High Schools

[portlaunay]

There are many threads on the subject of schools and I thought it might be useful to try to get one going specifically about High Schools as they seem to be underrepresented.

 

I know it's early days but my son started at South Fremantle High School this week and moving up is always going to bring a mixture of emotions and it's fair to say most of his first morning at home was spent procrastinating and worrying. In the end he claimed it was the best day of his life which is a pretty bold statement, even if he is only 11.

 

The school has suffered in the past with a poor reputation and it's unfortunate that this perception seems to linger. We've always felt very positive about the school with the contact we've had and it feels like a genuinely exciting place to be. The music program and the marine program are amazing, the school is fantastically well resourced, has an active P&C and amazing sports facilities and my son loves his teachers.

 

It is set to merge with Hamilton Hill in the next couple of years but will remain on its current site and given the size of the space, it will cope just fine.

 

I'll update as he progresses through and we get more involved.

[Give me a break!]

I'd always advise getting stuck in and help out on the P&C. It gives an excellent insight into what's going on and where problems if any may lie.

[Rossmoyne]

Totally agree GMAB....... I always was when my offspring were in school. It helps make friends too when you first arrive.

[KMS]

Hi portlaunay

I was wondering how your son is going at South Fremantle school. Is he still enjoying it? We are looking to move into the area and are tossing up between there (I like the idea of a smaller school) and John Curtin. My son is not a keen student, so I'm looking for a school that offers some support for students who need a bit of 'nurturing'. I'd love to hear any thoughts you may have. (I'm aware of the upcoming merger between SFSHS and Hamilton Hill).

Edited January 4, 2016 by KMS
Spelling

[Sideshowdeb]

Hi KMS,

My son goes to John Curtin and would definitely fit into the same category as I don't think I could ever have described him as a keen student either. JCCA is a lovely school and has many wonderful elements. From my sons experience there is almost no bullying or discrimination and he was welcomed into the school and settled very quickly. As an arts school it embraces creativity and individuality and they have created a very safe and accepting environment. That said, it is almost completely focused on the performing arts and academic achievement. They do have a soccer program but I know that my son felt at times as one of the very few local intake students that nobody took any interest in him. Once it became clear he was not interested in working towards university entry he could pretty much do what he wanted. He isn't challenged or engaged at all and when we met with them to discuss this they were very honest and stated that as he wasn't working towards university entry and he wasn't in a gifted and talented program then JCCA was probably not the best choice for him and there wasn't much they could offer him. He is perfectly capable but very lazy when it comes to school work so not the easiest boy to teach either. After all the options which involved studying more or working harder were rejected by my son they suggested that he may be better suited to a more technical school such as Bibra Lake which is geared towards trade qualifications and would help him balance his general education alongside some technical qualifications and help him get an apprecticeship which seems to be what he would like to do next. He is happy at the school and has made friends which as important for us moving him here at 15 and I can't imagine he would have done any better elsewhere. The careers development teacher has been great and helped my son plan what to do next and make the applications etc. The only other downside is that as there are almost no local intake students the friends he has made are scattered far and wide. He has friends from Mandurah to Midland which means he doesn't get to see them outside of school as much as he would like and he travels quite a lot to meet up with them. Obviously this is only one child's experience of JCCA but I hope it helps a bit, Deb

[portlaunay]

Hi portlaunay

I was wondering how your son is going at South Fremantle school. Is he still enjoying it? We are looking to move into the area and are tossing up between there (I like the idea of a smaller school) and John Curtin. My son is not a keen student, so I'm looking for a school that offers some support for students who need a bit of 'nurturing'. I'd love to hear any thoughts you may have. (I'm aware of the upcoming merger between SFSHS and Hamilton Hill).

 

Mixed is probably the best way to describe it and I'll start with the positives.

 

The music programme is amazing. I mean, really incredible, I wish I was a kid again. The structure is very interesting and works on so many levels. Each year group are put into bands comprising different musicians and they practice, perform and write together throughout the year. They go through the Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing phases, learn how to manage themselves, deal with relationships and conflict and of course, their instruments. They all have to play in their bands at the end of term showcases, in front of all the parents. The progression is amazing and they get to play public events too, going on tour when they're older, learning about the music business, staging, production, all aspects of the business really. We only hope that with the changes ahead, the music programme will be left well alone.

 

On the downside, the academic school we've found to be mediocre at best. The teaching has been uninspiring and my son has struggled because he's keen to learn and it feels like some of the staff do the bare minimum to get by. Classes are often disrupted by poor behaviour and there is very little discipline from the teaching staff. His sister is at an exceptional primary school and despite being 3 years younger, her reading and writing ability is almost as good as his!

 

2016 will be a very telling year as the Principal posts for the new school will be appointed to. There will also be many changes to the teaching staff and with that will come our decision as to whether our son stays or goes.

 

JC isn't an option for us, we know enough about it to know that it wouldn't work for our son. We've known many people who've had children there and it's not worked for them and from their experiences, it's been struck from our list. If he does move on there are a couple of options and the favoured one at the moment will be the Steiner school in Bibra Lake, supplemented by an extra curricular music programme.

[KMS]

Hi KMS,

My son goes to John Curtin and would definitely fit into the same category as I don't think I could ever have described him as a keen student either. JCCA is a lovely school and has many wonderful elements. From my sons experience there is almost no bullying or discrimination and he was welcomed into the school and settled very quickly. As an arts school it embraces creativity and individuality and they have created a very safe and accepting environment. That said, it is almost completely focused on the performing arts and academic achievement. They do have a soccer program but I know that my son felt at times as one of the very few local intake students that nobody took any interest in him. Once it became clear he was not interested in working towards university entry he could pretty much do what he wanted. He isn't challenged or engaged at all and when we met with them to discuss this they were very honest and stated that as he wasn't working towards university entry and he wasn't in a gifted and talented program then JCCA was probably not the best choice for him and there wasn't much they could offer him. He is perfectly capable but very lazy when it comes to school work so not the easiest boy to teach either. After all the options which involved studying more or working harder were rejected by my son they suggested that he may be better suited to a more technical school such as Bibra Lake which is geared towards trade qualifications and would help him balance his general education alongside some technical qualifications and help him get an apprecticeship which seems to be what he would like to do next. He is happy at the school and has made friends which as important for us moving him here at 15 and I can't imagine he would have done any better elsewhere. The careers development teacher has been great and helped my son plan what to do next and make the applications etc. The only other downside is that as there are almost no local intake students the friends he has made are scattered far and wide. He has friends from Mandurah to Midland which means he doesn't get to see them outside of school as much as he would like and he travels quite a lot to meet up with them. Obviously this is only one child's experience of JCCA but I hope it helps a bit, Deb

 

 

Hi Deb, thank you so much for your thoughts, which have helped enormously in that it confirms a lot of what I was thinking. My son isn't really interested in Uni either, but he is quite arty - but more with graphic design/animation etc rather than painting and drawing, and I don't think the Visual stream at JC offer that style of art (it's too late to apply for that anyway).

JC do offer a lot of learning support, as my son has mild dyslexia, so that would be great for him, but I am still struggling with the thought that this school isn't the right fit for him. I also wondered about the friends issue, with so many people coming from all over the state to attend the school. As he's an only child, this is a major consideration for us, so it was interesting to hear your thoughts on that as well. We are also now looking at Melville HS, as that seems to have a good arts/visual design course.

 

Thank you again for taking the time to reply. It seems like JCCA have been great in helping your son find his path in life.

best regards

[KMS]

Mixed is probably the best way to describe it and I'll start with the positives.

 

The music programme is amazing. I mean, really incredible, I wish I was a kid again. The structure is very interesting and works on so many levels. Each year group are put into bands comprising different musicians and they practice, perform and write together throughout the year. They go through the Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing phases, learn how to manage themselves, deal with relationships and conflict and of course, their instruments. They all have to play in their bands at the end of term showcases, in front of all the parents. The progression is amazing and they get to play public events too, going on tour when they're older, learning about the music business, staging, production, all aspects of the business really. We only hope that with the changes ahead, the music programme will be left well alone.

 

On the downside, the academic school we've found to be mediocre at best. The teaching has been uninspiring and my son has struggled because he's keen to learn and it feels like some of the staff do the bare minimum to get by. Classes are often disrupted by poor behaviour and there is very little discipline from the teaching staff. His sister is at an exceptional primary school and despite being 3 years younger, her reading and writing ability is almost as good as his!

 

2016 will be a very telling year as the Principal posts for the new school will be appointed to. There will also be many changes to the teaching staff and with that will come our decision as to whether our son stays or goes.

 

JC isn't an option for us, we know enough about it to know that it wouldn't work for our son. We've known many people who've had children there and it's not worked for them and from their experiences, it's been struck from our list. If he does move on there are a couple of options and the favoured one at the moment will be the Steiner school in Bibra Lake, supplemented by an extra curricular music programme.

 

 

The music programme sounds amazing - my son would love that as well. He drives us all insane with his drums!

It sounds like the school has many positives, and I'll be interested to see the path it takes in the years ahead. I had also heard there can be a bit of disruptive behaviour in the classroom, so it's interesting that you say that, too. I really need to find a school that encourages discipline, as my son is badly needing some positive role models when it comes to schooling. He's a good kid at heart, but is more likely to be disruptive himself or act out as the class clown when others are doing the same. I'm not looking for academic excellence in a school or one that rates in the top of the state - far from it - but I am looking for a school that encourages a positive attitude towards learning, where he feels inspired to go and to learn (it's a tough job getting him out the door every morning as it is!).

Thank you so much for your informative reply. Lots of food for thought!!

[Sideshowdeb]

Hi Deb, thank you so much for your thoughts, which have helped enormously in that it confirms a lot of what I was thinking. My son isn't really interested in Uni either, but he is quite arty - but more with graphic design/animation etc rather than painting and drawing, and I don't think the Visual stream at JC offer that style of art (it's too late to apply for that anyway).

JC do offer a lot of learning support, as my son has mild dyslexia, so that would be great for him, but I am still struggling with the thought that this school isn't the right fit for him. I also wondered about the friends issue, with so many people coming from all over the state to attend the school. As he's an only child, this is a major consideration for us, so it was interesting to hear your thoughts on that as well. We are also now looking at Melville HS, as that seems to have a good arts/visual design course.

 

Thank you again for taking the time to reply. It seems like JCCA have been great in helping your son find his path in life.

best regards

 

You're more than welcome. I think there is someone on the forum that has a couple of kids at Melville, but I can't remember who. It might be worthwhile posting a question about the school in case they still visit the site? My son plays rugby with some boys which go to Melville and he's commented in the past that he wishes he'd gone there as its like his old school in the UK where the kids live locally to the school. I guess we underestimated just how important that is to a teenager.

Good luck finding the right place for your son.

Best wishes, Deb

[Rossmoyne]

You're more than welcome. I think there is someone on the forum that has a couple of kids at Melville, but I can't remember who. It might be worthwhile posting a question about the school in case they still visit the site? My son plays rugby with some boys which go to Melville and he's commented in the past that he wishes he'd gone there as its like his old school in the UK where the kids live locally to the school. I guess we underestimated just how important that is to a teenager.

Good luck finding the right place for your son.

Best wishes, Deb

 

It is so hard to find the right school that is the right fit for your child. Way back in the late 1990s, my son won a Maths Scholarship to Rossmoyne SHS and a Sports Scholarship to Lynwood SHS. He chose to go to Lynwood SHS as that was where all his close mates were moving onto (sports mad lot!) and he wouldn't have known many students at Rossmoyne SHS. At the time I did think about him losing out on a good opportunity by not going to Rossmoyne, but turned out to be the best fit for him at Lynwood and he never looked back. He is now coming up to his 30th birthday, an Engineer, and working in a brilliant job in Queensland. He still has a passion for sport and plays any that includes a ball and he has also maintained all his high school friendships, so I am glad that we went with what he wanted. Bottom line is though, that if the school doesn't suit your child, you can always move them.

[KLO]

Mixed is probably the best way to describe it and I'll start with the positives.

 

The music programme is amazing. I mean, really incredible, I wish I was a kid again. The structure is very interesting and works on so many levels. Each year group are put into bands comprising different musicians and they practice, perform and write together throughout the year. They go through the Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing phases, learn how to manage themselves, deal with relationships and conflict and of course, their instruments. They all have to play in their bands at the end of term showcases, in front of all the parents. The progression is amazing and they get to play public events too, going on tour when they're older, learning about the music business, staging, production, all aspects of the business really. We only hope that with the changes ahead, the music programme will be left well alone.

 

On the downside, the academic school we've found to be mediocre at best. The teaching has been uninspiring and my son has struggled because he's keen to learn and it feels like some of the staff do the bare minimum to get by. Classes are often disrupted by poor behaviour and there is very little discipline from the teaching staff. His sister is at an exceptional primary school and despite being 3 years younger, her reading and writing ability is almost as good as his!

 

2016 will be a very telling year as the Principal posts for the new school will be appointed to. There will also be many changes to the teaching staff and with that will come our decision as to whether our son stays or goes.

 

JC isn't an option for us, we know enough about it to know that it wouldn't work for our son. We've known many people who've had children there and it's not worked for them and from their experiences, it's been struck from our list. If he does move on there are a couple of options and the favoured one at the moment will be the Steiner school in Bibra Lake, supplemented by an extra curricular music programme.

 

Portlaunay, which school is your daughter at? I 'm keen to learn more about any exceptional schools in the area!

[pegg]

Just noticed this thread porty …. We have been looking at schools and really fancied south fremantle school - and our boy is 11 too !

 

3 months we should be over !!! fingers crossed ;o)

[KLO]

Just noticed this thread porty …. We have been looking at schools and really fancied south fremantle school - and our boy is 11 too !

 

3 months we should be over !!! fingers crossed ;o)

 

Not sure if you know that South Fremantle High is merging with Hamilton High School to become Fremantle College in 2017 (or maybe it's 2018) - the govt is spending some 30 million on the project, and it will have a gifted and talented program, science focus, and lots of other great resources. So should be good. And it's on the South Freo campus.

[pegg]

Sounds amazing …. really cannot wait to get over and get settled ;o)

[portlaunay]

Portlaunay, which school is your daughter at? I 'm keen to learn more about any exceptional schools in the area!

 

Sorry for the late reply. The school is Lance Holt. It's in the middle of Freo, really small, approx 100 kids from prindy to Y6. It's pretty hard to get into, there are people who have their names on the wait list as soon as their kids are born but we were just lucky that there was space when she started. Check it out - http://www.lanceholtschool.wa.edu.au/

It's not for everyone and a small school comes with its own issues but on the whole it's a very special place.

[portlaunay]

Sounds amazing …. really cannot wait to get over and get settled ;o)

 

When you get here we'll arrange a meet up and my son can give you the warts and all low down on SFSHS.

The merger will be an interesting time and the Principal post is being appointed to later this year. The merger does look like a very exciting time but we're hoping it won't impact upon the music programme. Depending on who gets the Principals role and how the music school will be structured will determine whether we stay there or move on.

[KLO]

Sorry for the late reply. The school is Lance Holt. It's in the middle of Freo, really small, approx 100 kids from prindy to Y6. It's pretty hard to get into, there are people who have their names on the wait list as soon as their kids are born but we were just lucky that there was space when she started. Check it out - http://www.lanceholtschool.wa.edu.au/

It's not for everyone and a small school comes with its own issues but on the whole it's a very special place.

 

Oh yes I know Lance Holt - great school. Friends with kids there are very happy with it.

[pegg]

When you get here we'll arrange a meet up and my son can give you the warts and all low down on SFSHS.

The merger will be an interesting time and the Principal post is being appointed to later this year. The merger does look like a very exciting time but we're hoping it won't impact upon the music programme. Depending on who gets the Principals role and how the music school will be structured will determine whether we stay there or move on.

 

Cheers buddy , had a possible bit of good news on job front today also …. so just waiting on that visa - But hey , were nearly there !

But yes we will deffo have to meet up ….. our son Jack is pretty nervous about school - but one good thing is he hates the school here in the UK , so he is hoping Oz schooling is better ;o)