck with everything

       Cal x

  

[ramot]

Who knows the answers to this.

We have 3 children all adults now, 2 boys one girl,.

Oldest boy would be described as very bright. We made the decision to send him to a high achieving all boys  private grammar school, as concerned about our local comprehensive school. Yes he did well, but not that much better than many of his friends who went to the comprehensive school, who were in most cases from a similar background. Boys from both schools had a variety of interesting careers.

Second son, struggled academically, slow starter  in primary school and had help as diagnosed as dyslexic. Went to the comprehensive  and held his own, tried hard (at times!) ended up with adequate results.

Both went to university, but the oldest thrived and took his masters whereas the younger passed his degree, but was no high flyer.

fast forward 10 years, our younger son came to join us in Australia and went back to university as a mature student here. Studied first a degree, then a masters, then an MBA. So you could say our younger son did better academically, after a shaky start, than expected.

Daughter was in a different situation as we went overseas for my husband’s job. She was a fairly good ballet dancer and went to a ballet boarding school. Decided she couldn’t cope with the regime and moved school half way through GCSE’s. Not ideal, but did very well, and went on to London college of Fashion for her degree.

She was as bright as most of her friends who went to our local comprehensive, did as well academically as most of her village friends, despite the disruption of moving schools at 13, and 15. All went on to all sorts of careers. 

Having seen so many of our friends children as well as ours grow up, most have ended up as reasonable adults, in a variety of jobs.I have seen some who were very high achieving in top public schools, end up in very unexpected jobs, well below expectations, but happy, and others who were not expected to achieve highly, fly. 

Do what you hope is the best for your children, they will find their own way in life even if it’s not what you thought they would do. 

Edited May 24, 2020 by ramot

[sanjupawar]

Thanks......