Chances of getting kids into Catholic schools mid term...Sydney hills or shire area??

[frostie]

Hi , we are moving over by March 2012 . I am looking at catholic schools around the shire area (caringbah /miranda/ sylvania)and possibly the hills areas. We have a Boy age 9 born 04/2002 and Girl 7 born 06/2004 and as they are currently attending a Cofe school here i wanted them to attend a catholic school over there.

Does anyone know what chances there are off getting them a catholic school place mid term next year?

I know our local uk church school is full and the waiting list is extensive but thought as you have to pay for the church schools there maybe there would be places or is that being optomistic?:smile:

Could anyone also advice what school year they would be in ?? I think eldest would be year 5 on arrival and youngest year 3 is that correct??

My youngest is nearly 3 born 12/2008 could anyone tell me when she would be due to start kindergarden? And again what the waiting lists are like for preschools over there??

Thanks in advance for any help (finding it hard to get my head round their schools ):biggrin:

Mandy

[LKC]

I have a friend who sends her daughter to St John Bosco in Engadine which is a good school. As far as I know, although you don't have to be Catholic to attend the Catholic schools, I think about 90% of the enrolled pupils are Catholic. Priority is given to those who are Catholic and actively attend church and also live within the parish, then to those in other parishes who are actively involved in church, and then to other Orthodox or Christian families.

 

From listening to my friend talk, there is fierce competition for places at Bosco (I have no idea about other schools). I would imagine that this is because it is cheaper than private school, but seen as being better than public school (I send my daughter to public school in preference, partly because I am not religious, but also because our local public school is excellent).

 

I am not sure which year your eldest children would be in, but I think that your youngest would be due to start kindy in Feb 2014. Preschools/long day care in this area is oversubscribed. I had awful trouble trying to get our eldest in before she started school and ended up with one which was a 30 minute drive away. Pre-school is different here. It is user pays, rather than government funded, and most of the people I know only send their children one or two days per week (if at all). I am sending youngest three days after Christmas, but that is so I can work.

[frostie]

I have a friend who sends her daughter to St John Bosco in Engadine which is a good school. As far as I know, although you don't have to be Catholic to attend the Catholic schools, I think about 90% of the enrolled pupils are Catholic. Priority is given to those who are Catholic and actively attend church and also live within the parish, then to those in other parishes who are actively involved in church, and then to other Orthodox or Christian families.

 

From listening to my friend talk, there is fierce competition for places at Bosco (I have no idea about other schools). I would imagine that this is because it is cheaper than private school, but seen as being better than public school (I send my daughter to public school in preference, partly because I am not religious, but also because our local public school is excellent).

 

I am not sure which year your eldest children would be in, but I think that your youngest would be due to start kindy in Feb 2014. Preschools/long day care in this area is oversubscribed. I had awful trouble trying to get our eldest in before she started school and ended up with one which was a 30 minute drive away. Pre-school is different here. It is user pays, rather than government funded, and most of the people I know only send their children one or two days per week (if at all). I am sending youngest three days after Christmas, but that is so I can work.

 

 

Thanks for the reply .... I had a reply from a catholic school in Caringbah who said they would most likely have a place for the oldest but not for the middle child . But I showed the children a video of the local state primary school in Caringbah and they fell in love with the look of it. I have no worries sending them to a state school but on a 457 visa it will be very expensive!! Hopefully before the youngest starts we will be on a pr visa...

I have also been looking at the Sutherland Shire Christian School in Barden Ridge, have you heard any negatives or posotives with that school.

I guess we will worry about preschools after the eldest are settled in schools. Is there many toddler groups etc around the shire? My main worry for the youngest woould be her lack of socialising with other pre schoolers.

Thanks for the advice you have given me in several posts :biggrin:

Thanks Mandy

[LKC]

I don't know anything about the Barden Ridge school, but my youngest goes to pre-school in Barden Ridge and loves it there. We looked at pre-schools in Engadine/Woronora Heights, but there was only one with places and when I went to look around it wasn't very nice. So, we got her a place further away. It is worth the hour round trip in my opinion!

 

With respect to the school fees, I am pretty sure that there is some leniency on the fees if you have more than one child at school, so don't write off public school completely. We send our eldest to a public school and have been exceptionally happy with it. Caringbah is nice, but if I am completely honest, I do prefer this side of The Shire. It is more down to earth and friendly, but that is really just my experience having lived in Yowie Bay (next suburb over from Caringbah).

 

For playgroups see http://www.playgroupaustralia.com.au/nsw/?CFID=10051975&CFTOKEN=86229748&jsessionid=4030d7627c806c4587d2. There are lots about in the area. I go to a lovely one and have made some very good friends.

 

It is a lovely area, and we would never want to live anywhere else. Don't tell everyone though, they'll all want to come!