Month: April 2017

Private Schools Better Than Public Schools?

I keep a list of interesting education-related articles that I have read before but had no time to fully digest at the time so I could go back and reread them later. “Public schools judged ‘superior’ to private schools, the new survey shows” from SMH from about three months ago was one such article. What it shows is that

Australians backed public schools over private schools by a slim margin: just 8.5 percentage points. Overall, 45.6 per cent of respondents either strongly disagreed (14.6%) or disagreed (31%) with the statement: “Private schools offer a superior education to public schools.

Meanwhile, 37.1 per cent either strongly agreed (7.2%) or agreed (29.9%).

This split remained fairly consistent across age, gender and location – with one glaring exception.

Australians earning $104,000 or more were the only group to back private schools over public schools. And they did so with a convincing margin of 16 percentage points.

Among high earners, agreement with the statement jumped to 50.4 per cent, while disagreement plunged to 33.9 per cent.

I am an advocate of Public Education, so my opinion is probably fairly biased to start with. That being said what type of school the parents going to send their children to is a personal one and is to be made with each family and children. There is no right or wrong answer this question.

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Is Boys Better At Math and Girls Better At Reading?

I just read an very interesting article on SMH Reading superiority in girls starts early, Naplan study finds. Let me first quote a few lines from the article.

The study also found that better performance in literacy was limited to girls from low and middle socioeconomic backgrounds, and only boys from high socioeconomic families did better in numeracy.

“Once you have a grasp of language and literacy you can use that in everything, so the gap could have a detrimental effect across all areas of learning [for boys].”

In maths, teachers giving more positive feedback to boys could lead to the numeracy gap that emerges in year 3, Professor Walker said.

“The way boys and girls are perceived and the feedback they get becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy,” she said.

The most interesting part to me was the fact the math advantage was only limited to boys from the higher socioeconomic background. So if as the article suggested that feedback children received becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy should have meant that regardless of their socioeconomic background would have similar gap manifest. With same logic it is unlike gender-based teaching would cause this as well. So what had caused this difference? I think this certainly deserve a more in detailed look into why it is so the case.

High Rise Schools in Australia

There is this article New inner Sydney high-rise school for 1200 students revealed on the SMH today regarding the new high school that is going to be built and open by 2020 on the current Cleveland Street Intensive English High School site. I have to say high rise schools make sense in inner suburbs such as Sydney and Melbourne etc. With the high land cost and people moving back into inner cities, this is more or less the only sensible option. I have attended a number of very compact primary schools in my earlier days. The main problem was not so much the vertical layout of the schools, it is the lack of open and green space that really hurt.

The site of Cleveland Street Intensive English High School is not big, so I cannot imagine they would be fit much else other than the buildings on the site. One option is to use the nearby Prince Alfred Park which is the most likely option. However, this represents lost of valuable public park land as well and will have a big impact on increasing inner Sydney population which also require a lot of open spaces.

I have not seen the actual plan yet, so should be interesting when we finally get to see it.

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Queensland Public School (Year 7) Catchment Map

This is the map for Queensland junior secondary school catchment.

Albany Creek State High School4
Aldridge State High School
Alexandra Hills State High School
Allora P-10 State School
Alpha State School
Aramac State School
Aspley State High School
Atherton State High School
Aurukun State School
Aviation High School
Ayr State High School
Babinda State School
Balmoral State High School
Baralaba State School
Barcaldine Prep-12 State School
Beaudesert State High School
Beenleigh State High School
Beerwah State High School
Bell State School
Bellbird Park State Secondary College
Benowa State High School
Bentley Park College
Biggenden State School
Biloela State High School
Blackall State School
Blackwater State High School
Boonah State High School
Bowen State High School
Bracken Ridge State High School
Bray Park State High School
Bremer State High School
Bribie Island State High School
Brisbane Bayside State College
Brisbane State High School
Browns Plains State High School
Bundaberg North State High School
Bundaberg State High School
Bundamba State Secondary College
Burnett State College
Burnside State High School
Burpengary State Secondary College
Bwgcolman COM S
Caboolture State High School
Cairns State High School
Calamvale Community College
Calen District State College
Caloundra State High School
Capalaba State College
Capella State High School
Cavendish Road State High School
Cecil Plains State School
Centenary Heights State High School
Centenary State High School
Chancellor State College
Charleville State High School
Charters Towers State High School
Chinchilla State High School
Clermont State High School
Cleveland District State High School
Clifton State High School
Cloncurry State School P-12
Clontarf Beach State High School
Collinsville State High School
Cooktown State School
Coolum State High School
Coombabah State High School
Coorparoo Secondary College
Corinda State High School
Craigslea State High School
Crow’s Nest State School
Cunnamulla P-12 State School
Dakabin State High School
Dalby State High School
Deception Bay State High School
Dimbulah State School
Dirranbandi P-10 State School
Doomadgee State School
Dysart State High School
Earnshaw State College
Eidsvold State School
Elanora State High School
Emerald State High School
Everton Park State High School
Ferny Grove State High School
Flagstone State Community College
Forest Lake State High School
Gin Gin State High School
Gladstone State High School
Glenala State High School
Glenden State School
Glenmore State High School
Goomeri State School
Goondiwindi State High School
Gordonvale State High School
Gympie State High School
Harristown State High School
Heatley Secondary College
Helensvale State High School
Herberton State School
Hervey Bay State High School
Highfields State Secondary College
Holland Park State High School
Home Hill State High School
Hughenden State School
Indooroopilly State High School
Ingham State High School
Inglewood State School
Injune P-10 State School
Innisfail State College
Ipswich State High School
Isis District State High School
James Nash State High School
Jandowae Prep-10 State School
Kawana Waters State College
Kedron State High School
Keebra Park State High School
Kelvin Grove State College
Kenmore State High School
Kepnock State High School
Kilcoy State High School
Kilkivan State School
Killarney P-10 State School
Kingaroy State High School
Kingston State College
Kirwan State High School
Kowanyama State School
Kuranda District State College
Laidley State High School
Lockhart State School
Lockyer District State High School
Loganlea State High School
Longreach State High School
Lowood State High School
Mabel Park State High School
MacGregor State High School
Mackay North State High School
Mackay Northern Beaches State High School
Mackay State High School
Malanda State High School
Maleny State High School
Mansfield State High School
Mareeba State High School
Maroochydore State High School
Marsden State High School
Mary Valley State College
Maryborough State High School
Meridan State College
Merrimac State High School
Miami State High School
Middlemount Community School
Miles State High School
Millmerran State School
Mirani State High School
Miriam Vale State School
Mitchell State School
Mitchelton State High School
Monto State High School
Moranbah State High School
Morayfield State High School
Mornington Island State School
MoState Schoolman State High School
Mount Gravatt State High School
Mount Larcom State School
Mount Morgan State High School
Mountain Creek State High School
Moura State High School
Mundubbera State School
Murgon State High School
Murrumba State Secondary College
Nambour State College
Nanango State High School
Narangba Valley State High School
Nerang State High School
Noosa District State High School – Pomona Campus
Normanton State School
North Lakes State College
North Rockhampton State High School
Northern Beaches State High School
Northern Peninsula Area State College – Senior Campus
Oakey State High School
Ormeau Woods State High School
Pacific Pines State High School
Palm Beach-Currumbin State High School
Park Ridge State High School
Pimlico State High School
Pimpama State Secondary College
Pine Rivers State High School
Pioneer State High School
Pittsworth State High School
Proserpine State High School
Proston State School
Quilpie State College
Quinalow Prep-10 State School
Ravenshoe State School
Redbank Plains State High School
Redcliffe State High School
Redlynch State College
Richmond State School
Robina State High School
Rochedale State High School
Rockhampton State High School
Roma State College
Rosedale State School
Rosewood State High School
Runcorn State High School
Sandgate District State High School
Sarina State High School
Shailer Park State High School
Southport State High School
Spinifex State College – Mount Isa – Junior Campus
Springfield Central State High School
Springsure State School
Springwood State High School
St George State High School
Stanthorpe State High School
Stretton State College
Sunnybank State High School
Sunshine Beach State High School
Surat State School
Tagai State College – Thursday Island Secondary
Tambo State School
Tamborine Mountain State High School
Tannum Sands State High School
Tara Shire State College
Taroom State School
Texas P-10 State School
The Gap State High School
Theodore State School
Thuringowa State High School
Tin Can Bay State School
Toogoolawah State High School
Toolooa State High School
Toowoomba State High School
Townsville State High School
Trinity Bay State High School
Tropical North Learning Academy – Smithfield State High School
Tullawong State High School
Tully State High School
Upper Coomera State College
Urangan State High School
Varsity College
Victoria Point State High School
Wallumbilla State School
Wandoan State School P-10
Warwick State High School
Wavell State High School
Wellington Point State High School
Western Cape College – Weipa
Whites Hill State College
William RoState School State High School
Wilsonton State High School
Windaroo Valley State High School
Winton State School
Wondai State School
Woodcrest State College
Woodford State School
Woodridge State High School
Woree State High School
Wynnum State High School
Yarrabah State School
Yarraman State School
Yeppoon State High School
Yeronga State High School

For the final confirmation please contact the school in question.

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Victoria Melbourne Secondary School Zone Map

Following is the best Victorian and Melbourne Secondary School Zone Map that I have created. This should also be the best and most accurate that can be found on the internet, I tried Google searches myself. The total currently stands at 310 zones for Year 7.

Victorian Secondary School Zone

Melbourne Secondary School Zone Map

Full zoomable map

Irymple Secondary College

John Fawkner Secondary College

The proper name used by the Victorian Department of Education is called “Designated neighbourhood school” which is what a particular address is zoned for the particular school. When discussed from the perspective of a particular school is often referred to as one of the following terms.

Designated neighbourhood zone
Designated neighbourhood boundary
Neighbourhood zone
School Zone
School intake area
School catchment

For the final confirmation please contact the school in question.

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Why Computer And Technology Related Courses Are Becoming So Unpopular With Australian School Students?

I am sure that I cannot be the only one that notices what once was once highly touted various technology related courses such as software programming suffer progressively less enrolment and interest in both secondary and tertiary level. Media kept written articles on how important the technology such as coding skills are to our future and students should be encouraged to that direction.

Alright if software programming is so important and much emphasis on this by the government and media, why was enrolment was in significant decline over the recent years. All the media articles just go on about the importance of the skills themselves without going into the root of the issue.

To be brutally honest, job prospect and potentially income is of likely more importance to most students and their parents relating to other reasons. Ideally, you want to combine interest with job prospects. If being a Doctor or pushing paper earns more money and offers better job security, then by far majority of the students will gravitate towards that direction when choosing what to study.

Now let’s start looking at software programming career future, it earns better than average salary and got decent job prospect. However compare to many other careers you needs to constantly update your skills, relative insecure job security due to outsourcing and other reasons, etc. Why would students want to compete with the host of 457 visa holders and bad job security when there are easier and better options like finance there to be had.

School Zoning in Victoria

School zoning in Victoria is simple yet can be complicated at the same time. In summary, the school zone or the official name Designated Neighbourhood Zone for Victorian schools are generally whatever closest to the student’s home. The exception between metro and rural area is that in the metro area this is defined by distance as the crow flies. In the rural area, it is defined as whatever closest travelling distance school to student’s home. Only Melbourne metropolitan region, Ballarat, Bendigo and Geelong are considered as the metro area for this purpose.

Also in some specific circumstances, Victorian Department of Education and Training have designed a number of Primary and Secondary school with specifically designated neighbourhood zone. If this is the case, it will no longer follow the closest distance rule anymore. What this means is that even if you live opposite to a particular school, if student’s home does not fall into the specifically designated neighbourhood zone then he or she may not be accepted into the school in question.

What adds to the complication is that in Victoria, Public Schools have a large mix of year range. In NSW, it is generally Kindergarten to Year 6, plus Year 7 to 12 for Public Schools. There is a few exception of infant schools going from Kindergarten to Year 3, Junior High Schools from Year 7 to 10 and Senior High Schools from Year 11 to 12. However, schools like these are relatively rare, for example in Sydney there are only a handful of Senior schools going from Year 11 to 12 compare to the hundreds of regular ones from Year 7 to 12. Also, Kindergarten in NSW is equivalent of Preschool in Victoria which refers to the first year of primary education that starts before Year One.

In Victoria there are dizzying array of year range for public schools, for example, they can be the following combination which I am sure I missed some

Preschool to Year 4
Preschool to Year 5
Preschool to Year 6
Preschool to Year 7
Preschool to Year 8
Year 5 to Year 12
Year 7 to Year 9
Year 7 to Year 10
Year 7 to Year 12
Year 8 to Year 12
Year 9 to Year 12
Year 10 to Year 12
Year 11 to Year 12

Now you see why it is a major pain in the rear for someone to create school zone maps for Victora, it is major work just to sort out the year range and group them.

The official Victorian government blog entry can be found here. As in all cases with Victoria School Zones, for final confirmation, you should contact the school in question. Most of the schools will have some spare spaces so out of area application is very viable for most of the schools and worth a try if there are specific schools students want to attend but their own fall outside of its school zone.

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Artarmon Public School Upgrade

How is the Easter Holiday for your guys, I have had a good one and came back refreshed. Today’s topic is something the parents from the local communities are well aware of. To refresh what is happening, Artarmon Public School has been the first or second ranked Public School at primary level in NSW for a number of years now. This fact combined with significant development in new dwelling within the school catchment area caused a massive surge in the school enrolment number. What the Department of Education doing is bringing demountable classrooms to accommodate the increase in enrollment number. Last time I visited Artarmon Public School, there are close to 20 classrooms plus various of facilities with demountable style hall and other facilities hosted in them as well. Sufficient to say it is one of the most crowded school I have visited in Sydney. You can find more pictures and information in the two blog entries I did for Artarmon Public School previously.

Following is the project overview for the proposed upgrade for Artarmon Public School.

The project involves:

The establishment of a temporary school, known as the Barton Road Campus;

The construction of a new 3 storey building incorporating 21 future focused teaching spaces and library (anticipated completion early 2018);

New student amenities (anticipated completion early 2018);

A new hall on the Abbott Road Campus (anticipated completion early 2019);

The integration of Abbott Lane to provide a better functional link between the McMillan and Abbott Road Campus'(anticipated completion early 2018);

The creation of a shared access way in Hampden Lane (anticipated completion early 2018);

The removal of demountable teaching spaces (anticipated completion early 2019); and

More continuous and functional open play space (anticipated completion early 2019).

The complete project is due for completion in early 2019.

On completion of the project, students currently residing in the Barton Road Campus will be transferred back to the McMillan Road Campus and the temporary school will be decommissioned.

There is a bit of back and forth with the proposed upgrade, the original plan was modified last year and the school hall part of it got axed. There was a pretty significant local community backlash for this change. The good news is that Department of Education has listened and original plan has been reinstated which is really great and secures the short to intermediate future for the school. However in the long term, there still possible catchment shrink with more new public school coming online in the North Shore area to future relief the enrollment pressure.

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School Funding in Australia

With school funding in Australia, it is not just about giving more money to the schools. With the current budget constraint, efficient use and distribution of the money to schools is a much better alternative. States need to work closer with their Federal counterpart to come up with better and more efficient options on how the money is used. I know it is politically sensitive to reduce the funding to schools that do not really need them compare to the others, primarily these are the top end of private schools. Indoor pools are a nice thing to have but hardly required items, this money just better off to be spent elsewhere. You have to lay the original blame on John Howard with creating this problem and Gillard government for lack of courage to properly implement the Gonski plan.

Another phenomenon is that many schools function largely with the free help from parents particularly mothers. All the canteen of public schools in my local area is run by volunteering parents. My children’s public school P&C pays the cleaners for the school drawing its own fund. It is planning to install Air Conditioners for all classrooms with its own fund as well. Another local public school even paid for an extra teacher with its own money as well.

You have to question why your local schools rely so heavily on the contributing of money and free labour from parents.

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How Big Of A Factor Is Local School When Purchasing Properties?

I remember reading an article years ago that school is one of the top things that people looking at when purchasing a property. Being a parent myself, I fully understand all parents concern on this. I personally wasn’t as picky as some people I know, rank 100 with rank 2 in the state does not really matter that much to me. However, that is not to say all parents are similar to me. I was also lucky that the schools in the area I was interested in all were of good enough quality for me so that sure made my life easier when house hunting. The school is very important, however, if the parents don’t spend the effort at educating their children, no matter how good the schools it will not help.

Some properties that are on different side of the street due to falling in or out of a particular school zone can end up the price difference in hundred thousands of dollars. What I think what a good school has to offer are accommodating environment with parents that spend effort working with their children and school. I always make the joke to my partner that as long as my kids don’t abuse alcohol, don’t do drugs, practice safe sex and not lead a life of crime, I am all good whatever else they do.

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