Relocating to North West Region

[feministmam1]

Hi all, this is my first time on mums net. At the moment I live in Durham with my partner and son (8). I've just been offered a job in Prescot so we are relocating. We're pretty flexible about where we will live but we'd quite like to be in Manchester as we think it will be easier for my partner to find work.

I'd really appreciate any advice about good areas to look into. I'm looking for a nice area for my son to grow up in, with good schools. Ideally I'd like to be within public transport reach of the city.

One last thing.......my new job begins on 1 September, so I don't have much time!!

Thanks!

Hiya feministmam1, excuse my ignorance, but whereabouts is Prescot?

Do you mean Prescott near Liverpool? It's a bit of a way to Manchester if it is. Manchester is great but there are other places nearer Prescot that might suit you better.

Do you want urban, suburban or rural?

If you are looking for good schools etc, and good transport routes to the city centre (for the train to Prescot i assume) I would look at south manchester. I am biast as i am from there, I am orginally from sale (which has a grammar school and good primary schools), Urmston i have lived which is nice and again great schools as well as a grammar school, I live in chorlton cum hardy at the moment, which also has good schools, altrincham and timperley are good too and there are Grammar schools there too.

Sale and Chorlton have water parks (nature reserves) and you can go walking for miles around the mersey valley.

they are about 20 mins on the tram in to the city centre

(these all come under Trafford council)

I agree with kri5ty above, but do note that as fifitot points out, these places are one heck of a commute to Prescot (having now looked it up on map). I would guess well over an hour and a half, but have no idea really.

Hi Feministmam1 , I live in Chorlton and work in Stretford and have family near Prescot. It's only about 40 mins drive to Prescot from here. M60, m62, m57. There are buses and trams into Manchester City Centre which take about 15 mins tram and anything from 20 to ... On the bus. Stretford schools are under Trafford , Chorlton schools are under Manchester.Most Schools are good in both areas. I've three boys all teens now that have grown up here and there is lots for them to do.
Good luck with the move.

Hi all,
Thank you for your replies, they have been really useful when thinking about where to love. We have chosen a place in Cheadle, just south of Manchester. Now it's just a case of moving in and encouraging my boy to make new friends!

Have you done the drive in rush hour? I'm no longer in the NW but we used to live in Wilmslow and my kids were at school in Cheadle Hulme. DH often needed to be in Chester and on the days when he dropped them off it then took him 1.5hours to get to Chester. Not sure if Prescot is near Chester though?

Hi SpottyFrock,

not yet but I can get the train in 1hr so I'm not anticipating too many problems. Also, my placement in Prescott is only for 10 months - I can move closer to home after that.

Do you mind me asking which school your kids attended in Cheadle Hulme?