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Original poster

Talk to me about Wakefield

116 replies

Extraslice · 21/08/2021 18:21

Looking at moving there (currently north Leeds).
I know parts of it but not much.
Can anyone tell me which are the nicer areas?
We have seen a house in Thornes so if you know this area in particular that would be great!
And also opinions on the schools please, primary and secondary.

OP posts:
ShakerMakerGirl · 22/08/2021 19:31

My husband works in Wakefield and we live in Cookridge in Leeds. He drives in as he can work unsociable hours but does occasionally get the train. It takes him 90 mins to get home most week days. And about once a year he has had to walk when it snows. Took him about 5 hours Grin. I personally wouldn't risk it. The market is just starting to slow again and I would hold out for the area you know. It's a big risk.
He is in police, I just asked him which areas he recommended and his answer was none Grin. To the people that live there, I think he was joking Wink

ShakerMakerGirl · 22/08/2021 19:32

Highly recommended Cookridge though!

SIHastingsLiketheBattle · 22/08/2021 19:38

@Extraslice plenty of lovely little village schools, all good rated AFAIK and within range of some excellent secondary schools like Boston Spa Academy and Tadcaster Grammar

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General education
SIHastingsLiketheBattle · 22/08/2021 19:39

@Extraslice Garforth similar- not familiar with the primaries but I do know of several teens who go to Boston Academy from Garforth

Reallyreallyborednow · 22/08/2021 19:56

He is in police, I just asked him which areas he recommended and his answer was none grin

My dbro is police. He says no officer wants to live where they work- you see the worst of the place, and only the bad sides. There’s probably a lot of officers who live in Leeds that think Wakefield is great in comparison- the crime rate is a lot lower!

Original poster
Extraslice · 22/08/2021 19:58

Thanks both!
@ShakerMakerGirl eek thank you! It is a big risk. Actually got a viewing in Cookridge next weekend.
You know I’m going to ask about schools don’t you Grin

OP posts:
Original poster
Extraslice · 22/08/2021 19:59

@Reallyreallyborednow that’s a good point

OP posts:
Peanutsandchilli · 22/08/2021 20:44

Horbury and Ossett have good schools, as do Wrenthorpe and Outwood. Thornes is hit and miss; I believe The Mount primary is good but often you end up in the catchment for Snapethorpe which has good Ofsted reports but serves Lupset estate, which is huge. Secondary, you're looking at Cathedral, which has always had a poor reputation. You could always try for Horbury Academy, which I believe a lot of kids from Lupset Park and Thornes (the nicer bit, not Lupset estate) go to, but you risk being out of catchment.
Horbury is a nice, small village but property is slightly higher priced and it tends to be popular with older people. Still, plenty of stuff for kids on, and a nice park. Ossett is less expensive and has good primarys and a good (but large) secondary school. More shops and amenities than Horbury, plus a twice weekly market. Easy access to J40.

Iminthelibrary · 22/08/2021 20:53

OP we have just moved from Otley to a village in WF4 and we love it. We got far more for our money and the commute to Leeds is so easy. We are less than 10 mins from the M1 which is so much better for traffic than the M62 or ring road into Leeds from Otley. We do park and ride on the days we go into the office which is really easy. We considered inner Leeds such as Meanwood and Chapel A bit wanted to be a bit more rural, less noise etc. I lived in Meanwood and found it noisy and full of students.

AnImposter · 22/08/2021 20:58

@romany4

AnImposter

Or Mi or Ov?
Otherwise I'm stumped lol

Cr ... that help? Grin
AnImposter · 22/08/2021 21:04

@romany4

AnImposter

Or Mi or Ov?
Otherwise I'm stumped lol

Just realised there are two Cr's! Ifyou know the area it's the one where you have to have a Say No to HS2 car sticker or you get booted out the village Grin
ShakerMakerGirl · 22/08/2021 21:27

@Reallyreallyborednow yes I know that lol. He specialises with gangs,drugs and guns so especially important in our case! Although we know plenty of police who work at nearest police Station. He was only joking, I said that and yes of course some areas of Leeds are bloody awful, lots of lovely and awful parts everywhere city/town.

My main point is the commute. It's a risk moving somewhere you don't know and I personally wouldn't want to get to LGI from Wakefield.

@Extraslice
Yeh school are really good in Cookridge. You want to live in Cookridge village though. Near as possible to tesco green lane, that's the quiet end, basically a few families and pensioners. Love it! Loads of LS16 calls itself Cookridge when it really isn't!

Original poster
Extraslice · 22/08/2021 21:54

That’s really helpful thank you @ShakerMakerGirl, just checked on the map and the house we are seeing is near that area 🤞🏻

OP posts:
ShakerMakerGirl · 22/08/2021 21:59

Ah good @Extraslice. Personally I really really love it. Really easy travel to Leeds and still close to countryside etc. Obviously some really great areas in every city though but they key is knowing where and what they are really like!

Good luck in your house search x

TrixyTed · 22/08/2021 22:20

We live in Robin Hood/Lofthouse and it's basically halfway between Wakefield and Leeds. My husband works at Leeds Uni and public transport makes his journey really easy. There are several good primary schools and a great secondary nearby. We moved here from West Leeds and had originally been looking in Horsforth and Roundhay but got so much more for our money here. It's 20 minutes max drive to Leeds and Wakefield city centres, there's an excellent bus service along the A61, and 5 minutes walk takes you to such lovely countryside that it's hard to believe you're so close to the M62 and M1. I love living here!

Reallyreallyborednow · 22/08/2021 22:32

My main point is the commute. It's a risk moving somewhere you don't know and I personally wouldn't want to get to LGI from Wakefield

It’s pretty easy. Wakefield train station to leeds, 15 mins walk to lgi. Many of nephews friends are commuting to that area for college. There’s also a new bus service which is 30 mins from stanley/wakefield direct to LGI. Even driving is Ok.

RampantIvy · 22/08/2021 22:38

It’s pretty easy. Wakefield train station to leeds, 15 mins walk to lgi.

Depends on how far they live from either of the two Wakefield stations.

Otley is nice, but the commute is horrible.

MelbourneTerrace · 22/08/2021 22:38

Schools near Tadcaster, Church Fenton, Saxton, South Milford, Hungate ( but not Athelstan) have all recently converted to an academy. Uninspiring and all overdue inspection, due to conversion.

ShakerMakerGirl · 23/08/2021 06:03

@Reallyreallyborednow not our experience that's all. My husbands commute to Wakefield adds on 3 hours a day in total. He has to drive though as trains are unreliable. Depends how strict your job is I suppose and what your role is at LGI. My husband cannot be late so allows 90 mins each way.

Honestly do what you like @Extraslice and there are some lovely areas listed above. I just meant and said personally I wouldn't. X

ShakerMakerGirl · 23/08/2021 06:17

Also @Reallyreallyborednow if you live in Leeds your kids don't have to commute to go to college. This would be seen as very unusual here, sadly due to investment sounds like the norm around there.

ShakerMakerGirl · 23/08/2021 06:44

@Extraslice reading back my comment sounds arsy lol. Not intended. I've got a teething baby so my grasp of the English language is failing me ha ha. I genuinely meant its your decision and some lovely areas listed x

sandgrown · 23/08/2021 06:58

Other places to visit include The National Mining Museum and going to hear the rhubarb grow ! I love the Sculpture Park too. I used to travel to London by train from Wakefield and it was very easy .

Hemingwaycat · 23/08/2021 08:47

We live in Ackworth which is lovely. Pontefract is up and coming apparently, lots of new build estates anyway but the town centre is awful. Newmillerdam and Fairburn are fab.

Wakefield city center as mentioned is dire

I used to think this too but I disagree now. The part closest to Kirkgate train station isn’t very nice aside from the amazing Hepworth art gallery of course. When you get up closer to the cathedral I think it has a fair few hidden gems. DS found a gaming cafe there last week which he loved for example. The festival of the Earth is fantastic if anyone is in the local area this week, Gaia in the cathedral is magnificent!

Hemingwaycat · 23/08/2021 08:52

@sandgrown

Other places to visit include The National Mining Museum and going to hear the rhubarb grow ! I love the Sculpture Park too. I used to travel to London by train from Wakefield and it was very easy .
Agree with this, the mining museum is amazing. We’ve found lots of wonderful places to visit in the Wakefield district, we moved here from Leeds 3 years ago and I was worried there’d be nothing to do but I was totally wrong. We’re always out walking somewhere at the weekend, we live close to Nostell priory which is amazing.
Reallyreallyborednow · 23/08/2021 08:59

Also @Reallyreallyborednow if you live in Leeds your kids don't have to commute to go to college. This would be seen as very unusual here, sadly due to investment sounds like the norm around there

There are several good colleges they could have gone to. They chose this college for specific reasons, and needing to be in Leeds for other reasons. There are many kids commuting from all over leeds, so it doesn’t seem unusual at all.