Bitter sweet week but the move is now on...anyone else moving in March/April '16??

[wozzie2202]

We've been waiting to move since our visas were granted in 2013, but didn't want to take our old boxer as she would never have coped. Well, last month we finally had to let her go as her hips were too painful, so it's been a few weeks of mixed emotions, but we can not finally start to plan for our move. We're planning on arriving in April so am now trying to look at flights etc. I'm fretting a little at the moment about schools, as i know we will need to get temp accommodation on arrival and then secure more of a long term rental but I really don't want to have to move my girls schools if I don't have to. We'll be looking to move to the north east as that seems to be one of the better locations for accessing work in CBD and North. I liked the look of the south when we visited but couldn't face the commute if i end up getting work in the north. Can anyone recommend any good primary schools in the North East and which potential High Schools there are there (my girls are 6 and 10).

 

Would be interested to know if anyone else is moving out around the same time and where they are moving to.

 

Sarah

[Diane]

Hi there

 

Sorry to hear about your dog, I know that's a really sad time.

 

I will send you a PM about a group you could join if you wanted to of those of us over on the North East side of town, and may I just say what an excellent choice!

My two went to Highbury Primary which was - and is fantastic. The state High Schools on this side of town are all pretty good - Modbury has an excellent reputation, Norwood Morialta is supposed to be very good, as is Golden Grove. Banksia I think does the International Baccalaureate if you were interested in that. My two have now left school though so people with younger kids are probably more up to date with school reputations etc. There are also some very good private schools with reasonable fees, so it will depend on what you are looking for.

 

There is a very good page http://northeast.net.au/ which is good for sports clubs etc around the area.

 

Feel free to message me with any particular questions I may be able to help with, and look out for that PM that I will send you now

 

Diane

[NicF]

Norwood Morialta does the International Baccalaureate until year 10 and are currently trying to bring it in for years 11 and 12. As far as I am aware Banksia Park do not offer the IB and the only public school that does the IB in to years 11 and 12 currently is Glenunga (happy to be corrected if wrong). Modbury Heights runs the Ignite gifted and talented program. Entry is through 4 tests taken in year 7 and the top X number of students students get offered a place. Glenunga also offer the Ignite program. I'm not sure what the competition is like for Modbury Heights Ignite program but it is pretty tough for Glenunga (last year over 400 students and the year before over 600 students competed for 100 places).

 

When we were looking at areas to move to we considered areas in the zone for Banksia Park school but in the end ruled them out due to distance to the mother in law. We also ruled out areas in the zone for Charles Campbell College as this school does not have a particularly good reputation. I have a friend who's daughter went and they were not happy with the school at all. The daughter has now moved to Norwood Morialta and they are much happier with the school.

[Diane]

My two were 7 and 9 when we came over here, and went into Years 2 and 4 respectively (we came in the August) by the way if that's any help! Schools here are a bit flexible with Year groups though, and some schools do mixed age groups (Year 6/7 for example).

 

Yours are a little young to be worrying about it just yet, but if people have bright kids and don't think they will be able to afford Private School fees, there is an annual scholarship exam which a lot of private schools participate in - kids do it at the start of Year 7 (around February time) for admission into Year 8 at High School. They are called the ACER Scholarship Tests and you can sit one exam and ask (pay!) for your child's results to be considered by multiple schools. Here is the list https://www.acer.edu.au/scholarship-parents/south-australia/participating-schools Registration is open now I think for 2016 tests (Year 8 in 2017), but more details on that website.