Moving to Shropshire advice please

[Forestmum4]

H

@Forestmum4 the prep for the grammars in Newport is nothing like the grammars down South. I think because there is only 2 of them in the county, so majority of kids don’t go, it’s not the crazy/prep for a year down here.

Thank goodness for that!
I think that would be ok for my youngest but eldest would prefer a combined. All girl schools here don’t have a very good reputation so I think she is a little scared by the idea.

A lot of children in our area are being prepped from year 2 and sometimes even younger! I think most schools have given up on trying to calm this down and are turning a blind eye now. It’s really sad as honestly turns the mums into such competitive machines! We find it so exhausting. It’s also all the year 5 a d 6 children talk about it’s so sad to see the pressure they are under.

Knockin Heath is a beautiful spot ( I can see one house for sale there, very nice) , zero facilities except the occasional bus. I think it is sheltered from the road noise and I don't think it floods.

Oswestry is a fun little town, like everywhere it has its problems (don't think you'll escape the drug dealers by coming to Shropshire, they are everywhere). Everything you need except clothes shops, not too much traffic - you'll be stunned if you come from anywhere outside the area although the locals think it is busy...
Marches school has a good reputation I believe.

Do you have any idea how far the catchment goes out and what villages it covers?

Sorry, not my field of expertise :-) although the school buses run quite a way out and possibly into Wales too. The odd times I have crossed paths with the school run - it is mostly a school walk, very few cars and kids crossing the town to get home, about 40 mins walk in some cases. Impressive !

Sorry is this for the Thomas Adams? And 50 mins! Very impressive!

Oops , the marches. And yes, some kids in this neck of the woods have functioning legs. It's amazing!

The Marches is the secondary school in Oswestry. The Marches trust now also run the secondary schools in Whitchurch and Market Drayton and some of the primaries.

shropshire.gov.uk/school-admissions/parents-guide-to-education

If you download the guide, then the catchment school map for all Shropshire school secondaries is on page 46. Thomas Adams is number 7 on the map! Primaries are on page 26 for N Shropshire.

Will do, thank you so much!

Have a look at Ellesmere. Beautiful surroundings, good community feel. The schools did have a good reputation, not sure about now.

Does it have a secondary?

Sorry just seen it does. It looks like it has a Good and looks quite small.

I grew up in Gobowen, a village near Oswestry. Its on a handy train line between Chester and Birmingham and has good road links to a few airports. You're also close to some stunning scenery in North Wales / Snowdonia.
Ellesmere has a good secondary school (lakelands). There is also a private school (Ellesmere College) which has very pretty grounds but not sure what its like academically.
North West Shropshire is very pretty and you'd get a lot for your money in a house. But, since my childhood, Oswestry town centre has become a bit run down, bored teenagers, typical rural England stuff. I'd prefer to live in one of the villages.

The Corbet School in Baschurch also has a good reputation.

Yep we definitely want a village. I grew up in a village my other half in the local town so he is more adaptable than I am. It will definitely have to be a village but close to a town. We are about 15 mins from our local town.

As you have a 'nearly' teenager, I would look for a village with public transport (preferably a station as buses often stop at 7pm) to Shrewsbury otherwise you will forever be a taxi service.

Just popping in to tell you that Telford is a lovely place to live. I moved here with my husband, by chance really and we’re very happy here. I love that even in the most built up areas, you are moments away from greenery and countryside. I also love that as our children grow up (they’re 12/15 now) the public transport where we are means I don’t have to play taxi. They went to an outstanding primary school and our two closest secondary schools are ‘good’. Mine go to a good (church) school slightly further afield. Telford also did exceptionally well out of the building schools for the future program. The secondary’s are all new builds- except for Thomas Telford, which I believe is having work done.
In every area you’ll find people who love and hate it- I wouldn’t want to live more remotely than this. I’m in a perfectly bog standard area and the only crime we’ve ever had personally is when some local teens nicked our wheelie bin.

Thanks for this, it’s so nice to hear from people who live in the area.

Hi thanks everyone I will make a list of schools and areas to check out when we visit your lovely part of the country. Just have to find a house now!
I did have another question for you working mums. It’s about childcare and what most of you have used in the past. I am a childminder with years of experience and three outstanding in all areas OFSTEDs under my belt. I am also a Forest school leader but can do most nursery work from tiny up to school age as have the qualifications. Our decision to move will mean that we can slow down our work pace. But obviously like everyone need to work still. Any input would be greatly received. Hubby owns a domestic oven cleaning company that he may or may not bring with him. He is happy to work as an operative for another company, but has some other ideas, he is a carpenter/furniture maker by trade.

My village is desperate for more childminders!

Pop up forest school sessions are always popular in Shropshire. There isn't a proper forest school nursery, fully set up outdoors anywhere as far as I know if you're interested in going that far! There is a lovely forest school site being developed in Clive which, as far as I know, is going to be able to be used by the local school but also by other groups if they want to so it could be a location if you were interested in running forest school sessions.

There are always jobs in nurseries if you wanted to do that. There's a new nursery opening on the north side of Shrewsbury next to Tesco Extra so they're bound to be recruiting there!

That’s sounds promising, we are hoping to get a property with a bit of land so I could offer minding and Forest school, with the option of possible pop up sessions. Is your village in the North?

There is a forest school nursery in Telford which also has access to a farm and a few of the nurseries I know of offer forest school.
I think it would go down well regardless of where you are OP.

I believe Park Hall Farm near Gobowen has a Forest School Some new development starting in Whittington Road, Gobowen which is short walk to station, primary & shops too if you decide on a new build. Shropshire is a great place to live, I'm sure you will love it.