There is a lot of discussion about whether public schooling or private schooling is better for your child. We are often asked the question from clients, is it worth it?
The short answer is, if you can afford to live the lifestyle you desire and can afford private schooling then, perhaps it is. There are of course many other factors when considering education for your children like location, facilities, curriculum and perhaps school rankings.
Take for example Perth College versus say Willetton Senior High School, PC was ranked 19th in the 2011 School rankings compared to 10th for Willetton. The senior school fees for PC were ~$18k pa plus uniforms etc compared to ~$500 pa plus uniforms for Willetton. Does this mean Willetton will achieve better grades for your daughter than PC ? The school rankings obviously change from year to year depending on the students assessed so past rankings aren’t always a true reflection of future rankings. In 2008 PC was ranked 12th compared to Willetton’s 20th.
From a Tertiary entrance point of view, students aren’t excluded or admitted from a university because of which school they went to, but their Tertiary Entrance Aggregate (TAE) which is a measure amongst all schools public or private. The TAE‘s are then used to rank every school.
A school is only as good as the teachers they employ, the principals they adopt and embrace the student’s dedication to school work and the parent’s involvement with their child’s education. Some of the private schools offer exceptional sporting, music and art facilities that may better suit your child’s development, but no amount of money can buy a better result for your child.
What are your thoughts?
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