*MOVING TO BRISTOL* (IN NEED OF SOME ADVICE)

[emj2007]

Hi,
My name is Emma and im currently looking to move to Bristol with my family i have 2 children 7 and 9 and a partner of 12 yrs I'm currently living in a very small village in somerset,
I'm orrigianally from lancashire so was used to the city life and have become somewhat a herimit living in such a small town ,
I miss the up and go and want more for my children better education just to be around some like minded people .
The town were i live just seems to be going no were and as ive not grown up with the friends i have made i feel a bit of an outsider ,
Making a visit to bristol last year for a xmas shop i fell in love even tho i didnt visit all of the area ( would never have enough time in one day! lol ) i was determined this is were i wanted to be .
I think its got so much more oppertunaty for the kids and ourselfs and just to feel like u fit in :)
So really im just wanting to know if anyone knows the area well? If there any recommendations to any areas suitable for familys? , any that arnt lol and any good schools ect .........Any info would be great!...Thanx Emma :)

Schools aren't great generally, and you have to live within about 500m of the good ones to get a place!

Are you looking for city centre or suburbs? What kind of budget?

Hi , Rita erm yeah im wanting suburbs really just outside the center or even a good few miles from the centre as far as portishead i was looking at the other day , my partner drives so thats not a problem , budget is up to 600-750 a mnth at the most lol , do u live in the city area? and what do u think of the locals?...thanx for ur reply :).

Portishead is a nice area with good schools - although I don't have much personal knowledge, or north of Bristol in South Gloucestershire the schools tend to be better, so areas like Stoke Gifford, Bradley Stoke which are newish communities (20yrs old) with lots of good schools, leisure centre, library, sports clubs, green areas, close to open countryside, but direct links to centre of Bristol (6 miles),the mall shopping centre (2 miles), may be worth looking at - they are very family orintated areas. Otherwise Winterbourne, Frampton Cotterell and nice - probably a bit more expensive but again good schools. Closer in to centre of town Horfield, St Andrews and Bishopston are all nice, but the secondary schools are not so good. I also think Downend has a good reputation which is a little closer in than Bradley Stoke.

Thanx jo :) im gonna have a good gander at them now ,How Do you find the locals? and are there any areas which have got a bad rep? i dont want to find myself somewere because the house is nice and then find out its got a really bad rep but as well dont want to be anywere to posh lol , Do you live in any of the areas and how have you found it?...thanx for replying just wanna make sure i do it right this time lol i like were i live for the fact its quite but its too quite and the people arnt as exepting if your not from here , do have some good freinds but im thinking of my sanity and the kids future :) have thought about going bck up north but i tried so hard to get away from there
its not an option lol ...thanx again Em .

Hi Em, yes I live in Bradley Stoke and much as I'm not a huge fan of the new type of housing that I live in, the area is perfect for us now! I have 2 young children and there is plenty for us to do, we can walk to things such as swimming, soft play shops etc if I want to, and most of all its safe and friendly. When I moved here 4 years ago, I had someone knocking on the door the evening I moved in saying they had a baby the same age as mine and would I like to go along to a group with them the following Monday! So I was lucky it was friendly. The primary schools are without exception all good and there are 6 of them including a catholic and C of E one. The secondary (Bradley Stoke Community College) has just recieved an outstanding OFSTED and it is only 6 years old - very popular, so have to be within 1 mile radius of it at the moment. The housing is a mix of Apartments up to 5 bed detached so a good variety.
There are some areas of Bristol that don't have great reputations, although I'll post the names and someone will surely take offence!! Southmead, Knowle West, Easton, Withywood, Henbury, Lawrence Weston, Brentry, Hengrove, Shirehampton, Stokes Croft are all areas I personally wouldn't live in - however some are probably much nicer than others of them, and as I have never lived in any of them I may be being a bit judgemental - before anyone jumps on me!! (I have known Bristol for 30 years though).
The expensive areas are Clifton, Clifton Village, Redland, Cotham, Sneyd Park, Westbury village, Westbury on Trym, Stoke Bishop - all very expensive but also very central to the Downs areas. Quite studenty as well though as near to University.
Have a look at rightmove it will give you an idea of what the housing is like in the areas.

Hey jo! , im looking in the bradley stoke area looks really nice , and by the sounds of it the neibourghs sound freindly enough :) im wanting good schooling for mine there at a school hear with below average on the ofsted reports its stupid i want them to have a good start in life but the options hear are very minimal , ive seen a nice 3 bed in bradley stoke and am gonna try and get over and have a look around thankyou so much for your info its really helped theres nothing like advice from the people that actually live there ive been looking on upmystreet but never gives u first eye info just statistics so yeah really helped me :).

Thats ok, nice to be able to help! Hope you like the area and the house! You'll have to let me know how you get on :) Always happy to have new friends!

Yeah corse i will definatly , :) and definatly agree with that one the more the better a bonus if i do get there il know someone that lives there already lol , Ill keep you informed, fingees crossed! :).x