Choosing your child’s secondary school

Over the last half century the proportion of children in private education has increased very significantly. In the 1970s less than one quarter of children attended private schools and now the proportion is over one third, and still climbing. For some parents top private schools are a status symbol. Certainly the choice of schools, particularly secondary schools, is a topic of intense, continued and somewhat polarised interest among parents. In this article I look at some of the general issues surrounding public and private education and school choice, and then I make some suggestions as to how parents, in individual circumstances, could proceed.

Why some parents choose private schooling

One important reason why increasing numbers of students are enrolling in private schools is the negative perception of public schools. This perception has four overlapping aspects: (1) lower standards and achievement, (2) lack of moral values and weak social environment; (3) high levels of immigrant population; and (4) lack of discipline and safety. But are our public schools this bad? The only useful way to look at this, as far as parents are concerned, is to consider exactly which public schools their sons or daughters might attend, if a public school is desired.

Selective schools, which are public of course, and some comprehensive schools, generally speaking, outperform private schools. Although that having been said there are a very small number of public schools which have exceptionally high achievement levels. Research into achievement is ongoing and perhaps is not as conclusive as some would like. However the general finding is that when factors such as social class and family wealth are taken into account educational achievement is relatively independent of whether the child attends a public or private school. In other words a large part of the favourable educational performance of many private schools is due to the type of students which attend and to their parents. This is precisely why some public schools, in certain demographic areas, outperform most private schools, and even some selective schools. Killara High and Cheltenham Girls, both in Sydney, are examples of these high performing public schools. Understandably parents are very keen to have their children enrolled in these types of schools, and for some parents this keenness degenerates into a range of dishonest tactics. Schools have had to become far more skilful in detecting dishonest parents.

It is true that many schools have students which are years behind in English, science and maths. Sometimes these children come from low socio-economic and disadvantaged backgrounds. This can make quite a difference, even in kindergarten, with these children having for example a much smaller vocabulary, already. These effects are so powerful that even capable children from a disadvantaged background can struggle to achieve their potential. There is extensive research internationally on this issue of educational equity. There is also ceaseless argument in the literature about the exact contributions of student natural ability, motivation, socio-economic background and the nature of schools and teaching practices.

Many public schools would have students from a non- English-speaking background comprising at least half of their enrolment. In private schools, especially independent private schools, the proportion would usually be less than one quarter. In top performing selective schools the number of students having a language background other than English would be over 90 per cent, and would comprise mostly children of Asian origin. These children worked hard to get into these top schools, and they work hard when they get there. One student, whom I know, transferred into a top selective girls’ school. After she attended an orientation day at a new school I asked her what she thought. She said she was surprised because she saw children in their classrooms working quietly and paying attention. And that’s just the difference—this wasn’t happening at her old school.

Private schools can have problems

Parents should not make the mistake of assuming that in a private school their children are protected from negative behaviour and events. Actually, far from it. Private schools are not immune to bullying, violence of different types, substance abuse, and even sexual assault. One well known private school, quite some years ago, was the subject of action in the Children’s Court as a result of a number of boarding students being sexually assaulted. These students were tied up, and assaulted, while the attacks were filmed. In the Children’s Court a total of 29 nine charges were laid against the perpetrators. There are only two points to be made—the parents thought that this private school could offer their children a level of protection. Second, students who carried out the assaults, actually over a long period of time, were not frightened to do so, and were not frightened of the consequences. They believed they would never be brought to account. All this was a shocking indictment of the school culture and the headmaster’s leadership.

Growing disorder in public schools

Indeed the issue of discipline and order is of paramount importance. Unfortunately some public schools are worse than zoos. I say worse because in zoos the animals stay in the cages. If you want a generalisation I would say that in at least one third of public schools student behaviour is a serious impediment to learning and general educational progress.

Over the last 15 years or so violence in public schools has steadily worsened. The number of calls to police has increased, as have attacks on teachers. Consider for example what happened at Merrylands High School in Sydney, in 2008. A small gang of students, aged 14 to 16, from a neighbouring school, entered the school and attacked 18 people, as well as causing thousands of dollars worth of damage. This is one reason why schools now have such high fences, a relatively new development, much indicative of the changed educational world.

Not every school of course has this type of situation. But the point is that it only takes a relatively small number of disruptive students, including those with mental health issues, perhaps only 10 per cent in total, to make a real difference to the quality of teaching that takes place and to the overall school climate and tone. Any culture of learning is seriously degraded.

In choosing schools parents must do what it takes to get their children out of these types of schools, and ideally never to go there in the first place. There are choices that can be made, and these of course include selective school entry. Unbeknown to most parents, applications can be made to selective schools during Years 7, 8, 9 and 10, to start at the new school in Years 8, 9, 10 and 11. Of course it’s difficult, as apart from the application during Year 10, there are very few places. Even if children fail such an attempt to change schools the effort put in may well increase their performance level.

Are private schools worth the expense?

Private schooling, and this includes boarding, may be a necessity for some parents. They may live in country areas, or there may be a limited choice of public high schools, as is the case in Sydney’s eastern suburbs. Generally, if parents can afford the fees, then they have the choice of a private school—a choice which the Australian system of education certainly allows and supports. Private schools however are expensive and fees are increasing faster than the rate of inflation. Top private schools are now charging over $30,000 for a Year 11 or 12 education, and there are significant expenses on top of that.

Is it worth it? Private schools can provide extra facilities, more extensive and better resourced excursions, and additional education and cultural experiences for example, in sport, music or information technology. In general parents can expect an increased emphasis on moral or religious values. However students study essentially the same curriculum as public school students, and the quality of teachers is the same, except that private schools may have more freedom to terminate the services of unsuitable teachers. Although students may have more respect for their teachers private schools still have their problems.

Some parents then would feel that a private school education, while offering a number of clear benefits, is not worth the amount of money, which over the course of secondary school is quite substantial. Quite bluntly a child can be given many educational opportunities for this type of money. Not paying private school fees might also allow the whole family to secure a better financial future through investment etc. Remember that university expenses have to be met.

Really it does boil down to individual circumstances, and this brings me to the second part of this article, how individual families can set about making decisions about secondary schooling.

A step-by-step plan for choosing your child’s school

The first step is to understand that school choices usually have to be made within the family’s geographical area. Other things being equal students should not be travelling extensively each day to go to school. Some students are travelling as much as three hours a day and indeed I taught such a student. This Year 12 girl lived in Hurstville but travelled to James Ruse Agricultural High School. She could have gone to Sydney Girls High, or North Sydney Girls High, which would have cut hours from the weekly timetable. But she travelled that distance because she believed that James Ruse had a magical quality. This is not something which should be generalised. Far too often mothers are providing a morning and afternoon taxi service and putting their own lives on hold. Additionally, such hard working mothers may find it very difficult to obtain employment—they have given all the time to the children. The educational outcome is likely to be no better in most cases.

The second step is to consider how important traditional, religious and moral values are. For some parents religion is essential. Even so they may have difficulty in entering a particular school, because there are fewer vacancies. If values are so important then the family and students may have to make sacrifices. Sometimes children start at public schools but then find that they are not longer comfortable with what they perceive their school’s moral values to be. This results in the decision to start private school education. Indeed one such example was recently reported in The Australian newspaper.

The third step is to understand that thinking only about public or private schools as a general choice can be quite unproductive. In reality for most families the choice comes down to just two or three schools, and usually the choice is independent of any preference for public or private schooling. If the family circumstances are limited then the issue is how to get the child into the best public school possible, within the reasonable constraints of transport.

The fourth step is to investigate the choices. This can be done by talking to friends, by reading NAPLAN results, and HSC results, and by studying the school website. It is important for families not to make the mistake of thinking that if a school is high on the league table then automatically their son or daughter will achieve higher. This is not so, and indeed if the child does not fit in to the social and cultural climate of the school, he or she may in fact do worse. Teachers find it hard to convince parents of this fundamental truth.

Parents must visit schools—more than once

Schools should be visited. Sometimes there are special open days and these should be attended, as a great deal of information is made available, for example the types of courses on offer. But parents must understand that much of what they see and are told is a public relations exercise. Schools are very keen to capture the very best students they can and achieve a flow on effect. Good students and their parents produce good results, and this attracts more good students. Entry standards over time can be raised and the school can gradually evolve to something better and higher—well at least that’s the plan. But it’s a plan that is certainly taken seriously by private schools since they have freedom to select students.

A second visit should be made at some other time. Parents should arrive during lunchtime and have their visit extend over into the first period after lunch. If possible parents should not enter the school from the front gate, but some other gate, perhaps even getting ‘lost’. The purpose here is simple—to ascertain the type of students at the school and their level of behaviour. It really is important to take a strategic approach. The aim is to observe the school at its worst. After all, this is exactly what your son or daughter will have to put up with. Visiting a school early in the morning is of no value. Even the most hopeless school can manage to struggle through possibly the first hour, before the police have to be called.

Some time ago I needed to visit a high school and I parked my car three or four blocks away. As I walked to the school I came upon groups of students, standing in the street smoking. I continued on only to meet a group of teachers, also smoking. So far, not good, and I had not yet reached even the school gate. But I proceeded on to the central reception area, and if you want to learn something about a school this is one place to see. There should not be a large number of students simply hanging about, or having some sort of an argument at the counter. If the school receptionist asks you to wait then be thankful. Sit down and open your eyes. Sometimes parents, in going to work, may have to drive past a particular school in which they are interested. Groups of children might be waiting for the bus. Again, pay attention.

Before visiting a school parents should study the school website in detail, including details of children and parents undertaking various activities. This will help decide if your son or daughter is going to fit in. Really this is perhaps the most essential point—the son or daughter simply has to be happy to get up on Monday morning and go to school. If they are not happy then nothing good educationally can happen.

Once you finally get to see someone at the school ask for a copy of the school’s yearbook. A great deal of information can be gained here. Look for the key indicators, for example Anzac Day. How a school observes this important day, an essential part of Australian culture and heritage, can be very informative about a lot of things. Ask about special programs in place, enrolment procedures, and entry standards. The school may for example have a great number of remedial classes, no doubt given a more positive label. For some parents this is a good thing, but for others it might even be a reason to look for another school. The longer you make your visit to the school the more information you will have. In smaller schools it is important to know what subjects will be available.

If the school is co-educational the sex ratio is important. In some schools there are fewer girls than there should be because the girls won’t put up with the unruly and unwanted behaviour of the boys, and this trend particularly accelerates after Year 10. Your daughter, in her senior and most important years, could be surrounded by a bunch of bozos. Ask about the careers advice and support available at the school. Also ask about where most of the students go after Year 12.

In all this decision making, involve your son or daughter. However don’t be swayed by complaints that they will lose their friends. They can make new friends. Do the best you can to get your son or daughter into the school which will be best for them and that’s not necessarily the ‘best’ school. Then start Year 7. After a while, a long while actually, if your child is unhappy and unable to perform at their best then changes may be possible. But certainly try to get it right the first time.

Boarding schools may not be as bad as you think

Parents who live a long way out into the country may of necessity have to consider a boarding school. Boarding schools have improved in their facilities, educational resources, and approaches to teaching young people. Boarding schools today are more sensitive to problems such as homesickness in young children, and teachers can be very effective at working with students and their families to enable children to make the transition. It is important that parents and their children take a positive approach and not see boarding schools as something to be endured or even survived. Today boarding schools can actually provide a range of opportunities which normal public high schools cannot. Sports and a range of extracurricular activities can all be participated in without the need for parents, for example, to get up early in the morning and transport their child.

So good luck with your secondary school selection. Start the decision making process very early, and obtain as much information as possible. Visiting schools is essential. Remember that when all is said and done your child has to be reasonably happy to go there. Good luck.