Whats Dorset/New Forest like to live in

[CatsWhiskers2020]

Specifically Corfe Mullen/Wimbourne/Milford on Sea

We live rurally and are moving so our 2 young DC can have access to better schools and more friends

Can anyone help? Or any areas similar to look at?
Wanting Village or Town, ideally a shop or two. Nice areas to be active as we love being out on the bikes and walking. Budget around £900k

Oh I put 900k as the upper budget on Right Move and got 1 result in Lower Parkstone

There's currently 23...

Depends what they're looking for as obviously get less for their money nearer the water but it would be my pick. Just check catchment for Baden Powel.

I also put Lilliput

Is Baden Powel the good school? I assumed we couldnt afford the nice areas nearer the beach to be honest

It does depend a lot on what you want - definitely come and visit the areas and have a better look. Visit the cafes etc.

Also the schools are very mixed. Are you looking at state or private as you might want half an eye to secondary too.

Wimborne is lovely but under the middle school system so worth being aware of the different school systems in place.

Grammar schools are great but very competitive.

There are also some great prep schools that 'feed' the grammar schools, if thats the route you want to go down.

I agree with PP though, defo come and visit for a few days and try to get a feel for the areas.

Definitely out there! This is lovely and near the sea/lilliput/lower parkstone area and under budget. So may be worth waiting for the right one.

That's true a fair number of people do do prep as a route to grammar here.

We have spent a lot of time in the area but i always find local knowledge means more than us just looking around - so thank you all!!!

We would be state educating

If you are interested in Wimborne maybe look at Colehill which is kind of attached to it ? There is Cannon Hill Plantation on the doorstep which links up with the Castleman trail or you can walk up to Holt Heath and ultimately Moors valley etc if you have the energy. Possible then to avoid the worst of the holiday traffic from Colehill using them back routes to some extent.

There is some variation amongst 2 and 3 tier areas as others have said, Wimborne is still 3 tier ie. first, middle and upper. QE does have a new Head now and some go to the Poole or Bournemouth Grammars. 2 middle schools, one in Wimborne and one in Colehill and a range of first schools. The Head at St Jame’s in Holt is brilliant. Colehill first and Hayeswood good.

Ferndown is currently the upper school who are doing brilliantly but it does go in swings and roundabouts over time. Broadstone middle might have gone through a rough time I think. Corfe Hills is the Upper for Broadstone and Corfe Mullen which was really good then went through a bad dip, not sure about now.

I took 3 DC to look at Ringwood on a 6th form open day and it didn’t really do it for any of us. We didn’t like the boys Grammars either but that’s just us I think as people spend loads on tutoring or private schools to get DC in. Lytchett Minster school is really good but hard to get into so you really need to live in catchment . That’s 2 tier system , Broadstone and Corfe Mullen 3 tier I think. Ferndown also 3 tier.

Also think about what type of activity/outdoorsy you are.

Again lots of runners/cyclists along the beach/towards whitecliff which I'd love. But you'd get more house away from the sea and could still get to the sea. Castleman trail/moors valley is great.

There is so much to do within a short car journey wherever you end up!

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/108121925#/

Here’s s one with an acre if you fancy a bit of space.

You will definitely find something lovely with that budget 😀. I am now daydreaming what option I'd go for !

Thats all fantastic information thank you!

We love being at the beach, DH was an avid kitesurfer pre children and we have a paddleboard. We are equally happy in the woods and out on bikes which is why we thought the Dorset area allows us the outside lifestyle while being less rural for the DC

That's a really good budget - there are plenty of houses in Baden Powell catchment for lots less than that - it just depends how far you want your budget to stretch. The big difference in terms of schooling is Wimborne/Broadstone/Corfe Mullen still operate on three-tier school system (first, middle and high) whereas Poole/Lilliput/Whitecliff etc has grammar system. Although kids can start in the three-tier system and then move halfway through middle school to grammar at yr7 if that's what you prefer. Our kids went to Baden Powell - amazing school. It's a lovely lifestyle down here - very outdoorsy/beach focused. Summer is not normally that bad but due to Covid last summer was crazy and this summer is expected to be too. The housing market has gone crazy here in the past six months though - things are selling very, very quickly and there is less available than usual.

Yes that's also a very good point - friends have booked to view properties and then the property has sold before they have even visited...

Once you know what you want it will be worth contacting agents in the area direct.

Public transport appalling to non existent. Hospital? Not so accessible. If you don't drive or have some ill health in family think hard before you move.

We have watched houses fly off the market! We would rather spend less (who wouldnt!) But its a move for life ideally.

The three/two tier system differences dont bother us to be honest we just know we will be state educating

@longwayoff we live in the middle of nowhere so those are not concerns for us but thank you

Its not that its a problem either way - its more that some secondaries start at 11 and some at 13 so it helps to be aware of that when looking at schools as the different areas/systems border each other. You could end up with infants then juniors in the primary/secondary system and then a 2 year stint in a middle to get into a 13+ secondary if you're not careful. So 4 schools by 13...

Baden Powell is probably the more sought after school but secondary wise leads to Poole High (amazing facilities, properly settined but huge) or St Edwards (religious but nurturing. I think only set for maths) Magna (military style school) Not many sets) or the grammar schools.

Poole has very polarised secondary schools.

Sorry typed not many sets twice. Magna and Poole have sets for everything.

Not that you're necessarily thinking of secondary when they're little but if its a forever home its a consideration.

For lytchett (from 11) you need to live much closer.
For QE (from 13) you'd need a feeder school and/or living closer.
Corfe Hills (from 13) is another school...

Very keen to get this right and the DC not be bouncing from school to school so that is really helpful and is the kind of information i cannot find elsewhere, thank you!

Lytchett I was under the impression we need to be incredibly close to - which ties in with what you are saying

@TropicalFairyCake perfectly sums up secondary options/ages. You do need to be near Lytchett to get in although every year one or two Baden Powell children get in (never quite sure how they manage it). Lytchett used to be the favoured alternative to grammar, so quite a few people used to move over that way for secondary but Poole High's reputation has massively improved in recent years and is getting harder to get into but you're a long way off secondary and things change so I wouldn't get massively hung up on it. When we moved down here we considered Broadstone but ruled it out. However, now both kids are at the grammars and all their friends live that way, it would be a perfect option, except I wouldn't be able to walk down to the beach every day.

@stopyourmessingaround being able to visit the beach daily sounds amazing!! DC would love that

Its so tough to find the balance to keep us all happy!!

As adults we would chose more rural but the DC i know will benefit from being able to walk to friends