Where would you live in/around Nottingham?

[serinBrightside]

DH has an interview in Nottingham, it would mean moving to within a commutable distance for us.

Which areas should we be looking at and where should we avoid?

Any advice re; schools esp welcome!

[BelleDeChocolateFluffyBunny]

I live in Derby which is down the road(ish). From what I gather from here, West Bridgeford is nice. I don't know about the schools though, are you after state or private? Ds is starting Nottingham High in September so we are probably moving there at some point to make life easier. HTH.

[KnackeredOldHag]

I would second West Bridgeford. Avoid Bulwell, Clifton, St. Ann's, Bilborough as these are really rough.

If you don't mind something a bit further out, try Ruddington or West/East Leake though although these are nice village locations, they are in the flight path for East Midlands Airport, which I know from friends living there can get a bit much at times.

Long Eaton, Toton and Stapleford are also nice. Toton and Stapleford have some good schools too (state). For private schools, Long Eaton is your best bet as Trent College is based there, though that's boys only post age 11.

It really depends where in Nottingham your DH will be working as traffic is a nightmare across the city, so aim to live not too far from where you work.

[serinBrightside]

He would be based at the Uni,so I am guessing that would be right in the centre?

Our DC's are currently in state schools but we would consider private if we had to.

We have lived in our current home for 14yrs and have never sold a house so this is all very exciting (terrifying).

[BelleDeChocolateFluffyBunny]

The Uni has a few campuses, the main one is next to Queens Medical Centre which is on Derby Road. I don't know about the schools other then the High school, it's lovely. I know that the traffic in that area is choca though, there's a bus lane which is far quicker, it takes 20 minutes to get there from Derby if you wanto venture this far, it's a nice place

[KnackeredOldHag]

The Uni or Nottingham Trent? The uni is based in Beeston, which is a nice enough area but as staff at the uni possibly not an area to live in (it's full of students ).

In that case, I'd definitely look at Stapleford/Toton/Chilwell area. Ah, Attenborough is nice too (complete with nature reserve). As I say Stapleford has a very good secondary school (George Spencer). All these areas have good bus links to the main campus, in case he doesn't want to drive. A tram link is allegedly being planned from these areas too (about 3 years ago IIRC).

If he's going to Nottingham Trent, West Bridgford is probably the best. Nottingham Trent is based in Clifton, which is as I say, is an area to avoid.

[bellabelly]

Southwell is lovely (and has a good state secondary school).

[serinBrightside]

Just the Uni, Knackered, not Nottingham Trent!

Have just googled Toton and had a look at their football team, my boys would love that.

Does the High school take girls Belle?

[Quattrocento]

Just to correct Knackered - Trent College is now mixed all the way through

[serinBrightside]

Also hadn't thought of Derby, that's not so far from home,as we live in Cheshire. Maybe I should make him commute from here!

[BelleDeChocolateFluffyBunny]

yes, there's a girls bit and a boy's bit.

boys

girls

[BelleDeChocolateFluffyBunny]

Derby's closer. It's nice here, bottom of the peak district, Chatsworth house isn't too far. The hospital's really good. There's a school bus to both Trent College and Nottingham High school but there's a couple of other private schools here. There's a couple to avoid though. Cheshire's about an hour away, it takes 20 mins (when there's no traffic) to get to Nottingham from here so your poor DH would be knackered if you stayed.

[KnackeredOldHag]

Thanks Quattrocento. My info re Trent College is maybe outdated. Mine are in state school so I didn't look there lately. It used to be mixed till aged 11 and boys post 11. I went to a private girls school close by, and it was a big thing in those days (30+ years ago) to be havinf discos arranged with the boys from Trent.

[jeanjeannie]

West Bridgeford is nice - but also quite £$!
I come from Chilwell and my parents still live there. Great links into town - close to Beeston and Toton - plus, it's a bit more affordable. I know some of the primaries are good but not sure about the next stage up [went to Chilwell comp and still gives me nightmares !!]

[tootootired]

Nottingham has notoriously awful traffic. Try to position yourself so you (or your DH) doesn't have to cross the city in rush hour.

[serinBrightside]

Think we are going over on Monday to have a look around, TBH Derby is sounding like a good idea as not so far from 'home' and we are country bumpkins at heart.

[eastendmummy]

Lots of lovely parts of Nottingham - woodborough, Lambley, West Bridgford, Ruddington, Attenborough. All good for the uni. I went to Nottingham Girls High School and it's a brilliant (private) school. Second pp who said avoid Ilkeston, Bilborough, Stapleford as they are rough as are places like Clifton, St Anns and many areas surrounding the city centre.

It's a great place and has some gorgeous villages so you shouldn't need to move to Derby to get the country lifestyle.

Good luck!

[serinBrightside]

Eastend, Could you possibly name some of the villages?

[eastendmummy]

Lowdham, Burton Joyce, Gotham, Plumtree, Keyworth, Ravenshead, Calverton.

I'm from the north side of the city so those villages are on that side.

Hope that helps!

[notyummy]

Would also second Southwell - although as others have said it depends on where he will be based. The traffic is bad if you have to commute at main rush hour, but managable otherwise. I travel into Nottingham from Lincolnshire (Sleaford), which is a fair distance everyday, and do it in just over an hour. The only way I can do this is by leaving home at 6 30am to be at work early thus beating the morning rush hour, and then leaving work at 4pm to miss the evening rush.

Trains aren't too bad from some places either - and Nottingham has a good tram. It ddoesn't serve all parts of the city though.

[savoycabbage]

My friend teaches at a school in Lowdham and it seems nice. She has been there for years. I think it flooded once though.....

There are some lovely places, we used to live in Derbyshire. What's that village that sounds like Puddleduck? It is Papplewick or something similar. I did some supply teaching there.

[Clary]

The main Uni campus is actually on the road to derby, so a better bet than West Bridgford (nice tho that is) might be places like Stapleford/Sandiacre/Long Eaton.

Or you could strike out and go for Eastern edge of Derby (prob cheaper) such as Spondon or Borrowash/Ockbrook (nice small villages with good schools - Ockbrook's state primary is or certainly has been a Beacon school IIRC)

[nickelbabe]

depends how much money you have.

Woodborough is incredibly posh, but Wollaton is nice (middle class-ish), as is West Bridgford.

if you're doing Carrington, avoid near Mansfield Road end because it gets a bit rough.

Carlton is nice (carlton Hill, rather than Carlton Valley) and Gedling VILLAGE (not Gedling itself cos it's rough)
If you want to be near the City, though, you want to avoid anything further than Burton Joyce on the north and Lowdham on the east.
If you want decent public transport links (and Nottingham City Transport is brilliant) then stick with the suburbs close by.

just avoid Radford, Basford, Netherfield, Arnold (unless you're catholic because there's a very good catholic school there), colwick, Bobber's Mill, sneinton

[nickelbabe]

Lambley's a nice village, and it's only a stone's throw from Mapperley so close but not too close to town.

and parts of Sherwood are good (again avoid Mansfield Road): look for "the Dales estate" (all of the roads are named after Dales)

[Bucharest]

Papplewick- yes, is gorgeous, we used to go to Brownie Camp there!Ditto Linby, Ravenshead etc. Nearer to city centre Mapperley Plains is nice, with fab garden centre and cheesecake shop.
Anywhere on the tramline is Not Nice At All. (but obviously it's useful for travelling through the outskirts)
Lots of Trent buildings are in the city centre so depends also which department he is going to be in.
I work at NGHS during the summer and it's a lovely lovely school.
Burton Joyce is very nice.

[Bucharest]

Sorry, just saw he is going to be at the real uni so scrap what I said about Trent.
Derby itself is a bit minging, but some wonderful small villages around and about.