Moving to Bradford

[Alex27]

Can any mumsnetters give me any advice on good primary and secondary schools in the Bradford region. We need good train links to Bradford too. I'm relocating there very shortly and don't know the area at all, so any advice most gratefully received!! Thanks

the schools in Bradford are in general very poor. Don't take my word for it, research it.
Fee paying GSAL, or Bradford Grammar, avoid woody grove.
State : Ilkley or go for the selectives in Skipton.
Nearly all of the secondary schools in Bradford are very very poor - have taught there, as well as know nieces and nephews who have attended schools there. Dixons really is not a good school.
Otley and Guiseley good choices, but not really part of Bradford.

Loshad - can you explain why Dixons is really not a good school. I have personal experience and know this is simply not true. my childrens exam results (if you want to measure it that way) were excellent, as were their friends.

I really hate all the negativity that surrounds Bradford. I was a police officer in the city for many years, and found it to be no worse than various other cities I have worked in.

I can't remember which it is, but isn't one of Bradford's indies becoming a free school? If so, that might be worth taking a look at.

Bradford Girl's Grammar school is becoming a free school.

Bradford girls 216th in the country on a part with those other 2 at the level we found - Leeds grammar -private and the girls state grammar begiinning with s.

Just to add that using Xenia's Stats Bradford Grammar (co-ed now but used to be boys) knocks all the above in to a cocked hat.

If you want to go for state, then you can't beat moving to Ilkey. Commutable to Bradford easily. Pretty well regarded comprehensive school (Ilkley Grammar), and you can also sit the 11 plus from there and bus the children to either Ermysteds or Skipton Girls High.

Plus the advantage of dales on the doorstep.

If you need good train links to Bradford then I'd recommend looking at places on the Wharfedale Line (trains to/from Ilkley including Baildon, Guiseley, Menston, Ben Rhydding) and the Airedale Line (to/from Skipton - including Saltaire and Bingley).

There are some decent primary schools in these areas so I would suggest that you start your research here. Secondaries schools are bit more problematic IMHO. You only qualify for Dixons if you live in certain post codes if memory serves and these are in the more central areas of the city. You have got time to consider your options though as your children are so young. Good luck

saltaire is beautiful :) and not expensive compared to the rest of the country but is to bradford in general. Excellent train links to brad and leeds, great buses, great pubs and restaurants/cafes/bistros, great parks, dales on your doorstep... great community feel, farmers mkt and craft fairs and lots of baby groups... lefty vibe... and great schools - st walburgas (catholic) and hirst wood primary are, by word of mouth, considered to be great though this is just general knowledge as I don't have kids at school yet.

some people are snobby about salt tho and think it is a bit too 'saltaire'. haworth is lovely, otley, ilkely, baildon, heaton, hebden bridge all good too.

totally outed mesen now

good luck with the move! I am a southerner and was really apprehensive about living up in 'bradford' but five years on I have just loved it (and am sad we have to move back down).

We've just moved back to Scotland after 8 years in the Bradford area. We lived in Baildon first, but moved to Menston, further up the Ilkley line, after a year or so - much nicer, and more of a community, we found. I know Menston primary school is highly thought of and there are choices of secondary in the area.

Menston has a brilliant rail service to Leeds and Bradford, a lovely safe recreation park with tennis courts, and friendly locals. We sold our house to a young family who wanted their children to be able to walk to the park by themselves, which most of the local children do.

I do wish Bradfordians would pick themselves up and stop the negativity about their city. Bradford has a glorious past (superb architecture, a great industrial heritage), but it also has the Film Museum (forget its full name but it's a great place for children, with small cinemas as well) and possibly the best Asian restaurants in the UK. Mumtaz, for one.