Golden Grove Primary or Trinity College!!

[Guest mandmick]

Help!

We bought a house in Spring Hill..so I looked at Golden Grove Primary..seems very nice and friendly..

Daughter is in private school at moment in Dubai..not same as UK 'prvate' standard..but still very expensive and good education. She is year 1.

Nearest Independant school seems to be Gawler at Trinity College..

I have looked at the chuch schools too in the Golden Grove area also.

I presently drive 20-30 mins to school everyday..do I really want to do this to get to Trinity everyday? Although Adelaide traffic much quieter than here!

Any advice from those with children at these schools?

 

Thanks

[Rachiegarlo]

Go golden grove n save your money and time for later. You can always switch if you don't like GG primary.

[julie-ruth]

Help!

We bought a house in Spring Hill..so I looked at Golden Grove Primary..seems very nice and friendly..

Daughter is in private school at moment in Dubai..not same as UK 'prvate' standard..but still very expensive and good education. She is year 1.

Nearest Independant school seems to be Gawler at Trinity College..

I have looked at the chuch schools too in the Golden Grove area also.

I presently drive 20-30 mins to school everyday..do I really want to do this to get to Trinity everyday? Although Adelaide traffic much quieter than here!

Any advice from those with children at these schools?

 

Thanks

 

Hi my daughters go to Golden Grove primary and are really happy there, the girls have only been at the school for just over a term and they have already made lots of new friends, the school offers lots of different music and sports activities, I have one really bright child and one thats more athletic than interested in books but they both seem to be thriving, I can't say for Trinity College although I remember someone a long time ago going to this school and said its also very good, can't remember much more than that about the school.

 

There was a thread only a couple of weeks ago "Salisbury massive" put lots of information on all the local schools in the area from Golden Grove, Wynn Vale, Modbury Heights, gulfview can't remember what the thread was called but maybe someone does and will point you to this post its really enlightening.

 

Good luck with your choices, you have picked the nicest estate in Golden Grove to live in I'm very envious.

 

Julie

[Guest mandmick]

Thanks Julie.

My concern was that it may be a struggle to arrange play dates with Trinity, living so far away. Golden Grove would certainly help my daughter settle in more.

Nice to know there are other Brits there.

My daughter is bright too and Dubai is very academic but I guess I can move her at a later stage.

Hope to meet up with you once we're over there in Sept.

I'll post my details for you.

We looked at sooooo many houses last year on a visit and the one in Spring Hill was our favourite!

Thanks again

Mandy

[Guest salisbury massive]

Here's the bit you want, its a bit involved but just pick out the bits you need. I just copied the bit from the previous thread.

 

If you like Kings I would keep checking with them for a place, my eldest daughter goes there and I think its great, she loves it and the religious side is not overpowering. I find that kids move in and out of there all the time, so just because they are full now does not mean they will be full after Easter. Do be aware it costs heaps, my daughters uniform cost $660 and all the camps and excursions are loaded into the next terms fees. Reception cost around $380 per term. I'm paying $1140 a term for year 10. Plus the books cost me $330 this year. Reception books are around $180. They take in Year 6 so it would be worthwhile applying for a place now as competition is fierce. I think Pedare High School is mediocre and that the High School part didn't have great facilities generally. However my friends kid goes there and she thinks its great. You may want to consider Our Lady of Hope next to Greenwith Primary School. Its catholic and private http://www.oloh.adl.catholic.edu.au/ The feeder High School is Gleeson which has good results and a nice campus.

 

I would recommend Greenwith Primary http://www.greenwith.sa.edu.au/ I would have used it myself but with one at Kings and another at Golden Grove high School it made sense to use Keithcott Primary as they are all close together. As Fancy a Beer said, its a good school, nice facilities and I have not heard anyone say anything bad about it.

 

Wynn Vale Primary http://www.wynnvaler7.sa.edu.au/ Not sure I would recommend it, its average & my friends kids went there and she found it a bit like you are finding Keithcott, unhelpful teachers etc. Do check out Golden Grove Lutheran School http://www.wynnvaler7.sa.edu.au/ which is on the same site, private school but not too expensive, I think Endeavour at Mawson Lakes is the feeder High School which is very expensive.

 

The dark horse of the bunch has to be Gulfview Heights Primary School http://www.ghps.sa.edu.au/ very small with excellent teacher child ratio. It has great grounds and a fabulous community spirit. The school has about 250 kids from Reception to year 7 though it may be more now. My friend took her daughter out of Keithcott to Gulfview and has never looked back, she raves about the place. I think Keithcott has taken quite a few kids from there, mainly because its newer and seems better.

 

I don't think I would recommend anywhere else purely based on travelling times, Redwood is excellent, http://www.redwoodparkprimary.com.au/?js=1

Surrey Downs is average, Fairview Park is good http://www.fairviewc7.sa.edu.au/ though it may be a touch to far out for you as is Banksia Park http://www.banksiapark.wa.edu.au/ and I don't think I would really want to recommend anywhere is Salisbury East, Para Hills etc. You may want to consider The Heights, its had a reputation in the past but definately improved recently and the good side is its all on one site Reception to Year 12 based on 3 seperate campus, so once you start you don't leave until year 12, http://www.theheightsschool.com.au/index.shtml

 

Ok thats the old thread done.

 

Now if it was me i'd be going for Golden Grove and saving the money. Its roughly $200 for the year. I guess you'll spend about $200 ish on uniform. Most primary schools have advanced learning classes so if you daughter is really bright they will cater for her.

It seems to me most Aussies are perfectly happy with state primary schools then move to Private High Schools at year 7 or 8. You have the choice of 3 great private schools loacally, Pedare ,http://www.pedarecc.sa.edu.au/ Gleeson http://www.gleeson.sa.edu.au/ & Kings, http://www.kingsbaptist.sa.edu.au/ with the advantage of Trinity , Tyndale http://www.tyndale.edu.au/ and Torrens Valley http://www.tvcs.sa.edu.au/ all on the doorstep. I'd enclude indeavour but its at Mawson Lakes and one of the most expensive locally. I would say don't be put off because they are all church based schools, Its not shoved down your throat if you don't go for religion but i do like the way the school includes the religious side. Its on par with a church based school in the UK I guess. As I've said before Golden Grove has a broad base of UK kids and its a great way to meet new people and have an instant bond. Spring Hill is a very nice estate, well done on buying there, financially an excellent investment. we looked at 3 or 4 houses there before we bought in Salisbury Heights. I've got more land here which swung it for us. I would say if you are thinking of going private at a later date then get her name down soon, some private schools are oversubscribed and you can keep putting it off to a later date if you wish.

 

Hope that helps

 

Jo

[Guest mandmick]

Hi thanks for that!

I think I'm going to go with GGPS for now, keep things easy! and as you say at a later day once I know what she wants I can go private!

We also looked at a house in Sal Heights, which had an offer from a pom, last year. Kotora Drive I think.. looked at so many houses I've lost track!

Just put an offer in on some land there too, as we'd really like to build our own house.

In the meantime, I'll enjoy Spring Hill!

I'll give you a shout once we're over and we can meet up.

Thanks again

Mandy

[Guest Fancy a Beer]

Hi thanks for that!

I think I'm going to go with GGPS for now, keep things easy! and as you say at a later day once I know what she wants I can go private!

We also looked at a house in Sal Heights, which had an offer from a pom, last year. Kotora Drive I think.. looked at so many houses I've lost track!

Just put an offer in on some land there too, as we'd really like to build our own house.

In the meantime, I'll enjoy Spring Hill!

I'll give you a shout once we're over and we can meet up.

Thanks again

Mandy

 

 

Hi Mandy

 

I not sure how you went from Golden Grove Primary to Trinity?? ha ha There are loads of school inbetween!! Trinity is quite a drive each day, not my idea of fun!

 

Jo is right with all that info she put together, my kids went to a private school near you and well it was ok but god some of them were stuck up anyway I pulled them out for various reasons and now they go to Greenwith Primary they love it there and are both like different kids wish I had saved all those thousands of dollars and just sent them there in the first place!! My son has come on so much in just one term compared to the private school! I dont have much info about Golden Grove Primary but I am pretty sure will be the same as Greenwith, as someone else said just get here and take a look there is no rush, funny how you can totally change your mind on something!!

 

Spring Hill is a lovely area we nearly bought there but ended up in Greenwith just next road up, when do you arrive in Adelaide??

[Guest mandmick]

Thanks for that.

I drive 25-30mins a day to school now so I guess I'm still in that mind set and I had read some good reports on here about Trinity.

I liked Golden Grove when we visited. We initially went there as our house is in the catchment area but they told us in April we can now live anywhere! So, if the same applies to Greenwith then we can go there too. I didn't look at that school for that very reason.

I am not too bothered about private school just yet. Dubai is it essential and costly but the standard is high. Guess I am having the guilt trip about what to do for the best!

We move over in Sept.

My mother and father in law are in Greenwith!

Hope to meet up with you!

ps I have been trying to contact Greenwith Primary but the link on their web site is invalid.. do you have an up to date e mail address? Many thanks!!

[Guest Fancy a Beer]

Thanks for that.

I drive 25-30mins a day to school now so I guess I'm still in that mind set and I had read some good reports on here about Trinity.

I liked Golden Grove when we visited. We initially went there as our house is in the catchment area but they told us in April we can now live anywhere! So, if the same applies to Greenwith then we can go there too. I didn't look at that school for that very reason.

I am not too bothered about private school just yet. Dubai is it essential and costly but the standard is high. Guess I am having the guilt trip about what to do for the best!

We move over in Sept.

My mother and father in law are in Greenwith!

Hope to meet up with you!

ps I have been trying to contact Greenwith Primary but the link on their web site is invalid.. do you have an up to date e mail address? Many thanks!!

 

 

I surprised they said you can live anywhere I thought they were really strict about where you live as to which catchment you fall under!?!?! Might of changed but that was the reason we didnt go to Golden Grove Primary initially and went Private as they just want your money and dont care where you live!!

 

Personally having been to both schools I do/did prefer Greenwith for various reasons but that didnt mean Golden Grove was bad as is always stated different people like different things!! EIther way I am sure your daughter will be fine, the guilt thing is par for the course and try not to worry kids are so much more adaptable that we as adults are and if she is anything like my kids after day 1 they sounded and acted Aussie and loved it!!

 

I have no idea about school email addresses will find out tomorrow for you!

 

Anyway good luck!!

[Guest salisbury massive]

but they told us in April we can now live anywhere! So, if the same applies to Greenwith then we can go there too.

 

 

i think you'll find most primary schools have a catchment area but if you turn up and they have a place available you'll get it. This is what happened with us and Keithcot Farm. Greenwith wouldn't actually offer me a place until they had done their numbers and I didn't want to run the risk of not getting a place and having to find somewhere else. But coming in half way through the year wouldn't be a problem. The bigger problem starts when you want to move into High School, catchments are taken very seriously then but it won't matter for you as you are in the catchment for Golden Grove High and we were talking earlier about private later on anyway.

 

i seriously wouldn't be having any guilt trips about it. Schooling here is so different to the Uk and Dubai for that matter it will probably be you thats has the most adjustments to make not your daughter. I certainly felt stressed about it all when we came and my elder daughters were in years 3 & 5. Now i can fully appreciate the structure of schooling here, I'm much happier with how the Aussies do it. Its less stressful for the kids and they enjoy their childhood as children for longer - not mini adults being pressed into tests every five minutes.

 

Jo

[Guest ninaperks]

We live in Golden Grove and our daughter goes to GG Kindy and will start at GG Primary in October this year and I've only heard good things about it!

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