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Original poster

Moving to Cardiff, recommendations on areas and nurseries please

26 replies

relocate2Where · 05/02/2014 12:36

Hello,

We will be moving to Cardiff in April, from (greater)London. DH wiill be working in Newport and I work from home. DD will be 3 in May. She goes to a Montessori pre-school for 3 days and a day-nursery for two days at the moment.

It is a big change for us and I am pretty clueless on where to start.
I have never been to Cardiff neither has DH. Bristol seems further away from Newport, so, we have decided to move to Cardiff

I would be very grateful for recommendations on Nice,safe areas to live (3 bedroom flat/house )and
your views on nurseries and/or (Montessori) pre-schools

Thanks

OP posts:
LocalEditorCardiff · 06/02/2014 08:59

Hi relocate, Cardiff is a great place to have a family, we moved here from London 8 years ago, and couldn't be happier with the choice.

Have you got an idea of budget for your house purchase? Prices vary here as wildly as they do in London.

goldenhand · 07/02/2014 18:16

We moved here from London 18mths or so ago after a decade in London. We're enjoying it here. Feel free to PM me if you like!

goldenhand · 07/02/2014 18:19

The only Montessori nursery I know of is Toad Hall in Llandaff.

IME the 'nicest' areas of Cardiff are in the north (Rhiwbina, Whitchurch, Radyr, Heath, Birchgrove) and east (Roath, Penylan) but that's just my view. Smile

goldenhand · 07/02/2014 18:21

Llanishen and Thornhill in north Cardiff are nice too but the latter is mainly new builds / 80s and 90s builds which aren't my personal favs.

goldenhand · 07/02/2014 18:28

Oh and Lisvane - also north Cardiff - and Pontcanna if you want to be v central.

Original poster
relocate2Where · 07/02/2014 22:40

Thanks for that.
LocalEditorCardiff, We aren't looking to buy, just looking to rent, for now.

goldenhand, thanks for those pointers. Gives me a good starting point to start my Rightmove search.

OP posts:
IwishIwasmoreorganised · 07/02/2014 22:44

Cardiff is a great city to live in. Small but loads happening.

I'm not sure that I understand what you mean by Bristol seems further away from Newport, so, we have decided to move to Cardiff .

Access to the M4 is easy from North Cardiff.

Original poster
relocate2Where · 07/02/2014 22:56

Anything that you would point out as different from other rental markets at all..
for example, are furnished properties the norm?

OP posts:
IwishIwasmoreorganised · 07/02/2014 23:01

Only the norm for students lets as far as I'm aware.

Are you sure you've been looking at the right Newport? Newport, gwent is definitely closer to Bristol than Cardiff.

goldenhand · 08/02/2014 07:19

Newport may be closer to Bristol but it's much smaller than Cardiff and the centre isn't v nice. It is hosting a NATO summit soon though....(irrelevant info!!)

goldenhand · 08/02/2014 07:31

Bristol on the other hand is v nice. Living there and commuting to Newport daily you'd have to pay a bridge toll daily or buy an annual pass plus Bristol housing is more expensive than Cardiff. Come to Cardiff!! Grin

Cardiffimport · 08/02/2014 07:50

I moved to Cardiff from Hampshire 17 years ago and would never live anywhere else now. I definitely would recommend North Cardiff for ease of access to M4 and Newport and for good nurseries and nice areas, like someone earlier mentioned, Rhiwbina, Lisvane, Whitchurch, Llandaff North, or Cyncoed. Depending on your budget. If you like the city feel, then Pontcanna or Roath Park are nice, but the other places mentioned are suburbs and more peaceful. Each of these North Cardiff places are still only a 10 minute bus or train ride into Cardiff centre too. Cardiff is very small but very cosmopolitan and vibrant and still has a capital city feel to it.

I definitely would advise you not to move to Bristol, the commute over the toll bridge every day and the house prices are very limiting. I onlY commute one day a week to Bristol, working in Cardiff or from home on my other days and it's a long, tiring and expensive commute.

Feel free to PM me if you need any more advice on locations etc. I can't help with nurseries as mine are school age, but can advice on school areas and housing, as well as all the wonderful things in Cardiff. I love it here. It's home.

Original poster
relocate2Where · 08/02/2014 11:00

Thanks ladies for your responses.

DH's work place is in Cwmbran, to be specific

Bristol seems like a impractical option, given the commute time, toll charge and possibilities of congestion etc So, its going to be Cardiff, i guess.

Any thoughts on private schools in central Cardiff and the other areas that have been recommended?

OP posts:
IwishIwasmoreorganised · 08/02/2014 14:14

If you fancy more rural, Abergavenny is a lovely town and not far from Cwmbran (about 20 minutes).

Give us some criteria for the schools thing. Single / mixed sex, religious?

Original poster
relocate2Where · 08/02/2014 14:46

IwishIwasmoreorganised

Schools: Mixed gender, non-denominational

OP posts:
IwishIwasmoreorganised · 09/02/2014 19:42

Have a look here

There are some very good state schools in and around Cardiff though.

goldenhand · 10/02/2014 08:43

I know nothing about Cardiff private schools I'm afraid. But as Iwishiwas said, state schools here are pretty good so maybe look at them before private? I know in some areas of London some people who can afford to choose feel they have no choice but to use private schools due to state schools being of a poor standard but that's not necessarily the case in Cardiff.

Original poster
relocate2Where · 10/02/2014 13:54

Hi goldenhand,
But state schools won't take till reception year, isn't it? DD will be only 3 in May.

We haven't really concluded the private/state school decision;
But, at this point, she will have to go to a nursery anyway and the nursery costs and a private school cost seem to be roughly the same.

Is this a rationale that people apply? Or am I missing something in the equation?
(Sorry, very new territory for me; first child)

At the moment, she loves her pre-school and doesn't like the nursery at all..in fact, i would say she hates it. It could be down to the nursery, yes. The pre-school that she goes to isn't a private school in that sense of it being a big establishment. It is a Montessori school run in a church outbuilding. But, she absolutely loves it there, and is very happy and eager to go and is happy when I collect her.

OP posts:
goldenhand · 10/02/2014 14:25

You might be right on costs! I don't know I'm afraid. First child here and he's not 2 yet so I've not sure about school starting age etc.

Cardiff does have a Steiner school that might fit your requirements? It's based in Llandaff North.

PlumSykes · 10/02/2014 20:50

relocate, I am in Cardiff, in Llandaff.

My two children go to independent schools, namely Howell's School, which is all girls until 6th form, and also the Cathedral School (mixed, but churchy), both of which are in Llandaff, and both of which have a nursery (Howell's will take them from their 3rd birthday).

I am broadly happy with both, Howell's more so that Cathedral, and would suggest you visit both.

Other independents in Cardiff are St John's, which is Catholic, has a rep for excellent academic results but is on the outskirts of Cardiff, midway between Cardiff and Newport, and I have not heard great things re pastoral care. There is also King's Monkton, but I know there have been lots of problems re financial issues, and it faced closure last year, so not sure how much of a goer that is.

And that's it for private schools—they are not very popular in Wales!

Original poster
relocate2Where · 10/02/2014 21:39

goldenhand, :-) I was just wondering if it is such an obvious thing, then why people send 3+ children to nursery and thats why i thought if there were other considerations which i have possibly missed.

No to a Steiner school as something I came across on their approach towards race has really put me off.

PlumSykes Thank you for both the lists

Yes, I did wonder about the limited number of private schools and that is including the ones on the outskirts. I am really keen on she going to a mixed gender school; Ideally, non-denominational, but, thats kind of flexible. Kings Monkton seems to be the only one that ticks both boxes ?

We are visiting Cardiff on Feb 21st tp do some research on areas, possibly see flats and/or schools/nurseries (a busy match day in Cardiff, I have now learnt, as getting accom seems to be pretty difficult !!) and have made an appointment to visit Kings Monkton. Lets see what they have to offer.

OP posts:
goldenhand · 10/02/2014 22:35

relocate - I'm intrigued about Steiner and race...?! I don't know much about Steiner as a whole.

Hope your visit goes well! Keep us posted?

Original poster
relocate2Where · 11/02/2014 11:51

goldenhand,
I didn't know much about it either before being told by another MNer in another thread a few months ago.

This blog for example gives a sample :

www.localschoolsnetwork.org.uk/2011/07/steiner-schools-repudiate-their-founders-racist-beliefs-to-get-state-funding-but-will-it-be-enough/

Will surely update on how I get on with my search, thanks :-)

OP posts:
goldenhand · 27/02/2014 23:44

relocate - thanks for the Steiner info.
How did your visit go?