Moving to Birmingham from the States

[SqrlBuny77]

Hello! We are moving from the Midwest to the Midlands in the fall. It looks my DH's office is approx 3miles south of the New Street Station (25 min bus ride). I will probably attend Univ of Birmingham to continue my grad studies while caring for our DDs (9 and 4 by September).
I don't want to live in Birmingham and would be open to a village outside the city with a good train line. DH is also open to a commute (no more than one hour)
We will rent for the first yearbudget 1300-1500but will increase for a great primary school that feeds into a great secondary school (I am not sure if that is how schools work in the UK)
Most important thing is to be within catchment area for schools --would love to walk DD's to school and then walk to train.

Also, open to any advice if I am going about this the wrong way.

Thanks!

I don't know Birmingham well, but others might.

This article might be useful.

Also check on www.rightmove.co.uk you can see schools and rental prices by area.

Thanks! The article is very helpful.

Hi sqrl, could I ask where he'll be based, as what "looks" like 25 minute bus ride can take hours in reality- such as tonight, when hagley Rd has been shut and it's gridlock. It took me 20mins to go 500yards.

Anyway, for university you'll need to be near the cross city railway line, so bournville, cotteridge/kings Norton, Northfield, barnt green are your best bets.
When you say 'village' how small do you mean?

It will depend on exactly where he is working, but Bromsgrove has a great trainline to the university (13min ride) or into the city centre, or Droitwich?

I am not sure where he will be based, I just know his office is 3.5 miles from the station. Sounds like traffic could be bad (we are used to that ...he may consider driving to the station?

I currently live in a small town with a pop. of approx. 77k people. It is 35 min from a major city, so I don't want anything too rural. I'd like a place with decent shops...a bookstore, a library...someplace to take my DDs for kid-friendly activities. I would prefer to not have to drive everywhere. I think living in a place with a 1000 people might take some getting used to, so nothing too small.

I looked at the Ofsted reports and it seems there are great schools in Warwick, Temple Grafton, Stratford-Upon-Avon, and Alcester. They seem a bit further out, but if I'd like to avoid moving my girls too many times.

I am not expecting this to be anything like where we currently live. I realize I will have to make some compromises, maybe a longer commute to school. Just want to make sure my kids are well adjusted as this may turn out to be a permanent move for our family.

Thanks everyone!

Stratford or Alcester (and I love Alcester) would be a nightmare to get to the uni from, though Alcester might be a reasonable drive for your DH depending on exactly where he'll be.

Unless you could continue your studies at Warwick uni? You'd have to drive, but it's not bad from Alcester.

You'd need somewhere of a pretty decent size to have a book shop and a library!
3.5 miles south of new street is a long way out of the centre, so a train commute isn't necessarily the best option for him, anyway.
What is your subject? Warwick is a good university too.

My goal is an MARes in French followed by a PhD. I will look into Warwick University, I just hadn't heard of it until you mentioned.

DH might have to drive.

We shall see, but I am reviewing the Solihull council website and the Warwick website. Still trying to wrap my head around the school admission requirements.