Quote:
Originally Posted by Walmington
Hi all,
My company has just offered me a transfer from the London to Melbourne office.
Financially, we will be quite ok but our main reason for moving would be to have a better quality of life for our children. We plan to start a family soon and, having being brought up in a sunnier and "safer" part of the world, I am very uncomfortable about bringing up children in London.
So to those who have moved with young children, what is your experience in terms of quality of schools and how "happy" your children are compared to when you were in the UK? Do your kids do more outdoor activities now that the weather is better or has it not made a difference at all?
Many Thanks
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Hi
We've been here since January. We used to live in London and moved a bit further out each time we had a child. Our last fixed abode was Fleet in Hampshire. There's no way I'd raise a child of mine in London. In short we're really happy with the life Melbourne offers our kids compared to the UK and I think we lived in a lovely part of the UK too.
We both work full time and have a 4 year old and 1 year old. I was worried about the quality of nurseries and schools here compared to the UK. My daughter who is quite advanced for a 4 year old was devastated leaving her nursery and friends she was really close with. I needn't have worried. They settled within a couple of weeks and love going every day. My daughter has made some good friends now and rarely mentions the old ones or England. Sometimes they don't want to come home when we pick them up as they're having such a good time. We had them in a nursery in the CBD at first but changed to a local one so my daughter could make friends with the kids she'll be starting school with in February. They spend a lot more time outside and I think they are equally as good as the UK. Although the other day they didn't go out to play as it was 'too cold'!!! I had a good laugh as anything under 16 degrees is classed as cold. As it rarely rains they get to play outside almost every day unlike the UK.
As for schools, based on my visits to a local primary and a private one, they both seemed good. The local one bowled me over as the kids looked so happy and it had a lovely atmosphere with small classes. I've spoken to lots of parents at work and other expats who think the primary schools are excellent here but the secondary schools are hit and miss depending on the area. Even the headmaster of our local school said you need to go to private a secondary school to get a good education (he sent his own son to private school).
I think the main difference is the UK is completely fixated on exam results and not on developing well rounded kids. Here they spend part of the curriculum on social skills and teach respect for each other etc. plus lots of physical education (obviously!!).
It's a shame you didn't come and have a baby last year. They've just taken the baby bonus away ($5,000 per baby born) if you earn over a certain wage. I can't remember what the threshold is but if you both work you'll probably earn too much.
Good luck with the move.
Gail