Schools in Perth, Australia

[fannybanjo]

Asking for a friend who's emigrating (DH in Navy) in March and would like advice of decent schools in Perth! Thank you in advance.

Whereabouts, what ages, state or private?

Not too sure whereabouts but think they're easy as to areas, age 10, 8, 6 and 3 and state.

She needs to join the Facebook group "Australian Navy Spouses" which is a great source of information. DCO (Defence Community Organization) employs Regional Education Liasion Officers (REDLOs) who can advise on schooling and help make the transition easier - she should check out www.defence.gov.au and search for DCO. The number for the WA (Western Australia) REDLO is+61 8 95919596. Lots of people have made "lateral transfers" in the last few years so she will find plenty of expats there.

sunny great advice - thank you! She can't find the FB page, any chance you could link to it? .

Sorry, still too difficult to help with specific advice (it's a big city, so you do need to know area) but thought a couple bits of general advice would help: most state primary schools in nice residential areas are very good. The top state secondaries are probably Rossmoyne and Applecross, which routinely beat private schools in state testing. Their catchment areas are in relatively expensive suburbs though.

Thanks roary and your advice is brilliant, I'll let her know. I think when they first move out they'll be allocated military digs until they sort themselves out. Do you live in Perth? If so, what are the nicest areas that aren't OTT expensive to live?

Yes, living between Perth and UK now (DH is there, we spent part of the year there and arriving permanently in 3 weeks). Know it quite well. Depends on what you mean by OTT expensive. Some of the areas in the Rossmoyne catchment (Bateman, Shelley, etc) aren't too expensive but real estate in perth is not cheap. These areas are not close to the beach but are close to the river. House prices have declined but the rental market remains very competitive. Generally speaking if it is going to be a state school choice, I'd choose a really good state secondary and live in the catchment. The Perth system is odd in that most professionals seem to send their kids to private school (with the exceptions of those schools I mentioned) for secondary, so some of the state secondaries aren't great. Others draw from the hugest catchment areas ever - for example Shenton College covers a huge swathe of the Western suburbs and you could end up with a significant commute to go there. But anywhere affordable within the catchment area of Shenton, Rossmoyne or Applecross will be a nice place to live.

It's a closed group so she will have to ask to join. Don't know how to link but it's [email protected]. All public schools here apparently have to keep a certain percentage of spaces for relocating ADF families, I have been assured by people who know that normal catchment rules don't apply. With regards housing your friends will either be offered a defense house or they can rent privately and go for rental assistance. I know Perth has housing on base. Don't know where the other "clusters" are but it would be good if she had some ideas about places she would like before she arrives which is why she needs Australian Navy Spouses...

We were in Perth for a year and my ds went to Tranby College in Baldivis. It's part private, part state funded so the fees are more affordable. It's a good school and my ds was very happy there. It goes from primary to secondary and is all on one site.

As roary says the really good state schools are in the more expensive suburbs.

The britishexpats website has a wealth of information about Perth schools, state and private, and how they perform.