Will they feel safe? Will they make friends? Will they enjoy coming to school each day?
Choosing a school for your child is not just about the year ahead. For many families, particularly those considering a Prep to Year 12 private school, it is a decision that shapes far more than a timetable or uniform. It becomes a commitment that influences years of learning, friendships, personal development and family life.
When a child first begins school, it is natural to focus on the early years.
Year 12 can feel impossibly far away.
Yet the school chosen in those first moments has the potential to shape every stage that follows. Families who remain within one school community often experience fewer academic disruptions and stronger peer relationships. Over time, familiar teachers and support staff come to know the whole child, understanding not only their learning needs, but their strengths, challenges and personality.
This continuity builds trust and confidence, allowing students to grow steadily year by year.
Choosing well from the beginning is less about finding the “perfect” school and more about finding one willing to walk the full journey alongside your family.
At The Lakes College, each stage of learning is intentionally connected. Transitions between year levels are intentional, matched for the age and stage of the child and designed to feel natural rather than overwhelming, supported by consistent expectations and a shared approach to learning. This stability reduces the need for students to continually re-adjust and instead allows them to focus on growth. Our research informed play-based approach in the early years allows children to confidently navigate school life and step into their Upper Primary journey with the right dispositions and attitudes to learning in place. Confident in themselves and their community, students in Year 6 embark on a first-rate transition program in Secondary School that includes information evenings and an Experience Year 7 Day. A strategically placed camp for our Year 7 students, along with masterclasses from curriculum leaders in the school and an inspired and innovative curriculum program sets Year 7 students up to belong to a community, believe in their ability, and become the best versions of themselves. As students approach the senior years in Year 10, the curriculum broadens, allowing each child to follow a program of study that they are good at, enjoy and find sufficient challenge. Coupled with work experience, a signature two-week camp experience, senior-ready classes and personalised pathway meetings, students finish Year 10 with a strong knowledge of who they are and ready to contribute to the world around them.
But the journey is never only academic.
When a child remains part of the same school community, belonging becomes central. Students thrive when they are known - by name, by strength and by story. Through a broad co-curricular program including sport, music, performing arts, service learning opportunities, quality study opportunities, and student clubs, our young people are encouraged to explore interests and develop confidence over time. These opportunities become richer when involvement grows across several years, rather than beginning again and again.
The College-wide approach to pastoral care ensures students are supported at every stage, not only when challenges arise, but through everyday connection and care. Teachers who have known students since their earlier years are uniquely positioned to understand where they have come from and what they need next.
One family reflected on the profound impact this continuity can have:
“As parents, we are deeply grateful for the unwavering support, encouragement and opportunities provided throughout our child’s school journey. The guidance, dedication and care of the school community played a significant role in helping our child grow, achieve and develop confidence. These achievements would not have been possible without that support.”
As their child prepared to step into life beyond school, the value of a long-term educational partnership became even clearer. “Now, as they move into the next chapter of life, we are confident they are well prepared,” the parents said. “The Lakes College has helped lay a strong foundation; academically, personally and in character.”
For students approaching the final years of schooling, that sense of belonging matters deeply.
A Prep to Year 12 journey is not simply about reaching graduation day. It is about the years in between, the relationships formed, the confidence built and the steady shaping of young people ready to step forward with purpose.
At The Lakes College, it is a journey walked together; from the very first day of Prep, through to the final steps into life beyond Year 12.
This continuity builds trust and confidence, allowing students to grow steadily year by year.
Choosing well from the beginning is less about finding the “perfect” school and more about finding one willing to walk the full journey alongside your family.
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Choosing a school for your child is not just about the year ahead. For many families, particularly those considering a Prep to Year 12 private school, it is a decision that shapes far more than a timetable or uniform. It becomes a commitment that influences years of learning, friendships, personal development and family life. When a child first begins school, it is natural to focus on the early years.
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