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Best place to move for a teacher? NZ or Oz?

10 replies

StarShop · 08/12/2019 20:21

DH and I just looking into this, we currently are educational professionals living in North of England. I'm a teacher, my husbands role is something similar but he doesn't teach. Just wondering if there is much difference in lifestyle and stories from those in similar backgrounds who made the switch? Thanks

OP posts:
BillHadersNewWife · 09/12/2019 07:02

I would say Australia simply because the levels of poverty in NZ are quite shocking.

A third of children in NZ live below the poverty line. That's really bad. In Oz it's about 13%.

I'm perhaps biased because I emigrated to Australia 4 years ago and have found it wonderful...I'm from the NW and came with my (Aussie) DH and our children.

I think you will find there's a lot more lifestyle choice here in Australia than in NZ too.

We live in Adelaide...often forgotten when people consider moving here but knowing the country as I now do, I would have definitely chosen Adelaide over Melbourne, Perth or anywhere in fact.

Adelaide is beautiful...beaches to DIE for. Friendly people...lots of arts and cultural opportunities...great city with some wonderful architecture.

BlueGingerale · 09/12/2019 07:15

It’s really hard to get a teachers job in a city in Oz! There’s no teacher shortage.

Nz teachers have been striking over the normal things.

I doubt very much child poverty is worse in NZ than in Oz. In both cases they’re localised problems.

The differences between the 2 countries is massive. Climate differences are massive (hint NZ isn’t hot)

NZ is more left wing than the UK. Oz isn’t.

Vaccines are mandated in Oz. Not so in NZ.

Both countries are very bad at teaching reading. Although parts of Oz are campaigning for the UK phonics check.

BillHadersNewWife · 09/12/2019 07:23

Blue if you Google it the figures on child poverty are clear.

I don't know where you get your left wing comment from either...and Australia's not hot all year round. We have about 8 months of the year...sometimes more, when it's just warm or cool. And that's in S.A.!

I've found no issues with the education on offer...both of my children (15 and 11) are storming forward. They do attend a private school though.

Cordial11 · 09/12/2019 07:33

Not a teacher but have moved to Perth, I love it!!!!!!
I just met a girl who moved and already had a teaching role lined up in a good area.

Join ‘poms in perth’ on fb if you would like to reach out the teachers specifically, there will be loads who can help.

Ps north of the river is best lol Grin

feelslikeanemptynest · 09/12/2019 07:40

I am a teacher and have just returned from living in Melbourne. To teach in Australia you need a 4 year degree and have to apply for registration to teach with the state you intend to teach in. My registration application in Victoria took 3 months. I really enjoyed teaching in Melbourne so good luck.

bubbles1960 · 09/12/2019 12:10

My sister lived in Australia (we're both from NZ but now live in UK) and found the climate not too bad (Melbourne) as she hates the heat. Melbourne was also where she felt safest as she's gay and has found that not the case in other parts of Aussie mainly Brisbane and even Sydney. Australia does have a right wing government and I have found Aussies are far less tolerant than kiwis. It's a massive generalisation to be sure, I have some great Aussie mates but anecdotally for me it's true.
I do have teacher friends who have taught NZ and UK and found NZ a lot easier to teach. Both quit teaching in UK, in London so that could be a difference.
I would be wary about making a move to either place though. I think it is a lot harder for people to move from UK to Aus/NZ than the other way round as we're quite used to being isolated and far away from everything and I think it can be quite hard for people to get used to it from Europe / UK.
I would always recommend it for the adventure though! Whether Aus / NZ it's a beautiful part of the world.
NZ for me was a great place to grow up, you can to the bush, jump in rivers and the ocean with fairly little chance of any creatures killing you. It's all free and right on your doorstep. Depending on what island you live on will then also determine how much snow / rain you get in winter but summers are good. At least more predictable than UK.
You also have to have a car to get anywhere if you don't live in a city and even then it's much easier to have a car.
If I were to choose I would do Wellington in NZ or Melbourne in Aus.

mbosnz · 09/12/2019 12:47

I'm from NZ.

Teachers in NZ have similar concerns to teachers in the UK - too much admin' work, too little non-contact time, too many kids to a classroom, difficulty with crowd control with mainstreaming of children with very high needs with neither the budget, the support, or the training in place to help them. And salaries. Although I think they got a reasonably significant increase recently.

Child poverty is an issue in NZ, particularly in Auckland. A big part of this is a disparity within Pasifika and Maori, who are disproportionately adversely affected, for a number of complex reasons. A bit like the Indigenous people of Australia.

Our current Government, Labour, has been working hard to address this, rather than blame it on those suffering, or ignoring it, but obviously this is not an issue that is going to be solved overnight. New Zealand, I think does tend to be a bit more progressive and liberal on a number of issues - say, Same Sex Marriage for example. To some that's a plus, to others, a minus.

New Zealand is very isolated. A lot of those who emigrate there, find this very difficult, in terms of friends and family, concerts and tours, arts and culture. It does have a relatively great work/life balance, particularly if you're outdoorsy, love the beach and the mountains. The cost of living is very high, and the housing stock is very different, and particularly older housing stock can lack insulation and be hard to keep warm. We don't have central heating as standard.

mbosnz · 09/12/2019 13:05

Just to add to that, my two really rate the education they are getting at a Comprehensive Academy over here.

However, they found it hard to adapt to just how noisy and ill behaved the kids were, and the casual homophobia and racism. They also find the pendantry about the uniform hard to deal with.

They have found the facilities to be fairly dire in comparison, as well. But as I said - comprehensive academy!

Another thing you might want to be aware of, is that NZ is bi-cultural nation, with a Treaty between the Crown and Maori, that is very much a living, speaking and very influential document. As such there is a focus and support on such things as Maori Tikanga, (protocol) and the use and support of Te Reo Maori (Maori Language). Particularly in education, which does tend to be very 'right on'! Some people can find that a bit hard to cope with, so I thought that could be worth mentioning.

mbosnz · 09/12/2019 13:29

And finally. . . according to a 2017/18 study, 34% of children in the UK are in poverty.

fullfact.org/economy/poverty-uk-guide-facts-and-figures/

BillHadersNewWife · 09/12/2019 14:20

The housing in Oz is a bit crap too....it's cold in winter due to lack if radiators.

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