Ask RiotACT: Schools in Weston Creek area

The most recent NAPLAN results were released on the Your School web site last weekend. As people often say don’t rely on NAPLAN alone as it has some limitations. However it shows some standout schools and others to avoid like the plague. In your area Chapman has a good record.

Tuggeranong primary schools on the other hand now fill 7 of the bottom 8 places and the Namadgi superschool has dropped to the worst high school in the entire Territory. A sad indictment on how the government has let Tuggeranong schools and students fall off the edge since the school closures a decade ago.

I don’t know if it’s too late to help, but I personally attended both Chapman and Duffy and volunteered at Arawang so I have some experience. Only Chapman has a truly “open plan” layout – some classes in Duffy share large rooms, but it’s usually 2 classes of the same year level to make shared activities easier. Most of the classrooms in Arawang are entirely closed plan.

Both Duffy and Arawang have excellent teachers, but you might want to check on the canteen arrangements, as a lot of schools in the area have reduced canteen hours due to a lack of volunteers.

If your kids are closer to later year primary school, Arawang could be better as it is very close to the local high school (Stromlo High), which makes transitioning easier for some.

Ok so with further research have discovered a lot of the schools have open classrooms! All the studies show that these are not good for learning. Had decided Duffy or Arawang as Chapman full but worried about this classroom thing.

Thanks that’s a great help so far. Am coming from another state where they currently attend an outstanding public school with loads of activities, a great canteen and very motivated teachers would be devaststing to end up at a school that doesn’t make them happy or excel! It sounds like none of the schools are atrocious so have a bit of research to do.

As you see above there are 3 Government Public Schools in Weston Creek. Chapman is pretty full while Arawang and Duffy are running around 80% or so. Coombs in Molonglo – Charles Weston Primary has capacity for 700 and started with around 300.
2 catholic Schools St Judes in Holder and St John Vianney in Waramanga.
As well, the Montessori School in Holder, The Orana School in Weston goes though to Year 12 I think and the Islamic School in Weston also.
So a lot to lookat but some of the Government ones do have restrictions on out of area enrolement.

Lots of schools to choose from; Arawang, Chapman, Duffy to name a few. Visit the schools and ask for a tour. Charles Weston is very popular for teachers, as they are still ‘creating’ their own image. Duffy Primary is amazing, with lovely staff and students (but of course I am biased!)

Out of area consideration is a talk you’d have to have with each principal directly.

Take a look at Charles Weston Primary. Rather confusingly it is in Coombs, and thus actually in Molonglo not Weston Creek, but still very close.

It opened this year. Great staff and amazing facilities.