Education & Work Private vs. Public School

Discussion in 'Living Room' started by Morgs, 18th Dec, 2017.

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  1. Lemmy a fiver

    Lemmy a fiver Well-Known Member

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    Ultimately they will make their own choices in life regardless of parental insistence on Private/Public schooling/moving into particular catchment areas etc.
    My eldest is now a Doctor, yes we are very proud of his achievements thus far.
    But I have no idea how the next 3 will turn out occupation wise?
    In a handful of years I might be telling you one's a geologist, another turned out to be a gun runner & the other is happily a grave digger in a country town? We have no idea?
    All my Wife & I can teach them is values in both family & life we expect them to uphold.
    But ultimately, if they exceed those on a personal/professional level or fall short is a decision not made by us.
    I think all we can do is love, support & guide without being overly interfering.
    Ultimately its up to them & the choices they make.

    Best wishes to everyone's children.
     
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  2. larrylarry

    larrylarry Well-Known Member

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    This is exactly what we are doing. allow them to explore, make mistakes and take responsibility for their decisions. We can provide a platform most appropriate for them but at the end of the day, they do their own living and as long as they make a honest living and contribute to society, I think we've done a pretty good job. both of us are professionals but we don't expect them to be like us.
     
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  3. Owlet

    Owlet Well-Known Member

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    We recently decided to relocate and also decided to change our kids from a private school to the local public school. At a sporting event on the weekend we met a local family and they have kids in the same class and school as our kids will be attending. They mentioned that their eldest started secondary at one of the Private Schools and that they moved from another suburb to access (reduce the travel time) these private schools. I assume their other two children will also attend this school.
    The local primary is a great school and it is a great school becasue of the community of parents, teachers and administration - so I find it odd that instead of instilling the same community spirit and values in the recently built secondary they send their kids elsewhere.
    When speaking to a colleague today - they said even if their local public school was great they said they're kids would not have gone there. They said its a cultural thing - a middle class thing. They want their kids to be around other middle and upper-class parents.
    Is this what being Middle class means?
     
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  4. geoffw

    geoffw Moderator Staff Member

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    Our daughters went to private school, after I became quite disgusted about the quality of what the teachers were sending home. They did have a spell though (due to tax problems) at government and Catholic schools.

    The quality of the education depends more on the teachers than the school, however, there appear to be a much higher proportion of good teachers at the private school. One mathematics teacher at high school stands out as the most inspiring subject teacher either of them have had.

    There was a religious component at the private school, but that was at a tolerable level. It was at a much higher level at the Catholic school - and we had oroblems there because of the bad attitude teachers had towards people from out of town.

    I was totally out of place with the upper class parents. Some of those had the biggest houses in the nicest part of town. Possessions seemed to dominate their thinking, and it appeared that some just didn't have enough.
     
    Last edited: 19th Nov, 2018
  5. Scott No Mates

    Scott No Mates Well-Known Member

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    Too rich to get around with a mullet.
     
  6. Invest_noob

    Invest_noob Well-Known Member

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    If you could only afford to send your offspring to private school for a couple of years, would you send them to one in their younger years/primary school to build a good base and good habits or would you do so in year 11 and 12 to get the best education when it matters the most?

    I don't have kids as yet but I'm wondering if the kids would benefit more by me working less and spending time with them instead of working longer to pay higher fees.
     
  7. Scott No Mates

    Scott No Mates Well-Known Member

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    Public in junior school, private for seniors.
     
  8. Jess Peletier

    Jess Peletier Mortgage Broker & Finance Strategy, Aus Wide! Business Member

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    We did it this way too for the big kids, but I'm sending my youngest to public for high school as well - not happy enough with the private school to want to send the little guy there. If the public is worse, we can always move him across.
     
  9. Owlet

    Owlet Well-Known Member

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    We did the opposite - private for primary because these are the foundational habits and skills. This school was strong in this area. Unfortunately, our school's focus has changed since our kids started and we are not happy hence decided to move them. You can get slack and ineffective teachers in private schools but if they are well connected, in favour or good at lying then they keep their jobs. This year was a waste of money for one of our kids.
     
  10. Invest_noob

    Invest_noob Well-Known Member

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    True, I think cost wise it will be cheaper to go private in younger years but then again, I may be able to save more and better afford private school in the later years too.

    In terms of better results, I would like the offsprings to learn more from me when they are young and would actually listen to me. When they are older, they would be more influenced by peers etc, so I think I'll send them to private school when they are older.
     
  11. balwoges

    balwoges Well-Known Member

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    My sister and I went to private school when we reached high school stage. Was good for me as I was shy and lacked confidence, small classes only 7-8 day pupils the rest boarders from all over - I was much happier whereas my sister hated it ...
     
  12. Scott No Mates

    Scott No Mates Well-Known Member

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    We put the fees aside in their younger years now have the money for their school fees in high school years
     
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  13. Lacrim

    Lacrim Well-Known Member

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    Our local high school just announced it's going co-ed in 2025. It's a no brainer now that we'll be sending our son there. So, no private fees thanks!
     
  14. Serveman

    Serveman Well-Known Member

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    I think choosing what school is best for your child may come down to what choices you have in the area and how far you might want to travel. I know one family where their front yard was across the road from the primary school and their backyard plus neighbours driveway took them to the private high school so the kids were never more than 5 minutes from school and if they left a text book at school they could run back and get it and the time they saved before and after school certainly added up.
    The other thing is that certain schools may suit certain children more than others and at other times your child could be the type that could thrive in any school,
     
  15. Sackie

    Sackie Well-Known Member

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    We decided to enrol in private kindergarten next year mainly due to the contacts which are made in private schools. After having spoke to quite a few people they all pretty much said the same thing, the education is good but the contacts they made were fantastic.

    Right decision for us.
     
  16. Scott No Mates

    Scott No Mates Well-Known Member

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    Cuts both ways - Lil Ms No Mates applied for a work experience role at a leading fashion house a couple of years back, after a week she walked out with a part time job. Most kids who did work experience at that place ended up with a 12 week internship. Note: the CEO's son and Lil Ms were at Kindy-Yr4 at the local public school), it's not always the prestigious school.
     
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  17. Lacrim

    Lacrim Well-Known Member

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    Well I don't know. Maybe its just me but I went to a prestigious private high school, and walked away with....zero 'contacts'. Whatever I've achieved since then was mostly due to my own merit (and luck).

    In fact, I made more lifelong mates at uni (and the public school I went to prior) vs private school. Individual experience/perspective only of course.
     
    Last edited: 21st Sep, 2023
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  18. Firefly99

    Firefly99 Well-Known Member

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    Yeah I think uni gives you better contacts, purely because they are more likely to be actually useful for you (same field). Plenty of influential people also send their kids to public schools.
    Having had kids in both systems, it really comes down to the actual school itself - not necessarily whether it’s private or public. All of the public schools we have used have been great. One of the private schools had an elitist vibe which I didn’t like. The other private school has been amazing (funnily enough it’s 6 times the price of the snobby one and everyone is quite humble).
     
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  19. Lacrim

    Lacrim Well-Known Member

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    Yeah, the nouveau riche and wannabe set. Where reality = perception.

    There are some rich parents sending their kids to our public school but all very grounded, not flashy etc.
     
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  20. Morgs

    Morgs Well-Known Member Business Member

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    Well, apparently lots can change in 5 years... including the fact that the $35K I referred to in my initial post/question is much higher now given inflation!