Moving to Swansea

[Seaside12]

Hi we have just found out we are relocating to Swansea with my husband's job so rapidly trying to find out about primaries to the west? Does anyone know if Pennard, Newton, Oystermouth or Crwys are ok? And the secondaries Bishopston Bishops Gore and Olchfa and Gowerton all seem great on paper - are they all ok? Thank you!!

Hello
I just wanted to reply to your post as a fellow Swansea mummy.
I have a little baby so I can't help you much on the schools side of things but my Swansea pals who were raised here went to bishopston and all did very well and have fond memories of the school. For years olfcha had a high reputation but friends who's children go there get frustrated at times as the school only lets certain higher achieving children sit certain exams so it makes their results table look good. This may be commonplace across many school though I don't know.
Certainly west of the city including mumbles and Gower as well as Gowerton, three crosses etc are considered 'nicer' and house prices/rent reflect that.
This said if you are happy to go much further east and around jct 45 then I have friends in clydach and glais with very nice properties and lovely neighbourhoods and their children seem to do well in the schools there.
Swansea is a funny but lovely city. Much to enjoy! I do hope your move goes well. If I can help with anything I'd be glad to do so.

Thank you! That's all really useful! Visiting again in a few weeks to have another look at houses. Have seen a few lovely ones in three crosses - is the village a nice village? Seemed lovely in a short visit! Everywhere there seems lovely - so hard to narrow down areas as everywhere seems so lovely!

Yes three crosses is lovely. I have a few friends who were raised there and have family there and they love it. Rural but still reasonable links to town and m4. Not quite as far out as some of the far west Gower villages. I'm near there too and find it to be good spot.

Brilliant thank you. I think Crwys primary there has space in the year groups we need to and seems to be a feeder to Bishopston so all good! Thank you!! Xxx

I am also moving to Swansea so watch this thread with interest.... a lot of the schools we visited seemed to be full / oversubscribed.... Any tips welcome. I'm erring toward the uplands, as I want easy access to the uni!

We havent manage to visit any yet as have only just found out but sokemofnthe village schools seem to have space. Parklands and others seem to be full like you say eek! Husband will be in the uni so we were thinking not too far from
Work too! Good luck with your move too x

Yes I'll be in the Uni too - so I am trying to relocate near there.... Do you know the process of changing schools?

Hiya, there's an online form "apply for a school place mid year" (or something like that)! www.swansea.gov.uk/schooltransfer And then you put your top three and if there aren't any space in those they allocate the nearest one with space. When do you start there? Uplands and Sketty seem nice too.

Hi there! My DC has just left Parkland and will be off to Olchfa in September....it's all gone so quickly. If I can help with info or experiences let me know. Good luck with the schools search. I think that Sketty and Uplands are great areas, especially for people who work at the Uni but some parts of Uplands have a lot of student houses which can create a noise nuisance, rubbish left out and so on.

Thanks for the reply. We really like Sketty but no place in parklands! Is The other primary ok there? Heard great things about Olchfa (and Bishops Gore and Bishopston too!) x

I don't know much about Sketty Primary, sorry. I know that it's quite a big school and was built fairly recently and has good facilities. Yes, Olchfa's got a good reputation going back many years and so has Bishopston, but I understand that Bishopston can be oversubscribed. I think the schools are pretty full at the moment due to the baby boom of eight to ten years ago!

Thank you! I'll start ringing around as soon as the new term begins and check spaces again eek hopefully we will be lucky! X

Just seen your reply, good luck for the new term and move, hope it goes well.

Hi there, we've seen a house we like and the schools are pen y fro and then gowerton comp - does anyone know whether those schools are ok please?!? Thanks! X

I went to Gowerton comp in the 1980's. I turned out fine .

It had an excellent reputation then and I believe it still has.

Thanks that's great - just what was hoping for! Seems to be a bit smaller than eg olchfa which may suit my kids better thanks! X

Can I join in? Am researching areas to live at the mo.... We would want a nice small village in a rural area but close to Swansea city, friendly normal people, not too expensive. Anyone know of anywhere that fits the bill? I thought Clydach looked good? So hard picking when you don't know a city!! Hope your moves are all going well xx

Hiya. Maybe look at three crosses - very friendly small and rural (a bit too rural for us we thought st the end) but great if you like rural. Does anyone know what Grange primary in west cross is like- been to see it and loved it but just checking on here too!! Xx

Good luck for your moves, new neighbours to be! I came here 15 years ago and I love it - it is such a friendly and laid back place. This is my thoughts on the areas I know well:

Mumbles/Langland/Caswell/Bishopston - expensive! Very attractive, safe, lots of nice shops, places to eat etc. Great clothes shopping as long as you like Fatface, SeaSalt and Joules! Walking distance to lovely beaches and quite outdoorsy - lots of paddle boards and kayaks. Rather middle class and yummy mummy and not ethnically diverse. The schools are good Oystermouth and Newton have strong PTA's and good teaching with stable schools. Kids do well. Bishopston or Bishop Gore are the catchment secondaries - both excellent.

West Cross - Mumbles slightly poorer neighbour. Generally walking distance to Mumbles. Becoming more gentrified. Not much going on there.

Mayals - near West Cross, on the way to Bishopston - similar vibe to West Cross. Nice but not much happening.

Sketty and Uplands

My favourite areas. Near to town and walking distance to the sea front. Good range of housing stock and both neighbourhoods have shopping areas with cafes, restaurants etc as well as banks, chemists and so
on. Varied housing stock - lots of Victorian but also turn of the century and some newer stock. Cheaper then Mumbles. I like it so much because it is safe but lively and diverse. You are fairly near St Helens Road with all of the wonderful ethnic food shops and cafes. Yes, the students can be noisy and messy but I love the energy and fun that they bring - and finding a good babysitter is easy! Great parks - Cwmdonkin, Brynmill and Singleton. It is less middle class and feels more real than Mumbles - there are lots of professional families living in Uplands/Sketty, but there is also a traditional Welsh community and a large Asian and Chinese population.Oh and great schools - Brynmill Primary is fab! Can you tell I love it!

Monthly produce markets take place in the Marina, Sketty, Uplands, Mumbles, Penclawdd and possibly more.

The amazing covered market (the only good reason to go into town) has amazing fish and seafood, meat, deli and bakery stuff and fruit and veg.

Shopping other than for food is rubbish in the centre of Swansea - go to Cardiff!

LC2 - leisure centre with soft play, pool with flumes/waves and indoor surfing, a climbing wall and a members gym and spa. Loved by all kids - avoid on a rainy Saturday because it will be rammed.

And the beaches, oh the beaches!

Keep us posted - let me know how you all get on.

Popping in to say I moved here 10 years and absolutely love it. Can't argue with RedWineLush's take on the middle classness of Mumbles/Newton/Bishopston but that's a big plus for me. My kids have loved Oystermouth Primary and eldest has settled really well at Bishopston. Mumbles has a lovely village feel to it and new developments on the seafront are making it a lovely vibrant place. Fell free to PM me for more info.

p.s a few of my kids friends have gone to Grange primary and have heard it's a lovely school.

Wow thank you so much for the advice! So useful to know!! We are still waiting to sell so going into random rental in Langland over half term for six months while we wait to sell and buy and they will (hopefully!) go to Grange as it seemed very similar to where my daughters are now so would be less of an adjustment. Still looking st houses to buy so we are ready when finally sell (but husband needs to start work so need to get a move on in half term!) looking st Sketty and West Cross as well as Mumbles Bishopston Newton and guessing it will be easier to get a feel about the different places once there in half term! A pain moving twice but rental means a bit more time to look for area etc - everywhere seemed so nice when I've been visiting that it's so hard to decide!! If anyone is free for a coffee after half term let me know as I won't know anyone and work at home so will be sussing out areas!! Xxx

We rented for a while before buying.. it's definitely a good way to get a feel for the area. Langland is gorgeous... be warned, the only way is down from there!!

I'm away back to Scotland for half term otherwise would definitely be up for a coffee. PM me once you're settled. ;) Good luck with the move!

Thank you! I'll PM once settled!

We rented for a while before buying.. it's definitely a good way to get a feel for the area. Langland is gorgeous... be warned, the only way is down from there!!

I'm away back to Scotland for half term otherwise would definitely be up for a coffee. PM me once you're settled. ;) Good luck with the move!