A little bit of advice needed for good areas in Manchester ...Follow on post

[shouldiorshouldinot]

Hi everyone,
I posted a couple of weeks ago about moving to Manchester and got some helpful responses, but still need a little advice...
Previously almost everyone suggested south Manchester, sale, Hale , Altrincham, as well as the moors and parts of Stockport.
I have 4dc and like I mentioned my budget is ideally max of £310k for a 4 bed, but that doesn't seem to get me much in those areas.
I was wandering if you guys could enlighten me on Eccles ( seen lovely affordable new builds there) , which parts of Stockport and stretford and prestwich (again lovely new builds) are good in terms of schools including secondary? I'm after good family locations not too rural.
I've noticed checking school checker on right move most primary schools seem good but secondary are touch and go, although they all seem good in the south but again just more pricey.
Any help would be appreciated?
Thanks

Floatingthroughspace thank you for the link

Whatnow40 that's interesting, you'll never find free parking at the station down here.

Highiverthrefence this is what I'm thinking in terms on schools. Trafford is so oversubscribed with the schools I just don't know if we even stand a chance in any school never mind a particular one

Sparkly speakers! I'd say the last two years really. not sure what Italian you mean. My friends daughter works in a new one with the bar attached and loves it. The Kirkfield hotel has had a full on revamp over the winter and the bar is great.

The high street committee do lots of events, it's definitely changed and is seen as a great night out. I don't live there, I'm in culcheth but we quite often go out there now. Much better night than our village.

The school did have a terrible reputation but it was ranked good in 2015 and outstanding in a denominational inspection in 2018.

Earlestown still struggles but, due to eu funding, is getting better.

Verona was the restaurant. Looked nice but wouldn't go due to the guy who runs the place.
Our views of different areas are all relative I suppose. We all like different things. I like the hills and nearby countryside and community it's spirit. I like that every time I leave my house I bumped into someone I know well enough to say hello and have a chat. I like that the shop staff know my name, know my children and my mum. They know who my grandparents were and remember them fondly. The schools are very good, we have beautiful views, good transport links, good restaurants, excellent GPs and dentists along with a brilliant HV and community nurse team. Crime rates are low, it's a safe community. Those things are important to me. Others will want somewhere with less traffic and closer to the motorway, bigger shops, and aren't particularly bothered about community spirit or friendliness.

Verona's the one I mean, must have changed managers! I know it is all subjective, we escaped from the outskirts of Stockport to culcheth when I was a child and I love it here. However one of my friends has just moved from here to where I was born, apparently it's now been gentrified!

Sorry not Irlam - irlam isn’t the best!! Irlam o th height is an area of Salford right near Manchester for commuting.

It’s often Salford m6 on rightmove

Irlam O’ Th’ Height is M6 7 postcodes.

I think this is what I would do to start off - ring the councils - Manchester, Trafford, Salford, Stockport, Bury??? Not sure how far out you want to go in which direction! Ask what schools have spaces in Y8, how long waiting lists are etc, so you can get a sense of student movement & where you might be able to get a place. Look up those schools. Create a shortlist of possible schools, then look at areas around those schools.

I once rang Trafford council to ask about places in Y3. At that point there were just two vacant Y3 places in the whole borough, & I wouldn't have put my child in one of those two schools.... Maybe secondary schools are different because they are bigger??

Muststopsnacking28 oh I see. Never heard of that place will definitely check it. Thanks

Highoverthrfence good idea, I rang Trafford council and was told no primary in hold borough had 1 single space for year 5 or reception for my younger 2, and for secondary they couldn't check but I was told schools are over subscribed and I should expect the nearest school to be a bus ride away. Will check with the other councils too thanks

Unfortunately I thought that would be the case in Trafford as I said in my previous post schools here can be an absolute nightmare.

No metro in Stockport but it is well serviced by trains, and they do anticipate that the metro will come eventually.

The problem with picking somewhere along the metro, is that they are always the most expensive areas, as everyone wants to be near it.

If you were to go to Trafford, the likelihood would be your children would be offered a place at Lostock or Broadoak. They are the only ones that have places and so I really wouldn’t choose Trafford based on good schools.

Parrenthorn is an outstanding school in Prestwich- I would ring and enquire about availability. This house is within catchment and close to the metro

Orange Hill Road, Prestwich
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-80215721.html

I also in the politest possible way wanted to comment on the house you liked on Barton Lane. The area near Eccles isn’t ‘rough’ it’s just working class. I know plenty of tradesmen and healthcare workers who live there, it’s just not ‘naice’, more likely to be betting shops than delis. That house looks nice but to be honest it’s just staged well- but that furniture in any other house and it would also look great!

TheNanny23 thank you I'll get in touch with the school. Is that a secondary school?

TheNanny23 just seen it's a secondary thanks

What about around Bramhall school? I believe it’s undersubscribed but my friend teaches there & will send her own kids there, says it’s good.

Highoverthrfence will look into that school, sounds promising thanks

I went to Bramhall High. It's one of the best in Stockport. Or was last time I looked about a year ago. It was my 4th choice for dd but would have been 1st if we lived nearby.

Sparklysneakers I just checked it and it's ofsted reports says requires improvement 😐

All secondary schools in Manchester were over-subscribed, apart from 1 or 2 in Wythenshawe, last time I looked. Similar for Stockport and I presume all the grammars in Trafford. You would need to go on a waiting list and / or win an education appeal to get a place mid year at any of the good schools.

Here are Manchester's rules on awarding school places in year:
secure.manchester.gov.uk/info/705/school_admissions/7082/waiting_lists/3

In general, Greater Manchester's schools are over-subscribed, although more are currently being built, so long term the position should improve.
www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/greater-manchester-2018-school-places-14812590

Stretford is part of Trafford and therefore has free grammar schools and excellent primaries. It also has a great tram service into the city centre. It’s only round the corner to Chorlton with all its bars/ independent shops/ restaurants etc...Best part of Stretford is near Longford Park / the Chorlton side. Lots of greenery by Turn Moss and Chorlton Ees. THIS

It sounds like you know the area well Frolie I do too , I really like the pubs around chorlton green. but the housing is getting expensive round there ( compared to what it was when I lived there )

Wow it's gone downhill. I looked at the GCSE results though, not ofsted and thinking about it, it was a few years ago now I actually looked. Houses in Bramhall are very expensive anyway

Look at Cheadle Hulme High School rather than Bramhall High.

Cheadle Hulme and Bramhall are villages next to one another; they blend into one another. Bramhall has a bigger village centre; there's a lot of good stuff there for kids as I mentioned in an earlier post. Houses in Cheadle Hulme would on the whole be a little cheaper. Have a look at the Hursthead estate .. Hursthead Primary school (where my kids went) is excellent. Other schools are also extremely good.

You can get the train into Manchester City centre from either Bramhall or Cheadle Hulme, but there are more frequent trains from CH.

Sparklysneakers yes a few years see to ale almost of difference.

highlandandcoo ok thank you I will look into those, sounds like a good option.