wirreanda high school

[are we there yet?]

hi

does any PIA members have any recent experience on wirreanda high school, we've just had a look around and two of my boys have been tested for the sports program as were out of the school zone, if im honest it looked a bit tatty, not sure if this is a reflection on the school or not, anyone got middle school & senior school kids that go here or any recommendations of other schools (public), we are based in moana/ port noarlunga and are waiting to look around seaford but leaning towards wirreanda because of the sports program they offer, any advice will be appreciated as only been here for two weeks!!!

[snifter]

Did you decide on anything yet?

 

I had a look ar Naplan and one or two other things and honestly, on paper it doesn't stack up so well alongside some other state schools in those southern suburbs. But there isn't much in it, a few points is all. Not that means much but if you are wanting something in particular or a certain level of expectation that these schools are not meeting you may well be looking private or something well outside the current area. TBH I've never heard anything about it but never really dug around much as we ruled out that area pretty quick when we were house shopping.

 

All state high schools are zoned so where you live and what school your kids can attend is dictated to by this, unless the kids can get in on a sports or music programme or a gifted and talented programme that a few high schools run. Places on those are in demand though.

 

If you are really set on living in that area but don't like the school you have zone wise or Wirreanda I'd consider researching high schools a bit further afield that offer those programmes and seeing if your kids can get accepted on to them to enable them to attend. Or consider living in an area with a school you do like, are happy with and that is suited to your kids needs/wants etc. Or look to private schools in the area.

 

We bought our house with schools weighing heavily in our minds. It was one of the driving factors for us in where we chose to settle. Ruled out lots of areas/suburbs because the schooling didn't stack up for us or we didn't like the schools. Our short list got shorter lol, but we got there in the end

[snifter]

I just found an old thread from a few years back where Rachigarlo says to avoid Wirreanda. I am not sure how much things have changed since then but given some of the other schools she mentioned still don't seem to have a good reputation and people seem to try to avoid them, I wonder if Wirreanda has good word of mouth now?

 

ETA - Another old thread mentions its sports programme is good. And a few other things about its reputation but hopefully things have improved since then

[are we there yet?]

Thanks for looking, we have decided to send the boys to wirreanda as they were exepted onto the sports program, this is something very important to them at the moment, we've also just secured a rental in port noarlunga so not going to live in that area, we decided in the end that if it isnt what the boys expect then we will look again, it's a difficult one as the school they came from was quite strict and an excellent academic school, here it's a lot more relaxed, I guess only time will tell,!!!

[flossybeth]

I know you've said you've decide to send your boys to Wirreanda but if they've been accepted on a sports programme and you're happy to drive could you try for Brighton? It's very definitely zoned but it does have an excellent reputation for a sports school or even Willunga which has a specialist volleyball programme?

 

Choosing a school is a really hard decision especially, as you say, school's here are really more relaxed, but I do think there are expectations and it does depend on how much your children want to learn as to how well they'll do.

[snifter]

I know you've said you've decide to send your boys to Wirreanda but if they've been accepted on a sports programme and you're happy to drive could you try for Brighton? It's very definitely zoned but it does have an excellent reputation for a sports school or even Willunga which has a specialist volleyball programme?

 

Brighton is a volleyball programme too iirc. Or music there, Sports schools that I can recall are Blackwood, Henley beach and one other whose name eludes me atm

 

http://www.henleyhs.sa.edu.au/section/programs/specialist-sports-program

 

eta, Blackwood is a netball programme. Could have sworn it was linked to the footy but that could be another school.

 

here re is the list of schools running specialist programmes

 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special_interest_high_schools_in_South_Australia

Edited June 19, 2015 by snifter
Added a bit more

[Lazy Cow]

Thanks for looking, we have decided to send the boys to wirreanda as they were exepted onto the sports program, this is something very important to them at the moment, we've also just secured a rental in port noarlunga so not going to live in that area, we decided in the end that if it isnt what the boys expect then we will look again, it's a difficult one as the school they came from was quite strict and an excellent academic school, here it's a lot more relaxed,

 

Reps here can take a while to change. Wirreanda has a mixed bag of students, from students who are disengaged, to those at the trade school, to those that really want to make a go of it.

 

I don't know which sports your kids are into, but afaik, specialist sports programs don't seem to offer all sports. For example, Blackwood High School offer netball and footy programs, Reynella offer rugby, Brighton volleyball, Pasadena basketball, etc. That could restrict your choice if sport is their main focus.

 

IMHO, if your kids are keen to try Wirri, then why not? It sounds as though you are open to moving them if necessary, and they are prepared for a very relaxed, often noisy, classroom. Hopefully being part of the sports program will help them make friends quickly - nothing seems to unite kids as much as sport! (Or, in the case of footy, keep them apart lol!)

 

I wish your kids every success in their new school Please let us know how they get on....but maybe give it a while so they get a true idea! Sometimes you can absolutely hate somewhere you then grow to love as it all becomes familiar.

 

LC

[flossybeth]

Snifter, LC - you're right Brighton is Volleyball too and it's Henley I was thinking of (but that's way too far to drive from Port Noarlunga daily - or would be for me!) Western Suburb mix-up.

 

LC - it's definitely about where children are happy to go; when we moved down this way we had so many people surprised at our decision to send our daughter to Willunga (state) over Tatachilla (Lutheran) but she's happy, very settled and has some great friends. I've mentioned before on here somewhere about the "failing" primary we left in the UK and just how well our children did there so I'm all for trying schools out to find a best fit for you.

[are we there yet?]

Thanks for the replies, my boys are soccer Mad so this was the main reason for opting for wirreanda, we've been in a similar position before where one of mine didnt like his secondary school and moved when he was 13, they're quite good academically too so I'm hoping they carry on the same as they did in the UK, like you say it takes time to really see what a schools like, I'm hoping it's a good move, will check back In a few months