Relocating to Norwich

[Rowse]

I’ve been offered a job in Norwich and am considering moving my family (age 5 and age 1) there. We are currently in the south east at an amazing infant school.
The move would mean more money and a bigger house and garden which would be brilliant but we know almost nothing of Norwich and Norfolk.

We’ll visit soon to have a recce but not sure where to start. Which parts of Norwich should I look at for young families? Any areas or primary schools which should be top of the list?

Any recommendations for local family Facebook groups or instagram accounts would be great to get an idea of what is on for families.

Hi there, you’ll absolutely love Norwich as it’s a great place to live. My advice about schools is going to be quite brutal so brace yourself …. Houses are cheaper here than the south east but don’t just buy the biggest, most expensive house you can afford; buy a house that’s not quite so big and expensive and then spend the money you’ve saved on private education. It’s really worth it and you won’t regret it.

To contradict the pp. We actually just turned down a private school- with funding- in favour of a state school. Norwich is known for its array of excellent state schools, particularly for younger kids.

Either way Norwich is consistently voted as one of the best places to live in the UK. The golden triangle part of Norwich is popular amongst families but I prefer the slightly more urban feel in the North of the city. I also like Thorpe hamlet and city road which is a bit more gritty! Nice villages and beaches too.

What is your budget?
Do you want to live in the centre or be further out, you can get to several coastal towns in a 40 min drive and fairly rural ones in 20 or be in the middle of the city.
Whereabouts in Norwich will you be working? Do you intend to drive into the city or public transport?
Are you looking for state or private? Norwich Girls is lovely if youre looking for private (DD got in but we couldn't afford it in the end)

You obviously don't need to answer all of these but Norwich is great but there's a lot of commutable factors to take into consideration.

I lived in Norwich for several years and am in a village further west now. One of my dc has made it through state education start to finish and utterly thrived, currently on track for Oxbridge. The other is seven years in. The schools here are the same as state schools everywhere ie a range of settings. I'm not sure why a pp is encouraging you to go private specifically related to living in Norwich. You might want to consider that if it's your thing but it's not essential.

What do you like to do op? What hobbies and interests will you pursue? Where will you work roughly?

Sports clubs are quite well represented in Norwich,
Norwich Rugby club is near Catton
Gymnastics, climbing, swimming, athletics at UEA
Skiing, snowboarding and tubing in Trowse as well as watersports at Whittingham.
Drama at the Theatre royal
I believe there's a circus club in the city too along with various theatre, dance and football teams

The state secondaries in Norwich are notoriously poor.

Norwich resident here, with two teen DCs who went through the state system from infants onwards. In my opinion it's a brilliant place to have a young family as pretty much everything is walkable, the main library is great, and it's small enough to get around easily whilst still having a buzz to it. I'm in the Golden Triangle, so probably a bit biased, but the schools have been wonderful, people are generally friendly and it has a nice independent vibe to it.

My two went to the Colmans (infant & juniors) before moving on to CNS for secondary, and I can't fault any of the schools at all. Colman isn't considered as attractive as certain other state primary schools because it's quite socially mixed, but it was rated outstanding the whole time we were involved with it.

It definitely isn't as ethnically diverse as a lot of other cities, but it is a very easy place to live - and there are parks EVERYWHERE.

Just to add - Norwich used to be quite quirky in that it had separate infants, juniors (primary), and then high school. So you'll find a lot of schools in the city are 'infants' (reception to Yr2), and then 'juniors' (Yr3 to 6). I quite like that because it means the younger ones have a bit more time amongst their own age group and move more naturally into junior school.

Enjoy Norwich/Norfolk is run by a local mum (I know her from the school gates!), and even just the city council website lists all the events that they run throughout the year. The Norfolk museums service do a lot of events for families, as does the main cathedral.

Historically East Anglia has had issues with schooling, but nowadays there are plenty of good schools if you live in the right place. There are some excellent village primaries with small classes. For secondaries the schools in Wymondham and Hethersett get excellent results. CNS and Jane Austen College in Norwich have good reputations. Notre Dame is also very good but you have to be Catholic. Also some very good private schools, but they can be competitive to get into. So I would recommend picking your area carefully if schooling is important.

Thanks everyone, really helpful posts and I’m starting to build a better picture of the place.

The job is based in central Norwich and walking to work definitely appeals, as does the buzz of a small city. Although we would live further out of Norwich if it was the right choice in terms of schools.

We are creative and enjoy live comedy, arts and good food all of which is lacking where we are now. We spend a lot of time in parks, exploring countryside and love the coast. Norwich seems to fit this well, although it’s not super close to the coast it’s within reach and has a cultural scene by the looks of it?

Unthank road and the Golden Triangle area look interesting although most of what’s online is written by estate agents. How studenty is it? Are there plenty of young families around the area as well as students?

We are completely spoilt where we currently live as all schools are Good or Outstanding and really great for primary and secondary. It’s the reason we’ve stayed this long as it’s hard to find anything comparable.

Private school isn’t really for us, both financially or politically, although I wouldn’t rule it out for the right child at the right school.

If you choose outside of the city, try Wymondham - good schools and transport links. Or Hethersett.

The only state secondary school in Norwich (high school, to end of yr11) that has a truly good reputation is Thorpe.

My experience of living in Golden Triangle was a lot of street crime & burglaries. The little freebie newspapers were full of those stories. I'm still considering living in the GT in future, btw, but braced for its shortcomings. Student areas are ripe pickings for burglary.

You need to say more about your budget. Renting or buying?
You might get useful info if you say where you are now, in case people can compare to that.

Sorry @lljkk but that's not my experience of living in the GT at all! And I live on what is supposedly a dodgy council estate these days. It's very much street by street though. Bury St is very different from say Albemarle Road, although they're only two minutes apart. The studenty bit of Unthank Rd is very different to Christchurch Rd!

I grew up in the GT, moved away from Norwich for over ten years, and then back again. I've never felt unsafe here or been a victim of crime, and neither have my children.

@Rowse There are a lot of young families in the GT area because of the number of schools. The smaller terraced streets tend to be more studenty, when you get to the bits with semis, it's a lot more family based. It really does depend on the street though!

I do love this city so much. Because Norfolk is so isolated from the rest of the country, Norwich becomes the cultural hub for everything. The phrase goes 'no one ends up in Norfolk by accident. It's not on the road to anywhere else'

@Rowse I wonder if i could trouble you for your findings re: Norwich? Best areas, schools (my little one is 9). We are looking to relocate there ourselves and would be grateful for your insight.

At the age your children are Ofsted reports for secondary schools are irrelevant. You cannot know what each will be like when they are old enough to attend. I'd choose an area of Norwich based on where you want easy access to inside the city and in the wider county.

And don't deregister with your dentist if you move to a town outside Norwich. East Anglia is a NHS dentist desert in many places.

LOADS of families around the Golden Triangle. Unthank Road has a variety of houses from massive detached at the far end (NR4 postcode) , to semi detached spacious Edwardian (also NR4) , to Victorian terraces (mainly NR2). Golden Triangle tends to be Victorian terraces, but there are a few 1930s larger houses on The Avenue. Christchurch Road is lovely (variety of properties) as is Eaton Road. The UEA students tend to be very "nice" on the whole. No real problems. If you enjoy the Arts, you'll LOVE Norwich. Daily market is fab and the cathedral glorious.
As you're currently renting, you can grab a bargain at the moment. Some houses round here have dropped in price by 30%

@Relocating2023 If you intend to go to state schools, just avoid the NR3 area as well as the area near the university.

@SuperSarah28 thanks! Can I ask why..? We need to be somewhere with amenities walkable or reliable bus routes

@Relocating2023 All of central Norwich and its suburbs will give you walkable amenities and good buses. Wymondham (10 miles out) is also excellent. The problem with NR3 (Mile Cross) and West Earlham schools is the tremendous amount of social problems (if that is something that bothers you). It depends what you mean by ‘best areas and schools’ as this is subjective. On the whole, Norwich is a great place to live. You need a car to explore the rest of Norfolk.

We moved to NR3 from London a few years ago and love it. My husband grew up here. Golden Triangle is solidly middle class (and a bit dull). The centre is great. Compact and safe. It’s an amazing city, and we’re living right in the heart of it. State schools are much of a muchness: the Inspiration Trust academies have ridiculous and petty rules but good results. Great food scene, lots of arty stuff going on. Everything closes on a Monday, though. But it’s only 1hr45 on a direct train to London.

What is your budget OP?

Hello,
My first time on mumsnet so just finding my way around. I was wondering if anybody had any experience of the Steiner school in Norwich please ? Thankyou

Welcome to Mumsnet. Have a browse round the talk topics and try posting in the education section rather than reanimating an old thread.

Post again on here and ask if you need help with finding your way round.