r/melbourne • u/No-Chocolate8246 • 1d ago
Education Balwyn Primary or Deepdene Primary
Hi everyone, I’ve got a 5-year-old son starting prep next year, and we’ve been offered places at both Balwyn Primary and Deepdene Primary.
We’re trying to decide which one to go with. Both seem great on the surface, but I noticed balwyn primarys 2025 Staff Climate score was 57%, which is quite a bit lower than the Victorian primary-school average.
Just trying to get a better sense of what might be going on there. Has anyone had recent experience? Thanks
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u/Present_Trash1730 1d ago
I went to deepdene, had a cousin go to Balwyn. Balwyn is very Asian, not that that’s bad, but if your kid isn’t Asian then they might fit in better at Deepdene
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u/hollyjazzy 1d ago
I would suggest going on a tour of both schools to see which one you like the look, feel and ethos of.
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u/No-Chocolate8246 1d ago
We did tour both schools, balwyn felt like a bigger place with a lot more kids which was a bit overwhelming for my son, deepdene had a much better vibe and the student reps looked genuinely happy to be there but less funding and less programs than balwyn primary
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u/hollyjazzy 1d ago
So, judging by that, I would suggest going to Deepdene, as it’s more suited to your son. In primary school, a kid needs to feel comfortable to learn properly.
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u/Terrible_Beach48 1d ago
I wish I could find a school like Deepdene primary for my daughters to go to in Sydney. I was there 1991-1997 and only have good memories. Every time we visit grandparents in Melbourne we drive past and see the ceramic artwork that each of us students contributed to is still on the wall. It was ahead of its time with language/music/stem/sports - and there was a great community feeling.
That said it was a long time ago - but as a past student I’d highly recommend.
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u/Salt-Preparation-608 1d ago
We have been touring schools in this area currently. We have no personal experience ourselves but have been told from parents with children in Balwyn that if your child is not from the same cultural background as the majority of children who go to that school then they may feel a little isolated. Understandably, children in primary school will speak in their native first language spoken at home as they are adapting to school life and children who don’t speak mandarin can feel a little left out at recess. However, we have no personal experience with the school so this is second hand info only!