aussie school book lists.....

[chloeb2002]

ok anyone got any good web sites or am i just going to have to hunt high and low in big w etc... dd starting a new school in jan and i missed the date to return the form for a complete pack! aahhhhhhhh

[eidsvold]

You are going to have to confront bigW - although I think officeworks may do online shopping. Just check.

The newsagent in here where I am is good. They did all the bookpacks for schools in our area.

Chloe - I just got bits and pieces that I could from Coles when I did the shopping ( although the speciality books I did get from the booklist)

Where is your dd off to?

Looks like officeworks do online shopping - otherwise there is one near the hypermarket and one in at windsor.

here

[Yurtgirl]

Can I ask a Q? In Aus the schools ask you to buy a pack of books covering all the curriculum for that year - is that right?
Is that just for what Brits call secondary schools?
Wow that is so different from how it works in the UK

[pooka]

LIke textbooks? Or like exercise books?

Am also intrigued.

[echt]

Everything. You buy everything, in both primary and secondary.

[Sibble]

Can answer for NZ - we buy through the school usually a box containing all exercise books, pens, pencils etc....from when they start at year 0. You cannot delete items you already have, hence ds1 who will be in year 5 next year has accumulated 5 rulers and pencil sharpers . The box also contains a whiteboard marker for each child which they hand over to the teacher, a large gluestick etc etc...

We also pay a 'donation' towards the running of the school - a small amount compared to the overall running costs used usually for reading books. The PTA has also spent $15k of last years fundraising on new books and shelving for the school library. This years fundraising, approx $20k, is being spent on a heating and cooling system for the classrooms as at the moment they have neither - not great when it hits 5 degrees and below in winter and you can see your breath and high 20's early 30's in summer when you are cooking through the windows. The funding was going towards new carpets but the Head thought the herter/cooler was needed more. We aim to double the fundraising next year for new carpets as well. All in all a very different system to the UK I think.

Will be interested what you have to supply for Oz.

[mymama]

chloe you should be able to submit the list to your local newsagent and they will be able to supply it all for you.

In Australia the school puts out a list for each year level. This list is compiled by the teachers and includes what they want the children to have. It includes all exercise books, texts, pens/pencils, glue, calculators and such. Our school includes a ream of paper and a box of tissues for the classroom. You can carry over items from the previous year if you wish (dictionary etc). An average cost of each list is around $100.

It personally does not bother me to supply books and supplies for my child. They are getting a free education and it allows the school to use their funds elsewhere in the school. All the leftover items come home at the end of the year.

It does bother me when I buy the brands of items on the list (teachers are sometimes specific about brands as they have found them to work better) and other parents supply own brand products and my child ends up with the cheap nasty item whilst their child gets my lovely expensive glue .

[Sibble]

Do you pay donations as well or is your book list everything? Out of interest.

[twentypence]

I haven't been charged for a whiteboard marker or tissues. Christchurch schools only seem to charge for personal stationery.

You only buy a pack in year 0, after that you get a list to buy it all yourself.

Ds is now at private school and they just give him what he needs and add it to the bill. It's up to the teachers how much they recycle from the previous year. Boarders can't exactly pop to KMart, so I guess that's why. I teach there and have a seemingly limitless amount of white board markers.

[eidsvold]

sibble we were able to donate items. I also crossed out ones that I could get cheaper. I also had to cross out things that dd1 needed specific things for - like triangular pencils and colours. So it started out at $90 for their list and I crossed off $50 worth. I also have to get a particular glue stick for her which is more expensive than others - one that she is able to use effectively - hope they are not dealt out to whomever needs it.

[pooka]

Golly - this is really interesting, hearing about the differences.

OUt of interest, what happens if you are on a low income? Have multiple children?

Could see it being a bit of a financial blow if you're skint.

[twentypence]

There will always be the child who turns up at school with nothing, and I think the school just copes.

I got a bit cross that I bought the requisite 2 pencils and then they went in the tub with the others - I pointed out that if a child ate something ds was allergic to and then used the pencil it was a needless risk. Also tummy bugs spread like wildfire, especially if the child who chews the pencils goes down first.

[Sibble]

pooka as twentypence says I think there will always be children who the school knows perhaps cannot afford the books, pencils etc.. and they have spares. At our school however they are pretty strict about turning up with them. The packages cost $37. We used to get a list to buy ourselves but people bought cheaper versions which didn't work as well or didn't turn up with anything. The fees however are $200. Ds was told when he'd been sent home with 2 messages to buy 2 new books during the term and I repeatedly forgot that he would not be taking part in those lessons until I sent the books in.

As far as school donations go - the reason they are called donations and not fees is there is no legal requirement to pay them. The school however cannot function effectively without them. The amount requested depends on the 'decile' of the school and those in lower income areas receive more government funding so should need less 'donations' to top up their funds. If that makes sense.

[pooka]

Thanks! That's really interesting. Just idly curious.

[twentypence]

I think sibble that they can't do that. he can take part in the lessons - but he can't take the work home as he doesn't "own" the paper that it's written on.

It's really environmentally unsound to have people driving to a shop for 2 books. The school should keep ones to sell to students.

I also think that the books should be able to be used in the next class. My music books are less than half full and I have told the head of music that I would like her to use them again this year. (This is at the school I work at BTW, not being an interfering parent - just an interfering colleague)

[chloeb2002]

thatnks for that.. been at work again yesterday.. eids wed are off just over the other mountain... buying off the bribie island road and we have got her into banksia beach school. looks great and very happy with it. just that we have only filled out enrolment pack last two days ago and the books needed to be in on friday. Will bob down to the newsagent that supplies the list and see if they can get me the extra stuff. only thing that is vague on the list is the 'maths resources' $20. . I also have no problems supplying the book list as the education is free! well minus the uh hum voluntary contribution that we get invoiced for. Will miss mt samson but i think she will be better off at b.b. on the driving to get the list twenty pence ours if id been able to get the form back and we were allready in our new house then we would have had it deivered complete and free!

[eidsvold]

OH off to Bribie - I have an old colleague of mine who teaches at Bribie - can't remember if it is the one you are at or not.

I would do that - pop to the newsagent that did the book list - they would have come.

I meant to say delete not donate.

We do have a church group who are building up a collection of goods for children who may not be able to afford all they need to - like second hand uniforms.

We have a resource fee as it is called - not a lot from memory.

[eidsvold]

those maths resources may be the go maths tiley things?!?!? If they don't have any - ask the newsagent if they know where you can get some from.

[savoycabbage]

Hi, I am coming to Australia in two weeks now. Nothing to do with books but can you get school shoes in widths over there? Mu dd is a d width and the are a nightmare to get hold of so I was wondering if I should get her some before I leave or if I am being ridiculous.....

Also, I know that my dh has paid for the books but he didn't say anything about the other stuff. I bet mine will be the only one without a pritt stick now.............

[savoycabbage]

I AM PANICKING NOW!!!!!

Would you say that most school children but the school back-pack?????? She is only going in reception. I told my dh not to get one (he is alredy there)as I was thinking 'well, what will she be carrying around in there' but I didn't know about all of these books then......

Now she has no Pritt Stick and no bag.....

[eidsvold]

Are you coming to Brisbane? I can recommend a fab kids shoe shop!

[eidsvold]

these are aussie books lists not UK ones.

[savoycabbage]

No! Melbourne. I am going to have to fly to Brisbane now........

[eidsvold]

our school has a school backpack BUT i am not getting dd1 one yet as it is huge and she does not need a bag that big yet.

[eidsvold]

I would do a search for children's shoe shops and go to one of them rather than the usual - Mathers, WIlliams etc that do all shoes - adults and childrens.

[savoycabbage]

The most ridiculous thing is that I taught in NSW for two years. But I didn't have children then. I could have looked in their shoes if I had known.

My class kept their books in the classroom.....