Andystiz

We have been here for over 7 years and miss culture rather than food so much. It is a good family pub, old historic house etc that we miss- even after all these years. we get gammon from pacdon - they do real gammon steaks, gammon joints, haggis etc. they are near Echuca on the Murray vic/nsw but have suppliers all over the place. Pricey, but well worth it. the pickled pork is pretty good done in a slow cooker also. We get it from coles. we get some British stuff every year from Aldi round the queens birthday, lots jacobs club biscuits and other goodies.we also get frozen cod fish from there. for sausages and bacon, best is British sausage company. sadly, we still find the sandwich ham a bit naff, can’t get decent crumbed Yorkshire style ham anywhere. most ‘English ham’ is wet and slimy, like the cheapest stuff from tesco. we buy packs of bachelor dried peas to make our own mushy peas just like at home, we just get a load in from the several uk stores in Oz. we only use one steeping tablet per pack, so we then use the spare steeping tablets with dried blue boiler peas (500g per two tablets) and they make great mushy peas. Otherwise food is pretty much the same…… so for last meal…… I’d have a curry, a dansak, can’t get one here for love nor money! Preferably in a picturesque old historic pub/restaurant with your family around you.

I would just get a dual sim phone and have a new UK sim with your oz one with some credit on it that lasts for 365 days - just payg is fine with numerous suppliers. Then simply text back using snapchat or facebook etc using UK phone plan data which is mega cheap. Don't use for calls though. Dual sim phones are not too expensive but not generally available on the high street - some do have them- but I got mine online unlocked etc. works a treat.

We used John mason also for our move to Melbourne in 2015- very competitive- we had 2 competing companies and got each to lower prices and then picked the one we wanted- they went down by about 150. We also used letton percival for insurance- all no problem.

We did a one year exchange with an Australian, a teacher exchange program, this was invaluable to gaining an insight to living and working on Oz. Our children where 8 and 5 at the time and enjoyed life over in Oz but missed grandparents etc. Could you get a sabbatical year?, and its only a flight away should an emergency happen. However, Sydney is very expensive for housing and a large income required to live in a nice area - although further away the cheaper it becomes. If you could get a job north or south of sydney , there are some lovely palces, I really like Nowra, a few hours south. Whatever you choose to do , good luck!

haha, yes, my kids, both primary age, have had this sort of nonsense whilst neglecting basics!

Thanks, obviously I should just ignore my thoughts and tell myself that where I work actually is better because pisa says so...... :-)

As a teacher, married to another teacher, we left teaching in the UK because of the endless pressure and results focused state system. It certainly was a major factor in our decision. In my experience, limited as it is, a combination of the best of both systems would be best. Some of the drive and rigour in lower years as in the Uk (without the SAT's- and no, NAPLAN is absolutely nothing like SAT's) to ensure that the basics are correct for all students. Also married with some of the Australian elective style curriculum with a much greater element of student choice.

I've taught in two private schools in Aus (one Anglican and one Catholic high) and previously taught in England for 18 years. I can honestly say that students generally work harder in England and lower standards are the norm here in Aus up to around year 10. In all of my time in England I never knew a single student who took the PISA test, so I'd take it all with a pinch of salt. I think the schools in Aus are significantly more autonomous and can lack rigour in lower years- this can lead to laziness (invariably in boys) just being accepted and not particularly challenged/pushed to do better, often for fear of confrontation with student's/parents. Saying that, there are equally many good students who want to do well. I think my pom perception of what a private school is like is nothing like the reality here - in my limited experience in private education here it is like teaching in an average comprehensive without the smoking and other undesirable attributes at times in UK. Plenty of room for improvement over here- they could learn a lot from the drive to succeed in england without the endless rubbish. anyway, just my thoughts on my experience

Hi, we got married in the botanic gardens in Sydney in 2002, was absolutely brilliant. We lived in derbyshire at the time so it took a lot of organising, sorting the celebrant etc. but was great value. Would recommend it to anyone!

You speak to your head and get approval to apply, then get the forms etc from the commonwealth exchange council. It does cost about 500 when you are 'matched'. We sorted out a residency visa instead of the 2 year working visa you get if on exchange. Otherwise fairly straightforward. Main issue is getting head etc to agree. If you need any further help let me know.

Hi to all teachers aiming to move out Oz. I've returning from a years teacher exchange to an independent all through school in south NSW in December 2013- this was our families trial move to validate our visa. I taught year 7-10 sci and year 7 maths plus senior bio. I generally teach sci and ict to years 5-8in a middle school in Staffordshire but didn't find it too bad. I did find some aspects of teaching in Oz really frustrating, assessment procedures that don't really assess understanding of concepts, the apathy of some yr9-10 students as they have no school certificate exam and when they have decided they are not taking science at hsc level then they can down tools somewhat. We did miss the countryside of the UK terribly and we now feel torn between the two places...... very odd feeling. But in terms of pressure/stress from the system is was a case of doing your best in lower school and as long as parents/leaders were happy then that's ok. It was regional rural school. They offered me a job but I had to decline as we have house etc in UK. Now sold up after hating the political/Ofsted/gestapo rubbish back here. So now looking to possibly moving to oz in 2015 if I secure a job. Hopefully the years experience will serve me well. If anyone wants to trial it out then I would defo say do an exchange, you gain a lot but lose nothing. My wife did a lot of casual teaching also- a good brit teacher goes down well due to our general work ethic and good planning etc. I think I was the only teacher who marked books in the whole school...... not quite like we have to do back in the UK but still the students appreciated it in the year 7-8 especially and they earned treats with stamps etc.... Behaviour is not great but also not terrible it seems to be the case of if they can't be arsed then they will flunk out. Well that was my experience. Our best friends have moved to Sydney both as teachers and are in a TOP boys schools (mega fees etc) but say it is no good at all, lots of political infighting , behaviour is poor and not a great place to work. So don't judge a book by its cover. Anyway hope it all goes well for you all but be aware of the pit falls etc. Who knows we may end up in same area somewhere some fellow brit teachers... I've already registered with smart teachers and had interview with them but as I would prefer middle school teaching then it may be more tricky to get work. I'm also fully registered with Vic institute of teachers and NSW. The paperwork is a nightmare but you just gotta get loads of cert copies of transcripts and passports etc. Cheers Andy