Finally we made the decision that the State primary was the best place for her.
We enrolled, they accepted.
When we went there a month ago Popps told me she wasn’t really keen to go there every single day.
I explained that I thought she would love it and mentioned some other children who would be joining her.
She was still not impressed.
This week she got a letter from the school with a certificate: Excellence Award for Preps 2012 and her name printed big and bold.
She has already coloured it in, put it on the fridge and asked when her first day is. Next year seems like a very long way away for a kinder kid.
As for me, I never expected choosing a school to be such a ridiculously difficult decision. At least I did manage to book in to high school at the same time (what with waiting lists and all that silliness) so I am now finished with looking at schools. Phew.
Has booking into schools consumed you too?
I had SO much pressure on us about schools when we were in Sydney and then we moved down here, where they have a local primary school with 35 kids from kinder to year 6 and the decision was made for us. It looks great, Daisy is excited, she has 2 mates from Preschool going with her - a HUGE relief. Good on you for making a decision!
ReplyDeleteI've had to start thinking about Kindy soon, my girl will be starting next year. It's daunting!
ReplyDeleteWhy can't they stay little forever?!
We sit of the catchment border for 3 schools, but I went for the one that had the best itenerent support for Jack - and made the right choice! xx
ReplyDeleteYay!
ReplyDeleteI'm not looking forward to the day I have to do this!
Oh my... one of the hardest decisions EVER. Where we live - I have three state primary schools and two catholic schools within a reasonably short distance. The catholic schools were discounted fairly quickly; then the closest state school wasn't - well, we couldn't visualise our child there! Our preferred school - well that was full up to pussy's bow. And the other school - even though it shared the same suburb name as the suburb we live in - we realised that we could look at two other schools that were geographically closer and at least in the right direction for dropping off and going to work.
ReplyDeleteWhen the School Gods smiled on us and found us a place in the school we prefered - gigantic sighs of relief all around at ours!
We're 18 months out from our first child going to school. It is something I mull over often and it does cause me some stress.
ReplyDeleteIf I was capable, I would choose to home school them but that isn't an option.
I'm glad you've got that sorted! It is such a big step.
No as only 2 primary schools in town it was a easy choice the state school, through the high school may turn out to be boarding school!!! With the local high school not having a very good name!!
ReplyDeleteSo glad you have got this sorted. Something that we will be thinking about very soon and I am not looking forward to it.
ReplyDeleteAny tips on the school search? Primary school for us was a no brainer - Steiner all the way, but with no Steiner high school in the area we have to decide - crazy religious school (for an athiest and an agnostic)or public. Sigh. 'spose we have a while yet...
ReplyDeleteWell done (and high school too - fabulous work!!). We did the same. We went state in the end too - as there is a fabulous country school with 150 pupils 5kms away from our house. Big pink is in grade one now and middle pink starts next year. My big headache has been more around which year to start middle and little pink - as they are march/april babies. I've choosen to hold them both back so they'll be the eldest rather than the youngest in their classes.
ReplyDeleteI had the same dramas. Though in the end we went with the local state primary which is 400 metres from home. It was probably always going to be the decision, but I felt like I had to do my homework before arriving at the most obvious (and hopefully best) choice.
ReplyDeleteIt feels like SUCH a big decision. But I know the school experience will depend very much on teachers, other kids, the friends he makes, etc.
Very excited now he's been accepted. It'll be a long wait until next year.
Such a hard decision. I grew up in this town and a number of my friends have taught at a few of the local schools, which helped my information gathering enormously.
ReplyDeleteWe decided on a school that we used to travel across town to get to, and then bought a house around the corner. With 7 years between our eldest and youngest we're going to be there for 12 years of so all up so may as well be nice and close!
We've had ups and downs, many of which have become more understandable with our recent discoveries about our boys. But I really feel we've made the right decision. It was worth all the early information gathering :)
This post made me giggle... In one of my circles of friends the school you went to is SO important so the day after my toddler was born we were already being asked at which Melb private school we were putting his name down!
ReplyDeleteWe've just moved suburbs so I have no idea which primary school is good... Am hoping that we meet some people who will shed some light! Thankfully we have a coupe of years.
Tis a funny thing the old school debate...
My children started out in a private school, we moved interstate and they went to the local state school. We have this year had to make high school decisions... it is so hard, but for us, we put aside what we though may or may not be best and thought about what the right school for our son would be - after all it's him who has to go there not us. In the end we chose and were accepted into the local Catholic all boys school. For him it is the right decision, they have a very good social justice programme, and year nine is handled extremely well, as this can be a difficult time for children developmentally.
ReplyDeleteif you had asked me when he was younger if we would consider a catholic school or a single sex school my answer would have been hell no!
But here we are happy as can be, as is our son.
We have a school about 200m from our front door so I didn't even look around! It is small (300 kids) and has a good reputation, so we just signed Nugget up. Doo Dah starts next year too! The biggest decision for us when Nugget started was whether to send him or not (April birthday). It was a great relief when we made the decision (we sent him), so I know how you must be feeling. It is very exciting and scary all wrapped up in a kebab roll huh? x
ReplyDeletemy first child started in a big fancy private school were she spent all her time at the doctors with anxiety issues or in tears because she hadn't earned an award that week. When my son started the next year we decided to try a smaller private school that apparently had a community feel. My daughter didn't learn a thing and my son just didn't fit in, he was diagnosed with ASD and the school offered no support so now we are home schooling and loving it. All anxiety issues are gone and they are back to being interested in learning. It's a lot more work than I every imagined I would be doing and a totally different path education wise than I would have ever thought to take but at the moment it suits us fine.
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