Hi all. New to this site and on the count down to coming over after a gruling 2.5 years application process. We land in Brisbane on 13th November with our two children Hannah (7) and Harley (5) Want to get them both enrolled into a school before the schools break up for Christmas. We are now wondering exactly how long we have for this!
Can anyone tell me when the kids break up? Thanks

 

Hi we arrived at a similar time of year to yourself and was advised by the local school to keep my son off until the start of the new year in January. The xmas hols are also our big summer hols and start around the 26th November until early January. Hope this helps a bit
Cal x

 

our lot break up fri 12th dec, return tues 27th jan

 

Thanks guys, this helps alot. So we basically have to get hunting as soon as we arrive.

 

Are you looking at Private Schools or State schools ?

With State schools, you can literally turn up at your local school on the first day of school and your child will be accepted. However, the school office often opens at least a week before term begins, so you can get in beforehand.

We did exactly that when we arrived in QLD. Dec 20th I think it was. We went to the school the week before term began, and fixed everything very quickly.

With Private Schools though, waiting lists often apply.
We waited almost 2 years to get into our first choice, but were able to get into another alternative one (at twice the price: $6,000 per year, in 2003) within 7 days.

Private schools are very popular here, with almost 40% of all Australian children attending private/independant schools.

 

We are going to look at both options because I have heard that private schools are more affordable over there, also, as temp 4 year business visa holders we have to pay for state school anyway!!

That is reassuring what you have posted, thanks. I just assumed that getting your child into your local school is a battle like England. For example our little village school, which accepts only 30 children each year, gets over 60 applications. We live next to the school and were told not to just excpect to get our children in. We will have about a month to sort it so I am sure we will be ok.
Thanks for info..

 

With the 457 visa, you only pay for State schooling in NSW and ACT. If you are coming to QLD, then you are treated the same as residents for education purposes, but only for primary & seconday school. Not for TAFE or Uni.

Here, your "local" school, ie: the catchment area one, has a commitment to accept all children from their area. The school can draw extra teachers if enrolment numbers dictate it is required.

Private school start at about:
Catholic Schools:
Preschool & Primary : $744 per student or $1,048 for two children or $1,280 per family of 3 or more students, with a building fund contribution of $376 per primary school family.
Secondary School : $1,576 per student or $2,628 per family (2 students or more), with a building fund contribution of $480 per school family.

My daughters school starts at $2,576 for each year up to year 6, rising to $4,636 per year, for years 11 and 12.
There is also an annual Capital Funding Levy charged per family, of about $300.
There are normally discounts for 2nd, 3rd, etc., children in each family, these discounts can be quite substantial.
Most schools also have extra charges for School Excursions etc.

Mine is in year 7 and we are paying $5,284 for the year, but that includes everything, all extras, (This includess Capital levies, photocopying, acquisitions of learning technologies, and classroom/library consumables, excursions, all compulsory camps, visiting artists, swimming lessons, sports equipment, travel to sports carnivals and PFA fees.)

 

You are a Diamond for all this info you are giving me!! really appriciate it because I am completely in the dark regarding education over there. we are on a temporary 4 year 163 business visa but plan to stay indefinately. If it is true what you say about the 457 visa in Queensland then this is good news.

Would you say that, in the main, parents send there children to state schools in their junior years and then cross over to private education in secondary school? Or are private schools very popular at primary level too?

It's a very different culture in oz. How great that if they have more applicants than they can provide for at the schools they just bring in extra resources. It is going to take me a little while to get my head around this more flexible approach!!

Thank you sooooo much for your help with all this.

julie

 

The last figures I saw were about 35% primary are private, and about 40% senior are private. I can't recall where I saw the figures at the moment.

Some info from http://www.britzinoz.com/page.php?30