Moving to sydney - suburb/ school advise

[MrsC09]

My husband has been offered a new job in Sydney so we will be moving there in the new year. We have 2 children aged 4 & 6 who are going into reception / year 2 in the UK. I'm only just starting my research and finding it all a bit mind-boggling.

Please can someone help to find a suitable area for us to live in to help narrow down the research a bit?!

We currently live in SW London with lots of green space, shops/cafes, families, good state schools etc and would like to find a similar area in Sydney. I understand that Sydney is VERY expensive but we will have rental income form our London home that we can use towards the cost of living there.

Our list of criteria: good state schools (although from what I understand there are loads of them in Sydney?), close to beach/parks/outdoor space, VIEWS (i've spent 15 years in London looking at my neighbours brick wall), within a 45 min commute of central Sydney with public transport (I understand that traffic can be pretty awful during rush hour), a nice neighbourhood with a local village (cafes/shops etc). Generally the right balance of city living but with a bit more breathing space to enjoy the local nature.

We would choose to live smaller for the right area so assuming we have the budget what are the "nicest" areas of Sydney to live in? I'm thinking more along the lines of Battersea/East Dulwich equivalent rather than the Chelsea of Sydney.

I would also greatly appreciate some input on how the state school intake works as this would probably affect the decision as well. Is it like in the UK where you need to be at the local address at the time of application? Are the schools generally over-subscribed? Would we stand a chance of getting our 6 year old in if we moved there in Jan (I think he would be going into year 1 there if I've done my maths correctly?)

Sorry for the long post and any for of info is hugely appreciated!!

Thanks again for all the invaluable advise. After going back and forth on our decision on whether or not to go for it we have now decided to do it! Exciting but daunting..... I have a bit more info and also a few more questions! We will be on a 457 (I think!) as we don't have PR. My husbands work will be near to Wynyard station so where we live will need to be commutable to here.

We are going to try to move by the start of the school year in Feb but might not make it in time depending on how long visas etc take. Ideally my husband will go a few weeks before us to sort out accommodation and schools. As we are only going for 1-2 years we would prioritise being in the best location we can afford rather than a big house and will max the lifestyle factor of going to the beach and parks etc. There seems to be so many great areas to choose from luckily! We would ideally pay under AUD 6000 per month but would be happy with a (nice) 2-3 bed flat.

My main concern is schools....how do we know which school we can get into before having accommodation if there is no guarantee we will get a place with a working visa? I would be hugely grateful if anyone can offer some advise here!! As we need to pay for the state school we might even consider private instead (although I'm guessing it would be a lot more expensive?) How hard is it to get into a private school? Are they also full? We have family in Vaucluse but they don't have kids so aren't much help!

Also if we don't manage to move for the beginning of the school year does that mean we might not get a place? For the kids confidence I would prefer to move so they can start in Feb but realistically I think it is more likely to be after Easter...

Also I'm not quite sure which year to put them in so would appreciate some advice on this as well. We are conscious that we will probably be returning to the Uk after 18 months - 2 years. My son will be 7 beginning of June, is currently in year 2 at a good London state school. He has mild ADHD and is struggling somewhat at school (not sinking but hovering around the bottom). In a way I wouldn't mind if he had to resit a year when we get back to London. My daughter will turn 5 in early June. She is currently in reception and is really thriving so I feel that it would be a shame to hold her back a year by putting her into preschool. Is it possible to put her into kindergarten? Would she be the youngest by a mile?? What do they do at preschool there? She's currently on reading level 2 and writing quite well and most importantly really enjoys learning!

Thank you sooo much for your help!!

Well, lots of good news:
()With a AUD 6000 budget per month which brings you at more than 1300$ per week, you have endless choices. Then Wynyard is a very central hub for transport and as it is right after the bridge, even from the northern beaches suburbs, you are talking about a 30 min commute at peak.
() Catholic private schools cost less than 5000 a year, well according to a friend of mine who sent her kids there. We are in public schools more for secular reasons than anything and paying $5000 as we are on a 457.

(*) Many kids start Kindy at 4 so your daughter wouldn't be the youngest.

(*) Kids move school all year round so I wouldn't be worried about not being accepted because you are moving around Easter. As long as there are not in this list www.smh.com.au/nsw/there-are-180-nsw-schools-over-capacity-department-of-education-figures-show-20160829-gr3nz7.html . Select the suburbs you like, and then look at the schools there before renting. Talk to the principal, have a feel of the school and then start the enrolment process.

We moved to Cammeray (lived in Crows Nest) on the NorthShore when my son was in reception here. He is an April baby and was 4 turning 5 in their equivalent -Kindergarten (first year of school). I was adamant that he should start school to keep with UK but to be honest he struggled as many of the parents hold their boys back a year so they are 5 turning 6 in their first year of school. It was a lot more formal than reception here and many of them were good readers and writers as they do a lot more in preschool there so he floundered a bit as he could barely write his name! We then moved to Chatswood West and he went to a different school that was a bit more laid back but still he was much younger than a lot of the children. Most places on the north shore are commutable to the CBD and have good schools.

We are in Paddington, moved for initially 2 years but now staying! It's great commute for the city (and Wynyard station) and great for he beach too. Schools: Paddington public is ok, depending on teachers and I would say you would get a place. Glenmoore road is the better school but you will struggle to get in in a visa. Private schools mostly have waiting lists but take a look at St Andrews in the cbd. It's lovely. Also bear in mind as temporary residents you might be able to salary package school fees bringing them down again by 50%.

We moved over from London too. We love Paddington and you would be able to afford a good house in a good location here.

And my kids are 8 and 6 with birthdays in March and May. We are shocked at how many people have held treat children back a year but we decided not to for many reason (returning to the uk at some point one of them!).

sorry people...I am new to the site and wanted to start a new thread but got messed up