Moving to Norfolk, advice needed please

[LuckymumofAbi]

Hi, partner has just got a job in Norwich (we currently live in Oxford). We would like to move to a town with around a 30 minute commute to Norwich (partner’s job will be in the forum). We like Aylsham and Reepham but would appreciate recs for other towns. Anything around 20 mins drive from the sea world be great.

Also we are looking at Paston College and Reepham for daughter to do A levels. She has SEN and an EHCP. Does anyone have an recs for colleges/schools with good SEN provision please?

I live in the city. If you’d like to chat about it, DM me. We absolutely love it. It’s such a fun place to live. We live just off a road that is a community like a village in itself. I can’t imagine ever living anywhere else.

lljkk thank you all this local info is really useful. Daughter wants to take history, Eng lit and media A levels and is booked in for the taster at Paston on 19/11. I’ve spoken to the SENCO of both Paston and Reepham and both were helpful but Paston were particularly so.

Daughter’s grade predictions look okay for Paston but I’m going to talk to the City college as a backup/plan B. Once half term is over I am going to apply to Paston as they want to send for daughter’s EHCP to check if they can meet provision, although I will send the EHCP to them too as well. In terms of taking the bus it might depend where it stops as DD is okay with pedestrian crossings but needs some help otherwise. She is gradually getting there with independence, just in her own time.

Paston has 2 campus areas, with a small road (one way single lane, Kings Arms Street) to cross between them.
18 bus from Aylsham stops at Market Cross, and going back to Aylsham stops on Park Lane so literally college door step.
The only roads she'd have to deal with (in NW) are one way roads with 20 mph speed limits (not that the limit is always observed). There is a pedestrian island at the eastern end for catching the bus home crossing.

So come to think of it, I suspect you'd decide she could handle it. You'll decide for yourself on 19th.

Reepham is highly regarded, tbf, but I don't know the town layout as well. There's an amazingly old oak tree behind the school I like to admire.

I actually live in Reepham and it's really nice here. Can't help much in terms of schools though as my kids aren't school age yet but I like living here, although it's a bit quiet so Aylsham may be better if you want a bit more going on.

Aylsham doesn't have the idyllic rural charm of reepham though

I have name changed for this ...

I also live in Reepham.

I have a child with SEN who went to college at Paston.

My other child went to Notre Dame Sixth Form in the City.

Both went to Reepham High School but neither wanted to go to the college as they wanted to spread their wings.

Personally I'd steer clear of City College if possible!

I'd second that about City College, admittedly my experience was ten years ago now but they were awful

Thank you whatsthatinyourhair I really appreciate your honesty. I’ve got a place in Oxford which I feel the same about. All this info is gold dust to me as we’ve visited Norfolk twice now and partner only got the job offer on Wednesday and it was an internal job so we weren’t necessarily expecting him to get it. We are really pleased but it’s hard to get the school bit right.

I also have to own up I haven’t been to Reepham yet but i will visit on the 19th. Are there any other good sixth forms that I’ve missed?

lljkk thank you for the road layout in Paston and yes I think she would manage that. She would prefer to use a bus but she has ASC so we might need to work on getting her anxiety down enough beforehand.

I'm sure some people Iove City College but it's known to be somewhat of
a college that you go to if you don't get the grades to get the college of your choice, or for a year to resit your exams, before then going back to your original choice of college. There are also lots of courses there that aren't so academic.

I've heard it's gone downhill recently and is very chaotic/disorganised. Of course this is all subjective and I may be wrong.

Following on from my previous post, I should make it clear that City College is some people's first choice, but just not ours.

I've heard that City of Norwich School has a good sixth form too.

With regard to areas to live, personally I'd steer clear of Dereham.

I don’t think that’s true at all. It’s a HUGE college, probably the largest in the area with all sorts of courses - from a levels to sen access courses and all sorts of adult learner courses. My dd had the option of continuing at her small town 6th form - don’t want to out myself but it is very well thought of, mid Norfolk- but decided she wanted to meet new people and have a different city type experience so she chose to go to city college, especially as they did the mix of A levels she wanted (the timetable for those particular ones clashed at her 6th form and meant she couldn’t do them together). It is very mixed in terms of ability. But everyone I know - from those like my dd who is a high achiever- to those with children with sen (like my son who has autism, complex needs) have nothing but positive things to say about the college. (As opposed to the general sen support in normal Norfolk schools which is frankly shocking….)!

I guess all our experiences are different.

Personally I’d be making sure wherever you move to has very good transport links. It’s very appealing to move into a lovely rural village but transport here is terrible generally and as teens get older you’ll be forever driving them everywhere. We moved from London to Norfolk 12 years ago when my dd was very little and although I love Norfolk to bits my dd couldn’t wait to move away to a larger city / place. She thinks it’s the most dull place on earth and hates the struggle to get anywhere! (She’s at university now in Nottingham).

There is also Norwich High School for Girls 6th form & Norwich School 6th form. Both fee paying & pretty excellent. Again there is sir Isaac Newton 6th form & Jane Austen 6th form both in the city centre, non fee paying. I’d say you have a great choice really.

Holt is very popular trendy market town but now full of shops and cafes aimed at visitors. I can’t see any benefits in being based there with teens, for education or leisure. At least Sheringham and Cromer are on the railway line to Norwich.

From Holt Teens wouldn’t even be able to get to the cinema in Cromer by bus in the evening. It has terrible public transport.

Cromer is a nice place to live!

Shockingly bad communication etc with City College!

Norwich is a really nice city but If I was moving to Norfolk now, I would move as close to the city as possible/to within it and avoid the small towns.

We moved to West Norfolk about 15 years ago and after really liking it initially have become very disillusioned. The towns are mainly working class, lowish income but the majority of people, bolstered by a large numbers of incoming retirees, still vote for Tory MPs who have no interest in their area other than as a safe seat (e.g. Liz Truss) and the facilities have been left to rot - e.g. QEH hospital and most of the secondary schools. We would love to move but have children in secondary school and elderly relatives who followed us here, so are stuck at the moment.

Just to add, I am from near to Norwich originally but moved away for university and returned to Norfolk in my 30s, so this isn’t an anti-Norfolk post by an incomer!

Can I message you?

give over. It’s an absolutely hellish place to live.