Moving to Edinburgh! Rabbit in the headlights!!

[MumaBex]

Hello to all,

Me and my little family will be moving to Edinburgh from Norfolk in October this year as my Partner has been offered a new position at work. Its a big move for me as i've lived in Norfolk since i was 10 and my close family live here too, but looking forward to a new challenge. I have only ever been to Edinburgh once and think it is a beautiful place. My partner is from Glasgow and has spent time in Edinburgh previously but nothing long term. We are going to rent a place to start with so we can get a feel and find our feet.
Thing is neither of us know where we should be looking to move too! My Partner will be working at the University- little France campus (i believe most of the time). My 4 year old boy will be needing a nice primary school to go to and wants to start at a little football club. I just want a nice area where people are friendly and i can have a little garden too.
Oh and i don't know about the procedures on how to put Ethan's name down for a school either or when i would have to do this.
Any help would be gratefully received.

MumaBex x

When will your son be 5? If he is 5 between March 2012 and February 2013, he can start as soon as you move up. Check out www.egfl.net/ School works a bit differently up here but placement services will be able to help you will any queries.

Can't really recommend any area's near Little France as we live on the far west near the airport.

Thanks very much Groovee - very helpful link! The little one'll be five in January 2013 so I guess I better get on with it. How do you find it where you are? Seen a few nice rentals out towards that side of the city.

We moved to the Gyle as our first home and the only reason we moved was that we outgrew the house. We love it over here. Neither of us were from here but we're close to the station for fife or into town, Plenty supermarkets, the gyle shopping centre and we have a fair few parks. Schools are pretty popular too. I always thought I'd move back to where I grew up at Slateford, but we're really happy here and I wouldn't want to move there now. Feel free to pm me if you want to chat more x

We're in Leith and love it here! There's a bus to Little France (the buses in Edinburgh are very cheap and punctual compared to everywhere else I've ever lived...) and a thriving local football league (every weekend at both Lochend and Leith Links - depending on their age...)
You might find gardens hard to come by in Edinburgh - private ones anyway. A lot of properties are tenements (flats) with shared access to a drying green, or garden. Although I initially disliked the idea it seems to work pretty well, and does help build a community...

Hello Mumabex
I hope your move goes really smoothly - I love living in Edinburgh and it is a fab place to have kids.

For finding out about clubs, etc there is a really good magazine called Families Edinburgh and you'll find plenty of football clubs, etc. (www.familiesonline.co.uk/LOCATIONS/Edinburgh/Magazine/Families-Edinburgh-issue-70-Jan-Feb-2012)

Schools / areas is a difficult thing as I guess it depends what you're after. I live on the south side of edinburgh which is v handy for Little France (10 mins on bike; 15 mins bus and a v easy walk into city centre). I love that it is near the meadows (with its amazing play park) and loads of cafes, etc. The schools around here are Preston Street and Sciennes - both particularly good schools. House prices / rent can consequently be pricey, but it depends what accommodation your'e looking for. Flats, especially modern ones, can be more affordable. James Gillespies primary is also very good. If you can spend a day or two visiting a few schools you might get more of a sense as to where you want to settle - I can't think any would mind if you gave them a call.

Some of the perceived 'better schools' are very oversubscribed so you have to be in catchment to get a place. The City of Edinburgh Council have info on catchment areas which you can get on their website (www.edinburgh.gov.uk/info/879/school_and_nursery_places) or call 0131 200 2000.

Friends of mine live in Portobello which is on the north side of the city and not so handy for Little France although not too bad on bike. This part of Edinburgh almost has a separate identity and is by the sea - lots going on and a nice community feel.

I'm going to be honest and say that there are some areas neighbouring Little France which can be a little bit more rough and ready. What a snoot-bag I sound. But if it was me, I'd want someone to be up front and say it.

Good luck - it is a great city!

Hi MumaBex - I work at Little France :)

Can you come up for a couple of days or three before the move to look at areas and schools? I found it so much easier to actually see everything when we moved up...

:) thanks all for the comments and links, they will come in handy. We are planning to come up a couple of times before hand to get a feel and have a look around.
We want to avoid the rough areas really, want the best for the little man.
I will be leaving my job down here so will probably be needing one at some point, is it as much of a struggle for jobs in Edinburgh as it is here?

B x

What about liberton - there are some nice parts there if you are on the closer to town part. Fairmilehead, buckstone, swanston nice too and good schools (houses there and not flats). All depends on budget really especially if you want a garden. Joppa and Portobello have a lovely feel. Bit out of town but not bad for Little France.

I am in Corstorphine (very near the Gyle - waves to Groovee) and I love it.
Am from Morningside originally so will always have a soft spot for that area, but the houses are £££s.
Some great advice on here. Best of luck with the move

if your ds was 4 last month he could go into primary 1 in august 2012 or, as lots of jan birthdays do, defer starting to August 2013. to defer is fine and becoming the norm.

speak to the central early years team at the council in market street they can sort you out.

personally i would defer starting school to 2013 and rent. that gives you practically a year to find your feet, a nice house and nice school. in scotland if you live in the school catchment you get in. nurseries dont have catchments so can send to any that have places. again early years team are the one to talk to.

if you choose not to defer you would have to move asap to guarentee a p1 place - registration was nov 2011 and they start allocating out of catchment places( i.e fill the classes) in early march i believe.

The 21 bus goes along Portobello High Street, up Duddingston Park, along Niddrie and onto Little France via Cameron Toll.
There's a cycle path runs up near Craigmillar castle and crosses Craigmillar Castle Road to the Infirmary , but it does have steps the hospital side.

Look at www.espc.com/ to get an idea of properties to buy and what you'll get for your money, they also have some rentals listed

I can thoroughly recommend Buckstone! The local primary is excellent, the high school is good, and it's a very family friendly area. Also, it's on a bus route to Little France (18). There are plenty of green spaces around for cycling, walking etc., and a small play park. 70's semis and detached houses the norm, with some nice (if pricy) older bungalows and some bigger detached places too, all with gardens. It's not the cheapest area, but also nowhere near the most expensive either!
Best of luck with your move! Edinburgh is a lovely place to live :)