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Original poster

what's your impression of schools in NZ? (Academics/kids' behaviour?)

26 replies

SSSandy · 26/07/2006 12:18

I attended a school in Wellington for a while and really hated it. It was so rough in comparison to the schools I'd been to beforehand and academically way behind what we had been doing in the UK previously.

I am considering moving to NZ (it's one option) but this is really holding me back. How do you find the schools? What kind of schools do your kids attend?

Thanks for any tips/comments!

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Papillon · 26/07/2006 12:42

where in wgtn and are you going back to wellington if you move to nz?

if you do a google search i am sure you would find information and probably even peoples comments within nz about the schools and schooling system.

my sister has her boy in a primary school in rural auckland area. its ok except headmaster. She has been offered a place in a school which will be run privately just down the road! She will send her kids there if the school opens.

i think high school is internal with alot of assessment for Certificates etc (?)

Papillon · 26/07/2006 12:43

oh and my bro is moving back so as to have their dd etc go to school there. the mum is in the educational system in states and defo not into it either

tangox3 · 26/07/2006 20:55

Overall, the standard of education is better in NZ, especially primary. I would say it will depend on what school you send your child to though. City schools are usually tougher wherever you are in the world but I've come across nothing in NZ even close to some of the behaviour I've seen in London schools.

Schools in NZ are rated on a decile scale of 1 to 10, one being a low socio- economic area, 10 being high. You can also check each and every school's ERO (Education Review office, school inspection that happens every two years) report online.

There are school zones so it will depend on where you live and what other school have places available for non-zoned children. Then there is private...!

I have taught in both state and private systems in NZ, UK and Aus. I think your best bet is to ask your potential neighbours and read the ERO reports. If you go to the school and have a good feeling about the principal/deputy and reports are positive, go with it.

If you need any further advice, I still have a pretty good network of colleagues in NZ...I might be able to find out about specific schools and any curiculum questions you might have.

best of luck!

Piffle · 26/07/2006 21:11

What school in Welly did you go to?
I went to excellent schools in Wellington but that might have been luck
I think it is very socio economic related tbh

Original poster
SSSandy · 26/07/2006 21:13

Thanks for your comments. It's just one option that I'm weighing up right now. Of course it's a while since I was there but I wouldn't like my dd to make similar experiences.

I'm thinking about Christchurch

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Original poster
SSSandy · 26/07/2006 21:14

Piffle - Marsden

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Original poster
SSSandy · 26/07/2006 21:17

tango I was only thinking of private schools really but thanks for all the information. That's a great help.

What was your impression on private schooling in NZ? Did you find it better generally than say state schooling (I suppose higher up on the scale you mentioned)? Did you find state schooling good on the whole?

At the moment I'm just looking into primary really.

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MrsJohnCusack · 26/07/2006 21:18

I'm moving to Christchurch in Septmeber

DD only 19 months though so not quite into schools yet - however from what I know, the education is good in general. I think you must have been unlucky in your school. Again, compared to our choices for schools where we are right at the moment, NZ will def be a LOT better.

Piffle · 26/07/2006 21:18

Ahhh thats private Marsden
I went to Wellington Girls just down the road
I always thought Marsden had a good rep along with St Margarets...
But that was 20 years ago I guess

MrsJohnCusack · 26/07/2006 21:19

am guessing threebob may have useful advice - she lives in Christchurch and is also a music teacher.

Piffle · 26/07/2006 21:19

I went to Uni in Chch loved being there
If we moved back we would definitely put Chch at the top of our where to live list.

Original poster
SSSandy · 26/07/2006 21:20

By the way, I'm not ruling out state schooling and I can understand what you meant about inner London state schools. Wondering if faith schools are an option too

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Charlee · 26/07/2006 21:24

DS attended a playschool in Westgate (just outside Auckland) it seemed fine like any other here. We lived there for a while and i got generally good feedback from other mum's about there kids schooling.

Original poster
SSSandy · 26/07/2006 21:29

Thanks for all the comments ladies.

MrsJohn I really liked Christchurch when I was there for a visit way back. Is your dh from there?

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MrsJohnCusack · 27/07/2006 08:57

no my mother is from there (and my father is from the South Island too). they've been doing 6 months there and 6 months in Christchurch for about 10 years, but they're going back for good later this year. So ChCh was already somewhere we thought about living, on checking it out properly for ourselves I think we'd have chosen it anyway. Mainly the location, the people, and all the music/arts stuff going on for me.

I have to admit to being fairly clueless about schooling actually so I'll watch this thread with interest!

tangox3 · 01/08/2006 14:19

Sorry about delayed reply, have been travelling to Ireland en route to melbourne!

Some state schools are great...well resourced, great teaching staff but the biggest plus about the private system in primary education is class size and opportunities for alternatve subjects and extra curricular activities.

I wouldn't say the teachers are any better in the private system as the difference in pay is minimal, usually, and you have to put up with a lot more parental pressure!

Original poster
SSSandy · 01/08/2006 14:43

hi tango

that sounds tiring...

What do you think of the Catholic schools over there? Do you have any experience of them?

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Kjaysmum · 02/08/2006 09:14

Thanks for this thread SSSandy I'm taking notes for the future but no tips as DS only 2.3. good tips Tangox3.

poopy · 02/08/2006 09:39

Tangox3 has pretty much said what I would have said in both her posts.
My DS is at a state primary school in Auckland and it is brilliant (although I don't particularly like his teacher this year but that is another thread). We were given the opportunity to send him to private school by a generous MIL but we turned her down ... but we did move to an area where the state schools were better than where we were originally. With 10 years teaching experience (UK) I was able to work out which school I wanted him to go to by reading between the lines of the ERO reports and by asking around. The Decile rating has absolutely NO bearing on whether a school is 'good' or not ... all it means is that the schools in the higher socio-economic areas get less funding from the government and so the parents have to dig into their own pockets for good facilities. So, many of the lower decile schools have excellent facilities as they get more govt funding.
The difference between private and state IMO is very much as it is in the UK - obviously it depends on the school but mainly the difference is class size and sports. The main reason that we didn't want DS to go private is that we are not that sort IYSWIM? In Auckland there is an awful lot of post code snobbery and school snobbery and we as a family just wouldn't fit in with the 4x4 mums and children .... Can't be doing with it, especially as the state schools are excellent.
In terms of high schools there is much debate about the exam certificates that 16 year olds do ... NZ introduced a new system a few years ago and it is very very unpopular with some people ... however, some schools offer International Cambridge exams (International GCSE and A Levels) which are seen as much more challenging than the NCEA (the NZ equivalent)
Schools seem bigger in Auckland - DS's school has a roll of 550 (Yr 1 - 6) - and that is seen as a small school but I keep forgetting that in UK schools are split between Infants (Yr 1 - 2) and Primary (Yr 3 -6) schools so if they put them together, Primary schools in the UK would be big too.
One of the Primary schools in our area proclaims itself as the 'Biggest Primary School in NZ' with over 900 pupils from Yr 1 - 6 .

poopy · 02/08/2006 09:44

SSSsandy ...
Church/Catholic schools are seen as a middle ground between state and private. They are fee paying but not as high as private. They are seen as being generally good and I have a few friends who send their children to Catholic schools. I think it is quite difficult to get in if you are not a regular church goer but you don't necessarily have to be a Catholic. In order to get some government funding they are required by law to offer limited places to non church goers but it is done on a ballot basis and is quite hard to get in.

Original poster
SSSandy · 02/08/2006 09:45

Hi Kjaysmum!

Thanks for that Poopy, learning a lot here. That's great information to have. Didn't know for instance that you could now do international exams in NZ. Also don't remember NZ being at all snobby TBH. Perhaps I was too young to pick up on it but things change of course.

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Original poster
SSSandy · 02/08/2006 09:46

another thing I'm wondering about is what kind of activities are on offer for primary school kids. Where we are now, there is a huge selection. It's very affordable too and so dd is involved in a lot of activities - though I might cut that down once I see how she copes with the school workload.

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poopy · 02/08/2006 10:12

I don't think NZ is snobby but parts of Auckland definitely are ...
For example ... one of the 'best' schools in the country is Auckland Boys' Grammar (allegedly ) and it is FREE - as it is a state school - BUT in order to be in the housing zone to get in there you need well over $1 million to afford a house .... so you might as well go private! There is really very little difference IMO between Auck. Boys' Gr and say, Kings College (posh private school)
Um ... no thanks!!!

I don't know about other parts of NZ but there is LOADS of things for kids to do in Auckland, where I live ... soccer, rugby, cricket, netball, tennis etc (after school and weekends) ... music lessons, drama, stuff like kumon maths, art classes, ice skating ... there is an artificial ski slope on the North Shore, and not to mention all the water sports stuff ... sailing, swimming, kayaking, windsurfing etc etc. There are also mountain bike tracks, fab parks, expos at Auckland show grounds ...
We don't do all of that stuff obviously - sometimes I think there is TOO much choice as DS wants to go learn how to ski, ice skate and ride a horse and all I can manage is soccer and swimming ...
It does get expensive too - I have just started DD on swimming lessons so that is $150 - $200 a term for both of them, soccer is $65 a term. DS would like to do Drama ($165 a term ) so I am letting him try it out but I don't think it will be his thing tbh ... When DD is older she may want to do gymnastics or ballet or something and I would like them both to learn the piano so it does add up ....

MrsJohnCusack · 02/08/2006 10:13

oh blimey
there is loads to do
let's hope DD isn't too sporty or musical then!

tangox3 · 02/08/2006 23:22

Totally agree with you poopy...some people that live in certain parts of Auckland can be incredibly snobby!!!

Sorry SSSandy, not much experience in Catholic schools but I know if you have any small catholic connections at all, these are usually of some help at the interview!!