Moving to Manchester - can you help me with advice on schools in Trafford?

[Ohforfoxsake]

Following on from my original thread on where to live, we are on the market and relocating within the next 6 months. We've seen some great houses in Sale, Altrincham and Hale.

Education is really the key to moving to this area. The children are of Primary age, but we are thinking about secondary too.

There's so many schools, many of which look good on paper and OFSTED, but I'd really appreciate your honest opinions, good and bad.

We're relocating from London so its really hard to get up to do viewings, let alone school visits during the week, so your advice would really count.

Thank you, in advance.

thesecondcoming actually, that is really helpful, thank you. Both DP and I really liked Chorlton and Didsbury, but like you, we don't think the schools reflect our needs. I will look up the areas you have suggested.

Hale appeals because it has a definate centre, and a village. I can get my head around that. I can see me pootling around. I don't want to get in my car everyday to go somewhere nice.

Myredcardigan, you're post exactly reflects the conversation DP and have just had, so thank you because I feel very reassured now.

Unfortunately Knutsford is a bit far out for us, but I'm still looking at Lymm.

I really appreciate all your posts, but I'm getting a bit teary about it all today. Especially as our second viewing didn't bother turning up yesterday, and I'm finding the selling side more stressful than I imagined it would be.

Last year I was all "oh I can arrange a wedding, get married, move house, get my kids into the school I want - Oh I can do it all, me".

Fastforward to 1st Jan 2010 12.01am and I'm not so sure....

I just don't know how you are meant to get a handle on areas you don't know and can't spend any time in

It's not too far out honest, 30 mins into manchester in the car, 35 mns by train.

Remember in London it takes an hour to travel 5 miles sometimes, here it takes about 10-15 mins, so although everything seems further apart in reality it's not.

Lymm is very quiet and isolated, not much goes on there, we looked at it at first but were put off by the location, very small village centre.

Whereas Knutsford 10mns away, has a cinema, loads of restaruants, bars, Starbucks, Costa, big library, Booths supermarket (think Waitrose and Sainsbury's combined) lots of clubs and activities.

Can't you tell I just love it!

I live in Trafford at the moment although I'm moving away in a few weeks. To be honest you can get a feel for an area just from a drive through. You need to know what your wish list is. What is essential for where you want to live and then go from there. I currently live in Flixton, it's a nice village, church, co-op, Drs, dentists etc. Near enough to Trafford Centre for everything you might ever need and also Urmston centre is nearby which has just been redeveloped with a new sainsburys etc. I have really enjoyed living here, and have had a good lifestyle, allotment etc. I work in Bolton and have easy access to M60 for my commute which takes about 20 mins. I'm now moving to Bolton because of my separation and my support network is up there but if work was nearer here I would stay, it has everything I need.

carocaro, I like knutsford too but can't agree it's only half hour drive into town in rush hour traffic.
We're in Wilmslow and it often takes DH an hour.

DH leaves at 7.30 and it takes about 30-40 mins, he does not go into Manchester everyday, I promise.

I went to school in Wilmslow, Ashdene and Wilmslow County High, which is a fab high school now I think, some sort of sports academy? Is that right?

We should go for a coffee at John Lewis one day, never met a MN before!

Have 2 DS's, 2 and 7.

What else do you need other than good schools? That may have a bearing on places to look at.

Good schools, transport and a community spirited neighbourhood pretty much meet all our needs.

A local under 10s footy team is an essential too.

And I'd quite like some friends.

Please.

I'm never out of John Lewis!

OFFS, I feel like we're friends already!
Oh and you'll find all those things in any of the places you're looking.

Carocaro, I have DS(6) DD1(3) and DD2(1)
I'm always up for a coffe, especially in my spiritual home!

Well, i am sure there will be a few MNetters close by for starters

Where i live is like that - not all areas mind you! My road certainly is though. And there are some lovely MNetters too! (Hazel Grove)

And there is a John Lewis and not one but 2 Waitroses close by ! but i don't know where abouts the Wilmslow one is - i don't venture further than Town centre of Wilmslow!

MOM, the Wilmslow Waitrose is in the town centre. Just down the hill behind Starbucks. Just up from the church.

Ooh maybe i could nip in before dancing tomorrow

I dance at the recreation centre on a Wed night

TBH i am a bit vague on Wilmslow TC too

My office is round the corner from the Wilmslow Waitrose, I sometimes pop in there for a sarnie
I like John Lewis too, dd (6) likes their cafe!

ooh, are you all going to have a meet-up?

Urmston Grammar is a super school not only academically but also on the pastoral side.The best comp is Bramhall High imho.

Hi we are thinking of moving to urmston/flixton but have heard rumours about smells of sewage which has put us off a bit. Can anyone comment? Also looking for advice on where to avoid or hotspots in this area. Many thanks

GG

I was worried about moving North from London especially as the children were so settled in their schools.We were looking to continue their education in private schools and fortunately found a lovely small school which suited them perfectly.Forest School Timperley is a small prep school which we were told, caters for the grammar schools in Altrincham as well as the other Independant schools like Manchester Grammar and is so welcoming.

If you look on 'radius around a point' maps, can help you draw up catchment area maps if you are aiming for comps too. Didn't catch the age of your DC's but will watch this chat with interest as am very interested in moving to Timperley from East manchester. PS lived v near Manchester boys and Girls for many years and would avoid the area.

Where did you finally decide on???!!!

I used to live in Hale (gorgeous), shopped in Altrincham and worked in Manchester (used the Metro).

This was before DS came along but it's a lovely place to live. I still miss it.

I know that I'm a little late for this thread, but having recently gone through exactly the same process myself I can hopefully help out anybody else who is thinking of moving to the Manchester area.

My partner and I did research until Ofsted reports and Key Stage results were coming out of our ears! In the end we opted for Altrincham as it really was by far the best area of Manchester we found. Not only are the schools great, but it is a really nice place to live too.

The best primary school in Altrincham that we found is Oldfield Brow Primary School - rated excellent by Ofsted and with the best results in recent years of all the primary schools in the area - see the 'Find my school' website.

The area surrounding the school is also a great place to live as the prices aren't as high as some other parts of Altrincham, but with the school recently shooting up the table I'm sure that prices are rising. The school is now very difficult to get in to if you live outside the catchment, so my advice is that the nicer houses are to be found towards the top of the 'brow'. Roads such as Oldfield Road, St Marks Avenue etc are really nice, tree lined roads and you can find houses around the £200-300k mark for a 3 bed. Further down the hill on the estate you can get similar places for around £160-180k. If you've got more to spend then there are loads of million £+ houses too. Try going on Rightmove and doing a 1/4 mile radius search for WA14 4JB and all of those places will be within the catchment for Oldfield Brow.

As I say, I did all the research humanly possible and I pinpointed that area after compiling my findings. Since moving over here it really would taker a bulldozer to move me elswhere!

PS, I forgot to mention that Oldfield Brow is next to two gorgeous parks - John Leigh Park, a lovely park with open spaces and fantastic play areas, and also next to Dunham Massey - a national trust park where you can walk through fantastic gardens with wild deer, rabbits and bird life. You are 5 minutes from the motorway network and also have the transport depo in Altrincham centre within a short walk from where you can get a tram, train or bus. Driving to Manchester is also easy as it is one straight road in from Altrincham.

It really is a wonderful place.