How to Find a Good Secondary School in Melbourne

Posted by Sophia Addison on February 27th, 2018

Are you a parent with a teenager moving into Melbourne? Perhaps your child will soon graduate from middle school. In any case, finding a good secondary, or high, school in Melbourne is essential for parents who want to make their child’s transition as easy as possible. Your child will encounter a more challenging environment, both socially and academically speaking, in secondary school. Here are several tips for finding a good school that your teen would love:

Decide between Public and Private Secondary Schools

It’s always a dilemma for parents to choose between private and public schools. In the state of Victoria, where Melbourne is located, government schools are well run and have highly praised academic programs. However, you might want to consider private schooling for your child as well. Private schools, known here as independent schools, are most beneficial if you want your child’s education to follow a particular religious tradition. Government-funded religious schools are practically nonexistent in Australia. Plus, some independent private schools follow particular education philosophies that might suit your child’s needs best. Therefore, if the finances are not a major concern, you can consider private schooling.

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Check Our State or National Examination Performance

You can ascertain to a certain level how good a secondary school is by finding out the current students’ standard examination performance. Check the VCE scores for students in various secondary schools. If a school’s students routinely perform well on these national or state-wide tests, then that’s an indication the school has a good curriculum that fosters academic achievement. Your child will have a better chance of attending a good college if he or she goes to one of these high-achieving secondary schools.

Consider the Proximity to the Family Home

When choosing a school, always consider the location. You will be sending a teen to school, and it will not be easy for your kid to deal with a long and stressful commute to and from school. If he or she participates in afterschool programs, you might want the commute to be as short as possible. Therefore, give priority preference schools located near your home. Keep the commute at 30 minutes or less ideally.  

Does Your Child Need a Specialisation School?

Would your child perform better at a school that specialised in drama or science? Specialisation schools in Victoria can harness talents child’s have for arts or science. These schools focus on a specialisation, such as performance art or STEM subjects, to focus on learning in that particular area. If you think your child can benefit from specialisation, you can consider one of these schools in the state.

Learn about the School’s Teaching Philosophy

Do check the school’s website to learn about teaching philosophy and academic programs. Private schools tend to have their own philosophy so learn about it more before admitting your child.

When choosing a secondary school, always consider your child’s needs first above the convenience for parents. The school should be able to foster not only your child’s academic needs, but social and emotional development as well. If your teen doesn’t like the school, there no point in forcing him or her to go. So when choosing a secondary school, consider your teen’s input as well.