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Original poster

melbourne - primary schools?

37 replies

Lozzer · 15/05/2006 15:15

We are moving to Melbourne in a few months. On past visits have stayed in the Albert Park area and really liked it. Do any of you have any advice/experience on primary schools around there? Could go private if needed, but would prefer a good state school if at all posible. DS1 is 5 (currently in a British curriculum school in Kuala Lumpur) and DS2 is 3.
Many thanks, Lozzer

OP posts:
ghosty · 16/05/2006 07:54

Hi Lozzer,
I will be watching this thread with interest ... my DH has been offered a job in Melbourne and I am in a bit of a state about it - I know nothing about Melbourne.
We have lived in New Zealand for the last 4 years and I was just saying on the other thread how I am now finally feeling it is my home ...
HELP!!!!
My DS is 6 and a half and DD is 2 and a bit ...

ghosty · 17/05/2006 01:08

Bump ....

threebob · 17/05/2006 05:58

We are going for 4 days next month Ghosty - I'm sure I can suss it out for you in that timeframe.

It's supposed to be lovely - but extremely expensive to buy a house.

If anyone from melbourne is listening - I would like some good gluten free places to eat. Starting a bit of a wish list here!

Oh and congratulations Ghosty's dh.

eidsvold · 17/05/2006 06:00

\link{http://www.det.vic.gov.au/det/schooled/default.htm\general info}

\link{http://www.eduweb.vic.gov.au/schoolsonline/\schools info}

your 5yo would probably start school next Jan and the 3yo would be eligible to attend a kindergarten - usually private and fee paying - we pay about 14 dollars a day and dd1 attends two days a week - usually a 2 day or three day a week programme. ( we are based in Qld though)

Generally children attend the local primary school depending on your location. You would also have the option of non government schools - usually church schools ie catholic/anglican or others in that vein.

\link{http://www.careforkids.com.au/search/location.asp?ut=4&ctype=5\search for a kindergarten.

hope that at least gives you a start.

eidsvold · 17/05/2006 06:00

\link{http://www.careforkids.com.au/search/location.asp?ut=4&ctype=5\search for a kindergarten}

sorry Smile

eidsvold · 17/05/2006 06:02

told you ghosty - very cosmopolitan - probably similar weather although can get rather hot in the summer if the wind comes down from the centre of Aus.... not far from adelaide wine district, close to ski resorts.....

ghosty · 17/05/2006 06:42

Ta eidsvold ... I did read your post on the other thread but by the time I got round to writing a reply I thought it would be lost in the intros from other overseaers!
I have heard nothing but nice things about Melbourne except it is 'bloody cold in Winter and stinking hot in summer' ... that from a kiwi Grin

How do I find out if a school is good or not? Do they have what we call ERO reports (Educational Review Office ... similar to UK's OFSTED)? In NZ they don't have any sort of league tables so I used my educational background to read between the lines of the ERO reports and chose DS' school on that and word of mouth recommendation.
We had been here for 2 and a half years before DS started school so we had time to suss it all out but we will need to get it right first time this time ... I don't want to get there and then move again in 6 months time ....

threebob · 17/05/2006 07:27

So you are really going Ghosty?

ghosty · 17/05/2006 07:35

Well, it looks like we probably will be going 3bob ... it is a promotion that he has been waiting for really, although the position he originally wanted was the Auckland office. The Auckland position won't be available for another 2 - 3 years but the position has come up in Melbourne. His boss has told him that there won't be any black marks against him if he chooses not to take it but has advised him that taking the Melbourne position will give him a broader knowledge of the company/industry and some insight into the Aussie side of things which will give him more opportunities in the future.
This is the third time they have offered him a job in Australia and the last two times he turned them down as they were jobs doing what he does Auckland.

Although I love NZ and Auckland and am very happy here it would be silly of us not to take this opportunity and wait the 2 - 3 years for the Auckland job.
Ho hum ... there you go ....

threebob · 17/05/2006 08:14

Well there would be worse places to live!

Dh moved around a lot as a kid every time his dad felt God had told him to go to another place, including changing from a boys school to a mixed school 200 miles away the year before Uni. I can't see dh ever taking a job that would involve ds having to change schools, simply because of his own upbringing. So it's so far outside my experience really that I can't comment, except to say that NZ will miss you.

ghosty · 17/05/2006 11:21

Thanks threebob Smile

Interesting that you say that about your DH. My parents moved us a lot when we were children too ... luckily I was the youngest of the 4 of us and so I managed to go through one secondary school but my older siblings weren't so lucky. We moved from England to the Netherlands 6 months before my brother was to sit his O levels ... Shock
I am in an interesting situation right now because I always told myself I wasn't going to do what my mother did (up sticks and move every 3 years) and put my children through that but so far in the 12 years I have known DH the longest we have lived in one house is 2 years!
But ... we both see that this opportunity is a step to bigger and better things for our family. DH has grown so much as a person since we moved here, since he joined the company - it would be small minded of us to say no when he is on a crest of such a wave at the moment.
DH and I both feel very strongly that it is best, if we do have to make DS move schools, that the time to do it is while he is still young. By the time he is 11 I want to commit to seeing his (and DD's) school years out in one place. DS is a sociable soul and so moving him now won't be a problem but I don't want him to have to move when he is facing adolescence and all the crap that goes with that ...

Smile

I am very proud of DH and what he has achieved in the last 4 years ... and it isn't about the money or the whole career thing - it is about him and his confidence ... and mine too. This whole life thing is an adventure and IMHO DH and I are so lucky to be of the mindset where we can take on board situations like this and face it head on. Amazing stuff considering when DS was a baby I struggled to go to the corner shop Smile

eidsvold · 17/05/2006 13:08

I will ask around. I know with QLD it is word of mouth and area. I know with the QLD ones you can see things like enrolments, ethnic breakdown, staffing, extra curricular etc

Sorry I can't help any further.

I look on life as an adventure - only way I could have decided to up sticks and move to the UK resign my job let my house and all that in 2 weeks!!! I knew no one... came back with a bit more luggage than I left with - dh, dd1 and dd2 on the way Grin wouldn't have changed that for the world.

Probably stand him in good stead if he has had experience of the job here in Aus if he was interested in applying for same in Aukland in a few years time.

EmmyLou · 17/05/2006 14:05

FWIW, i've recently returned from a 5 week stay in Melbourne & vicinity during the Commonwealth Games with dd1 (10) dd2 (7) and dd3(2) and had a FAB time. Thought city was great for kids with loads to do, clean, friendly, near to lots of places. Spent 3 weeks hanging out and doing tourist stuff on my own with kids as dh busy working. Mind you, was coming from small village in UK during wintery March - you might not have such a favourable contrast Lozzer?

SueW · 17/05/2006 14:24

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This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at OP's request.

SueW · 17/05/2006 20:51

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SueW · 17/05/2006 22:52

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ghosty · 17/05/2006 23:13

SueW ... thank you so much for that information - that is just what I needed to make a start on my investigations!

Even having some names of schools and suburbs will give me a starting point!
Toorak sounds very much like Remuera in Auckland and if it is I will steer clear Grin ... the whole rich mummy/status thing isn't me really.

I would like to find an area that is similar to where we are here - nice, good schools, ordinary families, professionals without being arsey status people ... IYKWIM?
The suburbs DH's boss has suggested are Canterbury and Camberwell - do you know much about them?

EmmyLou · 17/05/2006 23:53

I actually brought a couple of copies of Melbourne's Child back with me to read on the plane and still have them if anyone thinks they may be of any use to flick through....let me know, would be happy to post but of course there is a website www.melbourneschild.com.au

SueW · 18/05/2006 13:42

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ghosty · 18/05/2006 20:17

Oh SueW ... you are such a star! I feel quite excited about it reading that!
DH's office is in Kew and proximity to work is something we will be after .... but I think they are going to fly us over next weekend to have a 'look see' - we will hire a car and drive around.
I can already see that a car may not be as necessary as it is in Auckland ... Shock - if I do get one it will be a small one ...
I think it will all be more 'city living' than here ... our house in Auckland is the furthest eastern suburb from the city and we have LOADS of space - huge garden etc ... if we need to live near DH's work then we will be back into the city thing ... I won't know till I get there if that is a good thing or not ...
Smile

SueW · 18/05/2006 20:47

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This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at OP's request.

SueW · 18/05/2006 20:48

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SueW · 18/05/2006 20:56

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This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at OP's request.

EmmyLou · 18/05/2006 21:28

Blimey - just had a phonecall from my husband saying they are thinking of setting up a section of his business in Melbourne. Mumsnet braindrain?

ghosty · 18/05/2006 22:33

Oh SueW ... you are such a star! I feel quite excited about it reading that!
DH's office is in Kew and proximity to work is something we will be after .... but I think they are going to fly us over next weekend to have a 'look see' - we will hire a car and drive around.
I can already see that a car may not be as necessary as it is in Auckland ... Shock - if I do get one it will be a small one ...
I think it will all be more 'city living' than here ... our house in Auckland is the furthest eastern suburb from the city and we have LOADS of space - huge garden etc ... if we need to live near DH's work then we will be back into the city thing ... I won't know till I get there if that is a good thing or not ...
Smile