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Anyone live in Ramsbottom?

27 replies

EandA · 16/02/2015 10:35

I have posted in Local too but it's quite quiet in there so asking in here too.
Dependent on DH getting a new job in Manchester there's a chance we will be moving to Ramsbottom this year (from north London). We've chosen Ramsbottom as I was brought up in north Manchester and want to be close(ish) to family. We did also consider Prestwich but have been warned it would be very difficult for five year old DS to transfer into a school place in year two as the schools are oversubscribed.
Anyway I know Ramsbottom is small but would like some advice about schools, playgroups and nurseries (also have a three year old) and the nicest bits to live in. I don't drive and we want to keep our budget manageable (and DH will be getting the bus into Bury to get the tram) so currently we would like to stay close to the town centre.
Also any other general tips would be great. Will the commute to Manchester drive DH mad? Are there plenty of places to meet people?
Thanks very much x

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morethanpotatoprints · 16/02/2015 10:39

Bumping for you as don't know the area too well.
Depending on how long you've been away will also depend on how shocked you are with the changes.
it is still pretty old fashioned though.

I don't have little kids and also don't drive but dh knows area well, If you don't get the answers you need I'll get back to you later.

Will not do the usual jokes about upper Ramsbottom Grin

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lostmymarblesbutfoundthewine · 16/02/2015 18:18

my partner lived in ramsbottom, crawshawbooth, and rawtenstall, among many other places. he said he preferred the last two.

I'm not much use as I was only half listening And he's not here right now Blush Blush

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FunMitFlags · 17/02/2015 15:55

The Bury to Manchester stage of the commute will be fine (if busy). Ramsbottom to Bury could be pretty slow unless public transport there has improved hugely in the last few years.

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EandA · 20/02/2015 21:43

Thanks for the replies. FunMitFlags there are now loads of buses (every fifteen minutes or so, during the day) from Rammy to Bury but agree that never used to be the case. Apparantley there is also a commuter bus that leaves first thing.
I've been pleasantly surprised by the way it's changed over the last few years and of course I now see the place in a different light to when I was a teenager!
More than and Lostmymarbles if you have any more tips or info I'd be grateful
It will be a massive move - if it happens - and I'm quite apprehensive about it. It doesn't help that we currently live so far away that we can't make frequent visits to really get a feel for the place and decide if we'd be happy with living on one of the modern estates further out or in a Victorian house closer to the centre.

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Sundaysmumisfullofwine · 21/02/2015 15:16

The rammy to bury bus can still take ages though, and a hint of snow and they stop.
It is a lovely place though, and I've only heard good things about the primary's there (and the nearest secondary Woodhey as well).
I live in Prestwich and there can be a fair amount of movement schoolwise - there are a lot of faith schools in prestwich though, not sure if that would affect you.

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sconeswithcream · 21/02/2015 15:51

Hello! We moved to Ramsbottom in October and are loving it! It is definitely worth being in walking distance of the town centre (that was one of my requirements ) but that does mean housing is much harder to find. We waited several months for a house that fit our requirements. be warned houses are snapped up very quickly in the main and usually sell for asking price at least. Not sure of schools as much as my son is only 18 months but I am a teacher in a RI school and know Ofsted reports are definitely not what they're cracked up to be. feel free to ask any questions!

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EandA · 04/03/2015 11:16

Hi there sorry for delayed response for some reason I'm not getting notifications for when I get replies. Sconeswith why did you decide to move to Ramsbottom? How are you finding it? The commute into Manchester is the main thing that worries me and DH if what Sundaysmum says is right winters could be a nightmare.
Sundayswith whereabouts are you in Prestwich? We had been thinking of near the Village as I don't want to be miles away from the centre and DH would want to be near the tram - so either Park View or St Mary's, but the lady from the council was very clear that it would be very tricky to get a transfer into year two. She said it would be likely we'd have to go on the waiting list and attend a school in Radclliffe in the meantime - that is not going to happen!
It's all a moot point at the minute anyway as DH is not getting any further with finding a new job. Our hopes of moving in time for the next school year currently look very unlikely.

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treesntrees · 05/03/2015 20:15

My daughter had a carer who lived in Rammy and used to get the bus straight into Manchester. She never had a problem in the winter except one day. The route seems to largely be on motorway. She used the Witches Way company.

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ShutUpLegs · 05/03/2015 20:23

We lived in Rammy for 2 years - DH commuted into Manchester, I commuted to Burnley. He used to drive in and would leave a little early to avoid the peak rush but never had issues. He would often drive to a tram stop in Bury or just beyond and get the tram in. That is how we did nights out in Manchester too.

We didn't have kids then so cant comment on the schools but we loved living there. It was a great community.

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Sundaysmumisfullofwine · 08/03/2015 16:50

We live near Heaton park Metrolink station, walking distance to Prestwich village. Public transport is pretty decent. Depending on where towards prestwich village you are looking at, you could also consider Salford schools as you are near to the bury/salford border if you head down Bury New Road towards manchester. I have no idea what the schools that way are like though!

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EandA · 18/03/2015 13:15

I think we're pretty much set on Ramsbottom now. Going up in a couple of weeks before the Easter holidays start in Bury to check out schools. As an example of how different things are outside London, the only school in the area which I wanted to look at which is oversubscribed (Hazlehurst), told me it probably wasn't worth it as it has four names on its waiting list. There are 60 names on the waiting list for DS's school!
But realistically we wouldn't get in so am going to see Emmanuel Holcombe, Peel Brow and St Andrew's, plus the Holcombe Brooke Preschool for DD.
Any experiences welcome!

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chicaguapa · 18/03/2015 17:59

Haslingden High School is outstanding and has 3 outstanding Primary schools within walking distance from it. Hillside Nursery School is a fantastic nursery that I can't recommend highly enough. Haslingden/ Helmshore are just up the bypass from Rammy and a good alternative if you're struggling with finding a house/ school.

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EandA · 18/03/2015 22:22

chicaguapa thnaks for that I've just been looking at properties in Haslingden and they look great and fantastic value however it is too far out for us as I won't be driving, at least to begun with, and DH wants to use public transport to get into Manchester. If he needed quick access to the motorway it would be great though!

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CountingThePennies · 18/03/2015 22:33

I live in Bury, about 3 mile from Ramsbottom.

Ramsbottom is quite hilly with some very narrow streets.

Its a very nice place, i have a relative who works in one of the primary schools.

There are some outstanding nurseries.

I would also look at greenmount, holcombe brook and tottington which are all nice places

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EandA · 03/04/2015 21:09

Update on this - went up this week to have a look round some schools and walk round potential areas to live and apart from neatly getting frostbite from the horizontal hail I am more convinced than ever about moving to Rammy but rather confused about schools.

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x2boys · 04/04/2015 18:20

Hi don't live in ramsbottom but my mum and dad live in greenmount I was brought up there ItS a great place to live my friend recently moved to Holcombe brook from the other side of bury to get her daughter into woodhey what are you confused about ? Green mount and hollymount are fan primary schools BTW I used to go to hollymount I can vouch for it.

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x2boys · 04/04/2015 18:20

Fab*

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EandA · 12/04/2015 15:10

x2boys yes I heard while I was up there about how hard it can be to get into Woodhey now and how much it is shrunk its catchment area.
The only schools I could get to see were Emmanuel Holcombe (one space) and St Andrew's (one or two spaces, they were a bit vague but said there is space).
EH felt like a lovely school but logistically getting there without a car could be tricky because it's at the top of the hill (can see it being a nightmare in winter) and it doesn't have much outside space.
The staff at St Andrew's seemed very nice and it has a huge school field but the building felt rather tatty, tired and a bit of a maze. Some of the classes are big (35 pupils) and I couldn't quite follow their arguments about how they choose kids for their mixed classes.
Peel Brow has got plenty of spaces but was closed for the day due to a flood. It is not really on the right side of town for where we want to live. Holcombe Brooke also has plenty of space as do some of the smaller village schools but we don't want to live in HB and I want to be in Ramsbottom itself.
I couldn't get an appointment at Hazlehurst but had a quick nosey and chat to the office manager and really liked what I saw - it looked very clean and bright and with fantastic outside space. But we would have to be on the waiting list for there with obviously no guarantee of getting in.
It's hard because I don't know anyone in Ramsbottom to get first hand experience and can only visit occasionally.

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x2boys · 13/04/2015 13:25

My friends daughters are in Holcombe brook primary but it didn't do well in its last oftsed so that's possibly why there are plenty of places St Josephs is a nice school too its catholic though and they have there own rules about admissions and like I said Green mount has a good reputation I have friends whose kids go\ went there and depending on which part of ramsbottom you live in it might not be too far I have a colleague who lives in ramsbottom but on the border of Holcombe brook his kids go to green mount good luck!

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EandA · 20/04/2015 21:46

Thanks x2boys I feel like I need it! Just been looking at this year's admissions and PB, EH, HB and St Andrew's all have vacancies for this year whereas HH's catchment area is now tiny and they turned down as many kids as they accepted.
It's really weird to be looking into all these things when it's still very up in the air that we will even move up, but forewarned is forearmed and all that.

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EandA · 14/06/2015 09:00

Have resurrected this as in need of advice againe please!
The move is still theoretical but we obviously need to get our skates on to move for September.
I have been looking (online) at houses again - we had ruled out Holcombe Brook but we would be able to get a bigger house with a bigger garden. The houses off Nuttall Lane have smaller gardens and i am desperate for space for the kids.
DH thinks I will feel cut off in HB and resent not being able to walk into Ramsbottom, especially as we are used to be able to walk to everything we need here.
The area we choose will obviously dominate which school I try to getto get DS into too as he will be transferring into year two.
Advice welcome!

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EandA · 22/09/2015 11:13

Have resurrected this again because the move is on. DH got a new job just before the end of term and is now in Manchester Monday to Friday while the kids and I stay in London for the time being. Plan is to move at the start of the Christmas holidays (with a house rented earlier) so DS can start a new school in January and we can apply for school for DD.
The only schools with a place for DS are Peel Brow and Holcombe Brook primary and houses near PB are too small for what we want so it looks like it's Holcombe Brook. If anyone has any experience of it please let me know! We are going to have a look around just before half term, crossing fingers and toes DS likes it. If he doesn't we're a bit scuppered!

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pud1 · 22/09/2015 21:17

Hi. I live in helmshore. I have no direct knowledge of Holcomb brook but a friends dcs go there and she says it's a good school. I like the area. It's a lovely place to live

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x2boys · 22/09/2015 21:33

Despite the last ofsted report my friend think holcomebrook is a fab school even though you may be cut off from rammy ,bury is only a bus ride away ?

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EandA · 22/09/2015 21:43

Thanks for the replies pud1 and x2boys. I am glad to hear other people think it's a good school as I know no one IRL with school age kids who lives there. I have skim read the last Ofsted report and was pleased to see that the children feel safe and cared for.I suspect the report gave the school a raw deal.
We did initially rule out HB for the reasons you mention x2boys but the houses are bigger and cheaper and I'm used to getting buses. Plus walking into Rammy will be good exercise!
I am starting to get excited about the move now! Now petrified about finding somewhere to live - we are planning to rent at first but there is naff all on the market.

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