Questions, questions, questions!!!
Jul 14th 2017, 6:43 am
#46
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Re: Questions, questions, questions!!!
My head hurts with schools ahhh!!!
Does anyone know what year my girls would be in?? One has just tuned 11 at the beginning of the month, and one will be 10 in October??
I see there are primary, intermediate, then high school/college?!
Does anyone know what year my girls would be in?? One has just tuned 11 at the beginning of the month, and one will be 10 in October??
I see there are primary, intermediate, then high school/college?!
Jul 14th 2017, 7:34 am
#47
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Re: Questions, questions, questions!!!
Hi,
I have so many questions I don't know where to start!!
We currently live in Scotland however my husband has the opportunity of a job in Auckland, earning around $140,000 per annum. At home we have a decent standard of living and a nice home which we own. We have 4 kids, three daughters aged 11, 10 and 14 months and an 8wks old son who would of course be making the move with us.
My questions are:
1) I can see that Auckland is a super expensive place to live - which communtable areas do you recommend we look for rentals? There also needs to be good schools near by for our girls. We would need af least a 4 bed and ideally it would be closeish to a beach (my eldest daughters wishes). My husband will get a car with the job, do we need to buy me a car? Or will I get by in the week without one?
2) we don't intend for me to work until our youngest two are at school is my husbands wage (which has the ability to increase with him being able to further his career in nz) be enough for us to enjoy a decent standard to living over there?
3) what are the schools like? Well the education system in general? My girls are happy and confident, they have lots of friends here, is nz a good place to make friends? They both love the outdoors!
4) for me as a stay at home mum, does anyone have any experience of baby groups/toddler groups are there such things over there?
5) what's the weather like in Auckland I keep seeing conflicting information about the amount of rain and sun! Remember we are in Scotland renouned for being wet and cold!!!
6) food shopping, I know it's more expensive but realistically how much more do you spend per week on food and toiletries? We will have nappies to factor in and formula milk for my son.
I have tons more but I don't want to bombard you all!!
I was feeling pretty positive and confident about the move until reading expat stories if I'm honest!
He has also been offered similar in Melbourne, austrailia. The salary is more there however, nz is where I would love to try!
Thanks so much for reading and for any replies, it will really be appreciated
I have so many questions I don't know where to start!!
We currently live in Scotland however my husband has the opportunity of a job in Auckland, earning around $140,000 per annum. At home we have a decent standard of living and a nice home which we own. We have 4 kids, three daughters aged 11, 10 and 14 months and an 8wks old son who would of course be making the move with us.
My questions are:
1) I can see that Auckland is a super expensive place to live - which communtable areas do you recommend we look for rentals? There also needs to be good schools near by for our girls. We would need af least a 4 bed and ideally it would be closeish to a beach (my eldest daughters wishes). My husband will get a car with the job, do we need to buy me a car? Or will I get by in the week without one?
2) we don't intend for me to work until our youngest two are at school is my husbands wage (which has the ability to increase with him being able to further his career in nz) be enough for us to enjoy a decent standard to living over there?
3) what are the schools like? Well the education system in general? My girls are happy and confident, they have lots of friends here, is nz a good place to make friends? They both love the outdoors!
4) for me as a stay at home mum, does anyone have any experience of baby groups/toddler groups are there such things over there?
5) what's the weather like in Auckland I keep seeing conflicting information about the amount of rain and sun! Remember we are in Scotland renouned for being wet and cold!!!
6) food shopping, I know it's more expensive but realistically how much more do you spend per week on food and toiletries? We will have nappies to factor in and formula milk for my son.
I have tons more but I don't want to bombard you all!!
I was feeling pretty positive and confident about the move until reading expat stories if I'm honest!
He has also been offered similar in Melbourne, austrailia. The salary is more there however, nz is where I would love to try!
Thanks so much for reading and for any replies, it will really be appreciated
Jul 14th 2017, 8:07 am
#48
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Re: Questions, questions, questions!!!
So the child who turned 11 at the beginning of July would have been 10 so would be year 6 and the other was 9 so will be in year 5.
This is a good link. Have a look at the table under Years Of Schooling.
Jul 14th 2017, 8:10 am
#49
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Re: Questions, questions, questions!!!
The OP is talking about living and working on the North Shore - it's pretty easy therefore to avoid the worst of it and they can in fact totally avoid going to 'Auckland' completely if they want to - there's stuff all really to go to central Auckland for once you have seen the Sky Tower et al. Outside of peak times on work day is not gridlocked and you can get from North Shore to CBD in 15 to 20 mins in the evening and weekends if for example you wanted for special occasions.
Jul 14th 2017, 8:53 am
#50
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Re: Questions, questions, questions!!!
Jul 14th 2017, 8:57 am
#51
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Re: Questions, questions, questions!!!
Another question when does the new school year start in nz? Like here, kids move up a year after the summer holidays, so every August.
Jul 14th 2017, 9:14 am
#52
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Jul 14th 2017, 11:04 am
#53
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Re: Questions, questions, questions!!!
I don't think you will have much trouble with the schools, and the criteria you have described is a solid foundation for making a choice. I doubt you will find a huge difference in things like the decile ratings of the schools you consider.
Just be sure to monitor progress - just like you would in the UK.
Jul 14th 2017, 7:06 pm
#54
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Re: Questions, questions, questions!!!
Auckland traffic is actually quite free flowing most of the time outside of peak times. Also the opening of the Waterview tunnel and an extra lane between Manakau and Papakura in the south, with more to come, has seen significant improvement on the Southern.
Jul 19th 2017, 2:49 am
#55
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Re: Questions, questions, questions!!!
Generally if you stick to the east side of the motorway on the north shore the schools are all excellent.
Westlake Girls, Takapuna Grammar, Rangitoto College, Long Bay College etc.
Westlake Girls, Takapuna Grammar, Rangitoto College, Long Bay College etc.
Aug 4th 2017, 7:15 am
#56
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Re: Questions, questions, questions!!!
Does anyone live near or in Albany and Silverdale??
Any information about the area would be great!!! Any schools in those areas to avoid??
Thanks
Any information about the area would be great!!! Any schools in those areas to avoid??
Thanks
Aug 4th 2017, 7:52 am
#57
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Re: Questions, questions, questions!!!
Or even recommend any good areas around close to those places?
My husbands company want him to start at the end of October! Which isn't long at all.... how long on average does it take for your stuff to be shipped? A couple of months? Longer? They will put us up for 4wks while we find a rental.
So much to think about my head is due to explode 🙉🙉
My husbands company want him to start at the end of October! Which isn't long at all.... how long on average does it take for your stuff to be shipped? A couple of months? Longer? They will put us up for 4wks while we find a rental.
So much to think about my head is due to explode 🙉🙉
Aug 4th 2017, 9:19 am
#58
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Location: Erm...Plymouth unfortunately!
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Re: Questions, questions, questions!!!
Or even recommend any good areas around close to those places?
My husbands company want him to start at the end of October! Which isn't long at all.... how long on average does it take for your stuff to be shipped? A couple of months? Longer? They will put us up for 4wks while we find a rental.
So much to think about my head is due to explode 🙉🙉
My husbands company want him to start at the end of October! Which isn't long at all.... how long on average does it take for your stuff to be shipped? A couple of months? Longer? They will put us up for 4wks while we find a rental.
So much to think about my head is due to explode 🙉🙉
Lovely area, miss it greatly. Good location next to a beautiful beach, and not far from the wineries of the Matakana area.
Albany, most areas are ok too. Massey Uni is a lovely building in the middle near the mall. Again, off the top of my head, most places in the Albany vicinity are good, just avoid going too far towards Glenfield (not that it's horrific), but Totara Vale and Sunnynook aren't as nice in my opinion. (I used to work in the community on the shore, so traveled to most areas on a daily basis).
Aug 4th 2017, 9:37 am
#59
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Re: Questions, questions, questions!!!
Or even recommend any good areas around close to those places?
My husbands company want him to start at the end of October! Which isn't long at all.... how long on average does it take for your stuff to be shipped? A couple of months? Longer? They will put us up for 4wks while we find a rental.
So much to think about my head is due to explode � ����� ����
My husbands company want him to start at the end of October! Which isn't long at all.... how long on average does it take for your stuff to be shipped? A couple of months? Longer? They will put us up for 4wks while we find a rental.
So much to think about my head is due to explode � ����� ����
The are of Albany, Dairy Flat, out to Greenhithe on the West and as far up as Silverdale and Millwater is a massive area and has a lot of variety in terms of higher density properties, super modern new builds and masses of rural space but is changing on a weekly basis - new roads new shops and houses being built all over the place.
If you have four weeks paid then I suggest just go anywhere that takes your fancy and have a good look around before you make any longer term decisions. After many months of looking at real estate online we were pretty sure where we wanted to live but when we actually got here we changed our mind vastly.
Last edited by Bo-Jangles; Aug 4th 2017 at 9:41 am.
Aug 4th 2017, 10:23 am
#60
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Re: Questions, questions, questions!!!
The areas you are looking at are all perfectly fine and have good schools; as mentioned before I never heard anyone ever complain about schools in those areas and I doubt there are that many to choose from. Unless you are prepared for kids to travel then the nearest / most convenient to wherever you choose to live will be the way to go. I don't have any kids and don't know anything abut specific schools but do know the areas from when we first were looking and have had a drive out to Millwater and such like for a nose around. I haven't been to Silverdale for years but know it has been developed a lot.
The are of Albany, Dairy Flat, out to Greenhithe on the West and as far up as Silverdale and Millwater is a massive area and has a lot of variety in terms of higher density properties, super modern new builds and masses of rural space but is changing on a weekly basis - new roads new shops and houses being built all over the place.
If you have four weeks paid then I suggest just go anywhere that takes your fancy and have a good look around before you make any longer term decisions. After many months of looking at real estate online we were pretty sure where we wanted to live but when we actually got here we changed our mind vastly.
The are of Albany, Dairy Flat, out to Greenhithe on the West and as far up as Silverdale and Millwater is a massive area and has a lot of variety in terms of higher density properties, super modern new builds and masses of rural space but is changing on a weekly basis - new roads new shops and houses being built all over the place.
If you have four weeks paid then I suggest just go anywhere that takes your fancy and have a good look around before you make any longer term decisions. After many months of looking at real estate online we were pretty sure where we wanted to live but when we actually got here we changed our mind vastly.