Primary school: public or private?

[pinkandblue]

I think private because they are more likely to get a better education. I have a friend who went to Churchie in Brisbane (an expensive private school up here) and he said the private school taught him that yes, you can still be a tradie but you must strive to own your own business, not just be an employee. (That's what really sold me on private).

Sorry I dont agree with you. My DP went to public school, went to Tafe and became a tradie and opened his own business at the age of 24. Kids from public schools can open their own business too.

Some kids want to learn and some dont. It doesnt matter what school they go to, if they want to learn, they will.

[Theboys&me]

Hey guys - I am actually a public primary school teacher. I am reading alot of posts about private school teachers being better, so I just thought I would let you know a little something that I experienced......

When I finished my teaching degree alot of the people I went through with that did catholic education got jobs straight away. Now when we finish we get given a rating from S1 to S5 (S1 being the highest). Alot of the people that got jobs from my uni only got S2 and S3 and are now private school teachers.

Now I received an S1 (highest rating) and a year later I got a job but I had to do contracts and fight had to do an EXCEPTIONAL job because the competition is fierce in the public system.

So you really are starting to get great teachers coming through because it is hard to get a job as they are very selective in the public system (where I live anyway ).

You are right though alot does depend on the teacher and I know great teachers in public and private. Private schools can be more selective on who attends there schools though, so that can have an impact on behaviour etc.

that's all.......

[Theboys&me]

Woops!!!.... I just realised a made a typo on my last post............ silly public teachers!!!

All fixed now - thanks Funkychicken!!!

[Funkychicken]

We have decided on the same thing as I want my children to grow up appreciating everything which personally I don't believe going to a private primary school will as they will only interract with priviledged(SP) kids.

But for Secondary School it is more for the contacts made and the Teachers get paid more so most of the time the teachers are the best. Also Unfortunately in the business world alot of the time is is "who" you know not "what" you know.

That is a massive generalisation that the only children in private school are privileged. Our children are in a private school of our choice and we scrimp every week just to keep up with the fees-as do 95 % of the families there. By scrimping I mean some weeks even our food bill is cut in half to keep up. You will find that if you talk to most families who go with private education, most of them do struggle with the costs of education. This is very humbling and very far from being privileged.

As far as teachers who get paid more being the best? I think you will find many, many teachers who would rebuke this! Most expensive does not = best just as best paid doesn't=best person.

[Funkychicken]

Woops!!!.... I just realised a made a typo on my last post............ silly public teachers!!!

Hi there Hayley. You can edit your own post by clicking on the edit button in the bottom right hand corner and then after you make changes, you hit save changes.

[dreamer80]

That is a massive generalisation that the only children in private school are privileged. Our children are in a private school of our choice and we scrimp every week just to keep up with the fees-as do 95 % of the families there. By scrimping I mean some weeks even our food bill is cut in half to keep up. You will find that if you talk to most families who go with private education, most of them do struggle with the costs of education. This is very humbling and very far from being privileged.

As far as teachers who get paid more being the best? I think you will find many, many teachers who would rebuke this! Most expensive does not = best just as best paid doesn't=best person.

You are right though alot does depend on the teacher and I know great teachers in public and private. Private schools can be more selective on who attends there schools though, so that can have an impact on behaviour etc.

I agree with what FunkyChicken has said. However if some children are from privilege backgrounds, it that a problem shouldn’t children socialise with children from a diverse range of backgrounds and cultures?

As Haley D has mentioned teachers will vary school to school. I do not believe, that it is the teachers who make a private school obtain higher results than some public schools! It is the facilities, extensive academic programs and extra curriculum activities.

I feel one of the biggest advantages in choosing to send your child/ren to a private school is the extra-curriculum activities. As an example the private school which my son will attend, offers basketball, cross country, cricket, fencing, gymnastics, rowing, rugby, sailing, soccer, swimming, tennis, track & field, taekwon do, volleyball, water polo, chess, debating, drama, Duke of Edinburgh, robocup, public speaking, science club, writers’ workshop, Pythagoras club, robotics, stock market club, art club, extensive music programme which includes instrumental ensembles, choirs, bands and orchestras as well as tuition in most instruments and overseas cultural experiences. Unfortunately our local public high school can’t offer half of those activities…

I also like the fantastic facilities of the school offers. Sports facilities include a large modern gymnasium with a heated swimming pool, indoor courts for volleyball, basketball and fencing, cricket nets, weights room, classrooms and a specialist gymnastics floor, off campus a complex of ovals and facilities serves cricket, rugby and soccer with ideal playing facilities and a well-equipped rowing shed on the river. Other faculties include air-conditioned music practice rooms, art studios and galleries, photography dark rooms and Performance Theater. Again our local high school lacks such extensive facilities!

[Mamaduke]

Jesse is in Prep at a Catholic school.
We chose this because we're Catholic and I would never contemplate sending our boys anywhere other than a Catholic school.
As for the private/public debate I went to a public high school for 3 days - this wasn't a huge school, it was a country high school but the difference between the Catholic secondary college I'd just come from and the high school was huge. Teachers didn't know or really care, no one called your parents if you didn't show up and the girls in my year (Year 10)...holy moley!!! They were doing things I hadn't even heard of...and I wasn't a goodie goodie by any stretch of the imagination.
On the other hand, DH went to Carey Grammar and they only tolerated him being there for the money his parents poured in and the fact that DH could win for their school in rowing, athletics and football. I totally agree with the poster who said that certain private schools discourage mediocre students from sitting final exams as this was the case with DH - no extra help, he was needed purely for his sporting ability and they couldn't care less once he took his sports uniform off.
You've really got to go and get a feel for the place - don't go by glossy brochures or open days...everyone's on their best behaviour that day.

[biscotti]

I went to a private girls school in Brisbane, my DH went to a State school in country qld.
Up until this year my children have attended a state school and only moved to a private school this year because I no longer work in the area that their state school was in and we needed a school closer to home. The state schools are all huge here and the primary intake in the private schools is smaller so that was our decision made.
If I was still working where I was, they would still be at their state school were they were both doing really really well.
They are still doing well but I haven't found that the teachers are any different really, I wouildn't say that they were better, the facilities might be a teeny bit better, it's definitely cleaner at their new school and the toilets are nicer . But really, on the whole, it's a school like any other.
I'm not too worried about extra curricular activities either as my two are both very busy with tennis, ballet, gymnastics and swimming squad (DS also plays AFL) and I certainly wouldn't choose a school based on that as you can source those activities outside of school if that is where the interests of your child lie.

But....the biggest difference that I have found is the attitude of the parents, it's almost a different culture. I'm not sure yet if it is a good thing or a bad thing (jury still out) but it is certainly different. Also might be a teeny bit more cliquey amongst parents, but that could only be my perspective because we are a new family and there are parents whose kids have all been there since prep so of course they know each other really well.

I think finding a school that suits the needs and interests of your child is so important and while I do know parents who choose schools solely on the prestige value, I would like to think that they are few and far between and that most put their child and their individuality first

[Isabeau]

I have found of the kids I've known and of my own experience
that
1. going from public primary to private highschool is quite difficult because the systems are quite different
2. If you start in a public primary and go to private highschool your daughter will be upset because her friends most likely wont be going to the same school most parents in the public system can't afford private.
3. private schools have more qualified and older teachers and don't let the disruptive children ruin their lessons or give them more attention like in the public highschool system

but then on the other hand public schools do get a lot of funding from the government and there are a few more opportunities in different areas and such.
Plus if you have outside school activities that cost school is almost free which leaves you more money for what your daughter really loves.

[shed]

2. If you start in a public primary and go to private highschool your daughter will be upset because her friends most likely wont be going to the same school most parents in the public system can't afford private.
.

this sort of elitest snobbery is exactly why we are considering NOT sending DS to a private school even though we can afford it.

I don't want a little upstart living in my house.

My niece has recently started at an expensive private girls highschool and I am already noticing her little attitude forming. Its not attractive at all. I don't know what they are teaching them there but she seems to think she is 'rich' and other people are 'poor'.

She has no idea of her parents income or that of other people.