Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Its a couple of years till my daughter is off to high school. I was hoping to get some feed back from some of the parents out there that may have/are putting their children through private schooling. Ive done a bit of shopping around and Im finding it difficult to get any solid figures in regards to costs per year. And the question still remains... is it worth it?

No real straight forward answer there, I went to a good public primary school and a very rough public high school where I was exposed to drugs, violence and disruptive students but the teachers seemed to do a reasonalbe job and I still did well enough to get into uni, get a good job and lead a successful life. This ability to succeed despite my environment I put down to the way my parents raised me.

There are some very good public schools and some very bad private ones, difference is you can choose which private school you child goes to where it is harder to choose which public school she can attend with out moving house.

If you think that your local public school is not providing the best education for your child and a private school can then it is worth it.

After all, there is no greater investment in your future than education.

I think it also depends on the child. Are they academic? Would the private school provide them something that the public school would not (or vice verse).

I think that one of the top schools in Perth for a few years was a public one wasn't it? Not that this means everything. I think the most important question you want to ask before deciding on a school is......

Do you have an aquaponics system?

Perhaps Joel's school of aquaponic excellence?

All good points, the school she attends now is good but my assumtions was that a private school may open up a few more doors when it comes time to start work. She isnt so much acedemic but more so creative so its a hard one. The thing is that you only get to make this choice once.

Anyone got ball park figures of yearly costs in relation to high school. My google searches have shown public schooling is fairly cheap at around $5000 per year, public is around $8000 and then catholic is somewhere around the $12K mark.

p.s. no she doesnt have an AP system, maybe we need to focus on that first.

I am so not a parent, BUT , my sister had the same thoughts 20 years ago.

All three of her now teen age girls where born in Karratha. The parents bought a house in Rossmoyne so when the girls where ready to start high school, they could relocate easily and give the girls a " Good Schooling " at Rossmoyne Senior High School.

The first girl hated RSH school and transfered to Winthrop. Second tolerated it. Now the baby of my neices is over at Kent Street doing an Aviation course dreaming of the RAAF and being a pilot.

I went to Willetton. At the time it was so so with so many people.

I know i haven't helped but sometimes dishing out the huge money for Corpus Christy, All Saints college or Sainta Maria's, isn't what is going to help a child.

Maybe ask their thoughts and imput ??

No numbers for WA but in Melbourne, private is anywhere from 10k a year to 33k a year for year 12. Catholic is front about 2k to 10k. Public is mostly free?

Worth is dependant on child.

Would the money be better spent on tutors? Or family travel every year?

I know she isn't up for a catholic school so that counts that one out. I don't think she is fussed either way but I suppose its more me thinking it may help her. But yea, it might not necessarily help her depending on a number of factors I suppose.

I know my friends that went off to private schools didn't amount to anything special.

Personally I would use a reasonable public school and save the extra. As required spend a couple grand on a tutor if needed. Uni if she attends is expensive enough.
Someone I worked with mentioned it was costing him about 20k a year per child a couple years ago. That was including the trips, books etc I believe.

a few of my mates from primary school went to the private high school (there was only one in town) and while at school i think the private school made a positive difference, they did a few more and different things, but 10 years down the track they are doing the same things as the rest of my mates and working the same kinds of jobs.

My opinion (not worth much on this issue)
There are some good public schools, however my concern would not be about the opportunities as such but about the bad influences the kid might be exposed to at public school. Many kids are fine with it, some are not, it depends on the kids.
I went to a catholic school (I was not religous) and it was fine. I was never uncomfortable about all the catholic stuff and was never pressured to do anything


My wife's opinion (she is a high school teacher, taught at many private schools)

Look into things like:
behaviour management policies
assessment policies
are parents kept up do date with whats going on
what sort of extra-curricular activities
class sizes

Private schools tend to be more accountable for bad behaviour because they rely on paying parents for fees and so have to maintain a certain reputation.
As a result the kinds of kids in most private schools are generally significantly better behaved and therefore less disruptive to your kids than at state schools.

There are always exceptions though, you do get crappy private schools, and you do get good state schools.
Another thing is that you don't need to pay top dollar for a great school. My wife has found that many of the average priced private schools have great kids and a great learning environment.
Oh another thing is because you have a daugher consider a all girls school. Girls tend to benefit from all girls school, and boys tend to benefit from coed schools. Not the end of the world though (I wouldnt send a boy to an all boys school though)

Good luck !

Go public, just look into 'em first - my girls both to public high schools (different ones) and we certainly looked at private but eventually decided not to.

I remember in jr high, we had a new girl that came from an all girl school. She was socially akward around boys at first. When she turned 18, she became a very skilled stripper. It may have had more to do with her overbearing father than the schooling. It took work to remember to call her by her stage name at the club.

Private schooling is a great responsibility. You must be good at checking out the schools and matching them up with the kids. If the kid is headed for something particular then get the best school you can for what they want to do. If they are not in the right one it does not matter where they go. Or Even IF they go. I have seen home schoolers do fantastic and great Private school kids fail because it was not what the kid wanted. Also be very sure it is what the kid wants not what the parent wants.....Give all the support you can till you can't and then do some more. Also plan on giving them all the schooling you can and they can keep up with. every bit helps and the pay is usually up with the schooling.