bronnieb

We are a family of four (two kids, 7 and 5) moving to Auckland in a couple of months. We need help! Where is a good suburb with a good school (inexpensive and/or small Catholic school, as that is what our kids are used to), close enough to commute to the city? We will need to rent. Had thought North Shore, but people say the commute is a nightmare. Then thought Waiheke Island, but people say it works out expensive, particularly if you want to travel in time off. Is there a suburb/area close to the city, where there is a good small school, with affordable fees? Would even consider apartment living if there is a gym and/or swimming pool.
Any advice greatly appreciated. We can only afford better $400-$500 a week, but would prefer to pay less if we can (just that looking online, there isn't much available for less than that. We'd like a spare bedroom as we're expected loads of visitors.) Thanks!

newkiwi

You didnt want to live on the north shore because of the commute but considering Waheke Island?...Waheke Island is not commutable in my opinion, its nice for a saturday or weekend away though.

In terms of where to live, i cant give you too much advise on the schooling side of things, although i know Auckland Grammar and Takapuna have good reputations. Unfortunately that makes houses in their catchment areas more desirable and more expensive.

In terms of suburbs, you could look at grey lynn, ponsonby, herne bay, mt eden, parnell, st lukes etc, which are all in auckland. on the north shore takapuna, northcote or any of the eastern bays really, although the commute over the bridge is a bit of a nightmare. quite a few on here rate the howick area/ botany. then you could also consider waitakere city, although iu diont know the area so well, and some of the suburbs there are a little more on the rough side. Avoid south auckland (papatoetoe, mangere, otahuhu) unless you know enough about the area to pick the few good places amonst the rough areas.

bronnieb

Thanks for the advice. Yes, that was my misgivings re Waiheke Island too. We'll have a look at some of those suburbs closer to the city. One of us will use public transport and one will have a car. If you have any advice on a good small Catholic school, I'd love that too.
Thanks again - much appreciated.

sarahw

This might help: http://www.catholic.org.nz/nzceo/pag...-auckland.html

bronnieb

Thanks. I've already checked that one out. But so few of them have websites. Have emailed a few, but not received responses yet. Maybe there are some other good schools people could recommend?

Rock Ape

We spent quite a lot of time in the Howick area on a recent visit and can say that it is a very nice area. An excellent school is Macleans which lies partly in Howick and partly in Bucklands Beach BUT as already stated this greatly inflates the price of in-zone houses. There is avery new Catholic college just outside Cockle Bay called Sancta Maria. It has a website which you can find if you Google it.

makanlah

Hi. I'm a Kiwi living abroad. Just thought i would give my 2 cents' worth re schools. Last yr i went to a reunion of my old school (a Catholic one), St Dominics College, which is in Rathgar Rd, Henderson. It was a terrific school for me and I made friends for life there, and it was good to see them at the reunion. We also met the current principal and toured the grounds, and I was very impressed by her and the attitude of the current crop of kids. It is a girls' school for those from 10 to school-leavers. There is also a related Catholic boys' school very nearby, sorry I can't remember the name. Henderson is a rather unfashionable area (Aucklanders call people who live there "westies"), but around the two schools is the Lincoln Rd area and within there and at Henderson Heights there are very nice homes in the $450,000-$600,000 bracket, and it is handy to motorways connnecting to the city. Rush-hour commutes can be a drag, though - maybe 45minutes to the city. Offpeak, more like 10mins. I would highly recommend St Dominics. However, if you wish to be very close to the city, there is St Marys College, a Catholic school for girls, at St Mary's Bay, and Marist Boys is the nearby boys catholic school, at Grey Lynn. But property is anything from $500,000 to millions. I found the Catholic community in West and central auckland to be wonderfully supportive, and upholding good values. Hope this is of help.

makanlah

Sorry, i just noticed that yr kids are of primary school age. Henderson's catholic primary school is Holy Cross primary, affiliated with the Holy Cross parish church. I have many friends who attended it as youngsters, and they are all terrific people. A useful site is:
http://www.nzceo.catholic.org.nz/pag...-auckland.html

I have heard good reports of St Josephs in Grey Lynn, and also Marist - for pirmary school boys - at herne bay (it is in grey lynn really, it is on the south side of herne bay). I knew a lay teacher at St Jospehs and she was excellent as a teacher and as a person.

Separately, probably not much use, but regarding my first message, the senior boys' school affiliated with St Doms is called Liston College.
On the North Shore (commuting can be a nightmare if u need to go into central auckland, otherwise it is a lovely place to live), St Josephs there is said to be fine. The senior boys school, Rossmini, I know more about, having relatives who go there. They love it. The relatives' boys are into both rugby and also the arts.
This is just a very superficial message, but hope there are nuggets there.

makanlah

Sorry, i just realised yr kids are primary school age. i had typed this out but lost it just now, apologies if two msgs subsequently appear. The catholic primary school in Henderson is Holy Cross, affiliated with Holy Cross parish church. Old school friends from St Dominics attended that in their early years, and they have turned out excellent people. There is a good website that lists auckland catholic schools, i had put it here but perhaps that is why the early version of this msg did not appear. anyway it is dubdubdub and then nzceo and a dot and catholic and a dot and org and a dot nz followed by a slash schools.
In central auckland, have heard excellent things of st josephs primary school in Grey Lynn (trendy area now, more suited to singletons, though nearby Herne Bay is a the ultimate area to live in if you want to live in a rich area) and also the catholic primaries at Epsom, which is a lovely, established famiy area handy to the city. Friends' boys went there and have now gone on to the secondary school in the area, St Peters. They are allrounders who love sport, computers and music.

bronnieb

Thanks for the advice. You guys rock!

P18PPS

I know of the following in central auckland:

Primary - St Ignatius in St Heliers - really good reputation in gorgeous setting next to the beach. Expensive immediate area though, not sure about zoning, but a friend has her children there, they live in Glendowie which is a 5 min drive - you may get a family home for nearer $600 a week, might struggle for under $500.

Diocesan school for girls, catholic partly funded but still fees apply, has a very good reputation, and is difficult to get into - interviews, tests etc etc. Based in Remuera. Rental - you won't get much for $400-$500 per week in immediate location, but if you are prepared to move outwards then there are buses that the girls can get from all over Auckland (try looking at Meadowbank, St Johns Park, Epsom) although you may still find a bit of a struggle for that budget for a family home with spare room too.
Dhttp://www.diocesan.school.nz/default.aspx

For boys there is Sacred Heart (not sure what ages they cater for though), again partly funded, based in Glendowie. Same applies re rental - you'll possibly get a rental in Glendowie for nearer $600 with the spare room, otherwise again Meadowbank and St Johns Park are close by. Over the hill from Glendowie is Glen Innes - if you stay at the top of the hill by Wai-o-taki bay and close to West Tamaki Road you should get something in your budget, but don't venture too far down the hill as it gets a bit rougher.
http://www.sacredheart.school.nz/

These locations are easy commute into the city - off peak 10-15 mins, peak time double.

Spacecake799

Hi,

We live on the North Shore and my husband commuted to the CBD. You use the park and ride in Albany and the bus takes you to the centre of Auckland.
As for schools a friends children went to st Johns primary which I think is in Mairangi bay www.stjohnsmairangibay.school.nz

Hope that helps

Carole

waynepfry

It's good to get some advice but always check out the areas yourself before committing.

Everything's relative - the North Shore to CBD commute is a nightmare for some people - but for others it's a doddle compared to what they had back home. It's also a big place so commuting times vary enormously from where you're based. The Albany Park and Ride is now very good and has cut down on travel time massively. I live in Takapuna and the commute took me 30-45 minutes by car and approx 30 mins by bus (set off at 7.15am to arrive by 8am). I know people who live in East/South Auckland and the commute is far worse than that to get to the CBD.

Best thing to do is do a test drive in rush hour from where you're planning to liev and you'll see what it's like first hand.

(Also in Takapuna there's def some good Catholic schools - Rosmini College is one I think. Anyway my neighbours kids go there and they're meant to be very good).

dlmckay

I went to St Doms too before we emigrated to the UK. The girls went to St Dominics and the boys to Liston College.

Henderson Heights is quite posh with some rather expensive property. The rail network has just had a major overhaul and is now double tracked with extra commuter trains laid on. Sturges Road station would be the closest to Henderson Heights.

scunnybunny

Hi

We ahve recently moved from the UK ( feb) we are living in Takapuna, the schools have all got a good reputation.

I don't think the commute is too bad, I go by bus, takes 20 mins from door to CBD, due to the new bus lanes on the motorway.