to consider moving to Birmingham

[Elfina]

from London? Is this bonkers? It would be to Moseley. Basically because for the price of our flat we could have a 4 bedroom detached. What would I miss about London??

Aww come home, you know you want to!

Brum here. Definitely think about secondary school plans assuming you have kids. The grammars are great if they suit your child. If they don't it could be tricky balance your child's abilities with the school/schools they would get a place at.

The UoB are opening a Free School, which looks interesting...

Yes it does but the addmissions policy is based on a nodes and from memory they are going to be 1) the school itself (selly oak) 2) small heath 3) hall green and somewhere out by the jewelry quarter I think. Small heath and hall green have two heavily oversubscribed outstanding schools. So i guess its where there is 'need'.Bit irritating if you live in an area where the schools are shit and not oversubscribed!

Yeah, it's train stations apparently.

The Principe is going to be the soon to be ex-head of King Edwards Camp Hill School for Boys....an interesting choice!

Elfina,
We moved from Birmingham after 10 years to the country, not far from the coast.

I loved Birmingham with a passion (not from there originally btw) - we lived not far from Moseley and the general vibe was brilliant. There's LOTS for children - botanical gardens. Kids City at Millenium Point, good pools outside the city, Zoo in Dudley, Safari Park, The Aquarium.
For you - nightlife, restaurants, shopping are outstanding.

Some of the schools are amazing but some are terrible. The real issue is the secondary schools as its largely governed by the 11+ grammar system - and only the top ten percent of those passing that get into the five grammar schools in the city. It depends on how much you care about education.

My DP had a job opportunity that as a family, we couldn't refuse really else we probably would have stayed there.
I have to say though - much as I miss the place it would be hard to move back. It just boils down to much more crime, and my children being more likely to be mugged etc.

It's down to you as a family and what you want?

I wouldn't move to Moseley though - fab place but not the best for schools. Harborne or Solihull, Knoll, Dorridge are pretty good education wise. Moseley is a boho hangout - it's where I'd live if we had no kids? Make sense?

I love Birmingham, despite having hated it when I initially moved here 10 years ago. I now live in Kings Heath, which is brilliant. Am also a psychologist, by the way (clinical). Kings Heath is crawling with us

My spouse and I care about education. We live in the area that the OP plans to move (back) to. Our three children were all educated locally. Two went on to gain degrees at well-regarded universities. The third is currently doing A-levels at a school that's ten minutes walk from our house, having got some pretty impressive GCSEs.

ticktocktick, we probably know each other, and if we don't, we'll know friends of friends. CP and UoB psychology seems to be a very small world

Sorry not meaning to comment about Moseley schools - there are good ones - it just depends on your child and what they need. We lived in a great area for primary schools in Birmingham but the secondary was not very strong.

I wouldn't be surprised, Elfina. I'm in a CP/UoB combination job at the moment, and I've been knocking about here for a few years now

Ah I missed the MAC someone mentioned before and theatres - the theatres and concert venues are great too.
Ah I miss Birmjngham.

(More canals than Venice....). BMAG. The Barber Institute. The CBSO. The Balti belt..

Yes the Balti triangle!

Don't get too hung up on the crime angle that someone mentioned. Personal experience has been no worse than anywhere else, and my 3 use public transport a huge amount and are out and about on Brums streets plenty ( as am I and DH) .

Come and look at what Birmingham's got to offer here: local.mumsnet.com/birmingham-sutton-coldfield

I know I've come to this thread a bit late , but there is loads and loads Birmingham has to offer My OH would enjoy a better career in London, but balanced against the relaxed and happy lifestyle we enjoy in S Birmingham, and the excellent schools, there's no debate.

I'm not from here, and love that in 15 mins you can be walking in beautiful countryside, yet the theatres, shops and restaurants are 10 minutes away in the city centre. And it's the friendliest place I've ever lived in too.

Sorry: local.mumsnet.com/birmingham-sutton-coldfield

I used to live in Moseley. It's a lovely part of Birmingham. Great shops and nice pubs. Birmingham in general though.....I liked it but I didn't love it. I never go back there. My favourite thing is that it is so multicultural, unlike where I live now, however, if you've been living in London you already have that!

I'm from a very nice part of LOndon originally but have been in north birmingham for 10 years now. I think the quality of life outside of London and the south east if you have a reasonable job is miles better and house prices are a major factor in this. For what my brother and sister in law are looking at paying for a 2 bed smallish flat in a London suburb we would get a 4/5 bed house in a good area with good schools, transport links etc.

Moseley is a good area with loads to do and lovely huge houses and cannon hill park and the MAC of course.

We pay £35 per day for nursery and I think it's £40 in Sutton Coldfield although friends pay up to £60 in edgbaston for a very popular ofsted outstanding one.

I do find it amusing my eldest is getting a brummy accent and saying 'fast' rather than 'farst', 'bath' and not 'barth' etc.

I suppose the downside is the reaction you get from people when you tell them where you live! But yes, these are based on old stereotypes. However, the city centre has a real dearth of independent shops/ decent market along the lines of Camden/ spitalfields. That I do not like.

So in short YANBU!!