marbles

Our plans to reach NZ in December/Jan are speeding up. I have a sykpe interview on sunday night for Te Puke High School!!! We had decided to go for either Tauranga or Wanganui (where we lived before) so this seems perfect but I would love to hear from anyone who lives near by especially as my OH read about a stabbing in Te Puke school in may. Also for housing, would it be ok to live in Te Puke or is Papamoa better and an easy commute??? All comments welcome as I may have to make a decision to accept it or not on sunday night.
Helen

londonescapee

Don't know anything about the school, but we have friends in Te Puke they love it. We visited a while ago now and it seemed really nice. I guess it depends on what area you live in, same as anywhere else? Good luck with the Skype interview.

marbles

Thanks for that, it would be a great relief if I do get the job then moving will a definite and we can book the flights and the packers! Frightnight!

gavinandstacey

I coach a lot of pupils from Te Puke High School.....very very rough in my opinion. A very low socio economic area....wouldnt send my kids there. I know of 3 parents who sent there kids there but relocated them within 3 months. Have you checked the schools decile rating? Good luck

marbles

The decile rating is 5 so although I may not choose to send my own kids there I think it will be ok to work there. A job is a job and unless its really bad it may be worth taking it and then looking for another one when I'm there.

pricklykina

Remember it's not only the decile rating that you have to look at

My daughter goes to a brilliant decile 5 primary in Auckland. It's a great multicultural school with great kids that are polite, and who look after each other.

Decile 10 school one K away has kids that are well known for their rudeness

And Green Bay High is decile 9 and one of the worst performing schools in the Country

Read the ERO reports and talk to people who know the school

I'm not at all saying that Te Puke school isn't rough, but you cannot and should not go by decile alone

marbles

Lots of good points there thankyou

Am Loolah

Hi Helen,

I know 2 families that have children at Te Puke High and both are very, very happy with it. Particularly the pastoral care. They rate it above Mount Maunganui College. But then I also have friends (plus my eldest goes to the Mount) who rate the Mount. You will just never know until you try.

I like Te Puke, but then I like most places. Obviously it is inland and I, personally, would rather live by the beach. I have a nice rental coming up in Te Puke if you're interested? But the commute from Papamoa or the Mount is about 15-20 minutes max.

Justcol

Hhmmmm, No thanks.
I'd work there but i wouldnt want to live there

Wooly_Cow

Visited once as guests of the local footy team....mainly Scotish ....and a nicer more generous set of guys you couldn't meet anywhwere

sirplug

I have an old school friend who's a teacher at the Mount.....loves it there but then when you consider where we grew up and that he last taught in Leeds....

bolton1

Hi - We laughed our heads off when we first arrived & thought it was hilarious naming a town after vomit - but now we are educated and get the pronounciation right I have worked with a few young people at the school & the staff were really supportive and willing to help as much as they could. The stabbing was high profile and a young person known to agencies -similar stories in UK schools.
Te Puke is easily accessible from Papamoa & Whakatane- you may want to live a little out of area or you will keep bumping into your pupils & their parents ! good luck

marbles

well I had my skype interview late last night UK time so its a case of wait and see. I really liked the head, he had a lot of good ideas and seems to want to modernise the school and has a lot of time for his students so I feel it would be an interesting school to work in. We want to live in Papamoa though (thanks for thinking about me with regard to your rental house in Te Puke) and then I will travel inland to work (if i get the job!!!) so if anyone of you knows of a rental house in that area for january then let me know.
Is there much difference between the primary schools in Papamoa or are they all ok, as I have a soon to be 6 and 9 year old?

bolton1

Talk to Am Loolah or PM her. She has been in Papamoa a while and knows a thing or two about properties available -

Am Loolah

That's got to be Wayne?