Schools for post O'levels

We hope you enjoy your visit.

You're currently viewing our forum as a guest. This means you are limited to certain areas of the board and there are some features you can't use. If you join our community, you'll be able to access member-only sections, and use many member-only features such as customizing your profile, sending personal messages, and voting in polls. Registration is simple, fast, and completely free.

Join our community!

If you're already a member please log in to your account to access all of our features:

Schools for post O'levels
Topic Started: 20 Mar 2007, 03:06 AM (372 Views)
Pikachu	20 Mar 2007, 03:06 AM Post #1
Addicted Member Posts: 173 Group: Members Member #1,263 Joined: 20 March 2007	Hi, Currently we live in England, but have the strong possibility of getting a placement with my company to Melbourne around July / August for a couple of years. We have 4 boys - aged 15,12,12,10 and would really appreciate some ideas about good schools and what's available. Our main concern is the eldest. He's going through GCSE at the moment (already taken and got 2 A* and one GCSE A-level). He's self motivated and intelligent and is looking to do the following A-levels - Photography, Spanish, History & English. So our job is to find something in Melbourne that would equate to that. As an aside, one of our 12 year olds is a talented tennis player. So for schooling for the younger ones we would need to factor in that they're sporty. The company is based in the Box Hill area and so I guess that we would be looking at a location not too distant from that. Any information really appreciated



mugatu	20 Mar 2007, 05:46 PM Post #2
Member Posts: 22 Group: Members Member #1,157 Joined: 9 February 2007	Hi there, If you would like to do a search on which schools offer certain subjects, you can check it via this link: http://schlprv.vcaa.vic.edu.au/schoolsstudiessearch/ Unfortunately not too many schools offer Spanish as part of their regular curriculum, however it is sometimes possible to study a subject not offered at one's school either through distance education or Saturday morning schools, particularly for languages. Then your son can take one less subject at school, and the marks for his Spanish can count towards his Victorian Certificate of Education. Best to enquire about the possibility of doing this with the school first, just in case there is some bureaucracy involved in this! There are quite a few history subjects taught in the final years of high school, the most common one is Australian History, but there are also subjects devoted to revolutions and Renaissance Italy among others. Most schools in Victoria have good sporting fields, although only the top private schools would have their own tennis courts. Nonetheless, physical education is a focus of nearly all schools, and if you are looking for specialist tennis training, the eastern suburbs are home to lots of tennis clinics and private coaches. I'm an Aussie native so I can't help you with the comparisons between 'A Levels' and the high school leaving certificate known as the Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) unfortunately, except to say that the VCE is awarded for the satisfactory completion of the last two years of high school, and the results of the final year are calculated into a score for university entry. All the best, Mugatu



mugatu	20 Mar 2007, 05:59 PM Post #3
Member Posts: 22 Group: Members Member #1,157 Joined: 9 February 2007	The VCE is recognised in most places internationally, but there is also the option of completing the IB (International Baccalaurate) which is an international high school certificate. This might be handy if your family is planning only a temporary stay in Australia, but if decide to stay a while longer, it is recognised in Australia too :) The IB is only offered at a few private schools (you can check which ones in the same link as for searching subjects), and I think Spanish is one of the subjects, although maybe it is not offered by all the schools.



Pikachu	20 Mar 2007, 09:02 PM Post #4
Addicted Member Posts: 173 Group: Members Member #1,263 Joined: 20 March 2007	Thanks that's really useful - I'll check out the site. At the moment the plan is to stay for a couple of years and see how we get on. If we like it - to stay for longer, or come back to the rainy old climate here :-)



The Gunners	18 May 2008, 06:16 AM Post #5
Member Posts: 15 Group: Members Member #2,117 Joined: 19 April 2008	HI There I have (I hope) some sound advice for you. We have been researching for some time now as our son is in the same position. He is just doing his GCSEs also and we wanted a school that offered the IB. Unfortunatley we have discovered that you have to pay for the IB. The current costs are up to 20K (dollors) per year thats without uniform and stationary costs etc. The main emphasis for us was the spanish and sciences. We have since found a school that offers both and that is Heathmont Secondary college - (state school) the website does look very impressive and Wantirna looked OK but not as up to date) :D whic isnt too far away from Heathmont. The students will be able to take the spanish as part of their VCE. Again like yourself we are unsure as to what stage our son will be at once he starts attending school there. If you have any more information that would be great. Hope what I have said is of use to you. Also it appears that they have to do the current year again to prepare for the IB (even if they have done it already here) which means paying for 3 years. We have telephoned a couple of the schools in Melbourne who offer this and they have clarified this. This is due to the school years in OZ being slightly different. It has been painstaking to say the least as that is all our son wanted to do but it appears there are just as many routes in australia as there are in UK to achieve their chose careers. Let me know how you get on.


« Previous Topic · Schools · Next Topic »