Is your nipper in a good school?

[Guest Squareman]

Hi all

 

If all goes well, I will be in Adelaide around the end of April. Whooohoooo!

 

I am now looking to find a place to rent and was wondering if any of you could give me some advice. My perfect suburb would have the following characteristics:

 

- It must have a really good public primary school. The wee man start is 5 so he’ll need to start school in January.

- It must be within walking distance of the beach. Walking distance can be 2kms or less. I would prefer to see the ocean, but beggars can’t be choosers

- It should be near a shopping centre and perhaps some nice cafe’s or pubs within walking distance.

- It should be within 20kms of the CBD. My new job is in Eastwood

 

Any ideas boys and girls? The school is the most important element for me, so if any of you have little nippers and they are in a good school, please tell me about it

 

Cheers

[Diane]

Just curious - I'd recommend where I live but it doesn't meet your beach criterium! I've always thought that people who live within walking distance of the beach must get really fed up on popular beach days (Australia Day, public holidays, weekends for instance) as everyone whoisn't within walking distance drives, and probably parks in your road/outside your house/blocks your entry etc!

 

Also, I've yet to find anywhere that I'd describe as pretty that close to a beach - less trees, less grassy areas due to the salt air...

 

Takes all sorts I know, and I'm a bit of a wierdo coz I actually get really pissed off with sand everywhere after a beach trip - nice on an occasional basis but sand everywhere all the time? not for me!

 

Anyway, I'm sure someone who lives really close to a beach will be along soon with some answers, but whenever we do go to the beach, and park in someone else's road, outside someone else's house, I do wonder if it annoys them (not that we'd block their drive/entrance of course)......

 

If your beach requirement lessens at all, look at any of the suburbs along the River Torrens Linear Park - most of them are lovely. East or West of the City.

[Guest rachinadelaide]

Hi all

 

 

-It must have a really good public primary school. The wee man start is 5 so he’ll need to start school in January.

-It must be within walking distance of the beach. Walking distance can be 2kms or less. I would prefer to see the ocean, but beggars can’t be choosers

-It should be near a shopping centre and perhaps some nice cafe’s or pubs within walking distance.

-It should be within 20kms of the CBD. My new job is in Eastwood

 

 

Cheers

 

We live in West Lakes and it ticks most of these boxes for us... We don't have kids so I'm no expert on the schools thing but I believe West Lakes Primary has a very good reputation.

We can walk to the West Lakes Shopping Mall and the restaurants and pub along Brebner Drive (next to the mall) which overlook the lake. We can also walk (approx 45 mins) to Grange and have a meal in one of the restaurants there, overlooking the sea - or we can get the bus from WL mall if we are feeling lazy. We also walk to Semaphore or Port Adelaide to eat and drink out.

It takes us about 20mins to walk to the beach as we live inland of the lake. If you look at living in West Lakes Shore you are beach side of the lake.

 

My husband works not far from Eastwood and it usually takes approx 30 mins to drive and 45 mins to cycle.

 

Grange is lovely too - we considered moving there but I cycle to work (to Semaphore) and it was just a bit too far...

 

To answer one of Diane's considerations - We lived in WLS for a year and a half - 2 min walk to the beach and never noticed beach-goers parking on our street.

 

Happy choosing!!

 

Rach

[foxychick]

I reckon I would recommend Brighton or Somerton Park, but have no idea where Eastwood is, so don't know the distance, I would think it would be within your radius, also thinking for the future, Brighton High school is good but in a tight zone. There are a choice of public and private primaries in the area.

[Anne B]

I live in Grange

 

We are:

 

10K to the city

10 mins walk to the beach

10 mins walk to a good primary school (Grange)

10 mins walk to the train station (20-25 mins to City)

a few minutes drive to West Lakes Shopping mall

 

The school at West Lakes Shore is also good, although West Lakes doesn't have the train.

 

It's only right on the seafront that it can be windswept and treeless, although many places have Norfolk Island pines planted along the esplanade. There are plenty of trees and parks around, we have 3 playgrounds within 5 minutes walk, plus there is a shady creek through Grange that is lined with gum trees. Its best to live a few streets inland, that way you don't spend all your time cleaning your windows to get the salt spray off them (plus you don't get people parking outside your house when they visit the beach !!).

[Guest Squareman]

Hi all

 

You have all given great advice. Thanks so much!! I will start looking at schools in WL, Grange etc. I've had my eye on these areas, but wasn't sure.

 

Thanks again

[foxychick]

I don't know if you intend to, but if you can, I would really wait till you are here to settle on an area/house/school.

 

Nothing beats driving or even better walking round an area, and houses can look sooo different on realestate.com.

 

See, I would go west lakes over Grange, but my hubby would be the other way around, hence we didn't pick either

 

Also, I looked around several schools, and went with my gut instict for my 1st choice, however, what works for me and my gut instinct obviously may not be the same as what you see as priorities in a school. Personally I am of the opinion that you have to be comfortable with the school feels to you, not just how good they do or don't sound on a website.

 

All the best.

 

 

Edit: Also, from things you have previously written, are you also looking at suburbs such as Norwood, Unley etc. Whilst not withing walking distance to the beach, they sound like they might suit you and your family

[Guest Squareman]

Hi Foxy

 

Yip, its a difficult one because most of the places I have seen for rent, demand a 12 month lease agreement. With my son starting school in January 2011, I need to pick a suburb that has a good school because I would prefer my son to go to school closeby to where we live. There is also a zoning thing applicable isn't there?

[Guest guest569]

Also have a look at Seacliff and Kingston Park. Just remember the closer to the city the more $$ a week your rent will be and as the exchange rate is poor you'll need all your spare change.

[Diane]

Hi Foxy

 

Yip, its a difficult one because most of the places I have seen for rent, demand a 12 month lease agreement. With my son starting school in January 2011, I need to pick a suburb that has a good school because I would prefer my son to go to school closeby to where we live. There is also a zoning thing applicable isn't there?

 

Zoning not too much of an issue at Primary school level - some do, but most don't! I've heard of a few high schools asking to see a 12 month lease agreement within zone, but not heard of that for primaries (which isn't to say it doesn't happen, but I've not heard of it)

[foxychick]

Quite right Diane, zoning seems mostly for high school, however, 2 out of the 3 primaries I looked at were zoned (although they were open to exceptions!)

[Pommy99]

Try Henley Beach.

[Anne B]

We had to show our rental agreement to get the kids into Grange primary.

 

They are very strict on their zone now but we know loads of people who got their children in the school in the past by using friends and relatives addresses.

[Rachiegarlo]

Primary schools tend to only enforce their zone when they are in danger of reaching capacity. They know expected enrolments from local children attending kindies a year ahead, so if they need to ensure there are enough places for the locals. If there are places still available, then offers go out usually on a distance to school basis or pressing need such as parents working in the area etc.

[Guest Jinxy]

We moved here in 2005. We being Hubby and my then 5yo son, now almost 10. He's had/having a wonderful time at Henley Beach Primary. The principal Shane Misso and the rest of the staff always very helpful. Phone number is 83562117. Few pommy kids attend also. We live a walk away from beach, school, shops and Henley Square where we catch up weekly with some other poms!! If you need any more info don't hesitate to msg/call me 0414 779066.

[Guest Lee and Claire]

I can highly recommend Lockleys primary school (not Lockleys North). It is a great school with really small numbers. Areas round about are Lockleys itself which is where I live, Fulham Gardens, Brooklyn Park etc. I know quite a lot of people at that school live even further away but choose the school because of the small class sizes.

[Guest Ric & Paula]

Hi our kids are at a school called le Fevre in Birkenhead,and have settled in brilliantly,all the staff are helpful and supportive no issues with other children,we live in Semaphore,gorgeous place loads for children to do.I have no car school trip is 10 mins and has an attached kindy so little man can make buddies before starting scool as my 4 yr old is.She has 4 children starting in July with her good luck xx

[Guest Peachie]

Hi

if school is that important you want to consider going private as its much cheaper than in uk Catholic primary costs about $2300 (includes book packs) a year (can pay monthy if you want) and you still have to pay for state schooling and book packs etc we visited many schools and found that the state schools were very relaxed and chilled which was not right for our oldest you needs a kick up the butt to do anything

 

we live in lockleys / underdale on linear park and love it x