International primary school in Melbourne

[kori]

Hi! We will soon move to Melbourne with an 8, a 7 and a 4 year old. We are traveling expats from Europe, and the kids so far attended international schools. Im searching the net for one in Melbourne, but cant find one. Im sure local schools are fine, but I dont want them to be the only foreign kid in the class, and I dont want them to follow a curriculum focused to much on Australia, as we will move in two years to the next posting.Please anybody knowing a good school or having advice for my on the issue, contact me!
Thanks so much!
Kori

[newtoOZ]

English-medium international schools exist mainly in countries that aren't English-speaking. You might find a Japanese-medium school in a major city in an English-speaking country, but they would be overkill here. Since you are willing to pay fees for an international school, just look at private schools instead.

[kori]

Thank you for your reply. A had of course a look at the listed private schools, but they all are religieus, wich is not my prefferance, moreover, there seem to be no christian school in Melbourne that takes both boys and girls. I would like my children together in the same school, easyer for schoolruns aswell. However, the point is not to have them in a private school but in an expat school, with children in the same situation.
Have a nice day!

[newtoOZ]

I don't think you are going to find that in Australia. Most ex-pat children attend the local schools. Religious schools are not necessarily steeped in religion. In the US, at least, a lot of very good private schools and universities are technically religious schools but are very secular, with all kinds of students. Bill Clinton, Southern Baptist, attended Georgetown University, which is a Jesuit school, and Yale, which I think is Presbyterian. He sent his daughter to Sidwell-Friends, which is Quaker. The Catholic schools in Washington DC have 40% non-Catholic enrollment, including a substantial Muslim enrollment. So church related schools can be a viable alternative.

But that won't get you what you want, which is to give your children the comfort of being around others in a foreign environment.

[kate45]

Kori ..to my knowledge expat schools do not exsist in Australia. Most children attend the local Government funded school or attend Private schools.There are Christian schools in Melbourne but it will depend on where you are living. Most religious schools are not as religious as they sound. Go to the Victorian Department of educations website in the parents section click on About Schools and you should be able to find what you want from there.

[kate45]

For some reason I can't post the web address for you but if you google search Department of Education Victoria and then search only pages from Australia it should come up.

[newtoOZ]

katie45 -

To prevent spam, you have to reach a certain number of posts before you are allowed to post links.

[newtoOZ]

One more thing. I did find an 'American school' in Sydney, so there is at least one.

katie45 - I think she has kids who have always been in international schools and wants to keep it that way. It just isn't going to work for her. At least she has the option of private schools in Melbourne. In some places it's the local schools or nothing.

[expats come home]

Originally Posted by kori

Hi! We will soon move to Melbourne with an 8, a 7 and a 4 year old. We are traveling expats from Europe, and the kids so far attended international schools. Im searching the net for one in Melbourne, but cant find one. Im sure local schools are fine, but I dont want them to be the only foreign kid in the class, and I dont want them to follow a curriculum focused to much on Australia, as we will move in two years to the next posting.Please anybody knowing a good school or having advice for my on the issue, contact me!
Thanks so much!
Kori

Hi Kori
I am a teacher from Melbourne with kids of my own currently in London. We left Wesley College in Melb, which while not advertised as international is very international. I highly recommend this sschool and would return there with pleasure. Check it out. Oh and whilst it is affiliated with the uniting church it is not a religious school but advocates principled moral values. Good luck.

[MandM]

Hi expats come home, i am a teacher looking to move to melbourne. can you give me any basic advice on the differences in the education systems?