Devonport primary v Stanley Bay primary???

[Charlotte B]

Hi all,

My husband and I and our two sons (five and three) are returning to NZ to live at Easter next year. Although we are NZ'ers, we've been away ten years and have not had children there so it will be a very different experience. We are going to live in Auckland, where I have never lived before and my husband has never lived in our chosen area of Devonport before.

I have searched high and low for parent reviews of Devonport Primary and Stanley Bay Primary to no avail. I've read the ERO reports etc and am happy that in theory they would both be excellent schools. I read through other threads and completely agree that visiting the schools can't be beaten for getting a fee and we will do this on our return before making a final decision. I would just feel so much more comfortable with reviews from other parents if there are any out there?

My five year old is just finishing reception year in his school here and is doing very well, but we want sports and a tiny bit of competitiveness in the school ethos (not much, but just enough for kids to use as a base to urge themselves along). I don't want private school competitiveness for instance, but I do want a proper sports day etc. Nice, chilled out parents, a solid education and good discipline are really important to us.

In a nutshell my husband will be working in the CBD and we want to go for a short commute on the boat for him as he has had a nightmare commute of 1 hr 20 each way to Canary Wharf in London. I will hopefully be retraining as a primary teacher at Auckland uni and so devonport fits what we want fron our commute. I am reasonably confident that our budget can sustain living there but I am wondering if anyone has any observations about the feel of the Devonport Community? Is it snobby as some have said or is that possibly more about people having preconcieved ideas due to the price of the property there? I lived in Wellington before coming to London and found it OK, but it's a bit small for me to go back to after London. All I really want is a welcoming, relaxed community and I am hoping Devonport can provide that so we can also have a nice commute for my poor husband.

I hope no one minds a returning Kiwi asking questions here. I feel like a complete foreigner now and to be honest, I expect the country will have changed a lot in a decade.

Many thanks in advance for any help you can give me

Charlotte

[JandM]

Hello and welcome.

Of course you're welcome to join in, and good luck with finding what you're looking for.

[Tia Maria]

Both of these schools are great and I would happily send my children to either. For those that have made the choice between the two, (St Leos is also a third possibility if you are Catholic), in the end it has been made on very slight differences.

There is one obvious physical difference - Devonport Primary is at the base of Mt Victoria, so on a sloping site, and Stanley Bay is on a flat site.

As you said the best thing is to visit both, the head teacher will show you around and you can have a look and a feel for whether one suits your child's personality more.

There is always an advantage to living close to your chosen school, not just for the short trip to school, but also for forming friendships where they can easily pop round each others houses. So you may also want to look at where you end up renting/buying? Generally those who live in Cheltenham go to Devonport Primary and those in Stanley Point go to Stanley Bay and then in central Devonport between the two schools it's probably 50/50.

Another way to get a feel for the schools is to check out their websites and read their weekly newsletter where they will talk about what activities are on offer.

Both schools offer sports although kids mainly do sports via the local football, rugby, cricket, tennis clubs etc.

I wouldn't say the parents are particularly chilled out in Devonport - it's an upper middle class area, with parents who are highly involved in the school system - and they all have an opinion! However, that is the price you pay for schools that offer so much and do so well and it's a far cry from a uniformed prep school model.

Discipline is there but in my experience not really needed except in rare situations. Emphasis is more on self management and creating children who feel part of the school community.

I've always found Devonport to be very friendly and have rarely come across snobbery. It is, however, a transient place, people have arrived from all over NZ and the world and often head off again, which can mean friendship break ups. Many are obsessed with housing, (how much it costs and renovating villas), and rows in the local paper can go on forever over things like cycle lanes - very much a villagey feel in that respect.

As a location it is hard to beat for those who like, or need, to be close to Auckland. It always has something going on, even more so now the Victoria Theatre is being re-opened, it has easy access to the beach and lots of cafes. It is also very inclusive of children, not only with activities but how people talk to them.

It's probably not the definitive answer you want to hear but your sons would probably thrive at both schools.

Cheers

Tia

[Charlotte B]

Wow! Thanks Tia for the amazingly comprehensive information and thanks JandM for the welcome. It sounds similar to where we live in London in terms of demographics, except that we have no grass at the primary schools here. I was hoping you'd pick up my post as I had read some of your other responses and worked out you were in the area. You've been very,very helpful, so thank you.

I will wait and have a good look around both schools to make up my mind as we arent Catholic and so dont have that option.

Do you know if rental property is easier or harder to come by in the Cheltenham or the Stanley bay area? We have been watching and it seems that it is easier to find rental property between March and September there, which works well for us as we want to rent our house for a couple of years and it is more rentable here in those same months.

I must say that for some reason, the flat section Stanley Bay Primary school sits on appeals, but then I may find that I get there and realise the other school is perhaps more intimate. Perhaps it makes no difference so we'll see. I'll come back and post in May or June next year and leave you a message )

Thanks again for the info - you're a star!

Charlotte

[JandM]

I hope all goes well for you. I have a soft spot for Devonport as it's where my d-i-l grew up, and I've often been there visiting her lovely parents, till they downsized.

Have you noticed, on the map it's like a mini-Scotland, Wales and England?

[Charlotte B]

You are right - it is a bit like that. From what I hear it is also populated muc like that too )

[bluesky]

Both of these schools are great and I would happily send my children to either. For those that have made the choice between the two, (St Leos is also a third possibility if you are Catholic), in the end it has been made on very slight differences.

There is one obvious physical difference - Devonport Primary is at the base of Mt Victoria, so on a sloping site, and Stanley Bay is on a flat site.

As you said the best thing is to visit both, the head teacher will show you around and you can have a look and a feel for whether one suits your child's personality more.

There is always an advantage to living close to your chosen school, not just for the short trip to school, but also for forming friendships where they can easily pop round each others houses. So you may also want to look at where you end up renting/buying? Generally those who live in Cheltenham go to Devonport Primary and those in Stanley Point go to Stanley Bay and then in central Devonport between the two schools it's probably 50/50.

Another way to get a feel for the schools is to check out their websites and read their weekly newsletter where they will talk about what activities are on offer.

Both schools offer sports although kids mainly do sports via the local football, rugby, cricket, tennis clubs etc.

I wouldn't say the parents are particularly chilled out in Devonport - it's an upper middle class area, with parents who are highly involved in the school system - and they all have an opinion! However, that is the price you pay for schools that offer so much and do so well and it's a far cry from a uniformed prep school model.

Discipline is there but in my experience not really needed except in rare situations. Emphasis is more on self management and creating children who feel part of the school community.

I've always found Devonport to be very friendly and have rarely come across snobbery. It is, however, a transient place, people have arrived from all over NZ and the world and often head off again, which can mean friendship break ups. Many are obsessed with housing, (how much it costs and renovating villas), and rows in the local paper can go on forever over things like cycle lanes - very much a villagey feel in that respect.

As a location it is hard to beat for those who like, or need, to be close to Auckland. It always has something going on, even more so now the Victoria Theatre is being re-opened, it has easy access to the beach and lots of cafes. It is also very inclusive of children, not only with activities but how people talk to them.

It's probably not the definitive answer you want to hear but your sons would probably thrive at both schools.

Cheers

Tia

Wow, almost exactly what I'd have said. Both great schools. Visit them, speak to the principals, see which one feels like the best fit. I think I'm right in saying that Devonport doesn't have a zone as such and anyone can apply to it, whereas for Stanley Bay you have to live in zone. What about Vauxhall - it's a great school too.

There is a certain degree of snobbishness is Devonport, but it's easy to ignore and it's a great place to live. In my experience the Stanley Bay area lacks a little diversity and contains a fair number of lawyers who drive Audis and have had family in Devonport stretching back several generations. It's a bit like the Richmond-upon-Thames of Auckland. When you get out on the other side of Mt Victoria, towards Cheltenham, Vauxhall and Narrow Neck it gets quite a bit more laid back.

[James 1077]

There is a certain degree of snobbishness is Devonport, but it's easy to ignore and it's a great place to live. In my experience the Stanley Bay area lacks a little diversity and contains a fair number of lawyers who drive Audis and have had family in Devonport stretching back several generations. It's a bit like the Richmond-upon-Thames of Auckland. When you get out on the other side of Mt Victoria, towards Cheltenham, Vauxhall and Narrow Neck it gets quite a bit more laid back.

I don't know - my friends in the Cheltenham area say that Stanley Bay is reknowned for the type of parties where everyone puts their keys into a bowl in the living room!

I don't find Devonport to be that snobby to be honest. There isn't too much of the "keeping up with the Jones' " going on (for a wealthy area the car dealers must be quite annoyed as most people drive around in very cheap cars!).

For commuting you can't really beat the Stanley Bay ferry. Most people on it know each other so you can be sure of a good chat. On Friday nights in summer people have been known to grab a beer or two and do the crossing a few times. The Devonport ferry is very nice but a little too busy so you don't get to know everyone as well.

[norma]

fit. I think I'm right in saying that Devonport doesn't have a zone as such and anyone can apply to it, whereas for Stanley Bay you have to live in zone. What about Vauxhall - it's a great school too.

Devonport primary is now zoned - it was introduced at the beginning of this school year. The zone overlaps a little with the zones for Stanley Bay and Vauxhall schools so where you live will determine which school your boys can attend. Only if you live in one of the overlapping areas will you have a choice of schools.

http://www.devonport.school.nz/1/pag...ne-information

Also, if you want your youngest to attend kindy, it might be worth contacting them in advance of your arrival to get him on the waiting list. Devonport kindy is very popular and new entrants only seem to get in at around age 3 years 10 months, but this can vary a month or two.

[norma]

From a sporting perpective, Devonport Primary has two playing fields, a large swimming pool (for which you can purchase a key for access over the summer hols), an annual sports day held at Vauxhall domain, and an annual cross-country event for all the school where the winners are entered into a peninsula event. Physical education is more about a range of games on the school field rather than rugby, football, etc which are done through the local clubs. Swimming is the focus in terms 4 and 1, when each class uses the pool 2 to 3 times a week.

The location on the hill has merits in that the school probably has one of the best views in Auckland, but it can be a drag (literally) getting a younger child up there at the end of the day to collect a sibling. Parking can be a nightmare and there is usually a long row of expensive 4WDs (mercs, ford territorys, volvo v8s) to compete with for a space. The school also has a large role (around 300 pupils I think).