To ask about living in Chesterfield

[Didiusfalco]

I noticed a few Chesterfield mnetters on a thread last night, so I'm hoping they're still around to give me some advice.

Dh is on a secondment to the north of Nottingham not far from the m1, if it becomes permanent we are going to need to relocate. We have looked at other places but liked Chesterfield when we visited.

Can anyone tell me about which areas are nice, where to avoid? Which schools are good? What the housing market is like? Whether it would be an easy place to settle as an incomer? Thanks.

Isn't there an outstanding secondary in Chesterfield? It might be called St Mary's.

Thank you Arf Matlock and Bakewelll might be a bit far in terms of commute. Are there any other nice villages? Are Walton and Brampton villages or part of Chesterfield? Do you know anything about local schools?

What is hasland like? Asking due to proximity to the motorway.

Thanks Arf. Looking at primary schools at the moment, but with a view to not move again before secondary. I think I've heard before that Bolsolver is awful.

Unfortunately not catholic savoy so I think that school would not be an option.

Off to look at google maps.

Wingerworth is nice enough and Deer Park primary is reputedly an excellent school. Likewise Brookfield secondary has a good reputation and is in Walton catchment area.

Thanks insan1ty. I'll have a look at that.

Does anyone have any comment about whether or not it's a good place to live?

I'm actually beaming because I used to go to St Marys!

There are several excellent schools, primary and secondary, in and around Chesterfield, but they're very heavily over subscribed, and with St Marys I was the only non Catholic in my year and I only got in because it was the feeder school from my primary, in which again I was the only non Catholic.

Chesterfield has changed a lot since I left there for the north east, but in the main Newbold is nice (especially Upper Newbold where St Marys is located), ditto Walton. If you're well off Brookside is a place to look at, and Lady Manners is an excellent secondary school accessible from there.

The villages tend to be big and sprawled out, so new houses mix with Victorian houses and new people mix with people who have lived there all their lives. Bolsover has a bad reputation, and I lived there for a year on the Manor Estate overlooking the Coalite
plant. Grim then and grim now. Bolsover as a whole is an example of sprawling as the new estates attract different residents to the estate I lived on.

What areas are you looking at? What ages are your DCs?

Hady is nice. It's a small village just outside of the town centre and right near to the hospital. It's easy to get to the motor way from there and there's even a convenience shop and a beauty salon there now.

Oh and although I'm not originally from round 'ere, everyone is really friendly and welcoming although I did initially get a few comments on my accent!

Arf when did you go to Bowser school? My mum taught at both of them, the one at the top and the one at the bottom of the hill, and it's possible she was your teacher!

Thanks for the replies. Boogers having had a quick browse of the map, I think areas towards the south of the city would make more sense from a commuting point of view, so Walton, Hasland, but definitely not ruling out Newbold if it is nice. Hady looks like a good idea too Gin.

I have dc in year 2. The area I live in now doesn't have catchment areas, whereas Chesterfield seems to, which is confusing me a bit. I'm keen to be in the right spot for secondary, as where I live excellent schools with tiny admission areas are bordered by really dreadful ones, although the problem might not be quite so acute in Chesterfield? Which schools are to be avoided? Thanks.

It's all retrospective to the area. When I lived in Chesterfield Barrow Hill was an absolute shit hole, and the feeder schools, Springfield and Netherfield, were grim. If you came from Staveley you were rough as a badger's arse as they say, but it might be different now. When I lived there several areas were to be avoided: Poolsbrook, Bolsover, Carr Vale, Shirebrook, Stanfree, St Helenas, Holme Hall, North Wingfield... but it might have changed.

There are rough parts of any town, but it depends where you're looking at. I still have several friends and family who live in and around Chesterfield and I can ask them if it would help?

Boogers that would be marvellous!

Any information much appreciated.

As already mentioned, Wingerworth is nice. Deerpark is a lovely Primary school. There are quite a few nice villages around Chesterfield tbh.
I personally would avoid Birdholme, Boythorpe, Barrow Hill and Holme Hall.

Chesterfield has an average sized town Centre. BHS and Burton have recently both closed down, along with a couple of other stores. I hate to see empty shops so to me it looks slightly depressing. We have a large library though, which I think is a great asset.

I think Hasland Hall is a pretty decent Secondary School. Hasland itself is a nice village as far as I know, a good range of shops and a nice park.

Isn't Brookfield supposed to be a decent school?

Take a look at Dronfield too (just north of Chesterfield). Henry Fanshaw Secondary is OFSTED outstanding and the primaries are not bad either.

Sorry but Chesterfield is a hideous place!
My mother lives there, everything is so run down, the town centre is like something from the 70s
It's grey, depressing and has no redeeming features

Sorry again to those who live there, but I couldn't live there even if you bought me a house

Oh yes Brookfield in Brampton is a very popular choice too. Not sure which other villages are in the catchment area for it.