Loyola College, Watsonia School Reviews

Loyola College, Watsonia

School Reviews

By Parent - 15 Aug 2024, Rate: bad

This school is awful, poor teachers and lack of teaching. Principal got fired for sa which is very outrages there are plenty of other good schools out there like SMC which I transferred my child there and it was a beautiful school and had a great education system, although the school looks nice it is because they make the students clean up for the open days so t looks nice but my child has many complaints about this school which was really sad to hear so I transferred her to another school and she just graduated. Was going to send my second child here but looking at the reviews I don’t really think so anymore. The prices are also outrages. Just spent 10k in one year.

By Parent - 16 Apr 2024, Rate: excellent

I espagnol they no tech well i thouth this be good schl but i get bulleyed and they dont tech me good very bad sowwy but i dont like it

By Student - 23 May 2023, Rate: poor

The school cares so much about appearance they dont give a damn about education, You come to this school and take a look at our grounds and such, they take so much pride in there name and precocious uniforms and strict uniform policies but i can assure you most of the staff are poor and will just pop up a YouTube video on the screen and read off a book. We value religion and sport over everything and the religious teachers will force there religions upon you.

By Student - 29 May 2022, Rate: excellent

Got a Handy from a teacher... Great school

By Employee - 29 May 2022, Rate: bad

One of the teachers looks like Jaba the Hut. She made me give her a full body massage for a tenner

By Student - 15 Mar 2022, Rate: excellent

love loyola the best school

By Student - 27 Apr 2021, Rate: poor

lots of bullying wouldn't recommend

By Alumnus - 30 Mar 2021, Rate: poor

A lot of bullying and not much focus on core subjects like Maths/Science

By Alumnus - 07 Nov 2019, Rate: good

the alumnus thats second from top goes to the school and he is an idiot

By Alumnus - 07 Nov 2019, Rate: bad

It's a terrible school and i advise not to send your child to loyola college. 1 teacher that i hated during my time at Loyola was ms saunders. If you do send your child here, make sure you dont get ms saunders

By Parent - 04 Nov 2019, Rate: poor

Extremely unprofessional leadership team and principal. They take weeks to get back to an applicant after a job interview. Highly corrupted and they often take on crap teachers while someone who really deserves it misses out, all because of a clown show pony of a principal who is only concerned with uniform and image.

By Parent - 04 Sep 2019, Rate: excellent

My Sidikins came home cruing 1 nite saying that da schol siad that it don't matter what you feel its wat u look liek on the outside with uniform and education is apperantly bad!!! UNEXCEPTEBLEEEEEE!!! MY SIDIKINS NEVER LIES! I LOVES MY SIDIKINS I ALWAYS BELIEVES HIM NO ONE BE TOUCHIN HIM I LOVE HIM!!! NO SIDDIEEEE STOP DRINKING MILK STRAIGHT FROM THE COWWWWWWW!!!! (5 stars).

By Alumnus - 02 Sep 2019, Rate: bad

meow dis school is redonkulous and bad and also uniform is bad and students are doo-doo and care bears need love 2. Sport is baaaaaaaaad.

By Parent - 31 Aug 2019, Rate: bad

Just another whacko Catholic school that considers religious studies, uniform protocol, extra curricular activities and sports more important than a proper education.

By Parent - 02 Jan 2019, Rate: poor

Gorgeous environment but poor school culture. Parents and students are narcissistic, entitled and capable of bullying and discrimination. School has attempted to address but behaviour of students has been getting progressively worse. Unfortunately reputation has been damaged and many parents are looking at moving their child or overlooking as a suitable option.

By Parent - 10 Oct 2018, Rate: bad

Beautiful on the outside soulless on the inside. All students are treated as a collective group and not as individuals. The management and care for students who might be struggling is non existent. In fact it’s irresponsible dangerous and unethical. Their ethos is quite corrupt and definitely not in line with christian principals. If you’re looking for a nurturing school, a school that embraces individuality, a school that genuinely cares about their students well being, a school that goes above and beyound to help their students and genuinely wants to see your child succeed, then Loyola isn’t for you.

By Parent - 13 Feb 2018, Rate: bad

Hi All,
Good to read your comments on Loyola. My son is on waiting list, as we come from non catholic background. He is a very bright student, done well in his interview, still on waiting list. Regardless of student ability and how good the student is, they preference is Catholic. I find it is discrimination.
I have send emails to the principal, call to the college but they have not courtesy to knowledge. Well after reading comments, I think I have to look for other school, I find North side Christian in Bundoora is quite better, their staff, Principal are nice they talk to you nicely and explain things very clearly.
I am considering to send my kid to North Side Christian.
At least I don't have to deal with arrogant principal and staff of Loyola college

By Parent - 09 Oct 2017, Rate: bad

worst school ever, please don't send your children here. they only care about appearance and school rankings, not education. some teachers are amazing, most are terrible. find another school asap, my children and many of their friends (also including mums I'm friends with children) hate it. save your money, not worth it. principle is selfish and doesn't care about anything but money.

By Parent - 23 May 2016, Rate: excellent

A fantastic catholic school that has supported all 3 of my children allowing them to flourish. Excellent facilities, grounds and caring staff, wonderful range of subjects and broad co curriculum offerings. Many Faith in action opportunities allowing young people to grow. Thank you Loyola!!!

By Alumnus - 12 Mar 2016, Rate: excellent

This school is a dismal mess. The admin are a bunch of wanna be elite private school posers... that's why they probably spent all the government handouts on landscaping, inscribing religious symbols into the dirt with absolutely no moral or religious education to match the facade (unless you count "Finding Nemo" and "Leo and Stich" as morally instructive and sophisticated enough to be "studied" by a Yr 12 RE class), or they renovate buildings which needn't be renovated in the first place.
Don't be fooled by the beautiful Old Jesuit Convent, this school's quality is skin-deep. You're not going to get what you're paying for. They give students are hard word about the uniform policy but they won't impart a decent education because their both incapable of doing so and know that selling their school as an elite private school is easier through implementing a tough uniform policy rather than improving their academic standards. They have so much fat to cut from the curriculum and have teachers who often substitute youtube videos for the work you are paying them to do.
There are a few high quality teachers at the school who really care about their students. Unfortunately these are few in number and the students there don't care enough to seek them out.
Nor are the students receiving a "well-rounded education". Being well-rounded doesn't mean giving equal weight in the timetable to pass-times such as "Cooking" and "Dance" and "Wood" to the core subjects Maths and English. Infact why the school is failing so badly in the rankings is because they spend so much time teaching bullshit and neglect the most important subjects that will give students a chance of getting professional work. Sure there is room for those disciplines- but outside of class time and not at the detriment of one's learning the most fundamental subjects.
The whole school reeks of mediocrity and apathy and their inflated self-worth makes me sick.

By Parent - 14 Dec 2015, Rate: excellent

The last of 3 sons has just finished at Loyola College and their time there has helped to prepare them for their life beyond secondary school. The school professes to develop the whole person, and I think this has been followed through. Programs such as community services have helped develop an understanding of those whose circumstances are different and all aspects of the curriculum and co-curriculum have been equally valued. Grounds are magnificent, in part due to the efforts of parents at well-attended working bees.

By Student - 01 Dec 2015, Rate: bad

Teachers are bad, princapal is a dictator that could not give a damn on helping kids that are strugling, uniform policy is absoulouty rediculous, exams in year 8 are just stupid and overal school looks like a dump unless your going on a school tour which they make the students clean up for. I have seriously never seen toilets that bad and locker rooms just filled with trash and rubbish. The only thing keeping me here is that all my friends go here and i really dont want to start some where else.

By Parent - 12 Oct 2015, Rate: poor

Students are seen as a way of improving school ranking and not as individuals there to be educated. Any student requiring a different approach to education and engagement is made to feel second rate and ultametly pushed out, this is a poor reflection on both the administration and teaching staff. Let's face it bright, ambitious kids will be successful anywhere, these are the only students Loyola wants in their ranks. So much for Christian values..... Don't expect individual needs to be catered for. The school is very good at portraying an image of nurturing young students, however individuals are not catered for. Fit in or get out should be the schools motto.

By Student - 10 Sep 2015, Rate: bad

I rate this school absolutely atroshes and appaling it is the worst school ever to be created in the history of the universe! Why on earth was ACS created? Why are people who hate sport forced to join a sport club with full on training and games after school hours? Why are students forced to change out of school uniform into sport and then back into school uniform? It's the worst thing ever. Why do year 8s do exams? Why is looks more important than education? I demand I leave this school now! I hate it never ever go there.

By Student - 04 Sep 2015, Rate: average

As a student at Loyola College I am contemplating to leave. According to this school, my looks and how I present myself is more important than my education, you can obviously tell this by if you're wearing wrong coloured socks or your hair is to light for their liking they will send you home. This school's education system is average, the teaching is average. The facilities are great, however the rules and learning technniques that this school brings to the table brings the facilities way down. As someone who attends this school, I would refuse to let my children complete their schooling here. The only reason I stay at this school is because I feel comfortable with my friends here and I dont want to make new friends.

By Employee - 19 Feb 2015, Rate: excellent

MEOW.MICROWAVE OVEN.$5.67 HUNDRED DOLLARS, BLACK. PRAC. GUYS. SHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

By Student - 19 Feb 2015, Rate: poor

I'm currently attending this school, I think they are too strict with looking good and having correct uniform. Then they get all shitty when girls wear makeup to cover insecurities.
They say to "make new friends" then force students to stay in house groups with all the people from their primary school which they most likely know already.
Why do the teachers focus more on if boys shirts are tucked in and girls makeup than the students learning? I agree this is a big point staff should be focusing on when students are outside the school grounds, but seriously, why do they make it a big thing during school? Just let students enjoy their time being a teenager and stop constantly bugging them about their looks GOSH!!!
Another rule which many of us disagree with is the rules of changing in and out of our sport uniforms, why do you like to make high school hell for us? Do you like watching us struggle that much? School is very stressful and on top of all that stress about exams and assignments, you then make a very complicated rule about changing! IT MAKES NO SENSE!!! Since when does whether a student is wearing normal or sport uniform have any affect on there ability to learn?!
I also strongly dislike when the teachers say "I know, I'm so sorry I honestly don't like chasing you around about makeup and dress lengths" if you really didn't like it then why don't you discuss it during teacher meetings?
Now that I'm done with focusing on a few of the bad points of Loyola, I'll note some of the good things,
I'm really happy with a lot of the teachers and opportunities this school gives students, whether it be acting, singing, design, reading, chess or other activities we might enjoy, this school has a club or opportunity for us to show off our skills and maybe even enhance them.
I do admit that many of the teachers and staff that work at the college are disliked and are in one way or another absolutely terrible at teaching subjects but there are quite a few of those amazing teachers who students really can work well with and learn properly from.
The only reason I wouldn't want to leave this school is because of my friends that I get to hang out with everyday. Other than that I would not mind transferring schools. Please Loyola staff, get your act together!
Sincerely,
A student who is stressed out and overloaded with work.

By Parent - 14 Dec 2014, Rate: poor

The Principal is egotistical, and self centred . Runs the school like a dictator. Glad I got my child out of there. Doesn't care about education only school ranking. Gets rid of anyone who is struggling. Better Govt and private schools out thetre.

By Alumnus - 13 Sep 2014, Rate: poor

I regret completing my VCE at Loyola College. I should have stuck with my first choice and fled after year 10 and finished my education at TAFFE. Teachers were religious nutters, and the other students were just weird and nasty.

By Alumnus - 12 Mar 2011, Rate: good

I started at Loyola in year 7 (1987) and graduated in Year 12 (1992).

There were some excellent, dedicated teachers who made all the difference for me. Their dedication and persistance made me take notice and take my learning into my own hands. These skills and responsibility have remained with me.

Perhaps not PC, however the gradual thinning of the student ranks of those who were disruptive as we approached Year 10 was very well appreciated by those of us who wanted to learn and achieve something in life.

We were streamed into ability levels in almost all subjects. This was excellent as you did better when surrounded by peers on your wavelength. Also, if you wanted to be in the top class, you knew what you had to do to get there.

The extra push we received from our teachers during the VCE were fantastic. As the VCE was a new system, on occasion teachers would go to extraordinary lengths to help us succeed. Truly beyond the call of duty and I am forever grateful. I'm not sure if it was the Catholic feeling of the school or just the types of people who are attracted to teach at a place like this which made that difference.

One thing I believe Loyola could improve on, and perhaps this is general in the school system, is a more interesting sports program. Playing rounders, football and other team sports with boys is not the way to go to get girls into sport. I believe girls and boys need to be separated out more so the playing field is more even.

Pastoral care didnt mean much to me however I did appreciate learning about religion and the community feeling it generated.
Loyola has had some very successful alumni, not just in the material sense (and its had its share of those) but as well as being well rounded individuals. I believe the high school experience plays a large role here.