[mmk]

My initial thoughts were that DS would just go to public school - I went to one and I turned out ok. DH felt the same.

Now I've been talking to people and for various reasons I'd like DS to go to a private school so he thinks that study is normal etc, and even if he is one of the worst performing kids his results will be much better than if he was an average kid at our local public school. Obviously at this stage I have no idea how he'll do academically, but he has a lot of determination, is very observant and very switched on. I never assumed he'd be anything other than average at school, but I don't want to disadvantage him when he has the potential to be up there with the 'smart' kids. I just want him to have all of the extra opportunites available to him that getting the grades opens up.

DS is 4, so he'll be starting prep next year. I don't want to just send him for high school because I think the step up (of study expectations) will be too great, so I was thinking grade 4 or 5. If he starts this young then we will obviously have to drive him (or get a school bus) so this would limit the schools he could go to I'm guessing because of access.

Another option is to send him to one school for prep-3, another for 4-6 (to prepare for high school), then whichever school was better for high school when he could make his own way there. Some of the high schools though don't have a junior school attached, so he can't just be driven there for 2 or 3 years until he can make his own way there.

We also don't see the point of paying 10k for prep if it's not going to make that much difference in the later years, which is why we were thinking of grade 4-6 to change schools. We can afford private school, but it's going to mean lifestyle changes so we were going to hold off if it won't disadvantage him.

So what would you do? Send him to potentially 3 schools? Or limit high school options by not considering those that don't have a junior school? Or just throw him in the deep end from public primary to private secondary? Or any other option I haven't thought of...

TIA

[Emily Thorne]

Sorry no help, but will be watching this thread. I must say that most people I know are planning to go from public primary to private secondary. Since Year 7 is such a big transitional year, you would imagine that the private schools will help the kids adjust to the new study expectations.

Personally I wouldn't make him keep changing as the adjustment periods could be detrimental to the study habits you are seekign to instill. It might not, of course, but it seems unnecssary to move school so many times unless you have other reasons like moving house/bullying or whatever.

[BVB09]

I have had DS down for PS since he was 18 months old. Finally got the call the other day to see if we were still interested.

After weighing up all the cost, we have decided to decline and send our son to the local state school and remove him in year 6 to start him Private.

The Private school honoured our application and fee and re-enrolled him for highschool.

I just cannot justify for primary $5,000 a year and that does not include uniforms etc.

We have made the decision for highschool as we will be more financially stable !

In the end for us, its FINANCIAL REASONS and that alone !

[sigh]

I taught at university for a time and you cannot pick the private school kids from the public even in first year. It's all down the individuals drive for learning (and I personally think that comes from encouragement from parents).

[~4's enough ...]

It will depend on how good the public school is.

I started my boys of in a public school and switched to private when DS1 was in year 2 and DS2 was in Kinder. I was suprised at how far behind my kids were compared to their class mates (both boys were tested when they first started at the new school). DS2 is now in year 4 and is still struggling to catch up.

I would consider starting your DS as early as possible. That way he will be learning the same things at the same pace. If not I would move no later than year 3. Here in the ACT year 3 is when they start preparing them for high school. Its also an age where they go through an emotional stage so in my opinion they need to be settled otherwise they will struggle.

You also need to consider things like if you change schools often you will be taking him away from people he knows and his friends. Yes he will make new ones but some kids struggle with this.

HTH

[JRA]

Now I've been talking to people and for various reasons I'd like DS to go to a private school so he thinks that study is normal etc, and even if he is one of the worst performing kids his results will be much better than if he was an average kid at our local public school.

I think you really need to get a better understanding of the schooling system. Assuming public schools kids don't think study is the norm, and the the worst performer at a private school is better than the average at a state school is just so wrong.

[ubermum]

I taught at university for a time and you cannot pick the private school kids from the public even in first year. It's all down the individuals drive for learning (and I personally think that comes from encouragement from parents).

This. In fact if anything, I found that the private school kids in my classes had more issue with self direction which is a huge part of university study. They were used to being told exactly what to do. My eldest is only just starting prep. It is a small public school with around 120 kids. I am super happy with it and couldn't imagine that a private school could or would provide a better educational experience. For high school, we haven't decided where our kids will go, but I am leaning more towards public and using my saved money to pay for extra help if they need it. From what I noticed in my high school, the kids who did the best were the ones who had parents interested and involved in what they were learning.

[Aqua Kitty Kat]

My initial thoughts were that DS would just go to public school - I went to one and I turned out ok. DH felt the same.

Now I've been talking to people and for various reasons I'd like DS to go to a private school so he thinks that study is normal etc, and even if he is one of the worst performing kids his results will be much better than if he was an average kid at our local public school. Obviously at this stage I have no idea how he'll do academically, but he has a lot of determination, is very observant and very switched on. I never assumed he'd be anything other than average at school, but I don't want to disadvantage him when he has the potential to be up there with the 'smart' kids. I just want him to have all of the extra opportunites available to him that getting the grades opens up.




TIA

I don't understand this comment. Why would you assume that he will naturally achieve better results at a private school?

[Maple Leaf]

We also planned on public for early primary and then private school after that. But our plans got messed up when the primary school in our catchmeent (which was fantastic) started going downhill quickly and DD got a bullying teacher for Year 1. So off to private school she went, about 4 years too early.

I think you can make all the plans you want, but sometimes things get in the way of them. Just be aware of that!

[~JAS~]

It's all down the individuals drive for learning (and I personally think that comes from encouragement from parents).

I think you really need to get a better understanding of the schooling system. Assuming public schools kids don't think study is the norm, and the the worst performer at a private school is better than the average at a state school is just so wrong.

These two posts said it so much better than I could have. I was shocked, and a little annoyed, by your OP

FWIW my kids will be going to private high school, but that's because I'm not a fan of my two closest public high schools, and the private high school we've chosen will suit us better. I'm more than happy with our public primary school though and my kids are all performing very well.

Changing schools in year 4 just for the reasons you're thinking is quite odd IMO.