kiwiathome

Interesting comment Booma. Can I ask where in Australia you have taught? I have heard even from some Australians and certainly some kiwis that Queensland lags behind the rest of Australia for education. Obviously the change to bring forward the start of high school will help this. I am a little worried about the fact we have to reside in the UK for 3 years before my eldest can do uni. No way do we want to pay international fees. I am going to check this out. Our plan was to start looking into England this year, visit next year, move the following year with the plan she had a small gap year from Dec until Sept. I really do not think having to wait 3 years once over there for her to start is a good idea. So we might have to leave this year!? I have been here for six years now, and am getting no closer to wanting to live here. I would go back to NZ in a flash but I am the only one out of four! Next best thing for me is return to England that we are all keen on. I just find Australia so different to NZ and England, and I feel like an outsider here. Have traipsed around hubby for his career our entire married life and am really wanting to have a say now in where we live. Also my eldest daughter is so excited to have a chance to see the country where she was born and live there, and see where her grandparents and family are from.

Really? I thought that if she was born in England she was OK. So she has to be living in England for 3 years prior, even if a UK citizen, she will become an international student?? I am surprised and now a little worried as we all know how much is charged for international students. Does this also apply to scholarship application? You have to be residing within the country for so many years???

Hello Thank you for your response and lovely username. In an ideal world we would wait until eldest daughter completes year 12 (she in year 10) and youngest daughter completest year 7 (she in year 5). Leaving at completion of year 12 means my eldest would have December until Sept off, a little gap year, and then start Uni. Yes she is very bright and would love to go uni in England. She is doing higher level studies already. We have only ever done private schools since living in Australia as it was not necessary in England and NZ. Interesting what you say about the state school you would not send your son too. But I think in any country you get a good area you get a good state school. It can be a case of spend more on the house and live in a better area and do the state school, versus live in a cheaper area for housing but have to pay out for a state school. As exactly as you say in above post. Interesting what you say about your school thinking so highly about the Australian system, because in NZ we think our system is way above the Australian system. I found my children coming from NZ were ahead in the curriculum to the Australian children with this curriculum. And yes we should last another two and a half years, but maybe we will move at the end of the year. Just think two less sweltering summers at least among many other factors. And you say you moved back after 5 years, well do you like it? are you settled and has it been worth it?? Thanks so much. Louise.

We left NZ 9 months before the Christchurch earthquake happened, we lived in Rangiora. Just in time for the Ipswich Qld floods. But we were OK. So always something positive to find. I have to adjust an earlier comment. My teenage daughter does reassure me that some state schools in Queensland are good, and this is true. She was the happiest at the one state school we tried. In general I feel the schooling in Queensland lags behind the rest of Australia. We lived for six months in NSW. And I think again that schooling in Australia is not as good as England or NZ. But always exceptions, as I know Starlight above will be pleased to hear, that Melbourne University is one of the best in the world. Each to their own, but I find Australia has gone down hill of recent times and is not as good as it used to be. Certainly the cost of living has got ridiculous and what is going of with house prices? Poor future generations. As we get older and have a chance to move and make the most out of life, why not??? A big world out there and something for all of us.

Hello starlight7 you made me smile. Would love to see your fire and hot chocolate! We are in Queensland are currently sweating, prob feeling effects of the cyclone. Not sure I agree with you. What exactly is the definition of money?? We have lost money but yes we probably have money compared to some. However I do not think the education system in Australia is great. We pay for private schooling because we think the state schools in Queensland are terrible. What do others think???? Education for our children is soooo important. Just a thought.:jiggy:

No we have not been back. But we have friends, contacts and family back in UK and have done the research. I would feel more confident getting on a flight back to UK than taking the risk of staying here. For starters the government in Australia is to the most unstable I have ever experienced. We have voluntary handouts constantly taken out of my husbands pay check to contribute to the natural disasters, but we can not access anything from the government. Fair enough, but Australia takes our money that we have studied hard for and worked hard for? We got more acceptance and help from the UK in our time there than we have ever had in Australia. My husband has English parents, I now have UK citizenship, and my eldest daughter was born in Hemel Hempstead, youngest born in NZ. I have travelled when young (21 did the OE) then my husband is an airline pilot . A few countries, living in Australia is the hardest and loneliest and most depressing out of anywhere I have ever lived. It is not the country of opportunity and it is not the golden land. Thank you to all who listens and reply. Louise.

We are pleased we came back when we did as both our parents got sick at the same time in NZ. I cared for my mum while she had a liver transplant (still alive and thriving) and unfortunately my hubby lost his dad who got sick at the same time. We both feel responsible for our aged mums, is it selfish to go back to where you loved and want your children to grow up? my eldest daughter is 14, nearly 15 and she begs to go to university in the UK. She was born there. I have such good memories and feel we would be so happy to go back, but we have to leave our mums in NZ. I do not think the education system in Australia is any good. Education is very important to us for our children. From memory and research the education is the best in UK and USA?????

Hello everyone. Like many of the others posted on this forum, just wondering what returning to the UK is like after years on this side of the ditch? I left for the UK with my new husband at age 28, Dublin then Hertfordshire. 6 happy years. Then returned to NZ due to the "guilt gland" of pressure by grandparents once family started. We had one daughter born in UK. Then next daughter in NZ, staying for 5 years. 6 years ago we left NZ for Aus for my husbands career and more opportunity. Well, we missed England, but NZ was OK. But Aus, we have never really settled and long for England or NZ. Contemplating moving back to UK as we are at a crossroads in our life, and now would be a good time to move. I miss from UK the seasons; beautiful memories of evening walks and seeing blossom and autumn leaves, excitement of snow in winter. Hot chocolate, rolling hills of green, open space and walks rugged up, family pubs where you went out to enjoy a family meal and appreciate wine and food and good conversation, architecture, culture, theatre, Europe! The easiest and best friends I have ever made were in England, followed by NZ. Not Australia at all. Above all else just the constant heat and natural disasters, mozzies, flies and very bad impatient drivers is a struggle. Just wondering what others think and has returning to the UK been a great experience? Thank you. Look forward to comments. Louise.