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Original poster

Comberton and other villages

44 replies

Busymummy50 · 23/10/2017 11:43

After in depth researching and looking at cambourne, (we initially wanted to look at moving to cambourne) have now changed our mind for various reasons.

An excellent secondary school is the main reason for our move and also quality of live. Living in London is very stressful and we would like a village which has all the shops you need but not far drive to a big supermarket or shopping centre/high street shops. With 2 young children, having a swimming pool not too far drive away would be ideal. With smaller villages like comberton, is it an issue living far away from the school in terms of having friends? We'd like enough children nearby so kids can have friends and play out or go to each other's houses.

Are there any villages like this in west or south of canbridge?

OP posts:
ihatethecold · 23/10/2017 14:03

Bourn is lovely. Very well served. Morrison’s is about 3 miles away but I use Ocado.
Mine go to Comberton vc.
It’s a great school and the pastoral care is fantastic.

ihatethecold · 23/10/2017 14:04

Cambourne VC is also a lovely School. Much smaller at the moment to Comberton but it has a very dedicated head teacher.

Original poster
Busymummy50 · 23/10/2017 14:44

I did a search on rightmove for Bourn and there is some houses from Caxton Nd some from Highfielss Caldecote which came up. What are these areas like? Highfield caldecote, one house I saw is 2.4 miles from comberton. Are there many kids living in these smaller villages? Would like kids to make some friends nearby! So is it more difficult if school is so far away?

OP posts:
ihatethecold · 23/10/2017 15:53

Yes. Lots of kids in Caldecote go to Comberton.
How old are your kids?

ihatethecold · 23/10/2017 15:54

The school buses to cvc travel from all over the local villages.

LeiasBuns · 23/10/2017 16:27

There are lots of children that go to Comberton from all of the surrounding catchment villages but obviously they could end up with friends that were from different villages (and hopefully some from the same). None of them are far in the car though to drop them/pick them up and there are some buses too. You wouldn't feel cut off from everyone if that's what you're worried about, although, if you've never lived in a village then you do have to get used to that too. I grew up in a busy urban area and now live in one of the villages so it is very different but I much prefer it though!

EmmaGrundyForPM · 23/10/2017 20:43

We live in Bourn. There are a lot of facilities for a small village - village shop/PO, butchers/deli, two coffee shops, GP surgery, pub, Indian restaurant etc. The primary school was excellent when our dc were there and I think it still is. Although it's a small village there were always other kids to play with.

However you do end up being a taxi service. When our dc were younger they moaned like mad that we didn't live in Cambourne. There is a LOT more for kids and teens to do in Cambourne plus there are regular buses into Cambridge. I wouldn't rule Cambourne out too quickly.

Both Comberton and Cambourne are excellent secondaries.

I wouldn't choose to live in Highfield Caldecote. It always feels soulless. No pub, no shop.

YourWinter · 23/10/2017 22:59

The villages in Comberton / Cambourne catchment areas are lovely, Bourn in particular, but they don't really have 'all the shops you need'. Sawston and Great Shelford, for example, have a wider selection of shops although a different 'feel' altogether. The distance from a railway station is a big negative for all the villages around Cambourne and Comberton, it's still a fair drive from St Neots / Sandy or from the stations between Royston and Cambridge. Some of the south Cambs villages have a very limited bus service, it's worth investigating how your children will manage their social lives unless you're happy to be driving them everywhere!

Original poster
Busymummy50 · 23/10/2017 22:59

No houses in Bourn for sale at the moment. We will go and visit and see what it's like.

OP posts:
Original poster
Busymummy50 · 23/10/2017 23:09

What is linton and Melbourn like? Looks a bit bigger on the map

OP posts:
Tingalingle · 24/10/2017 15:19

Do you need to commute, and if so, where to?

Cammel · 24/10/2017 18:59

Melbourn has a pool and sports centre, Coop, post office, butchers, a secondary school which is part of the same academy trust as Comberton and a station within walking distance. I really like it, it’s friendly and has great amenities.

YourWinter · 24/10/2017 23:39

Melbourn has a much better fish and chip shop than Cambourne, Cambourne has a bigger and better Co-Op with a car park!

Its proximity to Meldreth station, and to Royston, are huge pluses.

Original poster
Busymummy50 · 25/10/2017 00:52

Melbourn is starting to sound ideal! Where do children go to sixth form?

OP posts:
EmmaGrundyForPM · 25/10/2017 07:13

All children in Cambridgeshire can apply to any 6th form. There are two big 6th form colleges on town - Hills Road and Long Road, plus CRC which is a more vocational college. Then there are 6th forms attached to schools - Parkside and Netherhall in the City, Comberton and Impington in South Cambs. You don't have to have gone to those schools to get a place in the sixth form.

FOM1984 · 25/10/2017 16:47

I grew up in Bourn, but all my friends were in other villages so it was hard. Now I live in Cambourne and there is just so much more to do. I would have much rather grown up here.

Cammel · 25/10/2017 18:28

For Hills Road Sixth Form being near a station is a significant advantage as it’s near Cambridge station. I’m not sure how students get to Long Road and CRC. Maybe by bus.

Tingalingle · 25/10/2017 19:39

Yes, there are service buses that get you close to Long Road (anything that goes via Addenbrookes for instance), and at least some villages have a bus specifically picking up for CRC.

Comberton has its own sixth form and also has sixth-form buses picking up from various villages.

ihatethecold · 25/10/2017 19:43

You have to pay to get on the Comberton buses if you are in the 6th form and they only run at 8am and Home at 2.50
I had to taxi my ds last school year because his course wasn’t full time and started and ended at different times to the school bus.
Thankfully he is driving now.

Tingalingle · 25/10/2017 19:45

You have to pay to use the buses to the sixth form colleges as well, though, don't you. Sixth form is expensive.

I am slightly in awe of DS's friends who cycled in to Hills from Duxford and from Harston, because they didn't fancy paying £900 or so for a season ticket for the bus.

lonelyplanet · 31/10/2017 20:10

Melbourn and the surrounding villages are all great (but expensive). My children go to Melbourn VC and we have been very happy with the school, all children are treated as individuals. Tesco at Royston is just down the road and there is a Waitrose in Trumpington.

grumpysquash3 · 31/10/2017 20:55

The train is cheaper than the bus. An academic year (Sep-July) train ticket from Whittlesford to Cambridge is about £440.

ihatethecold · 01/11/2017 06:54

Have you had a chance to visit any villages yet op?

EllieFredrickson · 01/11/2017 19:20

Like Grumpy would recommend train rather than bus for Hills if you are in Duxford/Whittlesford or the bottom end of Sawston. Is working well for DD. It isn't a particularly nice walk back to Sawston esp this time of year in the dark but is safe as along main roads. Could also cycle to station from Sawston . My bugbear is the cycle/pedestrian access on the A505 Mcdonalds roundabout.

Mosquitoburrito · 01/11/2017 19:42

What do you mean about Grear Shelford having a different feel? Thinking of moving there so curious?

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