Why we chose our local high school (and why it is unusual)

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Our number 2 child starts high school next year.  I've written more about our decision here. All we did was tick the box on the form for our in area state school.  We like the school.  Principal seems on the ball.  Teachers like teaching there.  Kids we've met from other families are loving it.  But only three kids from her primary (in area for this high school) school are actually going there.

It seems to have got to the point that actually going to the local is unusual.  Sometimes what you know always seems worse than the unknown in this case.

Have you seen the kids truant?  Well they do that everywhere.  Have seen kids hanging out the front smoking?  Sorry to say this, but that also happens everywhere.  Have you heard kids swearing as they wandered home from school?  Also everywhere.  Welcome to the world that is the joy of adolescents.

So if you're thinking about high schools, don't dismiss your local too quickly.  I'm surprised by the number of people who haven't even gone through the front door to visit their local school.  Remember all the kids who actually are in school.  Are they happy?  Are the teachers happy?  Is the school serious about caring for their difficult students?  Is the school committed to learning?

You might be surprised once you get past the ratty kids and the bad paint job.

Comments

Katie said…
Seriously!! Only 3!! Where are they all going?
November 2, 2012 at 10:36 PM
Sarah S said…
Now living on the other side of the world, my daughter talks of that same local school as her ideal. She loved it!
November 3, 2012 at 1:42 AM
Karen said…
Thank you again for a great post. I have probably been a bit guilty of noticing the negatives outside the fence at our local high school so I think it is time to start going inside a little bit more since we are going to need to start thinking about a high school decision in the next year or so :) Thanks for the reminder that it's not that different from making a decision about primary school...
November 5, 2012 at 10:19 AM
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