maidensarah

Not sure why it would be better posted in mbttuk as I'm not I'm already in the UK and I believe this section is for all 'off topic' conversations Thanks for the advice, lots to think about

It's in the UK

for our son in the area. We have to apply by Jan as he starts next Sept. We have lots of choice as there's lots of primary schools around, and all are 'Good' on Ofsted. So happy enough with that. Results are similar between schools we've been looking at. One of our top choices is literally just a few doors away up the road from where we live and we have looked round, liked it and it's is recently rebuilt so has new facilities though they are looking for a few new teachers. Has about 400 children. However DS goes to pre-school in the next village as this pre-school was better than the one nearest to us at the time and my DD is due to start at the same preschool next year. The primary school in that village has a good rep and we have looked round it too. We also liked it, but found it a little messy compared to the other one and facilities are older, there's only one class per year but we found the classrooms a little cramped as there's still 30 a class and the school was obviously built when there wasn't 30 a class. The newer school felt more spacious. However this village school has half the pupils of the other one which maybe my shy and sensitive DS would prefer. And we can't deny their results are good, and the teachers are paid more so maybe more likely to stay on? Children in both schools looked well behaved and were learning well. Some of DS's friends from preschool will be going there, but I'm not sure how many will be going to the other one. Thing is with this other village school, he's not guaranteed to get in as we're not in the catchment area, but we may get in if there's places left after the village kids and siblings and children from our area do get in if there's places. It goes on distance. People have said to me go on gut feeling but I really can't decide. We are looking at one or two more soon too. But really the top choices will probably be between these two. Any words of wisdom? Newer school, smaller school, nearest school?? I find it so hard to decide.

I'd love one, but it wouldn't stand a chance with my two

I think you're better off starting in Sydney too. Lots to do and see. You'll probably find work easier to find too. Don't miss going to the Blue Mountains while you're there too. We stayed in the Blue Mountains Katoomba YHA while visiting there and that was a lovely hostel. Don't miss Brisbane though. I loved it there. Also would recommend visiting the Whitsunday Islands.

Lovely photos. I skydived over a beach a Byron Bay. Lovely area. Could easily live there!

Great post and good luck, sounds very exciting. Hope your dog settles more soon

Depends on each individual job I guess but I worked in a couple in Brisbane on my WHV. They like to employ people with 'accents'. One I worked at was outgoing calls to sell charity raffle tickets and the other half of the job was receiving incoming call to take orders for an informercial company. It was an okay job, paid good especially if doing the graveyard shift.

I just remember at Primary school those children who had free lunches were known as 'poor' which is sad for children to think that of other children that way from a young age. We were not well off when I was at primary school but my brother and I were not 'poor enough' to be entitled to free school meals and sadly I was only ever sent to school with marmite sandwiches crisps and chocolate in my lunchbox. Soggy and squashed marmite sandwiches still send shudders down my spine now haha

I think it could help a lot with those children. I think it's really sad that some parents don't, but there is plenty that don't. Not saying that all are abusive or neglectful parents just don't have much of a clue.

ALL primary school children aged 4-7 will now receive free hot meals every day. Any one else really pleased about this and think it's a great idea? Most people I know think it is, a few don't (usually the ones without children) I think it's a great idea as although packed lunches can be healthy, surely most of the time a hot meal is going to be better for them, give them more energy for their day and get them eating more of a variety. Packed lunches can be a bit boring every day and hard to vary. Also it will give children who have lazy and/or uninformed parents a chance for a decent lunchtime meal. (The teachers I know say there are plenty of them!) My son will benefit from this when he starts school next year and I'm so glad he will have a good meal in the middle of the day as it is a long day for them at that age. Yes there's lots of area that need money spent on but this has got to be well worth the investement. Hopefully they'll roll it out for older children too in the future. (When I was in secondary school my dad used to give me a £1 a day for my school lunch which afforded me some chips or something rubbish - not his fault really he just didn't have much idea about it all, and if I bought a 40p chocolate muffin at breaktime I wasn't left with a lot ha ha) What's the policy on this in Australia. Do any children there receive free school meals?

Took me 3 hours to push out my eldest too! Luckily second was much easier at less than half an hour

I had a long first labour (26 hours) and no epidural and was adamant second time for having one which I did towards the end even though the labour was only 9 hours. Made it a much more pleasant experience, for me, having it. Only downside to it was having to have a catheter and stay in hospital overnight afterwards but I had to have a catheter with my first birth anyway (won't go into all the details!) Personal choice, would just say go with the flow, don't rule anything out. Bear in mind the epidural takes approx 45min-1 hour to fully take effect as they only let you top it up gradually. Didn't want pethidine myself as it passes through to the baby. Had a couple of half doses of meptid first time which isn't supposed to pass through to baby but I think it did as he slept 6 hours straight after birth which my second did not.

Well actually just booked a week's skiing hol the other day. Well my Dad did.. he's kindly paying for me to go with him, my brother and a couple of his mates for my 30th next March. My lovely husband has said he'll be a 'Stay-at-home-dad' for the week as he knows I won't leave the children with anyone but him for more than a few hours. He's never been skiing and is happy for us to go all together when the children are old enough. I've just been 4 times before but the last time was 10 years ago. I'm really looking forward to it though anxious about leaving the children as I'll miss them and they'll miss me but of course will be well looked after. When I last went 10 years ago it was just me and Dad and we had a great time, a good bonding holiday, so I'm looking forward to spending some time with him and my brother too and it may well be the last time we go skiing together, you know, as he's getting on a bit. Anyone think I'm being selfish leaving my children? I have never been away from them for more that 2 nights in total, each 1 night at a time. Once staying at a friend's house after a night out and the other time just leaving my oldest while I was in hospital after having my youngest. DS will be 4 and DD will be nearly 2 when I go. If I decide I can't do it I'll send hubby instead! We'll have been away with the children to Center Parcs this year and we are off to Devon tomorrow for a few days. We'll go away with the children again next summer not sure where yet. Also want to go to Disneyland Paris with them but will wait for the following year when youngest is 3.

Only been to two so Brisbane Sydney

When I was a teenager and had a fringe I used to get told I looked like 'Zoe from Eastenders' around the time she was in it. When I was skinnier and in my early 20's I got told I looked like Keira Knightley but I really don't. I haven't been compared to anyone recently

Sorry to hear that

I don't know. My husband is only part CIMA qualified but has degree in accounting & finance and works as a financial controller and is only 29. I think sometimes experience is worth more than qualifications. He's just never got round to finishing his CIMA.

Wow, so beautiful! Watching that makes me want to live there, though at the same time thinking that makes me miss home. ha

I used to eat these biscuits, I think by Arnotts, called Morning Coffee maybe?? on the train from Sydney CBD to Parramatta every morning on the way to work. I used to eat nearly a whole packet at a time they were so moreish. Mmm wish I could get some now...

Sounds lovely Some of my friend's family lived in Samford for a while. Is it in a bit of a valley? From what I remember. Now they live in Bridgeman Downs. I went to a few lovely shops in Samford. I remember there being some really lovely unique greetings cards in one shop that I bought a lot of. I love Brisbane.

If you want to take out money from cash machines (ATM's) from a British account I used Nationwide as they didn't charge. Not sure if that's still the case as it was a few years ago so worth checking out.

Sydney is a good choice. We started there. Have fun!

Having spent a few months in both Sydney and Brisbane I would happily try out living in both, but also fancy Byron Bay, somewhere on the Sunshine Coast or Port Douglas

I've got distant family over there. Something like my Pap's (Grandad) grandfather's brother or something like that emigrated over there via boat with his family. Think they're in Queensland somewhere.