moving to surrey really worried - help

[tatentoo]

Hi there, would really like some help, we are moving to guildford and I am really finding it difficult to be comfortable with it. We have two little ones, one 3yr old, and a 15 month yr old. Does anyone have any experience with The Crescent nursery? also places to live and are there many kiwis etc in guildford? Sorry for the random nature of the email...

Don't panic!

Guildford is a pretty nice, friendly place. The crescent nursery has always been pretty good (a friends children went there and they did very well).
I don't know many Kiwi's in Guildford, there are quite a few Aussies (the cricket club seems a good place to meet them), and a lot of other nationalities.
Having children is a good way to meet people, as are hobbies and interests. If your children are going to the Crescent I assume you are looking to live in the Merrow or maybe Burpham area?

yes, I really like Merrow, but houses seem a bit short on supply, which is worrying me a little, I think we are going to have to rent initially. Looking at burpham as well. Do you have any opinion on primary schools?

Well in that area I think they are all pretty good! Burpham school is great, and is doubling in size (probably ?). Merrow Infants is a nice little school. Bushy Hill didn't have such a good reputation once, but has now improved and I know parents who have moved their children into it. St Thomas (the Catholic one) and Boxgrove are also highly thought of.

So when you come to apply, I would look around all of them and then put them in your order of preference.
I have known children travel from that area to Holy Trinity too.

Good luck with the house hunting.

Thanks Bekabeech. I feel this is a silly question but is there plenty of things to do with my toddler? Hes coming up to 18mnths. Are there plenty of nice mummies around? (again a silly question). I have a really stong network of mummy friends that I am leaving which is also a little sad.

There are tonnes of toddler groups, although they will soon/are just stopping for the summer.
A good place to start is the library in town, which has a separate bit for children and that often has posters and leaflets/magazines for parents. There is also Bizzie Lizzies, which I've never been too but seems to offer quite a lot.

However over the summer, I would suggest you try hanging out at the Park in Burpham (it has a separate toddler bit), or venture to Stoke Park (which has a paddling pool). If the weather turns nasty you could try the soft play and other activities at the Spectrum; and for noisier soft play if you have a car there is a place called Little Angels.

It is hard to build a new network anywhere, but Guildford isn't somewhere where everyone has lived since they were born, so is more open than some areas. If you are friendly I'm sure you will soon build some "Mummy friends".