Scot01

They are all very similar, it will definitely depend on the 'feel' of the school. Kapinara is small and won the highest marks in the State on the NAPLAN tests a few years ago. My daughter in law works at City Beach and is very positive about it. One may have a pool, or a better music programme, or may teach French whilethe other Japanese. Really need to go and visit but you will be fine with all of them.

Govt schools in Top 50 schools for this year - Shenton College (10) Western suburbs, Willeton (14) SOR, Rossmoyne (15) SOR, Applecross (24) SOR, Churchlands (28) NOR, John Curtin (34) Fremantle, Carine (40) NOR, Woodvale (45) NOR, Mt Lawley (48). Warwick and Belridge - if your child wants to go to Uni then neither school are very good, you need to study 'ATAR' subjects to go to Uni and both schools have more of an emphasis on vocational courses. That might suit depending on what your child wants to do.

If you wait a few days the high school league tables will be out for last year which gives the exam results of every high school in WA. If I remember I will let you know the top performing govt schools north of the river. Consistently good schools though are Rossmoyne, Willeton (SOR), Churchlands and Shenton College - Western suburbs, Mt Lawley and Duncrig were about the same and better performing than Carine, Woodvale also OK. Kinross is a middle school then students go on to Mindarie College for Year 10-12 and results from last year weren't great.

If you like the Leedy vibe then Mt Lawley, Subiaco, Freo good options.

Wocester sauce crisps, but can buy them here atvFreo market. marks and spencer food hall would be nice France.

I've done the trip to the UK for a week and was also surprised that it was doable. Got a call on a Monday evening in Perth that my Mum was sick. Caught the early Emirates flights at around 6am on the Tuesday, arrived in Glasgow, drove two and a half hours to Fort William and arrived near midnight on the same day I left Perth. Luckily she had survived and lived a few months more. I spent a busy week, felt much longer, then back home to Perth. (I don't say going home to the UK, Perth is home). Jetlag fine going and awful coming back!

if you got it for $100 a night you'd be doing well. Check out airbnb as well.

Duncraig would be a much better choice, won't be too long before you are thinking of High school and Duncraig beats Mindarie by a long shot, and many of the other private schools North of Scarborough. No personal experience but I looked at the NAPLAN results (like SATS) for Mindarie primary and Year 3 are below the Australian average in everything and year 5 just meeting average so wouldn't be picking it as my top pick if my priority was schooling. Also they run a middle school system there, so kids go off to Kinross College first from Year 7-10 and then head off to Mindarie College for the final two years. The emphasis at Mindarie is more on the non University bound courses which would suit some. Not heard great thing about Kinross college on another discussion site but no personal experience.

Can't stand it, same format for every programme and the weeping on the sofa section is painful. Biggest criticism is it is all about houses - they choose the best house in the worst area and people think great, I can move there and live in a house like that and then find that actually the schools are crap, the crime rate high and they'd never want to live there.

How about a London double decker bus and a black taxi?

Agree, Western suburbs or 'golden triangle' as it is often called. Most of the excellent private schools there but they are single sex, $25000 a year and very short on places. If you have a boy and girl then look at Christ Church Grammar and Methodist Ladies College in Claremont, they are next to each other so make drop off easier. Next choice might be john XXIII college in Mount Claremont, top Catholic School in WA, co-ed, kindy to Year 12 but again very difficult to get into, fees about $6000. Most of the primary schools in the western suburbs are very good. Nedlands primary for example have a pool, orchestra, and band. Many families send their kids to the local primary then off to the private schools in Year five or seven. The Govt high school is Shenton College, beats the results of many of the private schools.

NAPLAN results, like SATS, are below or substantially below the Australian national average so not so great. They can be used as just a rough guide and a starting point. https://www.myschool.edu.au/ResultsInNumbers/Index/102513/JohnButlerPrimaryCollege/50674/2015

There are four term each ten weeks with no half terms so takes a bit of getting use to. Starts early Feb for ten weeks, two week holiday April, another ten weeks and two week hol in July, term 3 and two weeks end of Sept and then break up nine weeks about mid December. http://www.education.wa.edu.au/home/detcms/navigation/education/our-schools/term-dates/

Let schools lead your decision, only decent secondary school that way is Comet Bay otherwise you'd be paying private school fees. Baldivis is still new so no results to see how it performs.

If you are planning to stay for university then I wouldn't hold on to complete GCSE. It's important to get here for Feb of Year 11 as like A levels it is a two year course in order to obtain a University entry qualification. However I have recently heard, but haven't checked out, that GCSE's might get you on to a University foundation course, like a pre degree course which you complete for a year and if your grades are good enough you can go on to the degree course. Also GCSE English shows proficiency in English which is a requirement for all universities, but a pass in the school course will be fine.