Lou-Darren

Hi

We are hoping to move to NZ in the next couple of years. I have looked on this site for info for the last few months and think that it is great that so many people offer advice.

We have three children (8, 11 and 14) and i wondered about schools, are there OfSted type reports to look at to get an idea of the good schools?

The EOI seems so complex!! What advice can you give as to where we should start our journey to NZ? It all seems very expensive as well.

Are there any preferred areas for Brits moving to NZ? We have been looking at the Hamilton area, but would be renting until we found the right place.

Thanks
Lou

garryhg

hi jacky g here

i think it all depends on where you are working that dictates where you live..

also schools are an issue,there is strict zoning areas for schools,i for one underestimated how school zones would effect your choice of house as well as area...

we are in auckland,due to the fact that is where oh works,
but does feel like scotland,good in some ways,bad in others,as are many other places...

everytime we go to visit new place keep expecting to turn a corner and say ,

yes this is what i expected nz to look like,not found that yet,hope to in september when we go touring....

good luck with all your plans

Lou-Darren

Hi jacky g

Would you say that there are 'no go areas'?

Have you been there very long? I would move tomorrow if we could, just thinking of a better life for us and the children!!

Lou

Beachcombers

Hi Lou

The first thing you guys really need to do is get your qualifications assessed by the NZQA. That will then give you a clearer picture in filling out the EOI.

Do you have a degree? If so, then it should be relatively straightforward to get enough points.

You expressed a desire to "move here tomorrow", well there is actually nothing stopping you doing that. Many people including ourselves, just jumped on a plane, came in on visitors visa's and jumped through the immigration hoops whilst here.

Applying for jobs etc, is so much easier when you are here and getting a work permit to start the immigration process can be very straight forward compared to PR.

Word of caution though, coming over here on a visitors permit is a gamble and does not always work out for everyone.

garryhg

imho i think there is no go areas in any country,and nz is no different than any other in that respect...

if you start to look at areas ,look at the schools decile rating in that area,ratings go from 1-10,1 being lowest10 being highest...a low rating tells you a bit about the socio economic group that attend the school and generally live round that area...a low rating does not tell about the education level at that school,just about the people that attend...factors determining decile ratings are household income,occupation,crowding levels..

this would kind of give you an idea about areas you were moving into..
given the age of your children and the trying time we've had getting our 13 year old settled,imho i would move out sooner rather than later...

i think its the thread on schools,other people saying good ages for moving children out here and getting them settled,

gl with your plans

happynz

^ Good point about the decile ratings. It's also good that you mentioned that it isn't a rating of the school as much as what socio-economic area that the school draws students from. For example, Avondale High School is a well respected and desirable school in West Auckland but the area it draws from is pretty mixed.

Lou-Darren

Hi


Do you have a degree? If so, then it should be relatively straightforward to get enough points.

Hi

Thanks for all your replies. I graduate with a Foundation Degree in November this year in Educational Administration, it is classed as a standard degree (level 5). How much of a difference does this make to the points?

Thanks
Lou