Considering moving to York - need advice

[joshandjamie]

I know there are other threads about moving to York but I'm hoping for some more advice. We are considering moving to York. There are four main reasons for this:

1. My husband is from Yorkshire and he feels he would like to return home (not that he's from York itself!) He went to Pocklington school. And his elderly mum lives in Yorkshire so we'd be closer to her. I'm South African so anywhere is far from my home!

2. I am keen to have more of a town/city lifestyle. We've been living in rural countryside for a while and although it is beautiful with great walks, it means a car journey anytime we want anything. Something about being able to walk to a coffee shop has huge appeal.

3. Private schooling - our local state schools are good (in fact this makes it harder because if they were bad it would be an easy decision). They're not great but they're good. We're thinking of St Peters or Bootham.

4. And this is the main one: friendly people. My husband assures me that people in Yorkshire and York are friendly. The area where we live, the people are really not friendly. I have spent 5 years trying to make friends and although I now have a circle of friends, it still feels like all the effort comes largely from me and there's a general negativity about the place (We have constant battles with our elderly neighbours over our hedge and there is nothing wrong with our hedge and twice I've had eggs thrown at our car parked on the drive - not sure why)

So - what is it like living in York itself? Fun or a complete nightmare with traffic and millions of tourists/students who drive you nuts?

Any thoughts on St Peters (and the junior schools that feed it) and Bootham?

Are people friendly? Is it easy to make friends? I am past the baby/toddler group stage so I wonder how I'd meet people - school gate (not sure how viable this is with private school), sports clubs (I love sailing and notice that there's a small sailing club at Bishopthorpe), ??

Jobs are not an issue. My husband works from home and would commute to London once a week. I run my own business - in fact any thoughts on what the local small business community is like?

We did consider living in one of the villages outside of York and sending the kids to Pock, but the local state secondary school where we currently lives ranks 100 places higher up the league tables than Pock and I fear that we will swap one village lifestyle with another. But if anyone knows of genuinely lovely friendly villages and has any thoughts on Pock school, please share.

I appreciate any advice. We're heading up next weekend to go check it out. (sorry for mega long post)

Been here for three years now. Absolutely loved it from the start. Only know the school by reputation - excellent. Commuting around York at rush hour can be a bit tricky (coming from London that says quite a bit) so try to get a home on the side of York you will do most travelling on. Tourists and students never bothered me. Everyone really friendly and helpful and York is very safe city. Families are very welcome practically everywhere. London trains only take a couple of hours. There is always something going on in York and it is easy to find things to do. I would suggest you rent somewhere first if this is possible and then investigate chosen areas like we did. My husband is from Zim and is really happy here (except for UK winters!!). Incidentally, York is in a basin and we have quite dry summers and it is often milder and sunnier than the rest of the north. If you chose Bishopthorpe for the boating then there is an excellent priamry school in copmanthorpe and you would get to choose from Tadcaster Grammar or Fulford High schools.

Thanks Bigpigeon. Which area did you end up in? Are there any suburbs in York itself that you'd recommend?

I think you maybe need to look a bit closer at the prospectus for both St Peters and Bootham - they are very different.
Yes at certain points of the year there are a fair few tourists but it's not too bad.
One thing to think about is unless you have a HUGE budget you may struggle to find a house you love near the centre that also has a good sized garden. Lots of lovely houses - very few with gardens.

A few examples:

this is big and lovely but the garden isn't massive and it's on a very busy road.
this is pretty damn perfect actually - great location for both schools and town, 10 minutes walk max - more like 5 - to the station and a good garden - hence the price.

nice house but tiny garden although you have got the square garden

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-32066813.html?premiumA=true brand new]] been on the market for ages - they must be getting desperate

this is very typical of the popular south bank area no garden, no parking

I live near York and like it here :) The middle of it is small enough to walk through and tbh doing anything with a car is a pain . There are some lovely houses near to Bootham and St Peters schools although obviously depends on your budget (sadly outside mine).

York is small enough that suburbs aren't really suburbs but areas if that makes any sense. Most are fine although Acomb and Tang Hall are less lovely. There are nice villages around the edge but I think you'd like being in York itself. Where roughly are you living now?

I know a person in the 6th form at Bootham - very "nice" girl. She babysits the DC sometimes. That is about the limit of my knowledge of the schools although I know bootham is a Quaker school which would attract me.

I feel very confident in the quality of state education the DC are getting as well though :)

Some more

this is a nice street also very handy for schools and station but no garden (spot the theme)

this is a bit further out but very handy for schools and the riverside walks. Looks like it does have a garden

Thanks All. NorthernLurker - I spent all day looking at Bootham's prospectus and love the look of it. Haven't got St Peter's yet. I think the two will be chalk and cheese, one far more traditional than the other. I know that we won't be able to get a big (if any) garden in the centre of York but living in the middle of it has so much appeal.

QED - we currently live in a tiny village in West Berks. I have to drive everywhere. And while we have beautiful walks on our doorstep, there is just something not quite right with the place. And I long for friendlier people. Are there any villages outside of York that you would particularly rave about in terms of people being friendly/community spirit/some local conveniences and still reachable to either Pock or a good state school?

My boys are currently 6 and almost 8 (years 1 and 3 respectively)

I live in a village a few miles to the east of York - I tend to cycle into York which is good for the thighs :) Very happy with the DCs primary school (v similar ages to yours in year 3 and year 1) and we are currently in the catchment for Fulford school which seems to be very good. Not sure it will stay in fulford's catchment as other secondary schools are nearer but the other two nearby secondary schools Huntington and Archbishop Holgates also seem fine.

My dentist is in Pocklington and I know someone who teaches at pocklington school - is about 15 minutes or so drive from here. I am fine with where we live but think it would be lovely to be able to walk into York.

We're moving to York for similar reasons to you; I wish I'd seen your thread before starting my own as it asks very similar questions!

lookingforaschool - do let me know if you end up moving and which schools you opt for. Lots of useful advice on your thread so I've been reading with interest. We are going up next weekend to visit some schools and check out the area.

We live in a village just to the south of York - have been here 11 years and love it. Outstanding schools in the village and they are very friendly child centred - also currently in catchment for Fulford and Tad Grammar (comprehensive despite the name). There are local shops ( Coop , post office , hairdressers, chemist, butcher, baker etc) and 3 pubs. There is lots going on club wise for the children and for grown ups and we have always found people to be really friendly. Like you we didn't know York very well when we moved and looked all over the city but really feel that we fell on our feet so to speak.

pearlgirl - do you ever regret not living in York itself? For me I want to be able to walk out the door to the shops (having lived in the sticks for so long) but i also want community and wonder if there is less of a community feel when you're right in the middle of the city. Your village sounds lovely

We had lived in a very similar position (big village just outside the ring road) elsewhere and previous to that on the edge of the innercity bit of a large city - we decided that we wanted to move to a village because of the defined community but wanted easy access to town which takes 15 /20 mins on a bike, work for dh (again 20 mins by bike). I am sure that we would have made friends wherever we had ended up but are really glad we are here.

pearlgirl is yours village beginning with a C? Remember looking there and liking it if it is :)

My village has good school and Costcutter, newsagent, hairdressers, chemist, doctors, dentist and some pubs. And a fabric shop and a butcher and newsagent (there is more than I thought ). And in catchment for Fulford but I still don't understand why given where village and other secondary schools are. Probably some historical thing.

No it begins with a B and is next to one that starts with a C.

I know which one you mean. Thinking about it cycling from C would probably take a bit longer :) B is very nice - I have village envy . Should have realised when you said schools as there are separate Infant and Junior schools there aren't there?

QED - you're exactly right about the schools.. We did look all over York but am really glad to be here.

QED - what type of fabric shop does your village have?

Interior design type shop but I think it has fabric (have never actually been in it but looked in at the window :)). It's here

Looks very nice but out of my current budget. We also considered your village but there was very little staying on the market long enough when we moved.

Some parts of Acomb are quite nice. Plus Acomb is like its own little town as is Haxby. They both have quite a few shops in them.

QED mentioned Tang Hall as an area to avoid, I think that yes there is a bit to Tang Hall to avoid, but most of it is really nice, there is just a couple of streets that let the whole area down in all honesty.

Heworth is nice and within walking distance to the city centre, Id personally also walk from Huntington (but most would get the bus). Or theres somewhere up Tadcaster Road, they are nice houses too, near the racecourse.

Dont know about either schools TBH though someone said something about living in Copmanthorpe gets you into Fulford, unless somethings changed since I went to Fulford I dont believe this to be right as not one person I knew of came from Copmanthorpe. AFAIK children from Copmanthorpe go to Tadcaster Grammar.

I dont notice the tourists unless Im in the coppergate centre in Summer and they are all queueing up to get into The Jorvick Viking Museum. I personally havent found it particularly easy to make friends in York as people tend to talk to who they know and not many other people, but then again I am shy so that may just be me.

Notvery is correct -Copmanthorpe is in Tad Grammar's catchment .

QED and Pearlgirl - I think I know which villages you're talking about. I think I'll go take a look at it when we're up next week.

I grew up in the village QED lives I believe. I was there today visiting my parents.

I think you do - I live just round the corner from the school /
:)