Living near a school

[Ragnhild]

Hi guys

I have been a bit of a lurker here for a while. Now thought I would chip in with a question.

I am currently living in Norway with five boys soon to be aged 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10. We are planning on returning to the UK and will live in Cambridge. My DH will be commuting to London so we need to live near the station. The problem for us is that none of the schools that are in walking distance will be able to offer a place for all our school aged children. So, what I am wondering is about the consequences this will have for the children's friendships. Where we live now, all the children live within walking distance of each other and it creates a lovely little community:)

And for anyone who knows Cambridge, if you know where the families tend to live near the station, any advice about that would also be much appreciated. I am guessing that most people living near the station are professionals so we might be a bit isolated if we are one of the only families. What do you think?

Hi there. Welcome. I don't know Cambridge, so hope someone else can help, but I'd be thinking also of secondary schools for your 10 year old - might make the whole thing more complicated but choice of secondary and whether you're living in the catchment is really important.

There's not much you can do about friendships. Any school you judge suitable will have the potential for your boys to settle. Friends may well not be in walking distance, but they can play together after school and there's also other out of school stuff that you will want to do. In the UK we are a bit car/travel orientated unless you move to a village. They are all young enough to settle in to a new place. The 10 year old may find it hardest as will have a short time in primary before new friends in secondary.

Good luck

Thanks. The housing around the station is in the catchment area for the secondary school we want him to attend and priority is given to those living in the area rather than those attending the link schools. But this is another issue - do we send him to an out of catchment primary school (still walking distance) when few of those children will go to the same secondary school as him. It is so difficult to second guess the situation.

Do you realise that cambridge train station was deliberatly built 2 miles out of town?

I hope you don't mind me saying this, but houses near the station are very expensive, because there are so many London commuters. Many of them are very small, or have very small gardens. Have you found a suitable house in your budget?

I'm guessing you're looking to be in the Parkside catchment area, which does seem to up the costs even more. Not all the houses near the station are in the same catchment area, so you have to check that out.

You might want to ask in the Cambridge section of the site, or the Property area.

A lot of people who commute into London actually live in Ely, Waterbeach, Saffron Walden, St Neots, and so on.

Thank you. I'll do that. I know prices are high and you don't get much for your money. We live in a two bed apartment in Oslo - same problem there.

Hi - do ask in the Cambridge board - I am moving to the area as well and the people on the board were very helpful. The villiages south of Cambridge have stations and are cheaper than central cambridge and the schools are good too - so that would be another thought

how much are you looking at spending?

It makes a hugh difference as to where you can go

I guess you need quite a large house with all those children, there is a house for sale on De Freville Avenue at just under £1m from there you are in the catchment for Milton Road and Chesterton and is walkable to Brunswick

Ooh, nice house!

Mmm. No that is way out of our price range. Nice thought though.

I have been looking at a few in Trumpington. We are going to rent to begin with so I am thinking about getting kids into the Parkside catchment area and then buying slightly out of the area in a year or so when there are fewer uncertainties. I guess there are buses from Trumpington into the centre though I don't recall ever seeing one? But then that could be a problem for my DH. He could cycle I suppose.

We aren't really village people. Which villages were you thinking of. It would solve a few problems wouldn't it.

It was on this thread here -
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/local_cambridge/1139273-moving-to-cambridge

I should point out that Cambridge villages are a bit different from other areas - they often have (good) secondary schools - and are quite big with a fair amount going on - due to development being restricted in Cambridge I think - and Cambridge while lovely - does not have a big city feel in my view

Thanks for that. I thought you meant Royston which I do like but dh was a bit horrified when I suggested it. I will take a look at those villages in the south. I used to live in Histon and just thought of it as Cambridge.