Why we chose this school
We chose this college because it was lose to where we currently live. We moved a while back so it wasn't too important to choosing a school. Yes we pay the highschool fees to send my son there. It looked like a good school and I think it was worth paying for.
What we like and dislike
We really enjoy how friendly the culture is there. I am happy I chose a co-ed school for my son to go to because he seems to enjoy having friends with boys and girls and spends lots of time with them. If we had to change something, it would probably just be uniform prices. But I think most uniforms cost the same in schools around so.
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Compared with other schools
I had to buy an iPad for my son to learn on, and he seems to use it a lot in his studying. I also get updates if something happens, but my son usually just tells me if he needs to get something for school. No need to improve.
Balancing academics and wellbeing
Yes I think the school does. They have many policies on stopping bullying and showing respect to everyone, no matter grade or gender or what. My son has built a respectable character over the years and I attribute some of it to his schooling.
Expectations versus reality
I didn't expect the school to be extremely academic. I just wanted my son to grow up with some good friendships, but the school does have award ceremonies and celebrate academics well. I would say it met my expectation because of how they acknowledge good grades.
Support for students who struggle
The school has a lot of support systems. My son is lucky enough not to need any of them, but they have EAL/D help for English second language, and a referral process. The process can let students have different support like autism, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, and speech difficulties.
Bullying and the social scene
My son has only had very minor bullying issues as a kid. In year 8 there were some kids playing a bit rough with him, but I think he managed to resolve it himself with some friends. Stretton has a standard of teaching kids equality and what to do in cases of bullying, so I think it's been pretty well.
The surrounding area and safety
Most recently with the floods, the school was at risk but otherwise things are okay. My son doesn't do any sports or things and I usually drop him off early and pick him up on time so there aren't many issues. I don't recall seeing many suspicious people nearby.
The parent community
I do see some parents of the younger kids sometimes talk after school while waiting to pick their younger ones up. Stretton has a nice community but I think the closeness between parents is a bit mixed.
How the school works with parents
Stretton releases a newsletter monthly and sometimes I see updates in there, probably from parents asking for things. When there are many complaints or important issues they also send out emails sometimes addressing queries. I think they should release the newsletter bimonthly so there are more updates.
Experience of the sports program
My son doesn't do sports, but he said his friend enjoys it a lot. Lots of talking with the lads and playing some good matches on the field. I don't think they need much improvement.
Experience of arts activities
Again, my son doesn't do any extracurricular activities. He said they do sometimes show off arts and maybe drama performances at school sometimes though. SInce I don't know much I don't think there is a need for improvement.
- What the sports program emphasises: Skill development & participation, Inclusivity & team spirit
