moving to south manchester n need advice on childcare/schools (thinking didsbury, heaton mersey, stockport area)

[amulree]

We're moving to south manchester from edinburgh in 2 months time - no idea which areas are good for schools, good daycare nurseries etc. I have a 3yr old and a newborn so need to think about primary schools for the area as well as having good daycare options for next year when return to work. We're used to living within walking distance of amenities like tesco metro, cafes etc so would ideally like to be close to some shops. Anyone got any suggestions of good places to live? Also what are waiting lists like for daycare in manchester?

Your budget will dictate which exact area tbh. If you are moving in 2 months have you even done any research yourself?I don't mean that harshly.

we only just heard that we are moving for my husbands job. September 1st start so we don't have much time. We are planning on renting cos no time for organising anything else. Budget is £600-£800 pmonth for rent. But I want to choose somewhere that will be a good area to buy in later to minimise disruption for the kids....

You might want to try the Trafford area of S. Manchester. It has everything you want, good schools (still maintains grammar school system), easy train links into Manchester, good motorway access, Trafford Centre nearby! Try Flixton, Urmston, Sale, Altrincham, Lymm.

Altrincham has everything within easy reach, great schools, parks, shops (M&S,House of Fraser, Monsoon, H&M, Debenhams and others), cinema, ice rink, loads of bars restaurants and the tram into Manchester. I love it here!

Heaton Mersey is lovely - all the primaries are outstanding as is the local secondary school. Parks are plentiful as are cafes and there are lots of toddler/nursery groups too.

I've lived here all my life

If you're coming to Stockport, the areas to head for are Marple, Marple Bridge, Bramhall, Cale Green, Davenport, Bramhall, Offerton and Hazel Grove. Good schools in all these areas. Avoid Pkrtwood, Brinnington, Adswood and Bridghall at all costs.

Stockport has fab location and great transport links etc. Failing that, Altrincham gets the thumbs up as does Didsbury and Chorlton. Heaton Moor and Heaton Mersey are up and coming if that's your thing. Hope that helps a touch

Oooooh another Stockport person

[waves at Lucy frantically]

Thanks loads everyone for all your help - I need it! I have a 4 week old baby (+ toddler) so am struggling to get on mumsnet everyday and with this move to organise by September I don't have enough hours in the day!
We are headed down to Manchester this weekend to get agencies to take us round. Following your suggestions planning on looking at Altrincham, Stockport, Didsbury, Chorlton, the Heatons then Sale Marple and Bramhall if we have time. Had the agent round to put our place up for sale in Edinburgh today fingers crossed it goes quickly!

I have a friend in Didsbury which is apparently lovely with v good schools. She is really happy there.

Old Trafford/ Firswood/ Longford area of Stretford/Chorlton would be ideal on your budget. £600-800 would only get somewhere teeny in Didsbury.

I live in the Heatons, been here for 14 years. I love the area. Lots of parks and green areas. Plenty of shops and bars/pubs ( not that I go out much). Schools are good. My son goes to school out of the area, but the high schools are I believe pretty good and sought after.

I went to school in Didsbury but grew up in Chorlton. Chorlton and Didsbury rentals are I think expensive but then its not cheap round here either!

If you come to Stockport by train, don't judge it by it's train station! That's pretty grim.

I live in one of the places that wobblyweeble mentioned and you can rent a decent sized house near good schools for that.

SOme local rental agents that i have had experience with even if just for viewings.
[[http://www.harveyscott.co.uk/index.html Harvey Scott]
Stuarts
Edward Mellor

There are lots more but i have gone blank lol

I have brought 2 Dcs up in Lymm - excellent primary and high school. Very nice small town with nice social networks. Good luck.

We live in Chorlton, moved to the area nearly 2 years ago from the south and love it. Chorlton itself has so much going for it and so much to do with babies (mine is now 6 months old and has already got stuck in to swimming, rhymes and baby yoga, not to mention endless coffee and lunches with all our new mum friends). We have just bought in Whalley Range - a leafier suburb to the North of Whalley Range which is cheaper, larger houses with larger gardens than those on offer in Chorlton itself, but still within 15 minutes walk of Chorlton. Good luck!

Did you find anywhere you liked?
Up until last year, we lived just south of Manchester and there were lots of lovely places to live. In terms of schools, Stockport and Trafford are your best bets. Stockport can be quite hit and miss but places like the heatons, bramhall, cheadle hulme and marple are all nice. Bramhall has a nice but busy village centre and excellent primaries. Trafford has the grammar system with good schools and housing stock in sale, hale, altrincham and timperley.

We lived in wilmslow but I wouldn't necessarily recommend it! It was the sort of place you either love or you hate. Though if you love bling and flashiness it may just be the place for you!

Just read your op again. If you want to be able to walk to cafes and bars and small tescos etc and have a range of excellent primaries and good daycare options available then I'd say look at bramhall and altrincham/hale. The park in bramhall is also good iirc although we also had a great park just out the back of our house in wilmslow which was just up the road.

I used to work in cheadle hulme which is right next to bramhall and there were lots and lots of day nurseries around there.

You do need to consider where you need to get to for work each morning as that may dictate whether an are is practical or not.

I live in sale, which is Trafford it has excellent schools and 600-800 a month will get you a lovely house round here. Its next to altrincham and 15 minute drive to the city centre. We love it here but it is expensive to buy but less expensive than didsbury id say. Try upmystreet it has lots of good area information on there. Good luck with your move x