Does anyone have any experience of either St Patrick's Shorncliffe or Nudgee College? We are looking for a new school for our son (year 6) and he needs a boy's school that is nurturing but sports-focussed. Any comments would be appreciated.

If you are looking for a sports focused school look no further than Nudgee College. Well disciplined school and very sports focused and they have the equipment and playing fields to match.

I wouldn't recommend St Patrick's to anyone.

Source: Ex-St Patrick's Shorncliffe student for 6 years.

Hi Pyrotix, thanks for your feedback. Must admit that the reports of St Patrick's that I have heard haven't been that glowing. Bit concerned that they have no playing fields on campus etc. Would you be willing to divulge some specifics as to why you wouldn't recommend it? Just generally like. Only we are between a rock and hard place about what to do with/where to send our son and we appear to be up against enrolment deadlines. Looks like people enrol their sons at these schools before they are born!!!!! Understand if you don't want to comment.

When I first showed an interest in IT at school, I changed my study choices so that I had the best chance of having the skills I needed to get in to the industry. But because I wasn't a A+ student in Math the school/teachers had no interest in supporting my career choice.

In fact, I remember quiet vividly one of the computer study teachers saying to me in year 11. "You are wasting your time with this subject you simply don't have the mathematical or problem solving skills to be a programmer".

I eventually ended up leaving St Patrick's before the end of year 12 because I felt as though I was getting nothing from it. The classes were over crowded (30+ students to a small room) the rooms weren't air-conditioned and so when it was 30+ degrees and you are going about your day with a compulsory tie all year round, it makes your life that bit more unbearable.

The teachers were biased to students who performed well in inner-school sports. One student in particular was a state runner for the school and when he decided life was too hard and took it out on another student by punching him out cold the school looked the other way to his behavior.

I eventually ended up leaving St Patrick's before the end of year twelve because I was fed up with everything that was St Patrick's. The teachers lacked enthusiasm and quiet frankly didn't give a crap.. you were given a book to read and the teacher would go and play on his/her laptop for the hour long class.

I went on to study in private colleges and by the time I was 18, I had completed my Diploma in Information Technology Systems Administration and was in the final year of completing my MCSE and CCNA certification.

Today I'm a Application Developer / Analyst .. with no thanks to St Patrick's.

Many thanks Pyrotix for your candid and honest feedback. I really appreciate this. Notwithstanding I can completely understand why you are reticent about recommneding St Pats to others. As someone who works in a high school I understand how things work and not always to the benefit of the student! I congratulate you on your fortitude and your continuation of studies to complete a Diploma. Good job! As for us, the appeal of St Pats is diminishing under a cloud of doubt and a feeling that this school is probably not right for our son. He is no academic but a great sportsman. With a few other bits and pieces to consider, we feel that we need to keep looking.

Once again, so many thanks for your frank and open comments. And by the way, I started off as a programmer and my maths teacher told me much the same as yours did and I went on to be an operations shift leader for a team in one of London's biggest banking processing facilities. It's so great to prove people wrong sometimes........