Wanniassa school opinions

I’ve been a parent at Wanniassa School for 15 years. It is an amazing school, and I have been into or involved with every single public school in Canberra, so I do have some contextual understanding.
Wanniassa is a small school but has a strong emphasis on values and relationships and it shows. The kids are lovely and so are the teachers (they never want to leave).
If you’re into that stuff, their NAPLAN scores get better and better each year too, I believe as a result of the settled, happy student population. Why not your a few local schools and see what you think?

Opps, I was thinking of Taylor Primary in Kambah, not Urambi.

2604 said :

Antagonist said :

Perhaps also consider Urambi School just up the road …

It closed in 2010.

Namadgi School. The ‘super school’ on the site of the old Kambah High. My bad …

My two boys attend Wanniassa Hills Primary School. My sister’s son attends Fadden Primary. We chose Wanniassa Hills over Fadden, and are happy with that choice. I have no direct observations to make on any other schools. My own school was an elite private school in Sydney and my experience there led to me having misgivings about private education.

Overall, we’re happy with Wanniassa Hills. They are definitely a caring and responsive school.They have been quick and diligent in responding to concerns and feedback we have occasionally raised. They care for and make obvious efforts to support children with special needs. They provide a good range of experiences for the children there, but compared to a private school, definitely done on a shoestring. In my view, there are virtues in that. Like any school, there are better teachers and weaker teachers. There’s a good mix of racial, religious and socio-economic backgrounds among the pupils, laying the foundations for compassion and understanding in life and work.

HenryBG said :

Of four primary schools in Wanniassa, Wanniassa Hills is ranked the lowest:
http://bettereducation.com.au/school/Primary/act/act_primary_school_rating.aspx
It was ranked 75th overall among Canberra Primary Schools in the 2013 NAPLAN.

St Anthony’s scores quite well overall, and Trinity Christian College is among the best in the Territory.

Additionally, it is probably worth pointing out that Erindale College is (by far) the worst-performing college in the ACT:
http://bettereducation.com.au/Results/ACT.aspx?yr=2013
Absolutely appalling.

Why do we judge a school based on it’s overall performance or NAPLAN results? What’s to say the OP’s child/children aren’t good students? The performance of a school is only determined by the makeup of the students. Any child can excel at any school if they dedicate themselves and do their best. Nothing is stopping them from upstaging the rest of their class mates who might be more reflective on the NAPLAN results or average performance.

To the OP – send your children to a school that makes YOU comfortable. No point sending them to the best school in town if you’re making them spend 3 hours each way on bus etc. If your children are good children they’ll be able to shine wherever you send them.

Wanniassa Hills Primary School has a dedicated group of teachers and executives working to uphold its mission, which is to ‘nurture creative, confident and independent children’. I would ask what qualities are you looking for in a school?

This school ticks the following boxes:

• a belief that ALL students can learn
• creates safe learning spaces for all students
• attracts teachers who CARE about student learning and adapt their instruction to meet the needs of their learners (a recipient of the National Excellence in Teaching Awards is on their staff)
• adjusts as the needs of students change
• makes the curriculum relevant to the lives of their students (all students participate in activities in the purpose built Environment Centre to explore concepts associated with sustainability)
• creates an inclusive environment for primary school aged students who speak a language other than English (assisting integration into the Australian community) and
• works in partnership with parents, students, school staff and the community.

Success can be measured in many ways. My first hand experience of this school is that children are learning through positive experiences that create a pathway for future success. Best wishes with your decision.

Antagonist said :

Perhaps also consider Urambi School just up the road …

It closed in 2010.

HenryBG said :

Of four primary schools in Wanniassa, Wanniassa Hills is ranked the lowest:
http://bettereducation.com.au/school/Primary/act/act_primary_school_rating.aspx
It was ranked 75th overall among Canberra Primary Schools in the 2013 NAPLAN.

St Anthony’s scores quite well overall, and Trinity Christian College is among the best in the Territory.

Additionally, it is probably worth pointing out that Erindale College is (by far) the worst-performing college in the ACT:
http://bettereducation.com.au/Results/ACT.aspx?yr=2013
Absolutely appalling.

What HenryBG said. If you’re set on public, go for Fadden Primary or Urambi Hills. Otherwise, the two provate schools are both good.

Perhaps also consider Urambi School just up the road …

Of four primary schools in Wanniassa, Wanniassa Hills is ranked the lowest:
http://bettereducation.com.au/school/Primary/act/act_primary_school_rating.aspx
It was ranked 75th overall among Canberra Primary Schools in the 2013 NAPLAN.

St Anthony’s scores quite well overall, and Trinity Christian College is among the best in the Territory.

Additionally, it is probably worth pointing out that Erindale College is (by far) the worst-performing college in the ACT:
http://bettereducation.com.au/Results/ACT.aspx?yr=2013
Absolutely appalling.