Private School

Hi,

Does anyone use a private school for their child/ren?
Did you go to a private school?

What do you like/dislike?

Im looking at sending Kylah to a private school.

Are all catholic schools private?

Janaya goes to a catholic school, the education there is superb. Im not sure if its private though!

There is a "private" school that we looked at, it was something like $15,000 a year to attend

I went to a catholic school and college, we had a high pregnancy rate there too! The education was great though. I hated how strict it was, it was "no boys, no makeup and skirts under the knee" I dont know if it helped being in a same sex school, once I got to 6th form all I thought about was boys, perhaps if I had attended a normal highschool boys wouldnt have been all I thought about. Guess I'll never know...

I went to a private anglican girls school, the education was excellent, and the class sizes small, but they tend to be quite narrow-minded and clique-y. We didn't have a nigh pregnancy rate, which i am surprised about being that sex ed wasn't taught until 6th form, which was too late for a lot of the girls.

Also I'm a christian but the religion that they exposed you to was dry and boring and nearly put me off for life.

In saying that, I think I would send my child to a single sex school at the least because there were a lot less distractions and my grades were so much better in 5th and 6th form (private) than 7th (large public)

Edited by JoJames

The one i want to send Kylah too is way out of my price range at almost three thousand a term!

My second option is a school that doesnt actively teach reading untill year 7!! That puts me off :(

The school I want to sedn James to sounds like Maya's the idea of small classrooms is really appealing to me but doesn't have the private price tag attached to it.

Kandice wrote: My second option is a school that doesnt actively teach reading untill year 7!! That puts me off :(

Seriously? What school? All schools HAVE to have a reading programme and they're monitored by the ministry. I've never heard of any school in Chch not having an active reading programme until Year 7. That seems nuts.

I went to public schools, I found high school was great for me compared to some of my friends who went to private high school and then didn't know how to interact in 'normal' settings (ie. boy/girl). I think it's just plain odd to go to a single sex school - after all you don't live your life like that, and from birth you are influenced by both males and females so then why would you spend 6+ hours a day in a scenario where all your peers are only one sex? Also, private (usually catholic) girls high schools in Chch have ridiculously high pregnancy rates for people who are meant to be abstaining - because of course you don't get sex ed. But anyway, that's just my opinion.

We're really lucky here in NZ that our education system is pretty damn good.

I'd strongly suggest, if you don't like the schools in your area, use the money you would spend on tuition to move to an area where you do like the schools.

Can I ask what draws you to private school? Is it just knowing about the reading programme thing at the other school? Because I can pretty much guarantee that they teach reading before Year 7

Phew 7 is better than Year 7! But still, I'd be surprised if they didn't teach it from day one - it's a requirement and they get monitored for it.

You can look through ERO reports online (www.tki.org.nz is one place to find them) too to see what the school needs to work on etc and what they're doing well.

I hear you on the class sizes! Generally (and very generally, but not so much with the recession as the schools don't have as much extra money from parents) higher decile schools have smaller class sizes as they have more money in the budget to hire an extra teacher than their government allowance.

The good thing is they're really working at keeping NE class sizes down as a nationwide initiative, and reducing class sizes in general over the next few years.

The main things I like in a school (regardless of public/private/integrated) are the range of resources for teachers, parents and children, how transparent the teaching is (ie. you should be able to see written someone their goals or a 'We are learning to...' statement), and the support that the teachers have to better themselves, because I think a happy and supported teacher makes a better teacher, and therefore a better learning environment for the kids.

You get fabulous teachers in private schools, and you get fabulous teachers in public schools - just like you can also get awful teachers in both.

The thing that influences a child's education the most is their teacher, and the quality of teacher has nothing to do with the type of school they're in.... so I'd probably save my $ and pay for uni... but that's just me

In saying that though, if you're not happy with the local school (and I def wouldn't be happy with not actively teaching reading til 7 - I'd question the school about this) you could see if you can get Kylah put down as an out-of-zone for other schools.

Another alternative is it may work out cheaper to move into a different area with better local schools?

Its the Steiner school here that i was referring to about the reading. It even says in their prospectus as well. I think where i am we are zoned for Avonside. But i have years and years to worry about that. Im hoping to be able to buy a house in the area i want her to go to school by the time high school is needed.

I personally wouldn't bother sending my child to a private primary school - I think the education most kids get in state primary schools in Christchurch is pretty good.

Secondary - I would personally see which school my child fits as they all have different "specialty areas". I love single sex schools for boys and DS will def be going to single sex but am more open to co-ed for girls for a variety of reasons. Christchurch's secondary schools are pretty much all on the same level - even the lower decile secondary schools function at the same level as higher deciles. I teach at a decile 9 school and to be honest am unsure if I would send my child there at this stage.

Also I have to disagree with Emz slightly on the teenage pregnancy rate in ChCh. Its not actually the catholic schools that have the highest rate of pregnancy (although they have the highest rate of keeping teen pregs), it is actually our priavte girls schools.

With Primary schools you can get Kylahs name put into a ballot for out of zone schools so that is an option.