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Kapiti Coast/Porirua general info?

Kapiti Coast/Porirua general info?

Old Jan 15th 2009, 7:59 pm
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Default Kapiti Coast/Porirua general info?

Hi

We're still dreaming of a house sale and a move to NZ! We were looking towards Karori in Wellington but now that house prices are tumbling fast here we were wondering about cheaper areas.

We have 2 kids aged 6 & 8 so schools are important. When we did our reccie we looked around Porirua (Whitby etc) but there don't seem to be any decent state secondary schools???

Can anyone let us know about further out - Kapiti College/Paraparaumu college etc? Also what's the commute like - are the trains reliable? Is there enough out there to keep growing kids amused?

Any info on areas to avoid/live in would be great.

Thanks
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Old Jan 15th 2009, 10:04 pm
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Default Re: Kapiti Coast/Porirua general info?

The one big flaw in Porirua is the lack on a decent secondary school in the area. But in the 18 months we've lived there we have been seeing and hearing of much improved standards in Aotea College. Still a low decile rating at present, but it is improving.ther than that the area is great for bring up young familes... all of us in the porirua area with kids all love the place. There is so much for kids to do both in the immediate area and up the coast a bit in kapiti, they don't have time to get bored. We ourselves live in Whitby with a 10 yr old who attends Adventure School where the staff have been absolutley fantastic and out son loves going to school to bits. But it's not the only decent junior school in the area, there are quite a few. If Aotea doesn't pan out eventually as an option, there are always out of zone schools not too far away. Tawa College is just a bus ride and I even see loads of kids commuting into Welly for school as I make the commute myself. It's takes me under 1 hr door to door from whitby incorporating a walk, bus and train ride including waiting time and i go to and return from work quite refreshed, not hassled by the commute as I would in the UK.

Hope that provides a brief insight for you... any further questions please ask...

Simon
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Old Jan 15th 2009, 10:22 pm
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Default Re: Kapiti Coast/Porirua general info?

One of the reasons we settled in the Hutt rather than Plimmerton where we rented at first was the lack of decent secondary schools in the area - I didn't get a good feeling about Aotea (although I've spoken to people who rate it), and Tawa was strictly zoned so wasn't an option. I didn't want my kids to have a long commute (30 mins+) into Wellington or up to Kapiti College each day, although many of them have a good rep.

House prices are coming down here too, so you may still be able to live where you want to!
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Old Jan 15th 2009, 11:51 pm
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Default Re: Kapiti Coast/Porirua general info?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...ellington_City

Hope this helps.
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Old Jan 16th 2009, 5:41 am
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Default Re: Kapiti Coast/Porirua general info?

Originally Posted by MOSO
Hi

We're still dreaming of a house sale and a move to NZ! We were looking towards Karori in Wellington but now that house prices are tumbling fast here we were wondering about cheaper areas.

We have 2 kids aged 6 & 8 so schools are important. When we did our reccie we looked around Porirua (Whitby etc) but there don't seem to be any decent state secondary schools???

Can anyone let us know about further out - Kapiti College/Paraparaumu college etc? Also what's the commute like - are the trains reliable? Is there enough out there to keep growing kids amused?

Any info on areas to avoid/live in would be great.

Thanks
i think locally Pram college is considered slightly better than kapiti college although theres not much in it , both are considered to be good.
Trains run every 1/2 hr to & from wellington

http://www.tranzmetro.co.nz/

good luck

ps if you go to WGC, have a mouch around John lewis for me
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Old Jan 16th 2009, 7:46 am
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Default Re: Kapiti Coast/Porirua general info?

Hi
The college plus the fact one of children was 15 when we moved to NZ was the main reason we live in Paraparaumu and great that we had a choice of Paraparaumu or Kapiti. I really dont think there is much difference from either college other than the Kapiti are more sports amd music.
There is certainly unlike UK any conflict from students from either college and they all support each other in or out of college at any events, they simply go to opposite colleges for what they want out of life not who wears the better uniform
I would agree with other members and there is in many areas plenty for young children and commuting being Whitby, Porirua or Paraparaumu is no problem
Hope this helps and we are all here to answer any questions on what ever area you decide, good luck

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Old Jan 16th 2009, 10:00 am
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Default Re: Kapiti Coast/Porirua general info?

Thanks very much for all your replies, it certainly looks like a good area to look at, especially aroundParaparaumu. (Can I live in a place I'm not sure how to pronounce?!!) I wish we'd looked when we were over but we went to see relatives in Gisborne after Wellington so went up the Hutt valley rather than Kapiti.

Poppets- if you'd like to buy a nice 3 bed house, just 15 mins from John Lewis in WGC just let me know!!!!!!!!!!!
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Old Jan 16th 2009, 6:41 pm
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Default Re: Kapiti Coast/Porirua general info?

Hi
You pronounce it Para Para umu and try to roll the R’s a little after a while you get to sound like the locals.
Like yourself and pestering the forum we was looking at areas close to Wellington finally narrowing down to three, only to realise the limitation of colleges
In the end we worked everything around the college which may sound a little soft to other members, but we have no regrets and happy 15 year old was important to us
TBH I may if hadn’t been for the above dilemma I would have looked at the other areas if I had younger children, due to rising numbers surely another college may be required

Happy research

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Old Jan 16th 2009, 8:45 pm
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Default Re: Kapiti Coast/Porirua general info?

Thanks Kiwichicks. We agree with you, the kids seem to grow so fast so we need to think about secondary schools even though our oldest turns 9 in April. Someone from Wellington here today mentioned something about building a tunnel or cut through (or something?) to make the trains from Kapiti faster - is this something you know about?

I've been scouring the property websites and you definitely get more for your money out of Wellington so it's definitely worth an investigation.
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Old Jan 16th 2009, 10:41 pm
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Default Re: Kapiti Coast/Porirua general info?

I am not aware of any more tunnels, the train track between Mac Kay’s crossing and Paraparaumu is being widened but to be honest we are not sure why, maybe another member may answer this question
You may like to look at these links and the first is most probably regarding the tunnels in Wellington

http://www.transit.govt.nz

http://www.kapiticoast.govt.nz

http://www.naturecoast.co.nz/

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Old Jan 17th 2009, 5:01 am
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Default Re: Kapiti Coast/Porirua general info?

Hi - we have lived in Paraparaumu (roll the 'r's, say 'ParapaROWmu' (ROW as in 'cow') or take the easy way out and say 'Parapram') for two years now and our kids (now 11 & 9) go to Raumati Beach School. Hubby gave up using the train for commuting and now drives to Wellington each day..although a lot of his (Kiwi) colleagues think we're nuts to live so far out
It's a nice place to live, there is plenty for the kids to do and it was a real novelty for us to have a 15 minute walk to the beach.
Parapram has a good selection of property available but you have to be aware that NZ property is built very differently from in the UK - any house, be it old or new, is basically a glorified shed. They don't believe in central heating, or double glazing, and the majority of houses will have just one heat source which is in the main living room. There will be a frost maybe five times during the winter but it does get very chilly indoors...we bought electric blankets for the kids, something we never needed in the UK. Could go on, and on...if you'd like MHO on anything please post...
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Old Jan 24th 2009, 7:30 am
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Default Re: Kapiti Coast/Porirua general info?

Originally Posted by MOSO
Thanks very much for all your replies, it certainly looks like a good area to look at, especially aroundParaparaumu. (Can I live in a place I'm not sure how to pronounce?!!) I wish we'd looked when we were over but we went to see relatives in Gisborne after Wellington so went up the Hutt valley rather than Kapiti.

Poppets- if you'd like to buy a nice 3 bed house, just 15 mins from John Lewis in WGC just let me know!!!!!!!!!!!
sorry don't fancy giving up my house in waikanae, i miss JL but not that much & i do love St A too, but thanks for the offer





http://www.kapitilife.co.nz/
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Old Jan 26th 2009, 9:30 am
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Default Re: Kapiti Coast/Porirua general info?

Went to John Lewis on Friday - it was freezing and started snowing when I got there so not the best idea ever!

Onto Schools - Can anyone tell me which primary schools in the area have a good reputation? Paraparaumu school seems to have a good ero report. Also do you find them much different to the UK?

My kids go to a good school here but they seem to be exam result factories - SATS results seem to be everything. I thought it rather sad on Saturday when one of my daughter's friends was complaining about having to work so hard as it was only a year until he had to sit his 11+. I'm hoping that NZ will give them a bit of childhood back but with them learning at the same time - is this a realistic view?
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Old Jan 26th 2009, 6:00 pm
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Default Re: Kapiti Coast/Porirua general info?

Hi - primary schools here go through to year 8 so they do get a bit longer to be kids!
There are lots of schools in Parapram/Raumati - as with the UK, we found that it was best to visit the schools to decide which we preferred.
There are 3 large schools here - Kena Kena, Pram Beach, and Raumati Beach. They all have their good and bad points - we went to all three and decided that Raumati suited the kids best.
In most schools here kids go to school in whatever they happen to be standing up in...going barefoot is not unusual!
I'd also recommend looking at the structure of the school's Board of Trustees as they have a HUGE amount of influence on the way the schools are run - our BOT forced through a hugely expensive uniform last year but what stunned us was the total acceptance by all the parents - nobody dared to front up to the BOT!
There are smaller schools here too and a Catholic primary. You also need to be aware that some schools and colleges are 'zoned' - same idea as catchment areas in the UK.
Sorry long post - could go on and on - please ask & I'll help if I can, if there are specifics you want to know.
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Old Jan 27th 2009, 5:01 am
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Default Re: Kapiti Coast/Porirua general info?

Hi
Echo very much what Nutchoc states and true you have to be careful about your zoned areas
We settled for Paraparaumu beach and our 11 year old is very happy and no pressures like he had in UK with the Sats system
They highly encourage children with after school activities and amused us that part of their homework is 3 physical activities,this also includes house chores a total 5 a week so we are happy along with reading.
So you can see more fun for everyone than UK schools, just watching them at the school playing in the abundant fully equiped playgrounds they are allowed to be children for longer

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