Moving from England To Wales

[SpiceMama]

Hi everyone! We're considering moving to south wales and have found an affordable house in Llanelli. I was wondering if any Welsh parents on here would recommend moving here?

We're looking for somewhere that is good for a young family. We want to leave london because of the crime mainly, then affordability and then pollution! We want to be like 10/15 mins from the shops but not on top of them either. Somewhere that has things for kiddies/families.

Does anyone recommend anywhere to look? Moving away from high crime is important to us. Literally only just started to look into it.

Not sure a move to Wales counts as overseas so you might get more answers moving it to another board :)

I currently live in South Wales although about to move to North Wales. I don't know Llanelli however.

What is your budget? Does any commuting need to be taken into account?

In South East Wales Monmouthshire is lovely. Further West the Vale of Glamorgan has some lovely areas, Cowbridge and Penarth being very popular ones.

Pembrokeshire way is stunning as is the Gower but I don't know those areas so well.

The school system in Wales does have differences to the system in England and Wales is introducing a new school curriculum in 2022. The school inspection body is Estyn if you want to look at information on schools.

Wrong board OP. Do you know where Wales is?

Overseas .
How old are dc?you happy for them to learn Welsh, or be educated in Welsh? You need to work or no?

Llanelli has a great shopping park called Trostre, however the town centre is a bit run down. There's a also an indoor market. It's not far from Swansea and the M4. There is also a lovely beach but it's not as interesting as the ones on the Gower.

House prices are reasonable.

Even though I've lived in Swansea all my life I know nothing about the current education system as I don't have children.

I don't live too far from Llanelli, where abouts exactly are you considering?

Wales is def not overseas for starters.
No sea!

I’m from north wales. Bear in mind your children will almost certainly have to learn Welsh if at school in Wales.

Your children will have to learn welsh, but only to gsce level just as one of their subject choices.

Whereabout in Llanelli?

I'm from Llanelli.

Couldn't wait to leave.

Overseas??!!! 😳

Look for properties in Pembrokeshire. It is simply stunning! It is totally different to living in London though (I wouldn’t live in London if you paid me).

Not all schools teach through the medium of Welsh but your children will need to travel to access an English speaking school (although Welsh is part of the curriculum up to GCSE level throughout Welsh schools).

Llanelli is ‘ok’. In your shoes I would look further West.

Bear in mind your children will almost certainly have to learn Welsh if at school in Wales.

Well yes, and if you consider that to be a problem then you probably shouldn't move to Wales.

Llanelli? Really, have you been? If you have the whole of Wales to choose from I would really look elsewhere. There are some nicer places a bit further west. Education wise remember the system is very different from England. Children have to learn Welsh and if young they will absorb it very quickly. There are welsh medium schools so if you do not want this look for an area with access to one where English is more widely spoken. Also if coming up to GCSE look at the WJEC exam info on the curriculum to see if it matches what they have already been learning.
I do love the fact that you have put this in overseas!!

Why Llanelli?

Everyone making comments about the fact I have posted this in an overseas thread.... I know Wales is not overseas. OBVIOUSLY but this is the first time I have ever used Netmums and have not yet discovered how to find a more appropriate place to post. I thought a mum hub would be more helpful not judging 😳

Teehee you may have actually got more helpful responses on netmums but this is Mumsnet - vipers don'tcha know.

I love in South Wales but don't know Llanelli.
S Wales is a beautiful part of the world and yes house prices are more affordable. You still get crime though, and Cardiff has its fair share of knife crime amongst the youth

I'd stay in England, @SpiceMama.

Perhaps it would be helpful to give dc ages, if you need easy access to M4, do you want a rural location, would you need to find work etc.

I've lived in South Wales all my life. There's very little that would entice me to live in Llanelli to be honest. There's a reason the house prices are so low overall.

As an English family you'd be entering the Carmarthenshire education system which leans far more heavily towards Welsh language inclusion than you'd find further east. This may not be an issue for you, but there are a high number of families moving to Wales who take exception to this. Although Welsh is a compulsory GCSE if you attend state schools anywhere in Wales.

On the upside for Llanelli it is right on the coastal path and on the doorstep for some of the most gorgeous parts of Wales. Swansea is within easy distance if you need access to a city.

Hospital provision starts getting sketchy once you're west of Swansea so bear that in mind if anyone in your family has ongoing medical needs.

As a last aside, folks migrating to lower income areas from high property value areas and driving up property prices aren't looked on favourably in general. Especially in the areas close to tourist hotspots. I know this isn't an uniquely Welsh issue though, much of the south west has the same problem.

As a last aside, folks migrating to lower income areas from high property value areas and driving up property prices aren't looked on favourably in general.

Yes, I wanted to say this too.

What @WTFisNext.

posted. (sorry pressed ENTER too quickly)

Lol netmums. Whatever happened to them?

As a last aside, folks migrating to lower income areas from high property value areas and driving up property prices aren't looked on favourably in general

This! Well said.

Hi OP, I know Llanelli very well and am very familiar with the schools. If you have any specific questions you'd like answered, I'm happy to help.