Theretohere

Hi there, I have spent several years in NZ, but back in UK at the moment. I wonder if anyone with secondary age children can let me know what they think of NZ education post 11 or 13 - I wasn't that happy with educational side of the primary school in NZ as it seemed too relaxed and computer bound, now I'm in UK, it's the opposite - deadly serious. Apart from weather, which is colder than I remember, I could choose either place for secondary at present, I feel it's a choice between a rather rigorous few years of GCSEs and then A levels or a more relaxing life at a NZ college. What are all your experiences? Any thoughts welcome to help me make this very important decision..

MrsFychan

Hi and welcome, I agree with you on the primary school side of things as our first experience of education here, the first primary we sent the kids to was just plain awful I even went so far as removing the kids from the school and reporting the Principal and BOT to the education minister. My DD then did not go back to primary school but skipped a year and is in her second year of college, Yr 10. The system of education is much more on par with the way it is done in the UK and she is now enjoying being at school. My youngest is on his second primary and although more relaxed than the UK with a lot more sport orientated classes he is enjoying it, he is more sporty than his academic sister, but they also are teaching in a more English way so is actually learning at long last.
I think it all comes down to the individual establishment over here on the way they run things as they are not really accountable from what I have experienced if the children perform badly. The decile ratings should show the achievements of the school and not just the economic state of the area it is in to highlight more easily the failing schools so parents do not have to go digging for that sort of information and have to go through the pain of dealing with a poorly run school.

Theretohere

Thanks so much for your reply. I toned down my feelings about primary school as complained too much at the time! - undoubtedly my son was happy there, but didn't seem to be learning the basics (such as handwriting) and I felt like contacting the local mp about the huge gap in attainment between my friends' kids in UK who could write fluently in year 3 and my experience in NZ. What worries me though about the next stage is that any serious study of science, history, etc doesn't seem to start until year 9, whereas if he goes to a UK school in September he'll be in the science lab, doing DT, from year 7 when he's just 11. I miss NZ hugely but don't want him to miss out on a quality education - maybe Wellington offers good colleges, but when I look at website of the colleges up the coast, the curriculum is so limited, one or two history topics a year for example. Definitely the self directed learning style of his NZ primary didn't suit him. I wonder which Wellington college your daughter is at?

MrsFychan

I wished more people would complain as I was told about the poor conduct at the primary school before the kids started but as it was the only one they could go to we didn't have much choice. People had tried to complain previously but failed so they just moved, as did we but unlike the others we made a complaint and new policies should be in place now but as the Principal was the main problem and she is still there its still going to be a crap school, so much so that one member of the BOT has removed his daughter this year because he did not want her having a particular teacher, oh and half, yes half the teaching staff resigned at the end of last year.

she is going to Kapiti and they seem to be covering her need to be educated quite well. My one concern this year is that they have not, that I have seen agreed her third option subject but she assures me that she will get it in terms 3 & 4. She is doing a language she only gets to pick 2 other options so she has foods at the moment and we are expecting history to come in later (?).
They have split out social studies from English this year so she does have 7 subjects she is covering atm.

MrsFychan

I have sent you a pm so reply to this message and you should be able to reply.

Theretohere

Hi, thanks so much for your thoughts, but year 9 is a long time to wait isn't it? We were back last year and I asked a neighbour's daughter who was about 12 what she was studying (they live near Palmy) and she said mainly maths and literacy - just so limited. I agree, schools seem much more autonomous and unaccountable in NZ - teachers can run with their own interests, great if you get a good teacher, not if you don't. Despite problems with schools, are you glad you moved to NZ - the sunshine hours make up for alot don't they?! It's so cold here right now, and lasts for months...

bourbon-biscuit

Damn, ipad swallowed my post! So, in short:
Schools here vary more from each other than from schools in the UK (same could be said of schools in the UK, for sure), so choose carefully. If locals tell you the school is crap, don't be surprised if it is!
NCEA is a poorer system for very high achieving kids and a better system for lower achieving and average and bit higher than average achieving kids.
You specialise in NCEA earlier - great for kids who know they wanto do X, Y, Z but not good for kids who are not ready to narrow down to six options earlier.
University is easier to get into here and cheaper - as well as much less stressful to apply to and get in to. Again, this is a benefit to most kids!
Uniform costs will bankrupt you.
Summer hols, especially in the three NCEA years, are fantastically long! My primary aged kid has just gone back after 7.5 weeks off; her big sister has had 9 weeks off!
HTH
Lastly, some folk will have negative experiences of schooling here - God knows, enough UK families have issues with uk schools - but be wary of generalisations!

Theretohere

Thanks so much. In the NCEAs do the students have to hand-write their answers - or is it all computers, I kept being told in the NZ primary school that writing didn't matter and wondered why that is. Narrowing down worries me, when they started the subjects so late. I think my son will be academic, has got into a UK grammar school, but I am still missing NZ. Longer holidays - great. We are back in UK, and everyone complains about the conveyor belt approach and increased pressure on all kids to get A*s in GCSE/A levels, seems you can't win. Maybe an ideal doesn't exist...or anything approaching it.

Theretohere

Not started grammar yet though, thought we'd do last year at primary school so he had a good ease into secondary school here, and he is having to do about 2 years work in one, teacher here is v worried - can't understand how he passed the 11 plus test!

MrsFychan

thats very hard to answer. I didn't have any problems with my life in the UK and we only moved because my husband wanted out. It is supposed to be under a 5yr plan and then see what happens. I do the same day to day crap as I did in the UK, I do find the lack of rules and regulations and the she'll be right attitude wearing. the weather is not my thing but the wind gets me down at times, before we moved up to the coast I had spent a fair few nights crying my eyes out and scared because of the wind. Hate the bugs and my legs look awful with all the bites over them and find I am less likely to go to the GP's about minor niggles because of the cost.
ATM in time if someone gave me tickets back and carry on where we left off then I would probably bite their hands off. But I have only been living where we are now for the last 8mths and have only just given up on a bloody awful p/t job which was making me ill so I am starting again so to speak and have 2015 as my "start to live in NZ" date and try and forget the last 2 awful years.

Theretohere

Getting late here..moving is so hard, I found it difficult in NZ at first, but trouble is I am finding moving back also difficult as so much of feeling good about a place boils down to what you are used to and I am not used to the UK now. I did love my life in Kapiti though (by beach), felt it was a privilege, and probably you will find the weather so much better in Kapiti than Wellington. It's probably so much harder with older children, my boy misses his friendship group in NZ hugely, and doesn't feels he belongs here, though thinks he has a chance to re-start at secondary, we have a few months to make that decision hence the post. I guess weather is huge for me as I spent some of my childhood in Malaysia and UK always felt so grim in comparison, I found that feeling back in NZ, but was appalled at aspects of his school, and when we went back last year, he felt he wasn't learning anything and couldn't see any point in going, we returned because of family illness but I haven't yet cut my ties, still have the house!

Spacecake799

Hi, for me I felt we had to get our son out of the NZ education system before he started college. It was the worst thing we did education wise and of our three children only our daughter managed anything. My boys went from good to nothing in a couple of years. I found independant learning just not good enough for general children. We left after 6 years and are really happy with the education here. Good luck

MOSO

Mmmm, lots of generalisations on here!

There are good points and bad points about the education system in NZ and UK. Just as in any other education system in the world. Don't fall into the trap of thinking they should run in the same way just because they are both English speaking. Just as the French system is very different to the UK and they are only a few miles apart.

As a teacher here in NZ, I can assure you that all schools have to follow the NZ curriculum and of course teachers and school are accountable. You will find that primary schools have more flexibility in their focus/values than others but the core curriculum they have to teach is the same.

NZ is regarded as having a much better education system than the UK according to OECD data, but does any education system suit every child?

And yes, the kids at the primary school I teach at do handwriting every day

MrsFychan

mine are not generalisations but personal experiences as were spacecakes comments

Robbo25

I have just had my eldest lad exit high school at one of the allegedly sought after Auckland North Shore schools, which turned out such a disaster that I have moved my younger lad. There were issues too many to mention here but included the self-directed learning issue i.e. you have to expend more time than the school appears to in getting an education. Additionally, teachers at the school were frankly incompetent and in fact going all the way to the head didn't have any bearing.

I have met many other people that feel the same about that school, however what I have also witnessed are the schools with the lower profile and smaller pupil count actually seem to deliver better in reality rather than national stats.