Moving to Poole/ Bournemouth area

[Tkamb]

Hello!

We are planning to move from overseas to Poole/Bournemouth in Summer 2020.
I will be working at Poole Hospital,and eventually from time to time in Bournemouth.

We have a daughter who will be starting year 12 and a son starting year 10.

Where would you live, Bournemouth or Poole? Which one is nicer? Where are there better schools? I am looking for a grammar for my eldest starting sixth form, but I think it might be more difficult to find a place for my son entering year 10. We are also open to live in a village as long as there is good public transport.
We will be renting and will be looking for really nice areas to live in.
Any suggestions?

We are very excited but there is so much to decide and we feel a bit lost!

Thank you all for your help!

[ATowelAndAPotato]

I am just cooking dinner but will be back shortly!!

Do you have a partner (you said we), where will they be working?

[FiveGoMadInDorset]

Not sure about schools although Poole has both a boys and girls grammar but just a word about working at Poole Hospital, if you live within a certain distance (not sure how far) you won’t be eligible for a par,img place so may be worth checking what the distance is. You still have to pay for the space mind you.

[Tkamb]

Thank you for your replies, ladies. It is reassuring to have such a wonderful cilommunity on mumsnet.
My husband works from home, so no problem re. this.
Thank you Fivegomadindorset, will check the distance for the parking place, good advice, I would have never thought about this!
I would rather live closer to the school so that kids can go on their own, although my husband can always give them a lift if we are a little bit off track. I do not mind driving to work.
Just wondering in which areas would you recommend looking for a house? Maybe close to grammar schools if at least my eldest gets in? Bournemouth or Poole? Any private schools for my DS if he can’t get into the grammar school in year 10?
Thank you again!

[NumberblockNo1]

Poole and bournemouth arent huge but it can take forever to commute across them which is worth bearing in mind. Id personalky find it easier to commute from west of Poole or villages that way than through Bournemouth traffic.

Areas are very mixed in Poole and Bournemouth so it depends a little on budget and what you're looking for too.

[NumberblockNo1]

You might need to work on school- would you definitely do private if you dont get a grammar place? Poole and Bournemouth both have a girls and a boys grammar so its worth seeing if either is likely to have places - the grammar is v competitive to get into and you'd need to be sure of catchment/èntrance exam/applying in time etc.

[NumberblockNo1]

Driving from the Bournemouth grammars to the hospital would be a nightmare imho.

[NumberblockNo1]

Also for the grammar schools priority goes to those in catchment- so if you live in a village you have less priority, so its worth speaking to the Local council regarding admissions/looking at the website. They're all oversubscribed and incredibly competitive to get into.

[ATowelAndAPotato]

It sounds like school is the priority so might be better to focus on schools and then try to find accommodation in the relevant area.

The Boys Grammar in Poole has good “results” but the last time I looked, the Ofsted rating was Improvement Needed.
Both sets of grammars across B&P are very competitive, and you will be lucky to find places outside of the normal intake in year 7; the sixth form might be a bit easier. They are very academically focused, so you’ll need to make sure that suits your children.

There are private alternatives, Talbot Heath for Girls in Bournemouth would be one. I’d need to refresh myself on a boys/co-Ed one.

There is a huge comp in Poole centre (Poole High School), it’s had a mixed rep over the last ten years but I went to an open evening there last year and I was very impressed, they also do an academic stream if your DC are Grammar school level but there are no spaces, may also be worth looking at.

I work in Poole, and my husband works in Bournemouth, the commute from where we live (Hamworthy/Upton) to Bournemouth is about 40 mins in traffic, would be more to the hospital - however, only 10 mins into Poole and good transport links (bus and train - train goes to Bmth centre but not hospital). That would also potentially bring you into catchment for Lytchett Minster school (co-Ed).

If you wanted somewhere between Poole
and Bournemouth, then you’re looking at Parkstone/Branksome area which can be a bit hit and miss depending on which side of the road you live!

If you start narrowing down areas, I’m sure one of us will be able to advise if it’s a nice one (or should that be naice?!)

[ATowelAndAPotato]

Sorry, that was quite long!

[FiveGoMadInDorset]

Slightly further afield school wise is Lytchett Minster, still easy to get into Poole as you are the right side for the hospital and the girls grammar. I have friends who live in Swanage that have DC’s at both grammar schools so definitely worth checking.

[NumberblockNo1]

Lytchett has a good reputation.

Its worth looking at the stats for out of catchment for the grammar. (Poole.gov.uk site has links to these) For example I think it was only 13 out of catchnent got into yr7 and it was the highest scoring from the 11+ test. Obviously look for 6th form entrance criteria and ask difectly about other year admissions and spaces.

[Tkamb]

Thank you very much again to all of you. This is really helpful! . I did not know traffic was so bad!

I will have a look at Lytchett Minster and at the school catchment area, as well as at the west side of Poole, which after what you all say seems much more reasonable. Apart from Upton, any particular places you would recommend looking at?
In another area, is Wimborne Minster a good option? Or too much traffic driving into Poole as well?

Re.my year 10 son, are there any private alternatives for boys/co-Ed in the area you would recommend in case Lytchett or grammar school do not work?

In the sixth form it might be easier to get into a Grammar, also given that my DD is a high achiever and is expected to get exceptionally good GCSE results. So I am not really worried about her. I will contact the school and check Poole.gov.uk and look at catchment areas too.

Really grateful for your help. Will have a look at Ak the schools you mentioned!

[ATowelAndAPotato]

I’m less familiar with boys schools to be honest, so cannot recommend either way, but the below link lists all the ones in Dorset, although they are mostly further out of town.

www.isc.co.uk/schools/england/dorset/

[Onthehamsterwheel]

If you are considering Wimborne, perhaps have a look at Ferndown too. The Upper School has a great reputation.

[NumberblockNo1]

St Edwards is a well respected C of E school in Poole, and QE in Wimborne, although I know less about that.

Imnjot so clued up on boys private schools. There's Bournemouth Collegiate which has a mixed reputation . There's Canford which looks amazing (mixed) but way out of our price league! And Bryanston further out.

[NumberblockNo1]

Wimborne itself is lovely.

Try google maps and set the time for work hours, although it does underestimate sometimes!
Lower parkstone/canford cliffs is desirable (near the beach) but v pricey.

[NumberblockNo1]

Can you come and visit and get a feel for the areas? Look at Rightmove for rough prices etc?

[ATowelAndAPotato]

Oh I had forgotten about St Edwards (despite my mum going there many moons ago!) however, the only thing I have heard about it in the last few years is that they have had huge problems with bullying. Not sure if now resolved, but apparently it was endemic through the school so would take a few years to work it out as children/staff move on.
Also, horrendously difficult to get into even for local families.

[NumberblockNo1]

They had a change of headteacher which helped. I really like the current one. But you can only really get a feel with a vsiit. Ita hard to get into yr7 withiut living v close or attend church however there might be space in an in year application.

[ATowelAndAPotato]

Ahh that’s good to hear!

[NumberblockNo1]

Not that I have a child there though, just friend's children etc and have recently done the rounds of open evenings!

[Tkamb]

Thank you! I will definitely plan a visit to the area, but your information helps A LOT, as to where to start and where to look. I do not know Poole at all but we walked the coastal path from sidmouth to study and a couple of years ago and got a glimpse of the magnificent bay in the distance! It looks like a lovely place to live if we manafe to sort out schools.
I had a look at Canford, but just wondering who can pay such fees for two or three kids! Is it local families? Or do pupils come from London/ Elsewhere? Looks amazing- do they get good results too?
Well, lots of search to do thanks to you all!

[Tkamb]

*Studland

[NumberblockNo1]

I dont personally know anyone who can afford Canford fees but have known people who work there. But some MN posters seem to have huge incomes so didnt want to rule it out if that was you!

Def worth contacting schools, looking at rightmove,etc and come and ask about specidic areas!

I think we're in a bit of ablack hole for boys as Talbot Heath is an amazing girls school but there isnt a boys equivalent. There's just Bournemouth Collegiate. (I dont have a child in private mind so others may have better advice!)

I wouldn't rule out the state schools though necessarily. Another random suggestion is Dorchester as that has a good secondary and is a lovely small town. But would be a proper commute to Poole and I think you could find somewhere closer.

There's so many factors to consider. Hope you enjoy the move though. I dont live in the prettiest bit but do love the coastal paths and places we can easily reach from here. The walk from

[Becbobs]

Have you considered Ringwood way? Lovely market town in its own right with buses into Bournemouth etc. Plus not a bad commute into Poole. My husband lived just outside Ringwood, and went to Clayesmore School. It's a private co-ed near Blandford but they come pick up from around the area. His mum also used to work in Poole hospital back when he was in school there, so it was a similar situation!