Important Information required regarding Schools

[smilingsenthil]

Hi,

After much deliberations, we finally decided to move to Perth on 30th Oct 2013. We have 2 kids girls - 9yo (primary 4 next year) and 3yo (kinder garden next year). We have few important questions..pls help.

 

1. Shall we register for a school before reaching there or we can only register once we reach ? In other words , is there any action for us to take regarding schools before we reach or nothing at all.

2. For the kinder garden, I heard that there is no guarantee for seat even if the child is in catchment area. Is this true ? We want both our kids to go to same school.

3. If we don't find a good school in our area, shall we apply for schools in other suburbs ? In that case, what is the possibility of getting a seat ?

4. Should we apply for only one school at a time or can apply for multiple schools ?

5. We are looking for a good big house to rent so we are ready to move away from the city (like Joondalup or Rockingham etc). Can you please suggest good schools in outside suburbs where we can get cheap rentals as well.

 

The questions are with regard to government schools. Please help to answer them and provide us with any additional details that can help.

 

Thanks

[portlaunay]

I'll try to answer as best I can, based upon our experience though I'm not certain this would be the case for everyone.

 

1. Very few schools, if any will accept any kind of registration unless you have proof of address, such as a rental agreement, utility bill etc. I'm not sure if this is also the case for fee paying schools. I should imagine if you're paying, they'll likely want to take your cash regardless, accepting your word that you are indeed going to be moving there.

 

2. Kindy is not mandatory so, yes, they will have to have availability for you to register. If there is a kindy attached to the primary school then they will endeavour to keep your children together, though having a sibling in the primary is no guarantee of a kindy place.

 

3. If you don't find a 'good' school close to you it really depends on where you are living and what alternatives are available. The further you move from the metropolitan district, the more limited your options. You may find a private school close by (fees are nothing like the UK), but it is unlikely you'll be able to place your child in a state school outside of the catchment area in which you live, just because you or she doesn't like it. (Unless there is significant capacity, which would be unusual). We are about to move outside of the catchment area where our children are schooled but, because they have been there for some time, the school are happy for them to remain.

 

4. There will likely be just one in your catchment area, possibly two. If the school you think suitable for your child has a website take a look at the catchment map but, at the risk of sounding like a stuck record, what will you base your decisions on if you're not here? The opinions of others? Performance stats? My advice would be to do the research but keep an open mind. Choose what you think will be the right 'package' for all of you then remain flexible. Whilst your child's education is important it's more important to find the school that is right for them. Some schools here have excellent reputations, place high in the league tables and churn out armies of academic students destined for uni yet they can be regimented, disciplined, lack creativity, inflexibility and rely on well established, (some/I say archaic), teaching methods.

 

5. Sorry, can't help with that one, the two places you mention I dislike intensely. (No offence intended to those who do).

 

I note your point about wanting advice on government schools but I'd also consider private. There are some very good ones around and fees are not extortionate. I have a friend who teaches at a faith based school close to Rockingham and it is excellent, really excellent, there's just a little too much god for my liking but if you're that way inclined it's worth taking a look.

[StraighttothePoint]

Hi,

After much deliberations, we finally decided to move to Perth on 30th Oct 2013. We have 2 kids girls - 9yo (primary 4 next year) and 3yo (kinder garden next year). We have few important questions..pls help.

 

1. Shall we register for a school before reaching there or we can only register once we reach ? In other words , is there any action for us to take regarding schools before we reach or nothing at all.

2. For the kinder garden, I heard that there is no guarantee for seat even if the child is in catchment area. Is this true ? We want both our kids to go to same school.

3. If we don't find a good school in our area, shall we apply for schools in other suburbs ? In that case, what is the possibility of getting a seat ?

4. Should we apply for only one school at a time or can apply for multiple schools ?

5. We are looking for a good big house to rent so we are ready to move away from the city (like Joondalup or Rockingham etc). Can you please suggest good schools in outside suburbs where we can get cheap rentals as well. The questions are with regard to government schools. Please help to answer them and provide us with any additional details that can help. Thanks

 

Lots of similar threads on here already, some only in the last week or so, where a lot of this has recently been debated. Worth looking through the Education threads as well as this one http://www.perthpoms.com/forum/renting-real-estate/11156-suburbs-avoid.html

 

Also what comes first suburb or school, your overall budget remeaining intact or it being altered so that you can get into a better school in a more expensive suburb, or does the school come first no matter how much it costs to live there and you pay to be in the suburb regardless of costs and so on and so on. As Porty says how will you chose anyway? Better to be here, with a shortlist of suburbs and/or schools and be flexible as to where you end up on a more permanent basis if you can. If your budget is constrained then as I say you can drop your expectations in terms of housing and allocate more to education for the kids. Schools are what they are here as is the system for entry. Unfortunately we cannot choose to be in a suburb and have our kids attend a school outside the catchent area unless we go private or bend the rules. Anyway here is some more reading that may give you some more pointers. Good luck with it all.

 

Education and School Lists

http://www.det.wa.edu.au/

 

http://www.det.wa.edu.au/schoolsonline/home.do Go here and just type in the suburb name and up pops the schools in that catchment.

 

http://bettereducation.com.au/results/WA/all.aspx

 

http://www.scsa.wa.edu.au/internet/P...son_Statistics

What Suburb

http://www.viacorp.com/perth-suburbs-compared.html

Edited April 28, 2013 by StraighttothePoint

[smilingsenthil]

Porty and Straight, Thanks for your inputs. Porty - Would you please share with me the reasons for disliking Rockingham and Joondalup ? I hear most of them stay around these suburbs (like Secret Harbour, Port Kennedy, Balvidives, Currambine etc). If you dislike these, then I'm interested to know the reason. In addition, I would like to hear from you the suburbs that you think are good (with decent schools) where I can rent for 500-600 per week (a house not a unit). How about Canningvale ? It seem to have good schools and rentals also seem to be affordable. Please suggest.

[Give me a break!]

Where will you or your OH be working? That really needs to be the first thought then you can narrow down the search a bit as yours is all over the place at the moment.

[StraighttothePoint]

Porty and Straight, Thanks for your inputs. Porty - Would you please share with me the reasons for disliking Rockingham and Joondalup ? I hear most of them stay around these suburbs (like Secret Harbour, Port Kennedy, Balvidives, Currambine etc). If you dislike these, then I'm interested to know the reason. In addition, I would like to hear from you the suburbs that you think are good (with decent schools) where I can rent for 500-600 per week (a house not a unit). How about Canningvale ? It seem to have good schools and rentals also seem to be affordable. Please suggest.

 

 

No problem but as Give Me says you probably need to narrow your own search down rather than starting to take on board opinions about a range or number of suburbs fro example. The reason being that we all have them and we all have our own views of working in Perth, it's suburbs and it's schools. Not an issue taking on others opinions / views because that is sensible but perhaps try to do your own detailed research and then you will probably be able to ask more detailed questions. At the moment you are a bit scatter gun.

 

My advice would be if you are budgeting for $500 to $600 per week then go here http://reiwa.com.au/home/default.aspx and see where you fit in suburb wise. Then, like Give Me says, factor in where you will be working, or think you will would like to work, and create a suburb short list based on renatl cost, infrastructure and amenities. Then match that shortlist against the schools in the catchment area and do some further research on the schools. People on here who ahve done this tend to come up with 3 or 4 short listed suburbs and it really helps them to focus.

 

This site is full of views on cost of living, suburbs, schools etc and so also have a good read over these. That background information will also help you when creating your own personal shortlist. It is just a case of digging through the pervious threads. Also if you need a list of other key information sites and/or a template that will help with budgeting then please drop me a PM with your e-mail address and I will send you them.

[portlaunay]

Porty and Straight, Thanks for your inputs. Porty - Would you please share with me the reasons for disliking Rockingham and Joondalup ? I hear most of them stay around these suburbs (like Secret Harbour, Port Kennedy, Balvidives, Currambine etc). If you dislike these, then I'm interested to know the reason. In addition, I would like to hear from you the suburbs that you think are good (with decent schools) where I can rent for 500-600 per week (a house not a unit). How about Canningvale ? It seem to have good schools and rentals also seem to be affordable. Please suggest.

 

There are a number of reasons why I don't like those areas and wouldn't feel comfortable living there but they are very personal, clearly it works for others but for us, lifestyle is very important. We came from London and we love having everything within walking distance or good public transport links. I like old, crusty things; crooked houses, old cars. We also value community, getting involved, sharing and giving back to those around us and, as we are both very creative, enjoy a community which reflects this, where individualism, eccentricity and creative expression is celebrated. I guess those are some of the reasons why we like Freo and right now I wouldn't want to be anywhere else. (Though we do pay a considerable amount in rent for what is a very small property). I don't know where you are but I'd draw comparisons between Freo and Brighton - creative, vibrant, bohemian, with a transient population of backpackers, daytrippers and tourists, a well established, slightly left field community of ageing hippies and a proud and open gay community.

 

I suppose, in contrast Joondalup and Rockingham feel like the antithesis of those factors. Both feel too new, regimented and without personality, like they have been planned and built and have not yet had time to evolve. I don't mean to pick on those two areas particularly, there are many others that wouldn't suit us, that are too far into suburbia, where a car is a necessity and where neighbours barely acknowledge the existence of those who share their community unless there is a problem.

 

There's an X factor to everything you encounter - people, cars, houses, schools - something you can't quite put your finger on but it either screams 'Yes!' or 'Run away!'

 

None of that is probably of much help to you, or, perhaps it is. If anything, I hope it helps you to come here with an open mind, focus on what it is that truly makes you happy, what nourishes your soul.

[smilingsenthil]

Wow..that's a lot for information for me. Well, the problem is that I'm not planning to work anywhere :-) I'm a full time forex/commodities trader and so wouldn't like to move out of the house. So the basic necessity for me is a big house and a good school. If there is a beach nearby, it is great. That was the reason why I considered Rockingham. If there are other places that can give me a good house and decent school (doesn't matter how far it is from city), would be willing to consider.

[Guest guest9824]

I'm a bit crusty.... ....There is always North east of the city ( dare I say it) to consider. Very crusty, very unique, very quirky, great community, from jazz in the park to Targa Car rally! There's not just NOR or SOR....there is quite a bit in between with very good state and private schools.

Edited April 29, 2013 by guest9824

[portlaunay]

I'm a bit crusty.... ....There is always North east of the city ( dare I say it) to consider. Very crusty, very unique, very quirky, great community, from jazz in the park to Targa Car rally! There's not just NOR or SOR....there is quite a bit in between with very good state and private schools.

 

Crusty you say? Baby, we should get together (you are female, right? )

Come to think of it I like Guildford. Although small it is beautiful.

I love the Swan Valley too. I'd love to have a small pig farm out there and maybe a few buffalo and make my own prosciutto and mozzarella, grow figs and make balsamic vinegar from the beautiful wines out there....

[Guest guest9824]

Crusty you say? Baby, we should get together (you are female, right? )

Come to think of it I like Guildford. Although small it is beautiful.

I love the Swan Valley too. I'd love to have a small pig farm out there and maybe a few buffalo and make my own prosciutto and mozzarella, grow figs and make balsamic vinegar from the beautiful wines out there....

 

Hehe.....crusty as, that's me and all woman.....!!! Love Guildford too....Alfred's for a burger on a cold winters night sat round the open fire! Swan Valley is beaut too....I understand your yearning ....pig farms that is......! Kala is my domain, and we love it, although I too have a love for freo, it reeks of history and stories.....hubby not as keen as he feels a little bit vulnerable there....the big melt!

 

​Pea

[StraighttothePoint]

Wow..that's a lot for information for me. Well, the problem is that I'm not planning to work anywhere :-) I'm a full time forex/commodities trader and so wouldn't like to move out of the house. So the basic necessity for me is a big house and a good school. If there is a beach nearby, it is great. That was the reason why I considered Rockingham. If there are other places that can give me a good house and decent school (doesn't matter how far it is from city), would be willing to consider.

 

 

Oh well then this should be easy for you. As a full time forex/commodities trader you will be used to gathering and analysing information before making a decision. If you work from home then you have a big choice, over a large area, and so just follow the suggested process and you will find it works. Your $500 to $600 budget will narrow it down a lot more than you may think and so the process may not take that long to be honest. Good luck.