Schools in Scotland (Stirling area)

[Jo121Cambridge]

Hi all

We are hoping to move to Scotland this year, my husband will be transferring to Stirling. Ideally we would like to live in a village, but as we have 2 young schools - this is our priority!

So if any Scottish mums can help out in recommending nice areas with good schools that would be great. I have a 5 year old and a 3 year old (due to start school next year).

I have no knowledge at all of Scotland (i'm in England) and would really appreciate any help at all!

Thanks, Jo

Bridge of Allan is a good central location which keeps you on the rail network and futureproofs you somewhat. Personally I think rural loses it's charm as kids get older. I know nothing about the schools though!

WE moved from a village between Dunblane and Auchterarder fairly recently. It was close enough to Stirling for soft play etc when the dc were small. Swimming at Crieff (Crieff Hydro runs lessons as well as the public pool). The small village primaries around there were all good - feedered into either Crieff or Auchterarder. I know people with their dc at Crieff High now and they seem happy.

Balfron, Drymen and Killearn are all within commuting distance of Glasgow so prices reflect that. I love Drymen fab for getting to Loch Lomond. Balfron might have some cheaper houses and its where the very good High School is. Killearn is very pretty but a bit too affluent and perfect for me. Others feel a bit more like real villages. All of them are fine for driving into Glasgow where there is loads to do. There is a bus but think its only once an hour.

Hi, we moved up from the south to Dollar last August. Lots of incomers in the village attracted by the Academy so easy to make friends. It's well placed for access to both Edinburgh,Glasgow and Perth. It's a 15/20 minute drive into Stirling which is good for shopping. The local primary also has a good reputation as does the nearby secondary at Kinross. Renting here (in Dollar) is not easy as lots of people going after the same house and not much decent stock. There is an old railway line that is now a cycle path that runs all the way to Stirling and also beautiful walks up the Glen to Castle Campbell. The village has coffee shops, hotel, beauty parlours, Italian deli, several takeaways, dentist, library, health centre, co-op, florist, post office, bakers, pharmacy and even a fine art gallery.
Dunblane is nice and great state schools but not great for access to Edinburgh. Bridge of Allan is okay, a few nice shops but not much of a village/community feel. A lot of people live there for the access provided by the train station. Also worth noting that you are at the western end of the Ochil hills which seems to get a lot more rain than further down the valley in Dollar. Hope this helps!

Kingalfred from Dunblane there's a direct train service to Edinburgh (almost every hour), it's about 5mins from the M9 which is a direct motorway & Citylink even run a
'fastbus' (the 909) between the two

Transport is a bit of a nightmare from the smaller places you mention.

I'm in Falkirk. It's not the prettiest place in the world but we moved here for a few reasons including transport links, motorway, rail and bus to edinburgh, Glasgow and stirling all within 30 mins by train. Also your money goes pretty far in terms of housing. There's also lots to do for children - we have 5 swimming pools within a 10 minute drive. There's also quite a bit of investment starting to come to the town on the back of the helix park and the kelpies. I work in Edinburgh and my husband is in Glasgow and it's ideal for commuting.

In terms of activities for children, there is dancing, swimming, football, rugby, martial arts, gymnastics, childrens theatre, soft play. Shops aren't great but there's an M&S, Next, large Boots, small Debenhams and Waitrose in stirling is only a 20 minute drive :).

It isn't as picturesque as BofA, Dunblane, Dollar etc but is considerably cheaper.

All very helpful thank you! Hubby is still in discussions with work so I still don't know when this may happen yet. I know his employer are keen but the package hasn't been decided yet! So I don't know if we will buy or rent initially. I am seriously considering renting as it may be easier!

I know it sounds superficial but I want to live somewhere a little pretty, even if it compromises size if house. As long as I can get to places for kids within 15-20 min drive then I don't mind.

From what you have all said, perhaps I shouldn't bother with Balfron etc as they maybe too remote as the kids get older. At least dollar, dunblane and bridge of allan aren't too far from Stirling and Edinburgh as kids get older.

Interesting what you say about the rain too! Dollar is becoming more appealing if that is the case lol. The weather does concern me slightly anyway!

I still like auchterarder area too, which if I remember rightly is not far from dollar!

Thanks!

If you are used to Cambridge the places now on your list are the nearest we've got within your stated radius that loosely compare - maybe aside from some of the upmarket Fife villages.

Are you viewing this as permanent resting place or as a five year stay before you head somewhere else to move up the employment ladder? The phase of having two little people at 3y and 5y zooms by so fast and I think you are right concentrating on what they might need in terms of schools and facilities in a few years' time. However if you don't quite get the area right with your first Scottish rental house (partly due to housing stock and what's available) you can always fix it 9-12 months down the line. I'd imagine it easy to move a 6 year old out of school in Scotland without awful consequence.

My advice would also be take a smaller rental house in an area that you are drawn to rather than going for 'better value' in a less pretty place.

I think initially we should rent as I'm a bit nervous about the different buying system too. Then I would be looking for a very long term home, even if hubby moves on from his job then I would hope we are in commutable distance for him to get to Edinburgh maybe, so that we don't move again.

Out if interest, what are the upmarket villages in fife?

In Fife? I say Culross and most of the coastal villages heading in towards Dunfermline.

As Prefer says... I was specifically thinking of Culross and Limekilns.

The East Neuk Fife villages of Crail, Pittenwe'em , Anstruther are also lovely but much closer to St Andrews so outwith your radius.

Dunning in Perthshire ois lovely, I think the further north you go from Stirling the more villagy the villagers are! I can't explain that.

Dunning is about 20 mins from Stirling and is just off the A9. It has a fab primary and the secondary is in Auchterarder is fabulous.

Just been slightly further north takes you out the central belt .

Dunning is also about 20 mins from Perth, a city, but with a big town size and feel.

It would just be commutable to Edinburgh as well. Lots df groups in dunning and a lovely pub and restaurant, village shop etc.

www.rightmove.co.uk/new-homes-for-sale/property-40169119.html

I think the OP said her budget was about 250,000? Is that still right?

I'm a bit of a latecomer to this thread, but I live in Stirling (just on the border with BofA and have children at Dunblane High. I'm originally from Edinburgh and briefly lived in Denny. I've lived various places in Edinburgh and also in Penicuik just to the South. We moved into the area when the children were toddlers. Looked right across the area including the Hillfoots villages, moved to Denny, didn't settle at all, then looked at every available property in the North half of Stirling City, BofA and Dunblane!

Dunblane High is academically the best rated in the area you are looking at, living in the catchment for it is not completely necessary. Academic achievement tho is not always the only measure of a school but it does mean that there is a premium to be paid for housing there.

So, if you want any local info, just give me a shout :)

I would also point out that from your OP you said you have a 3 year old about to start school? When is their birthday? It may be that you have another year to wait as the cut of dates in Scotland are not the same as those in England.

This might be of interest:

www.thecourier.co.uk/news/scotland/auchterarder-bridge-of-allan-and-st-andrews-on-best-places-to-live-list-1.268519

Thanks all, I will look into all the options. Yes I think to buy a property we only want to spend about £250k really. Limekilns was nice but it felt too quaint for us as I have to do things with the children. We briefly saw culross and looked nice, but by that point we had over done it I think and too tired to explore anymore lol. I will google dunning and see where that is.

Yes my youngest would start next year, she doesn't turn 4 til this November. I believe that means she would start school next year in August I'm scotland?!

Picking the right area is so difficult when I'm so far away. I expect I will need to visit again and see couple of new areas and re visit the areas I liked from last time.

Does anyone know if Alloa is an ok area? Seeing some nice properties on rightmove, and I can see it's not far from dollar and other places I like?!

Never lived there but it's not that far from me. Like most places it has it's good and bad bits. Two huge supermarkets, a pool/leisure centre, a train service into Stirling. You definitely get more for your money, but then again there is usually a reason for that. It comes under Clackmannanshire council (known as the wee county) rather than Stirling but they are merging more and more services together. Definitely not in the same league as BofA I would say, but not awful - the town centre for what it is could do with a bit of a facelift. They have a good beer festival. That's me about done :)

There are a few houses for sale in budget near where I am in Stirling - I could PM you. It is right on border with BofA has a nice primary locally but some kids do go up to BofA primary which isn't far and then most go on to Wallace High but mine go to Dunblane. There is also access to Catholic High School too in Stirling.

I could PM you details of the houses if you are interested.

I always end up on these threads as I have direct experience of all your short listed places. I was brought up in Dunblane, married DH who is from bridge of Allan, have lived in dollar for fifteen years, in laws live in auchterarder and sister lives in Linlithgow.

by the way, Kingaelfred Dollar I'd definitely NOT drier that BofA!

Dollar is the most villages of your choices, really good for preschoolers and primary age kids, a bit rubbish for teens as secondary school choices are not straightforward. You would not be unusual being English.

Alloa is cheap for a reason, it is much more working class than your other choices! harder to fit in as a non-local.

Dunblane is the sensible choice, good for all ages, teens and little ones, good community spirit, quite expensive, good transport links.

Auchterarder has some nice bits and a good school and high street but is worse for transport, gets more snow in the winter, when the A9 can be dodgy.

BofA, is very pleasant and has a nice primary school, residents can be a bit more " materialistic" than in your other choices ( in- laws sold two houses to footballers!). The catchment high school is not as well regarded though.

Large character properties are at a premium in all these places and you would struggle on your budget, seventies and eighties houses on estates could be found in all places for around your budget as long as you are not too fussy about architecture!

basically, if you see a lovely Victorian villa with four bedrooms in Central Scotland on your budget it will be in a rougher town or a remoter area.

Scotland is generally better at small towns than villages, many of the villages near Stirling are ex mining or mill villages.

Have you tried Gargunnock or Doune?

Out of catchment high school places are relatively easy to sort out in this area at the moment so if you like one town but prefer the school next door! it can be straightforward to change, this can have transport implications though, I have to drive mine three miles to a bus stop everyday!

Dunning is nice.

A lot of people we know are moving or have moved to Milnathort. Seems to be the new in place to go.

South Queensferry!