[madmungo]

Hi all,

I've had some great help over the last few months from many people on here and wanted to say thanks. We're now committed to coming out to the North Shore in January '09 but the number of questions is growing!

The most important of all has to be how do you get a 7 year old and 5 year old into a school?

We cannot decide on where to settle and rent a place despite hours on the web and had planned to stay in a motel or holiday let for 2 weeks on arrival. Then tour round Devonport, Takapuna, Milford, Browns Bay and Albany to see what suits us best, space wise and taking into account price and availability of rentals.

I know January might be a difficult time to start out as it's holiday season. What worries me is how do you get kids into a school - can you apply in advance out of the country (we have PR) or do you have to wait to find a rental in zone?

I looked at the Stanley Bay school website and got worried seeing application forms and a September deadline! I believe if you are in-zone a school has to take your kids - is this correct?

Thanks for any advice - many more questions to come (like are rentals furnished? is commuting time the best thing to consider when choosing where to settle? how are the buses?) but that's enough for now.

Chris

[gil]

Hi Chris,
My advice would be to contact several schools in all the areas you think you might want to live in and see what they suggest with regard to timing. Most schools will be shut in January until something like 31st, so you won't be able to visit anyway. Take your time though, as starting one or two weeks late won't be an issue and it will give you time to visit before making a choice. And yes, schools must take you if you live in zone, so don't worry about t=hose deadlines. They're for people on the ground, so to speak.

We found it so strange when we arrived and actually saw the areas as we had never been here before! We had planned to visit Rangitoto and Macleans Colleges, Auckland Boys' and Epsom Girls' Grammars, but when we got here, we just thought Bucklands Beach was so nice, we contained our viewings to schools here...and have been here happily (and pleased with schools) ever since.

Good luck and just keep in touch with the schools, they are usually helpful,

Gil

[dharder]

What worries me is how do you get kids into a school - can you apply in advance out of the country (we have PR) or do you have to wait to find a rental in zone?

No, you can't apply in advance if it is a zoned school. They ususally don't want to know unless you actually have proof of address in the zone. And yes, if you are in the zone, they have to take your kids (and, as I mentioned in another post, if you leave the zone, you have to take them with you...)

Good luck,

Daniela