Moving to Bradford

[Isla27]

Hi, can someone help. I’m so confused. We will be relocating to Bradford we haven’t found a house yet but we’re looking at schools first. We’re looking for good decent schools in Bradford. I don’t want to sound horrible but preferably something were children are well spoken. I’m looking online and some of the outstanding schools are in bd3/bd5 but the areas are not nice at all.
It can be in Bradford or surrounding areas we need good school catchment areas.

Bradford itself or BD postcode? You don’t want to live in Bradford! I say that as someone from Bradford.
Look Baildon, Saltaire, Ilkley, Bingley areas.

Bradford Grammar is the best independent school in the area, one of the best in the North. Children are as well spoken as their parents who are mostly doctors, lawyers etc!

Good state schools - Ilkley Grammar, Beckfoot in Bingley.
Halifax and Skipton have 11+ Grammar system.

Many thanks for this! I don’t think we want to live in Bradford itself. I have been looking at baildon, Saltaire etc so do these areas not come under bradford? I’ll deft have a look at these areas and schools. Is bradford grammar a private school? I have 2 children that will be joining the school. It will be primary school. X

Yes Bradford Grammar is private and starts at year 2.
Baildon etc are BD postcodes but nice areas.

Take a short hop over the border and look at Morley and surrounding areas. Really really good schools there.

I'll look into this thanks!

Thanks this gives a good idea to start

Bradford Grammar is private and well thought of.
Woodhouse Grove is another good private school - maybe marginally less academic that BGS- on the other side of town but easily accessible by train from a number of areas.

Skipton - again easily accessible by train- has single sex grammar schools, Skipton Girls and Ermysteds. But competition for places is fierce and non grammars in the area suffer as a result.

Halifax has grammars but they are much harder to get to on public transport than the Skipton schools and the non grammars in the area are challenging.

On the state, comprehensive side, Ilkley Grammar is good but over subscribed and house prices are high. Prince Henry’s in Otley is also an option. Bingley Grammar and Beckfoot are good. If you are Catholic there is also St Mary’s Menston. Parkside in Cullingworth is OK.

Will you be working in central Bradford?

To be honest a lot of people I know have relocated from Bradford itself and moved to spots like Ilkey, Otley, Bingley, along the railway lines to Leeds. You can be in Leeds in less than 30 minutes and it has so much more to offer than Bradford which is pretty depressing - and getting more so. Some people do not like to hear that but sadly it is true.

Also avoid Keighley

You could look at Menston and Guiseley as well. Both are on the same railway line as Ilkley, Burley in Wharfedale and Ben Rhydding.

The A65 is a horribly busy road, so being near a railway station would be very useful.