Hi Moving from New Zealand to Dundee.

[carolineG18]

Hi I am Caroline, I am married to John and we have a little girl called Chloe who is 5 on the 18th of September.

We came to New Zealand, about nearly 6 years ago now from England, we more or less came for my husband's work at Massey University as he is a Senior Lecturer in Food Technology, Research, and product development.

John has now been offered a job at Abartay University in Dundee, we are leaving NZ on the 12th of July, as his parents aren't too well and my mum passed away last year. John's brother and his wife are also going to have a baby in October after trying for two years, and they live in Edinburgh.

I think we are going to look for a furnished property in Dundee to start with as we are looking at shipping our things from here later, so we are still comfortable in the house here.

To start with I have been looking around the West end area of Dundee and also around Perth road, we want to buy after 6 months so we thought it might be good just for us to get started in the city.

I have also been looking at Broughty Ferry and Canoustie. I would like to ask you want you think of the West side of Dundee and Perth road? Also the other area's Broughty Ferry as well? As I need to find a good Primary school for Chloe.

The intake for Scotland is the 20th of August, she was going to go to school here in September just after her birthday. So by the time she gets over her jetlag etc and I have had a look around I reckon it will be probably the end of October by the time I get her into a school. I hope this will be ok, as the intake is in August.

I would appreciate your advice and guidance on our situation.

Thanks

Caroline x

Hi there. The west end of dundee is a great area, as is broughty ferry, I don't know too much about housing or schooling in Carnoustie but we do visit the beach/park there as it's beautiful. The schools in popular areas such as the west end and broughty ferry, will be very full, especially in the early years, although they should have reserved spaces for children moving into the area.

Children normally attend their catchment school, so your house will be linked to a primary and secondary school, and also a catholic primary and secondary school. The Dundee City Council website has a my dundee section on its website, where you can pop in the postcode of the property and it will tell you what schools you can apply for. Although you can put in a placing request for schools outwith your catchment, but there is no guarantee of a space.

The Education Scotland website has the HMIE inspection reports for the schools.

It's a great are to be, hope you will all be happy here.

Hi, thanks for your message. I have been looking at the Barnhill area and Barnhill school. Do you know anything about Barnhill school at all? Because when I called the education department within the council they said that Forthill and Eastern Primary schools were full, but Barnhill they were taking children from anywhere.

So that got me thinking why? Is it just because it is a bigger school? Or is it not performing very well? Or is Barnhill not a good area in Broughty Ferry?

It is hard trying to sort this out in NZ, we have my husband's brother and his wife who are going to look at some properties for us, as they live in Edinburgh, but they don't know Dundee. And also hardly any estate Agents don't do viewings on a Saturday or weekend which also makes it quite difficult for us.

So we are now looking at the West End of Dundee and Broughty Ferry, but we need to apply for a school soon for Chloe and therefore we need an address. It is quite challenging as even just looking on the estate agents websites there is not an awful lot out there.

I guess we will just have to keep on looking and hopefully we will make quite a good decision in the end on the school for Chloe and the area to live.

Please comment and give advice on anything I have mentioned, as it is greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Caroline

Hi Caroline
I live in a different part of Dundee so I don't know anything specifically about Barnhill primary - you can read the most recent inspection report here
www.educationscotland.gov.uk/scottishschoolsonline/schools/barnhillprimaryschooldundeecity.asp

It's more common here for children just to go to their closest school so there's less of this "good/bad" school angst that I read about on Mumsnet all the time...

Barnhill seems nice enough -but not sure about the schools etc.
As Caroline says it is common to go to the closest school, especially primary -think I'd be looking more into which secondary (unless you are planning on going private) would be your local.

There are good areas and not so good areas of Dundee...lots of schemes in the outskirts. I was warned with an English accident there were certain areas I should avoid...(Fintry being one -or rather iirc one side of the Fintry Rd!)

For property has someone directed you to
www.tspc.co.uk/search.asp
most of the properties available are advertised there (there is a Fife version too and I think Right move aren't listed in there). Property prices are a good indication of the nicest places to live. You can get property really really cheap but they are places you probably wouldn't want to live...

I'd be looking over the river - Newport, Wormit, Gauldry -even Tayport. More or less no worries about ending up somewhere a bit dodgy. Secondary then will be Madras in St Andrews.
You might find it hard to find somewhere to rent - and houses tend to be more expensive (as they do in the West end etc)
might be worth renting in the west end but applying for schools in the area you want to live in ...and putting up with a 5 mile school run until you find somewhere to buy....
Or I know someone who used to work at Blackness Primary and believe it is ok and some people who worked at the university and sent their children to the local schools - eg Blackness and St Joseph's -but that depends on the parent working at the university either or both dropping off or picking up....
Good Luck - I think it this is a fantastic area to live ...wouldn't live anywhere else now

Hi, thank you so much, for letting me know about Barnhill and the schools. That might be a good idea, to rent in the West End but apply for the school in the area we would like to live in. I was looking at Blackness Primary school as well.
I will also check out the other areas you mentioned as well, my husband was looking at Tayport, as we like sailing, and I think he saw a sailing club there. Mind you it will be a lot colder sailing in Scotland than NZ. It is very comforting to here you say that you feel it is a fantastic place to live and you wouldn't live anywhere else now. Thanks so much. Caroline

There is a boat club in Wormit too
...and a pier in Newport - not sure if you can keep boats there - there is a boat supply shop there....

Hi Caroline,

Have you thought about staying in Perth or the villages on the way from Perth to Dundee. We live in Perth and commute to Ninewells hospital and Abertay University for work. It takes about 30 minutes from where we are and is actually not too bad a commute. And the villages have lovely wee schools with a great community feel!

Good luck with your move!

Hi Caroline, nothing much to add as I don't live in either the west end or broughty ferry, I agree with everyone about the primary schools, they are much the same and kids generally go to the schools in their catchment area.

A move from NZ to Dundee might be a bit of a culture shock, good luck with your move :)

Barnhill Primary is getting an extension built, it's fairly well on but I'm not sure if it will be ready for the start of term.

Other popular schools include Ancrum Road Primary and Clepington, going by placing requests.

As a pp said the villages off the A90 would be worth looking at too. It's an easy commute into Dundee.

Dundee has the royal tay yacht club.

It is a brilliant area. If you see houses on tspc post the links and folk can let you know about that particular area.

Thank you so much for all your help.

Last week, I spent all week contacting letting agents, and now I have being able to secure a property in Broughty Ferry. My husband, John's brother and wife live in Edinburgh and they viewed some property's for us last Saturday, which was great.
So now our address for the schools is in the catchment area for Barnhill and St Pius.
I know St Pius is a Roman Catholic School, does anyone know anymore about it at all? I have been told it is quite a small school. Only 195 pupils total.
The lady at the education department said that Barnhill had been finished but she doesn't know how the classes are going to be grouped together this year, until they start on the 20th of August.

The property is within walking distance from Barnhill so I am swaying to Barnhill rather than St Pius which is 10 minutes drive away. The new website is now online for Barnhill and it looks like a nice school, with lots of activities and clubs.

My husband has also found the Royal Tay Yacht club at Broughty Ferry, it is very active and sails Catamarans, so he is thinking of buying one, and joining the yacht club.

We leave NZ on the 12th of September, and pick up our keys for the property on Thursday the 18th of September.

That is Chloe's 5th birthday, and your referendum day, it would be interesting to know how you all feel about that. I am guessing you want to stay in the UK. John's brother is really adamant, about NO to separation.

I would really like to catch up with you all and meet up when we arrive in Broughty Ferry Dundee it would be lovely to get to get to know you all.

Caroline

Hi Caroline!

I am so glad that you have finally got sorted with your move, Broughty Ferry is lovely. When we moved up from Glasgow we nearly bought a house down near the river there. Barnhill primary is a good school, I know a few people who have had their kids there over the years.

We are only about half an hour away from you, so would love to meet up for a coffee once you get sorted and settled. I have 6 year old and 7 month old DDs.

Like your brother-in-law, I believe that we should stay united with the UK so will definitely be voting no.

If you fancy meeting up, pm me and I will give you my contact details!,

How exciting for you. Barnhill is a nice area, got a good selection of shops at campfield square which I presume will be within walking distance.

My friend lives in a block of flats at the back entrance of the school, and she thinks they are still doing some internal work in the extension. There was an article in the courier or evening telegraph that stated it would be ready for next week.

If you would like your DD to join classes, dancing swimming etc more than happy to recommend.

Hi, just an update, we have only 3 weeks left now here in NZ! all our things have been packed up so we are just camping in the house at the moment, sleeping on an old mattress on the floor and sitting on cushions.

I have sent in an application for Chloe to go to Barnhill school. So I will have to get more details and info on that when it has been processed.

I am wondering where I will buy her school uniform but I guess I will find that out later. We pick our keys up for the property in Broughty Ferry on the 18th of September which is your referendum day, and also Chloe's birthday.

It would be great to know where all the clubs and activities are please? Chloe has been swimming quite a while now so I definitely want to keep that going. So if you can let me know please where there do offer some good swimming lessons that will be great?

Also she has been going to a club called Dancespace where she does ballet, tap and hip hop, so a dancing club would be great as well. I would really like to get her involved in Scottish dancing as well.

Well not long now, before I will be living along side the river tay, we arrive in Dundee as I said on the 18th of September, so if you have any coffee mornings or get together's please let me know and I would really like to get to meet you all.

It is coming into spring here in NZ, I haven't been able to get the hang of boiling hot Christmas's here in NZ it has felt so strange! Instead of having family Christmas's by the fire and a hot dinner. It has been a bbq on the beach. So here we go back to the Christmas's I have always known and loved.

We are looking forward to being close to our families again as well, there has just been the three of us on our own out here for 6 years. So now on to our next adventure in 3 weeks time.

3 weeks will fly in.

You will probably be able to buy some of the uniform from the school, probably the embroided polo shirts etc, and then the skirts or pinafores from marks and Spencer's or supermarkets.

The council run swimming is the cheapest but has a long waiting list, you can find details in the council website. Other recommend swimming teachers are Grieve Swim School and AJ swimming, they have Facebook pages.

There are lots of dance schools, some are more traditional than others, Ferry Ballet School, Tayside Ballet, Dundee dance factory are some that I can think of, but it may be worth seeing where girls in her class go.

Happy packing.

Hi there,

Thanks for your messages, we only have 11 days left now! Yikes! It has crept up so fast. We are going to spend 2 nights in Vancouver on the way over which will be nice to break the trip up. Chloe loves Dolphins so we thought we would go to the aquarium there and go to a Dolphin show. I haven't heard yet from the education department in Dundee to see if Chloe has a place at Barnhill school? I'm not sure how long the process will take. I would love to meet up when I get settled in for a coffee, that would be great. Also thanks for letting me know where the swim clubs etc.. are. I think we might join David Lloyds as well, and I think they have a swim school there as well. Any way just trying to sell the last bits of things off and then it will be away we go on the plane to our new life!! Looking forward to meeting you all. Caroline x

Hi, we are now here in our apartment, in Broughty Ferry. We are sleeping on sofa cushions which is hard as our things don't get here until around the 15th of November, and my husband doesn't want to buy anything that we have already got coming.
Chloe started school on Wednesday at Barnhill and she really likes it which is good, and has started making friends.
John is in his second week of work and just trying to find his feet.

We are in a bit of a dilemma at the moment, as the apartment isn't really all that suitable for us, it is quite small, and we really would like to buy our own place. We have been looking at properties to buy around Broughty Ferry and Dundee, and there are none within our price range. Or value for money either.

We have now seen some really nice 3/4 bed properties, houses in Cupar near St Andrews. They are within our price range and really nice for the money. It is about 12 miles from Dundee, for John's work, and there are some primary schools in the area.

I just would like to ask if anyone know's about Cupar and what you think about it? As we would like to buy a nice family home in a good area, close to Primary schools.

Can you let me know what you think?

It would be good to meet up sometime as well, if anyone is in my area.

Thanks Caroline x

Hi,
Welcome to The Ferry. I am from England, Scottish husband and we moved to Dundee a year ago, and to The Ferry a month and a half ago. We live very near the yacht club. I have a four year old boy. Would love to meet up!
I was a Yes, despite being from England! Oh well.
I can't help at all re schools as we home educate, and I don't know Cupar either. So pretty useless to you on those counts, sorry! But if you want to meet up just to know someone local, here I am! PM me! I don't check MN much any more.

I'm Broughty Ferry too! I have a 7mo DD and would be more than happy to meet up for coffee, cake and a natter! Let me know if you fancy it :)

Hello!

I have read your thread with interest Caroline. I am moving into the Dundee area in August, and I am going through the same considerations as you. We are a Norwegian family of 6, and I am going to do a PG degree at Ninewells.

How are you doing in Dundee now? We have also thought of Cupar, did you move there?

I am going over to Dundee for a few days to have a look around on March 10th so I can see what areas I like, but it would be interesting to hear about your experiences.