AngelaandJim

Hi All

Can I have some info on Dunedin please Jim has chance of job here and in Hokitikia not sure if we would want to live in either but will keep an open mind

Thanks in advance kind people

TeamEmbo

Given the two choices, I would choose Dunedin over Hokitika. Hokitika pretty place, but small, isolated, west coast, wet, wet, wet. Dunedin 4th or 5th largest city/town in NZ, more shops, schools, university and things to do, drier weather compared to west coast.

Jo-Chris

And Dunedin has the Cadbury's factory mmmmm!!!

AngelaandJim

pmsl I like that one

southerner

http://www.dunedin.govt.nz/services/newcomer

www.odt.co.nz

We love Dunedin, it has great facilities for a city its size and a fun atmosphere. Schooling and higher educational opportunities are probably the best in NZ.

AngelaandJim

Hokitika does look nice but a bit remote (googled it) I not sure if I fancy wet wet wet
Dunedin looks lovely think I would rather the choice of things to do to be honest.
We are flying into Auckland staying there for a couple of days then flying down to Christchurch driving down to Dunedin then working our way back up. We are keeping an open mind about where we want to live and are so grateful for any help along the way

Cheeries

Angela

AngelaandJim

Thank you

weejie

Hi there,we moved from Glasgow to Dunedin,landing here 4th July 2009 so are really new to the city. So far we can only find positives about the place,even the hills!! The people are really friendly and helpful,there is loads to do,lots of beaches to explore and the shopping is ok ( I am not one to really advise on this as I hate shopping!! Never did much back home,used internet a lot ) The supermarkets were a bit weird at first but soon got used to it;IMHO aldi= pak n save, Asda= woolworths and sainsbury's = new world. Lots of things are easy to get to within 10-15 mins from most areas in Dunedin. I live in Andersons Bay and can be at a parking space within 5 mins walk from work at the hospital in 7 mins. If my boys are playing rugby at Kaikorai Valley which is the other side of the city we are there in 10-15 mins.The city is quiet compared to Glasgow but that is ok with us.

I don't know if you have kids but my 2 have struggled initially in that they were put into the class they had finished in the UK(p4 and p2) and feel they are repeating a lot of stuff they did the class before that. They do not seem to push the kids at primary school as much as the UK focusing more on a lot of social things and their growth as a person. they do more talking in front of the class and presenting which in our opinion is good. From what I hear though after primary it is on par with the UK.

Now the nosey part What and where is the job offer? This would determine where you wanted to live in Dunedin and where to visit when you come.If you want,and I am available when you come I can help show you round the bits I know. Still limited knowledge but feel I have learnt my way about surprisingly quick. If there is anything specific you want to know then just ask, either here or PM me.

Phyl x

CAN2NZ

Hi, we are driving down to Dunedin on Sunday and will spend Sunday and Monday there. We have two girls 8 and 10 and one boy who will start year 9 in February. I wonder which part of town offers access to the best schools. Also, do the schools have zones in which one must live in order to use them.

Anything we should look at in particular when there. We would rent a house there and keep our house here and rent it out. I wonder what the rentals are like there. Likely just as crappy as everywhere I guess.

southerner

Hi - zoning is not as big an issue in Dunedin as further north. The suburbs which seem to be favoured because of their proximity to high schools (mainly because the kids can walk) seem to be Maori Hill and Roslyn. There are 3 girls, 2 boys and one coed schools in or adjacent to those suburbs.

There are some reasonable family rentals around - try Metro Realty and Edinburgh Realty websites or pick up the ODT for current listings. As always, try to get a well heated one.

If you are in town for only a couple of days a few places you might be interested in visiting include:
- museum
- botanical gardens
- St Clair
- George St shopping area
- Roslyn village shops
- Moana pool

Enjoy the visit...

new life

Hi

Do you have any links for quality of schooling or FE in Dunedin or is it from your personal experience? Schools and University will play a major part in deciding about where to live in NZ and we will be willing to compromise on most other things if it benefits the children.

many thanks

imanurse

just a quick question if you dont mind!!! i have a 11yr old who will be 12 in june, we are arriving in august and the school state that she will have to go into year 8 for 3 months until year 9 in feb, is this correct or should she be going into year 9 as soon as we arrive, really confused with the system luckily my girl is alot brighter than me and should not struggle with her schoolwork


sam

new life

Its very confusing isn't it... I asked my friend who is there this same question earlier this week!! Her soon was 12 in January and is in year 8 and will move to year 9 in February. My son is a year younger (11 last Dec)and I have concluded that he will miss 2 terms of the uk school year, say if we went in september - he would have started into year 7 here but will join the last term of year 7 in NZ before moving to year 8 in Feb.

However I thought I saw somewhere that the age cut off was april/may and therefore maybe your daughter would be in the year below!! My friend has advised me that the youngest child in her sons year will be 12 in April so this seems to fit somehow!

No doubt you will get some definitive response from someone who is actually in Dunedin ... maybe its flexible? My friends have said that there was no problem workwise with going into a year ahead...

Good Luck

weejie

Hi there,my sons finished years 2 and 4 in Scotland in June 09. We arrived here in July 09 and they had to repeat 2 terms of years 2 and 4. Needless to say they were not happy boys and to be honest I was a bit unhappy myself to start with. I was worried they would be bored and they were,( they are quite bright kids) but it helped them ease in to kiwi life and they didn't have to feel as if they had to work too hard at the start. They are now finishing 1st term in years 3 and 5 and I am now happier that they did repeat a bit of their schooling and are in with their age peers and not in the year ahead. This is more from a maturity and social aspect more than anything else.HTH

Phyl x

new life

Hi

when are your boys' birthdays? you seem to have a different experience to my friends boy (also in dunedin!) maybe its to do with the cut off for the birthdays? obviously we will either have to miss 2 terms or repeat 2 terms .... just depends on how whats best for the children i guess. My friends son is still in the year group with boys his age though and he missed 2 terms! its getting very confusing!!!!