mike7

We are relocating from Scotland to Sydney arriving on the 20th April 2004.

We intend renting accommodation in the Hills Distruct (cherrybrook, castle hill, kellyville etc).

The main question relates to schooling. We have two daughters aged 8 & 10 and we would appreciate any advise o good schools in these areas.

I believe that you have to have an address within the school catchment area before you can enroll... could anyone please advise.


Regards

Michael

sjn2003

Mike

Not getting much response to this - all the Sydney residents will be still in bed. Keep bumping it up to the top of the list this evening to get a reply.

Also, send a PM to Sandra. She lives in Sydney and has kids and I am sure will give you some help.

wongstonn

Can only be of limited use here, as I'm not from Sydney.

However, I remeber a few threads from a long time ago that mentioned Castle Hill that prompted me to check it out for the housing stock.

Maybe you could try emailing some of the people that posted on the thread below as they live in the locale:

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showt...hreadid=130071

Neil

bondipom

http://www.det.nsw.edu.au/

Hopefully this will do for a start.

Andiii

I was going to move to Surrey Hills (in Sydney) until.... I found out a body had been dumped in a rubbish bin not too far away from where I wanted to live. :scared:

bondipom

Surry Hills is not part of the hills district being talked about.

I used to live near there in Darlinghurst. The area is not too bad and the bloke found was part of the local alternative drug scene. Darlinghurst catches more breeze and is smarter than Surry hills.

Matlew

Hi Mike,
I did a Google search "Sydney's Hills District" and found
www.hilsweb.com.au. Think you will get the info
you are after here. Castle Hill is a good family area and
good shopping facilities. No rail transport as yet, though
supposedly "coming" - people in the area drive to where I live
for rail transport, Beecroft or Pennant Hills.
Good luck,
Mat

Matlew

site if www.hillsweb.com.au - typo!

bondipom

Lets hope they get on with things better than the Epping North Sydney line that is going to be abandoned half way because of a cost doubling.

SuzeM

Hi Michael
We've been here in the hills district at Kings Langley since Nov 2002. There are two primary schools here and my two boys 9 and 12 attend/attended Kings Langley Primary School (KLPS)and I'm very pleased with the standard of schooling, the extra curricular activities, the values they uphold, and the parents are always willing to get involved. The children that attend there are generally well behaved and my sons settled really well. Unfortunately Vardys Road school has a bit of a reputation for bullying therefore children have transferred from there to KLPS, but never the other way round.

There isn't a high School in Kings Langley but there are designated school buses that go to all the area high schools . My eldest son has been at Crestwood High in Baulkham Hills since the end of January, and so far so good.

I have several friends in the Baulkham Hills/ Castle Hill areas and Jasper Road Primary, Baulkham Hills is very popular, theres also a very new primary school just opened at Kellyville so unable to make comments at present.

You're right in that you need an address before you can enrol, but it doesn't necessarily have to be in the catchment area. It obviously does help if you have decided on one particular school though, because, as in the UK, catchment area children get placed first, and yes people here do buy or rent houses in certain areas just to get their kids in particular schools.

Don't worry about the kids settling in, over here people move on all the time and theres always kids starting/leaving the schools. I was really worried about uprooting my boys but within weeks they'd got friends joined various sports teams, and as I speak there are hordes (maybe an exaggeration)of pre-teen boys rampaging round the house after having a sleepover last night (will their parents never come back????)

Good luck with the move.
Sue

mike7

Sue,

Thanks for the message.

At the moment we are a bag of nerves with the move coming closer. Our furniture leaves on the 10th March 2004 and we have so much to do before then.

I am now sure that the Hills Distrcit will be a good choice for us and many people comment on the family atmosphere of the area. I am glad to hear that your sons are doing weel at school. Education has been a concern for us but it would appear that Sydney schools have a better reputation that other Australian cities.

I have one other question that hopefully you can help me with. My new Employer is located in the heart of the CBD and I was wondering what are the options in terms of public transport. I hear that the trains are good as are the buses although expense.

Your advise would be appreciated.


Regards

Michael

bondipom

www.131500.com.au For a public transport trip planning
www.whereis.com.au For roads trip planning.

SuzeM

Hi Michael
The rail services are shall we say "experiencing difficulties" at present, not enough train drivers, drivers refusing to do overtime (which is their right I say)therefore lots of cancellations of services and overcrowded trains in peak hours. Its not affected me because I dont work in the CBD so very rarely travel at peak times. The nearest train stations would be Pennant Hills and Seven Hills (I tend to drive to Seven Hills and leave my car in the free multi storey, though cars have been known to mysteriously disappear from there) and it takes 45/50 minutes by train, never that full from this end but more so coming back.

Alternatively there is a city bus servicing Baulkham Hills and Castle Hill which is a bit quicker about 30/35 mins and goes via the M2, but then again it depends on the traffic and I've never caught it at peak times. Peolpe tend to set off to work very early here, I swear the rush hour starts at 6.30!

Good luck with the move, where will you be staying when you arrive?

Sue

Bluerobot

Hi Michael

We have lived in Castle Hill since the middle of December; we came across the place by driving around for days deciding which area to live in. We were all very impressed so moved into rented the following week. The place has everything that you need including 2 cinema's, Pool (indoor and out), RSL Club, Guides etc and plenty of restaurants.

We have 2 girls aged 10 and 12 and they have started at the local Castle Hill Public and High School. They were made to feel very welcome and have made friends already. They are only behind on one lesson and that is French as the Public School is lucky enough to have a French Teacher who starts lessons when the kids are in Kindergarden.

I have also been told (by one of the mum's) that there is a newcomers group that you can join, where they give you advice on the area to include Doctors etc. You get to meet people who are similar to yourselves and they organise outings, BBQ's and Bushwalking - thinking of ringing them this week.

Good luck with your move

Kim

hevs

:scared: theres more than one like you:scared:
xxx