Young couple (one a Teacher) considering moving to New Zealand - advice please
Mar 26th 2016, 9:54 pm
#16
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Re: Young couple (one a Teacher) considering moving to New Zealand - advice please
I felt compelled to respond to your post as I feel, and I may well be completely wrong, but you are looking at all the positives but not taking on board the less positive notes people have made. I think we have all done this to some extent.
But with regard to teaching, as Mrs Fychan says there are huge numbers of NZ trained and qualified teachers covering all age ranges of teaching and the number out of work is significant - with many moving overseas to get jobs. Although you would have 5 years experience, in NZ terms this will count for little as it is not 'NZ experience', and they are very very keen on this. As for being more highly thought of as a profession, I would suggest it is very similar in terms of how the UK views teaching, working hours will still be long and some of the deprivation is a regular feature on the TV news. At my daughters graduation 2 years ago (she's not a teacher), the education dept were part of the ceremony and I was astounded at just how many newly qualified teachers there were there, and certainly highlighted the problem well - and this was just one ceremony from one university and there are 8 uni's with 2 graduation ceremonies each year.
In NZ there is a definite preference for NZ trained and experienced staff for many professions. We moved here some 8+ years ago and I had 15 years nursing experience, but it took me almost 4 years to get a casual job and I had to start right back at the beginning in a nursing home - and this happens a lot. I was looking for a permanent part time job, my preference, but NZ seems to not like part time workers very much and although this may not apply to you now, it may if you start a family.
We lived on one wage for 4 years, and that was really hard going but is a reality of moving overseas at times.
Don't get me wrong, we have grown and developed since being here, although we are returning in May but to a different part of the UK from Manchester where we lived previously. I have seen our daughters develop a wonderful breadth of experience they would not have had in Manchester.
But please keep it real, take on board the stuff you aren't so keen to read, and although everything is always subjective, some things such as cost of living are based in facts. Costs are high. We currently pay $680/week for our rental which equates to 1375GBP/month. Our commute to the city takes anything from 50 -90 mins and is weather dependent. And we have learned to live with things like power cuts etc, that I thought I had left behind in the 1970s in the UK. Housing quality isn't great. We don't have double glazing, insulation and have one heat pump for the entire property.
If you can visit in the future do so, but again this will still feel like a holiday - even the first 6 months living here does, but you will at least see some of the houses etc.
Good luck, I wish you very well.
But with regard to teaching, as Mrs Fychan says there are huge numbers of NZ trained and qualified teachers covering all age ranges of teaching and the number out of work is significant - with many moving overseas to get jobs. Although you would have 5 years experience, in NZ terms this will count for little as it is not 'NZ experience', and they are very very keen on this. As for being more highly thought of as a profession, I would suggest it is very similar in terms of how the UK views teaching, working hours will still be long and some of the deprivation is a regular feature on the TV news. At my daughters graduation 2 years ago (she's not a teacher), the education dept were part of the ceremony and I was astounded at just how many newly qualified teachers there were there, and certainly highlighted the problem well - and this was just one ceremony from one university and there are 8 uni's with 2 graduation ceremonies each year.
In NZ there is a definite preference for NZ trained and experienced staff for many professions. We moved here some 8+ years ago and I had 15 years nursing experience, but it took me almost 4 years to get a casual job and I had to start right back at the beginning in a nursing home - and this happens a lot. I was looking for a permanent part time job, my preference, but NZ seems to not like part time workers very much and although this may not apply to you now, it may if you start a family.
We lived on one wage for 4 years, and that was really hard going but is a reality of moving overseas at times.
Don't get me wrong, we have grown and developed since being here, although we are returning in May but to a different part of the UK from Manchester where we lived previously. I have seen our daughters develop a wonderful breadth of experience they would not have had in Manchester.
But please keep it real, take on board the stuff you aren't so keen to read, and although everything is always subjective, some things such as cost of living are based in facts. Costs are high. We currently pay $680/week for our rental which equates to 1375GBP/month. Our commute to the city takes anything from 50 -90 mins and is weather dependent. And we have learned to live with things like power cuts etc, that I thought I had left behind in the 1970s in the UK. Housing quality isn't great. We don't have double glazing, insulation and have one heat pump for the entire property.
If you can visit in the future do so, but again this will still feel like a holiday - even the first 6 months living here does, but you will at least see some of the houses etc.
Good luck, I wish you very well.
Mar 27th 2016, 12:44 am
#17
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Re: Young couple (one a Teacher) considering moving to New Zealand - advice please
Just go for it x if it works it works if it doesn't then you tried at least you can't say in years to come what if!!! we are on our way back after 5 years in the UK can't stand this country and have never felt more at home anywhere than when we were in nz.(this isn't Eden is it??)
We do kind of have the mind frame of you only live once one minute. Then we go OMG we have no savings & are going to have to use all the money from the house & could potentially lose it all, the next.
Also, I think the cost of living & housing situation is the big sticking point for us at the moment. I just don't know if we can afford it with the wages that we will be earning. & if we can I think we will struggle.
I really don't want to move half way around the world, from all our friends & family & then be bloody miserable because we are struggling.
The thing is we've worked hard to be able to buy a house here. If we lose all the equity we will never be able to afford to own our own home in the UK again. This is huge for us. There aren't many people our age who have managed to both get married & buy their own home.
Do you originally come from NZ?
What is it about the UK that you don't like?
What do you think is better about NZ?
Mar 27th 2016, 12:57 am
#18
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Re: Young couple (one a Teacher) considering moving to New Zealand - advice please
I felt compelled to respond to your post as I feel, and I may well be completely wrong, but you are looking at all the positives but not taking on board the less positive notes people have made. I think we have all done this to some extent.
But with regard to teaching, as Mrs Fychan says there are huge numbers of NZ trained and qualified teachers covering all age ranges of teaching and the number out of work is significant - with many moving overseas to get jobs. Although you would have 5 years experience, in NZ terms this will count for little as it is not 'NZ experience', and they are very very keen on this. As for being more highly thought of as a profession, I would suggest it is very similar in terms of how the UK views teaching, working hours will still be long and some of the deprivation is a regular feature on the TV news. At my daughters graduation 2 years ago (she's not a teacher), the education dept were part of the ceremony and I was astounded at just how many newly qualified teachers there were there, and certainly highlighted the problem well - and this was just one ceremony from one university and there are 8 uni's with 2 graduation ceremonies each year.
In NZ there is a definite preference for NZ trained and experienced staff for many professions. We moved here some 8+ years ago and I had 15 years nursing experience, but it took me almost 4 years to get a casual job and I had to start right back at the beginning in a nursing home - and this happens a lot. I was looking for a permanent part time job, my preference, but NZ seems to not like part time workers very much and although this may not apply to you now, it may if you start a family.
We lived on one wage for 4 years, and that was really hard going but is a reality of moving overseas at times.
Don't get me wrong, we have grown and developed since being here, although we are returning in May but to a different part of the UK from Manchester where we lived previously. I have seen our daughters develop a wonderful breadth of experience they would not have had in Manchester.
But please keep it real, take on board the stuff you aren't so keen to read, and although everything is always subjective, some things such as cost of living are based in facts. Costs are high. We currently pay $680/week for our rental which equates to 1375GBP/month. Our commute to the city takes anything from 50 -90 mins and is weather dependent. And we have learned to live with things like power cuts etc, that I thought I had left behind in the 1970s in the UK. Housing quality isn't great. We don't have double glazing, insulation and have one heat pump for the entire property.
If you can visit in the future do so, but again this will still feel like a holiday - even the first 6 months living here does, but you will at least see some of the houses etc.
Good luck, I wish you very well.
But with regard to teaching, as Mrs Fychan says there are huge numbers of NZ trained and qualified teachers covering all age ranges of teaching and the number out of work is significant - with many moving overseas to get jobs. Although you would have 5 years experience, in NZ terms this will count for little as it is not 'NZ experience', and they are very very keen on this. As for being more highly thought of as a profession, I would suggest it is very similar in terms of how the UK views teaching, working hours will still be long and some of the deprivation is a regular feature on the TV news. At my daughters graduation 2 years ago (she's not a teacher), the education dept were part of the ceremony and I was astounded at just how many newly qualified teachers there were there, and certainly highlighted the problem well - and this was just one ceremony from one university and there are 8 uni's with 2 graduation ceremonies each year.
In NZ there is a definite preference for NZ trained and experienced staff for many professions. We moved here some 8+ years ago and I had 15 years nursing experience, but it took me almost 4 years to get a casual job and I had to start right back at the beginning in a nursing home - and this happens a lot. I was looking for a permanent part time job, my preference, but NZ seems to not like part time workers very much and although this may not apply to you now, it may if you start a family.
We lived on one wage for 4 years, and that was really hard going but is a reality of moving overseas at times.
Don't get me wrong, we have grown and developed since being here, although we are returning in May but to a different part of the UK from Manchester where we lived previously. I have seen our daughters develop a wonderful breadth of experience they would not have had in Manchester.
But please keep it real, take on board the stuff you aren't so keen to read, and although everything is always subjective, some things such as cost of living are based in facts. Costs are high. We currently pay $680/week for our rental which equates to 1375GBP/month. Our commute to the city takes anything from 50 -90 mins and is weather dependent. And we have learned to live with things like power cuts etc, that I thought I had left behind in the 1970s in the UK. Housing quality isn't great. We don't have double glazing, insulation and have one heat pump for the entire property.
If you can visit in the future do so, but again this will still feel like a holiday - even the first 6 months living here does, but you will at least see some of the houses etc.
Good luck, I wish you very well.
Thank you so much for your response.
I promise I have taken on board all the negatives. However, what I have felt is that everybody seems to be very negative about it all.
I haven't seen many positives, which makes me question why people do it.
In terms of the job situation. I would never even consider moving unless I was given a perm job with a salary that is on a par with what I get here.
So, if that means that I don't get a perm job offer, then we don't move. That is very clearly the end of it & it wasn't meant to be.
Both of us feel this way.
I think that I could get a job, however I do fear that this will be in areas where we don't want to live. Again, if this is the case, that I can only get a job in an area where we don't want to live, we will not move.
It is such a big commitment, you have to be happy with where you are going to.
We currently pay $680/week for our rental which equates to 1375GBP/month.
Wow, that is a lot. Do you live in Auckland? That really isn't an option for us. That isn't too far off my take home pay here in the UK! In all reality though we would be looking to find somewhere for about $600 a month because our mortgage is about £600 & I would be looking to earn a like for like wage (which if they based it off years of experience is about right.)
The living off 1 wage (mine) worried me massively. We simply could not afford this in the UK & I very much doubt that we could afford that in NZ either. The cost of living seems higher not lower.
working hours will still be long and some of the deprivation is a regular feature on the TV news.
Could you clarify what you mean by deprivation please?
Do you also mind me asking why you want to return?
Thanks again.
Mar 27th 2016, 2:02 am
#19
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Re: Young couple (one a Teacher) considering moving to New Zealand - advice please
child poverty is high, according to Unicef 1-4 kiwi kids are living in poverty. I know teachers that have to take food in for their classes so they at least know they get something to eat.
these are not the sort of things that Brand NZ will advertise but the sort of things you find out by living it so perhaps explains the negative responses. We are living it and informing those that will come after us the truth behind the hype. Look at it this way, what would you tell someone wanting to emigrate to UK who has never been, the hype from the Government to get trained people over or those that are living it.
these are not the sort of things that Brand NZ will advertise but the sort of things you find out by living it so perhaps explains the negative responses. We are living it and informing those that will come after us the truth behind the hype. Look at it this way, what would you tell someone wanting to emigrate to UK who has never been, the hype from the Government to get trained people over or those that are living it.
Last edited by MrsFychan; Mar 27th 2016 at 2:04 am.
Mar 27th 2016, 2:25 am
#20
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Re: Young couple (one a Teacher) considering moving to New Zealand - advice please
child poverty is high, according to Unicef 1-4 kiwi kids are living in poverty. I know teachers that have to take food in for their classes so they at least know they get something to eat.
these are not the sort of things that Brand NZ will advertise but the sort of things you find out by living it so perhaps explains the negative responses. We are living it and informing those that will come after us the truth behind the hype. Look at it this way, what would you tell someone wanting to emigrate to UK who has never been, the hype from the Government to get trained people over or those that are living it.
these are not the sort of things that Brand NZ will advertise but the sort of things you find out by living it so perhaps explains the negative responses. We are living it and informing those that will come after us the truth behind the hype. Look at it this way, what would you tell someone wanting to emigrate to UK who has never been, the hype from the Government to get trained people over or those that are living it.
In all fairness I have worked in a school in the UK (in Cheshire may I add!) where teachers were known to bring in food for pupils.
The same school provided breakfast for every person in the building as well though, I'm guessing they had funding to do this.
But I didn't realise that poverty was so high in NZ. It does explain why so many leave for jobs in Aus though. & it kind of doesn't surprise me because the cost of living is so high.
I'm struggling to see how we will afford it & I'm guessing a teachers wage in NZ is seen as pretty good?
I would 100% tell people the truth about the UK. The NHS seems nice on paper, but in reality it takes months for people to get appointments & ops. People who have been diagnosed as having cancer included. My counsins husband is now terminal because of mistake after mistake. He's waited so long to be seen that they now can't do anything. People are supposed to be seen within 2 weeks!
They thought that my brother had cancer last summer (luckily the tumors were benign). He was 31. He had 2 wait 2 months instead of 2 weeks to get his scans.
There are many things that I could say about the UK!
However, there are also positives..
So what would people say are the positive things about NZ?
I promise I have taken the negatives on board. In fact I will make a list of them. But I would also like to know the positive things too.
Mar 27th 2016, 2:50 am
#21
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Re: Young couple (one a Teacher) considering moving to New Zealand - advice please
As suggested, you need to do a recce. You might love it or hate it but better than the smell of burning bridges :-)
The forum posters are a mix of migrated and hated it (now back in uk or trapped and wished they could be in uk) and those who came over and settled in (love it or 'its better than uk'get on with it). You need to look at the posts and read between the lines or you will get totally confused by the opposite points of view.
I would add that after a few years many migrants develop a very rosy view of current UK conditions (especially if they are struggling). Possibly why you get ping pong migrants (UK to NZ, back to UK, back to NZ)
For example just read that the uk teachers union (NUT) have stated than many pupils are arriving at school hungry (and confused and unable to concentrate due to hunger) and don't start me on the NHS :-) This last comment is so you can tell where my bias is :-)
The forum posters are a mix of migrated and hated it (now back in uk or trapped and wished they could be in uk) and those who came over and settled in (love it or 'its better than uk'get on with it). You need to look at the posts and read between the lines or you will get totally confused by the opposite points of view.
I would add that after a few years many migrants develop a very rosy view of current UK conditions (especially if they are struggling). Possibly why you get ping pong migrants (UK to NZ, back to UK, back to NZ)
For example just read that the uk teachers union (NUT) have stated than many pupils are arriving at school hungry (and confused and unable to concentrate due to hunger) and don't start me on the NHS :-) This last comment is so you can tell where my bias is :-)
Last edited by Kotare; Mar 27th 2016 at 2:53 am.
Mar 27th 2016, 3:22 am
#22
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Re: Young couple (one a Teacher) considering moving to New Zealand - advice please
As suggested, you need to do a recce. You might love it or hate it but better than the smell of burning bridges :-)
The forum posters are a mix of migrated and hated it (now back in uk or trapped and wished they could be in uk) and those who came over and settled in (love it or 'its better than uk'get on with it). You need to look at the posts and read between the lines or you will get totally confused by the opposite points of view.
I would add that after a few years many migrants develop a very rosy view of current UK conditions (especially if they are struggling). Possibly why you get ping pong migrants (UK to NZ, back to UK, back to NZ)
For example just read that the uk teachers union (NUT) have stated than many pupils are arriving at school hungry (and confused and unable to concentrate due to hunger) and don't start me on the NHS :-) This last comment is so you can tell where my bias is :-)
The forum posters are a mix of migrated and hated it (now back in uk or trapped and wished they could be in uk) and those who came over and settled in (love it or 'its better than uk'get on with it). You need to look at the posts and read between the lines or you will get totally confused by the opposite points of view.
I would add that after a few years many migrants develop a very rosy view of current UK conditions (especially if they are struggling). Possibly why you get ping pong migrants (UK to NZ, back to UK, back to NZ)
For example just read that the uk teachers union (NUT) have stated than many pupils are arriving at school hungry (and confused and unable to concentrate due to hunger) and don't start me on the NHS :-) This last comment is so you can tell where my bias is :-)
Thanks for the advice. I am trying to take things (both positive & negative) with a pinch of salt, but with careful consideration.
Current UK conditions are not good. Schools are struggling, the NHS is struggling, the Conservatives seem hell bent on making sure that only the rich prosper (cutting benefits for disabled people, but making tax cuts for the rich. Nice one Osborne
)However, the UK is my home. As much as I can dislike it, I have worked hard to get where I am at work. Getting teaching jobs in decent schools is NOT easy, despite the fact that teaching conditions are getting worse & worse.
We have friends & family here.
I have a house that I love & a mortgage, so just picking up & saying "bye" is not an option.
If this all goes wrong, we will never be able to afford to buy a house in the UK again. That isn't a nice prospect.
We've also become accustomed to the UK. At the very least you can say that we have decent facilities. Supermarkets are cheap & plentiful (I would find that hard moving to NZ!)
As I said before, we would never move somewhere without visiting first. It may cost good few thousand to visit, but it will cost much more than that to move! And more again if you hate it.
But that being said, at the moment we are very much deciding on where we think could be the best place for us. We still need to research Canada as an option.
I've also started looking at Aus & we've decided that the only place that may work for us is Tasmania.
I would say so far the response has been very negative, so I am very much wondering, what are the good things?
I am somebody who likes the truth, but I am also somebody who likes to know all the options.
Oh & yes the debate on childhood poverty. I've literally just had this chat in the Australia thread where somebody said that 1/4 of children are considered in poverty in Tas.
I would have thought its the same for the UK.
Pensioners also have a very high poverty rate here too.
Mar 27th 2016, 3:39 am
#23
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Re: Young couple (one a Teacher) considering moving to New Zealand - advice please
No point in listing all the good things (again) have a trawl back through previous posts for six months and you will find them all listed (and disagreed with) :-)
Having lived/worked in all three - Canada, Aus and NZ are very different. The Canadian climate would prevent us living there and my wife hates the Aboriginal problems (plus the snakes) in Aus etc.
Not sure you have the resilience/desire (based on your posts) to change your whole way of life by migrating. As has been said before all of the above are foreign countries that just happen to speak English.
Best wishes
Ps you are mixing with the wrong pensioners, note the NZ pension is higher than the uk one (but taxed)
Having lived/worked in all three - Canada, Aus and NZ are very different. The Canadian climate would prevent us living there and my wife hates the Aboriginal problems (plus the snakes) in Aus etc.
Not sure you have the resilience/desire (based on your posts) to change your whole way of life by migrating. As has been said before all of the above are foreign countries that just happen to speak English.
Best wishes
Ps you are mixing with the wrong pensioners, note the NZ pension is higher than the uk one (but taxed)
Mar 27th 2016, 6:29 am
#24
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Re: Young couple (one a Teacher) considering moving to New Zealand - advice please
I'm not sure where you get $65,000 salary from? Teachers with a degree in their specialist subject and a teaching qualification start at $48,316, even with a couple of grand for experience, that doesn't put you near $65,000. You need to get your qualifications assessed and they may or may not take into account your UK experience. PPTA - Pay scales - what new teachers need to know
As for hours worked, at primary level, our set hours are 8-4pm and we have to do duty and road patrol (no dinner ladies here). I also work evenings and weekends and we get call back days in the holidays on top of the planning, marking and assessments.
The key thing is to remember NZ is an English speaking country but it is NOT the UK on the other side of the world. Things are different in terms of schools exams, curriculum, Treaty of Waitangi expectations, use of Te Reo, Registered Teacher criteria etc. and the way of life is different - not better or worse necessarily just different.
We came for a reccie before we moved and it was good to see areas, housing, schools, roads, shops etc before making the move. We are quite happy and have no intention of moving back. We've just been back to the UK for the first time in 6 years and were very happy to come back especially seeing the security around schools and London in general.
I'd advise you come for a reccie and visit schools, you will find them open and welcoming. There are A LOT of NZ trained teachers without jobs so it will be tough. Relieving is a good way of getting a foot in the door, but that wouldn't help you with a visa I don't think.
Good luck - it's a hard decision.
As for hours worked, at primary level, our set hours are 8-4pm and we have to do duty and road patrol (no dinner ladies here). I also work evenings and weekends and we get call back days in the holidays on top of the planning, marking and assessments.
The key thing is to remember NZ is an English speaking country but it is NOT the UK on the other side of the world. Things are different in terms of schools exams, curriculum, Treaty of Waitangi expectations, use of Te Reo, Registered Teacher criteria etc. and the way of life is different - not better or worse necessarily just different.
We came for a reccie before we moved and it was good to see areas, housing, schools, roads, shops etc before making the move. We are quite happy and have no intention of moving back. We've just been back to the UK for the first time in 6 years and were very happy to come back especially seeing the security around schools and London in general.
I'd advise you come for a reccie and visit schools, you will find them open and welcoming. There are A LOT of NZ trained teachers without jobs so it will be tough. Relieving is a good way of getting a foot in the door, but that wouldn't help you with a visa I don't think.
Good luck - it's a hard decision.
Mar 27th 2016, 8:06 am
#25
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Re: Young couple (one a Teacher) considering moving to New Zealand - advice please
If we are going to be talking about child poverty, we had better add that UNICEF believes that virtually every western country has a child poverty rate of 1 in 4. Lol. NZs standing isnt bad at all, comparatively speaking.
Mar 27th 2016, 9:44 am
#26
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Re: Young couple (one a Teacher) considering moving to New Zealand - advice please
Could open up a whole debate here about child poverty, children arriving at school hungry or something possibly even more contentious enforcing strict uniform standards when priorities for some families are just feeding themselves. But that would be going 100 percent off topic in providing feedback on the positives/negatives of a move.
Mar 27th 2016, 9:57 am
#27
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Re: Young couple (one a Teacher) considering moving to New Zealand - advice please
was responding to
"Could you clarify what you mean by deprivation please?"
my first thought was child poverty.
"Could you clarify what you mean by deprivation please?"
my first thought was child poverty.
Mar 27th 2016, 12:58 pm
#28
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Re: Young couple (one a Teacher) considering moving to New Zealand - advice please
I'm not sure where you get $65,000 salary from? Teachers with a degree in their specialist subject and a teaching qualification start at $48,316, even with a couple of grand for experience, that doesn't put you near $65,000. You need to get your qualifications assessed and they may or may not take into account your UK experience. PPTA - Pay scales - what new teachers need to know
As for hours worked, at primary level, our set hours are 8-4pm and we have to do duty and road patrol (no dinner ladies here). I also work evenings and weekends and we get call back days in the holidays on top of the planning, marking and assessments.
The key thing is to remember NZ is an English speaking country but it is NOT the UK on the other side of the world. Things are different in terms of schools exams, curriculum, Treaty of Waitangi expectations, use of Te Reo, Registered Teacher criteria etc. and the way of life is different - not better or worse necessarily just different.
We came for a reccie before we moved and it was good to see areas, housing, schools, roads, shops etc before making the move. We are quite happy and have no intention of moving back. We've just been back to the UK for the first time in 6 years and were very happy to come back especially seeing the security around schools and London in general.
I'd advise you come for a reccie and visit schools, you will find them open and welcoming. There are A LOT of NZ trained teachers without jobs so it will be tough. Relieving is a good way of getting a foot in the door, but that wouldn't help you with a visa I don't think.
Good luck - it's a hard decision.
As for hours worked, at primary level, our set hours are 8-4pm and we have to do duty and road patrol (no dinner ladies here). I also work evenings and weekends and we get call back days in the holidays on top of the planning, marking and assessments.
The key thing is to remember NZ is an English speaking country but it is NOT the UK on the other side of the world. Things are different in terms of schools exams, curriculum, Treaty of Waitangi expectations, use of Te Reo, Registered Teacher criteria etc. and the way of life is different - not better or worse necessarily just different.
We came for a reccie before we moved and it was good to see areas, housing, schools, roads, shops etc before making the move. We are quite happy and have no intention of moving back. We've just been back to the UK for the first time in 6 years and were very happy to come back especially seeing the security around schools and London in general.
I'd advise you come for a reccie and visit schools, you will find them open and welcoming. There are A LOT of NZ trained teachers without jobs so it will be tough. Relieving is a good way of getting a foot in the door, but that wouldn't help you with a visa I don't think.
Good luck - it's a hard decision.
Thanks for the comment.
When I looked at the pay scales it said that overseas teachers who met certain criteria (which it seemed I do) started on $51,200 at G3+ (I'm looking at 2017 because we definitely will not be moving in 2016). Then if you go down 5 pay scales for my experience that takes me down to T7 which is $64,800.
I've just worked that based off my UK system, so could be wrong of course.
But if I was earning any less then that it would be a no go before we even got started as I'm worried about us surviving on that salary, let alone any less!
We have always said that before we did anything we would go for a reccie. We are looking at Aug 2017 at the moment.
I have been in contact with a recruitment agency and will ask about wages because this is obviously huge.
Can I ask what hours you work in an average week?
& what call back is?
I know primary is a very different beast than secondary, but it would just be interesting to know.
As I've said before, I come from quite a nice safe area in the UK, but although teaching is part of our decision for possibly moving, it really isn't the whole reason.
Mar 27th 2016, 7:52 pm
#29
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Re: Young couple (one a Teacher) considering moving to New Zealand - advice please
Hi
Taking the figures from here Secondary teachers | Education in New Zealand. G3+ teachers start on $49,282 and have a maximum salary of $74,460. If you get an increment for each year (this is where I'm not sure what happens with overseas teachers), after 4 years you'd be on about $56,000. You stay a G3+ teacher within a salary band. I'm assuming it's a similar system for secondary and primary.
Call-back days are teacher-only days where we attend PD or similar during the school holidays. There are up to 10 days per year.
I work 8-4 every day at school plus 1-2 hours at home in the evening (because I have my own kids to look after too), whereas other teachers stay at school till 5- 6pm. I work 3-4 hours at the weekend too. Our shortest holidays are 2 weeks as we don't have half terms so at least there's a bit of a break before getting ready for the next term. Be prepared for 11 week terms!
Schools are independently run by a Board of Trustees, they are not run by the local authority so can vary in terms of curriculum, focus etc. There is a huge push by the Government at the moment on raising the standards of Maori students so make sure you read up on it Te Kotahitanga - Home - Te Kotahitanga is an example.
In terms of jobs/agencies have you contacted Education Personnel? They are the main teaching agency based in Wellington but deal with schools in Kapiti and beyond too. You will find there are more jobs out of the main centres. All jobs should be advertised in the Education Gazette, however they will not tell you if there is an internal candidate so make sure you ask before applying.
Come for a reccie - it is money well spent as it is a huge decision. Email a few schools before you come and they'll happily show you round.
Taking the figures from here Secondary teachers | Education in New Zealand. G3+ teachers start on $49,282 and have a maximum salary of $74,460. If you get an increment for each year (this is where I'm not sure what happens with overseas teachers), after 4 years you'd be on about $56,000. You stay a G3+ teacher within a salary band. I'm assuming it's a similar system for secondary and primary.
Call-back days are teacher-only days where we attend PD or similar during the school holidays. There are up to 10 days per year.
I work 8-4 every day at school plus 1-2 hours at home in the evening (because I have my own kids to look after too), whereas other teachers stay at school till 5- 6pm. I work 3-4 hours at the weekend too. Our shortest holidays are 2 weeks as we don't have half terms so at least there's a bit of a break before getting ready for the next term. Be prepared for 11 week terms!
Schools are independently run by a Board of Trustees, they are not run by the local authority so can vary in terms of curriculum, focus etc. There is a huge push by the Government at the moment on raising the standards of Maori students so make sure you read up on it Te Kotahitanga - Home - Te Kotahitanga is an example.
In terms of jobs/agencies have you contacted Education Personnel? They are the main teaching agency based in Wellington but deal with schools in Kapiti and beyond too. You will find there are more jobs out of the main centres. All jobs should be advertised in the Education Gazette, however they will not tell you if there is an internal candidate so make sure you ask before applying.
Come for a reccie - it is money well spent as it is a huge decision. Email a few schools before you come and they'll happily show you round.
Last edited by MOSO; Mar 27th 2016 at 7:56 pm.
Mar 27th 2016, 8:38 pm
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Joined: Mar 2016
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Re: Young couple (one a Teacher) considering moving to New Zealand - advice please
Hi
Taking the figures from here Secondary teachers | Education in New Zealand. G3+ teachers start on $49,282 and have a maximum salary of $74,460. If you get an increment for each year (this is where I'm not sure what happens with overseas teachers), after 4 years you'd be on about $56,000. You stay a G3+ teacher within a salary band. I'm assuming it's a similar system for secondary and primary.
Call-back days are teacher-only days where we attend PD or similar during the school holidays. There are up to 10 days per year.
I work 8-4 every day at school plus 1-2 hours at home in the evening (because I have my own kids to look after too), whereas other teachers stay at school till 5- 6pm. I work 3-4 hours at the weekend too. Our shortest holidays are 2 weeks as we don't have half terms so at least there's a bit of a break before getting ready for the next term. Be prepared for 11 week terms!
Schools are independently run by a Board of Trustees, they are not run by the local authority so can vary in terms of curriculum, focus etc. There is a huge push by the Government at the moment on raising the standards of Maori students so make sure you read up on it Te Kotahitanga - Home - Te Kotahitanga is an example.
In terms of jobs/agencies have you contacted Education Personnel? They are the main teaching agency based in Wellington but deal with schools in Kapiti and beyond too. You will find there are more jobs out of the main centres. All jobs should be advertised in the Education Gazette, however they will not tell you if there is an internal candidate so make sure you ask before applying.
Come for a reccie - it is money well spent as it is a huge decision. Email a few schools before you come and they'll happily show you round.
Taking the figures from here Secondary teachers | Education in New Zealand. G3+ teachers start on $49,282 and have a maximum salary of $74,460. If you get an increment for each year (this is where I'm not sure what happens with overseas teachers), after 4 years you'd be on about $56,000. You stay a G3+ teacher within a salary band. I'm assuming it's a similar system for secondary and primary.
Call-back days are teacher-only days where we attend PD or similar during the school holidays. There are up to 10 days per year.
I work 8-4 every day at school plus 1-2 hours at home in the evening (because I have my own kids to look after too), whereas other teachers stay at school till 5- 6pm. I work 3-4 hours at the weekend too. Our shortest holidays are 2 weeks as we don't have half terms so at least there's a bit of a break before getting ready for the next term. Be prepared for 11 week terms!
Schools are independently run by a Board of Trustees, they are not run by the local authority so can vary in terms of curriculum, focus etc. There is a huge push by the Government at the moment on raising the standards of Maori students so make sure you read up on it Te Kotahitanga - Home - Te Kotahitanga is an example.
In terms of jobs/agencies have you contacted Education Personnel? They are the main teaching agency based in Wellington but deal with schools in Kapiti and beyond too. You will find there are more jobs out of the main centres. All jobs should be advertised in the Education Gazette, however they will not tell you if there is an internal candidate so make sure you ask before applying.
Come for a reccie - it is money well spent as it is a huge decision. Email a few schools before you come and they'll happily show you round.
Again, thank you. I agree that I would (possibly) be looking at $56,000, pay scale T6 under the Current heading (although, to me this looks like it may have been based off 2014 figures) as I have 4 years of experience. However, I am not looking to move until Jan 2018 at the earliest. So my figures were based off the 2017 pay & T7 as I will have 5 years experience by then. This is the $65,000 that I was quoting.
Oh we have INSET days during the holidays too (you probably know this, lol) We have 5.
My current school actually tends to do them as lots of mini sessions after school. So for example the last 2 days of Easter this year are classed as INSET time, but we have done this after school instead.
It is both good & bad, to be honest.
I'm sure that you are aware, but there have been reforms put in place for all UK schools (including primary schools) to become academies by 2020. Which basically means that they will be run as individual businesses.
So, the NZ system probably won't be too different to how ours is going to be.
To be honest, the feeling is that this isn't good though. I currently work in a council school & when I was looking for jobs felt much better about this fact.
I have been in contact with Education Personnel actually, but thanks for the advice. We went to an expo & they were there, so I've signed up & I've also emailed them as well to give them more info on where I would be willing to work etc. They said that I won't have trouble getting a job, but it just depends on where that job is. Atm Wellington & Christchurch are our areas of choice. Although not in the actual cities. We would probably want to be about 20-30 mins away. I've said I'd be willing to do a 30 min commute.
I would go up to 45 mins, but I used to do about 75mins for one job & it was a killer.
I was thinking that when we come for our reccie (if we decide NZ could possibly for us) then I would let Ed Personnel know & offer to go into a few schools.
That is good to know that are so accommodating though. They aren't as much in the UK, lol. I asked to go & look around a school once as I didn't know the area & they seemed very surprised.
We went to Thailand on honeymoon and went to visit village on stilts & there was a school there. I was SHOCKED because visitors were allowed to talk to the kids, walk around the school & all sorts.
It was mind blowing, lol.
All I could think was what would Ofsted say!