Well, it seems that I am not the only one having to deal with grade six kids. Heading home on the train and I start chatting to a creche Mum, we naturally discuss the school starting topic. I had presumed her daughter would be going to the Catholic school closest to them, so had they. They are 'zoned' for the school, it is close to their house, it is among the reasons that they recently purchased their new home. However, the school can not keep up with the current demand. Inner city areas are more and more packed with children and the education system has not kept up with the trend, expecting us all to want to head to the burbs or city fringe. So, at the school interview she was told that her child would most likely have to attend catholic school B, it is not near her house, not on the way to work, she knows nothing about this school, and the principal had the cheek to suggest that if she actually wanted a tour of the school then it would have to be with some Grade six students, the principal just being too busy to attend to such matters herself.
There are actually a few points here of concern to those soon to enrol at school. Firstly, being in the zone does not ensure you get entry to a school and buying a house in a school zone is also no guarantee that you will actually get into a preferred school.
Secondly, the mini baby boom over the last five years is starting to have an impact on available services, so you need to be prepared if you have a preference for a certain school.
Thirdly, it seems many of the principals are not too concerned with what parents think of the school, they have so many on the waiting list that there is someone else to take your spot.
Solutions are of course - move to a regional area, sign up early, start paying early, network or homeschooling!
Learning about learning! What matters in the quest to get the right school for your child.
I have such an issue with the "paying early" concept. Catholic schools should be transparent with their 'fee arrangements'....if their disclosed fees are not high enough to meet costs then they should just make them higher....and forget the "bribes".....it's really underhanded ( I'm having a go at the schools btw not the parents who make the payments in the hope their child might be accepted.)
ReplyDeleteI do too, apparently it comes from the old structure, where you would be throwing money into the church bowl as it came around. If you now choose not to attend Mass, you can still contribute directly to the church by direct debit. The Church has found a way to keep up their income! Unfortunatly around these parts, with the Catho schools becoming so popular, it feels as though whoever puts in the most cash will get in, but that may just be my impression, rather than fact.
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