Pros and cons of living in Pocklington?

[DadManners]

Well it seems since we decided we might want to live in York that half of the rest of the country (London especially) decided the same thing, and the already red hot property market is even more challenging for buyers in York. So prices and availability are both a big challenge.

We're therefore wondering if we should look a little further out and it seems you get more for your money and more chance of a detached property somewhere like Pocklington (or maybe Wilberfoss), although obviously others are coming to the same conclusion so I expect prices there will be on the up too.

On paper it looks great - reasonable-sized town, surrounded by nice countryside, just down the road from York. But I'm guessing the reality is a lot different when you factor in the traffic. So I'm wondering - is there anyone on here who commutes from Pock to York and can comment on how bearable (or not) that is - either by car or by bus?

It would also be great to get some feedback on life in the town in general. All I've been able to turn up on here so far is some brief and not entirely encouraging references such as "They invented the game soggy biscuits in Pocklington" (where's the vomit emoji when you need one... in any case, not interested in the private school), "Places you have visited with a strange vibe" (whatever that means) and "Pocklington has a fairly significant drug problem though, doesn't it?" (does it??).

Any tips would be greatly appreciated, whether on Pocklington, Wilberfoss or other places to consider.

@TigerBreath DD currently goes to a C of E primary with a really strong ethos, not purely the religious side though that's obviously part of it, but just doing a really good job of instilling good values and creating a really nice community with strong pastoral care. There are definitely similar vibes from Archie's from what we have seen so far, although we're under no illusions that it's all warm and cuddly when it's about 7 times the size and with a more diverse population of kids. If it helps give context, if money were no object then we'd be very tempted by the Quaker schools. We want school to give a good education in terms of exam results but it's just part of the picture, it's about the kind of person that emerges too (not just our DD but the people she spends time with every day too). Hope that doesn't sound too starry-eyed but that's the best way I can answer your question! I'm sure it doesn't have to be a C of E or Quaker school to do well in these regards, but we're just going on what we've picked up so far.

One thing we've been referring to is the Ofsted Parent View website, where Archie's scores highly including in a new set of results posted recently. Frustratingly, the data for Manor C of E is well out of date (and the results back in 2013/14 were surprisingly not too good) and there's none at all for Fulford or Tadcaster. Makes it tricky to compare like-for-like, as we feel the parental views are an important factor as much as the raw exam result data which we've also been looking at.

Tadcaster grammar has a good rep, Tadcaster itself is a little stranger than the other towns mentioned ( v odd major landlord) but definitely worth a look. The river floods but only certain areas.

The Quaker schools would be my choice if paying as well.

Osbaldwick and Heworth both have a significant student population ( as does badger hill) which worth thinking about if quiet is important to you.

Dunnington has a decent supply of detached 3/4 bed detached houses usually. The bungalows are often more expensive for their size because they are very sought after.

For what you are describing about the whole child that emerges I would look very closely and definitely visit a few schools.

@TigerBreath Yes I agree we need to visit a few before deciding and we plan to do so, but (other than general good sense) is there anything specific that makes you say that, e.g. views on Archie's in particular? I'm on the lookout for any feedback, warts & all! Feel free to PM me, but don't worry about it if I'm just reading too much into your comment!

Same goes for any of the schools really - it would be great if there's anyone on here who is willing to give views on any of the schools in and around York, not in terms of results (we've got data on that) but on how parents feel about the schools, the ethos / atmosphere etc, how happy and safe the kids feel, how well the school responds to problems - basically the stuff that the Parent View survey covers. Although I realise we're drifting a bit off topic now in terms of my original post!

@paddlingon Thank you, your last comment there gives me hope that something may come up in Dunnington, and it's useful to know about the student population in Osbaldwick and Heworth - we're not anti-student per se but yes, noise is definitely a consideration for us and we weren't sure about Fulford/Heslington/Badger Hill for that reason.

As for Tadcaster, I know what you mean, it's a quirky place - I was mulling it over although DD and (especially) DW were not enamoured with it when we visited! Same goes for the school (the rural setting was a novelty for me but DW went somewhere similar as a kid and wasn't that keen!). I wouldn't rule it out though.

OP I have 2 teens at Archie's. The religious ethos is very present although AFAIK most pupils aren't of any particular faith. All kids have to take RE GCSE and there is regular chapel. There are aspects that my (non-believer) DCs shrug off, eg bible quotes on every newsletter. However, as a non-Christian there are aspects of "living the school values" that I think are immensely positive, eg fundraising for the local food bank, and specifically help for families at the school who were left high and dry in lockdown, lending them laptops, putting together Christmas hampers for them, etc. The catchment is very mixed and covers some very affluent areas as well as some deprivation.

Overall I'm happy with it as a school. The head is very visible and can often be seen standing outside the gates at the end of the school. He and the SLT must have put in some extraordinary hours over the home learning period.

The housing market is definitely slowing down here now that the stamp duty holiday is over. There are plenty of kids who come in on a school bus from villages to the east of York (not sure how many come from as far away as Pock, though).

@AertexShirt Thank you, that's helpful. The way you describe the school matches pretty well with the impressions I had picked up so far, which is good to know as it can be problematic trying to assess from a distance. The head seems to have quite an open approach and in one of the videos online he did emphatically address the matter of care and catch-up for those worst affected by lockdown. The social initiatives struck us as very positive too.

As for house prices, I read something earlier suggesting that they may cool off a bit as the stamp duty holiday tails off but there's also the prospect of interest rate rises to dampen inflation so that may put slow the housing market a bit too... could be useful in terms of purchase price but not so good if we miss out on the best mortgage rates as a result (oh well, can't win 'em all!).

I'd echo what @AertexShirt says about AHS. I have 2 DC there and we all think it's great! I can't fault the school's approach to everything during covid. They do incredibly well in exams and league tables, but don't make a big show of it. It seems to be about the child's 'journey' through the school, not just a focus on results.

Just a couple of things from upthread. Stamford Bridge has a reputation for flooding but 99.9% of it doesn't. Most of it is on higher ground.
Full Sutton is potentially going to be the site of a massive new Cat C prison, it's a really small village, so not somewhere I'd fancy moving to at the moment.

@Oakdog Good to hear some more positive feedback on AHS, thank you. Those points really echo the impression we were forming and why we're drawn to this school in particular, worthy as many of the other York schools are.

Thanks too for those other tips, exactly the sort of local intel I was hoping to pick up on here.

Should also say, someone in my DD year didn't get a place at AHS and ended up at Woldgate. It really suits her, and they are incredibly happy with it. Pastorally they have been great with her.
I went to Woldgate and it was a very different school then!! I also think Pocklington is lovely and wouldn't mind living there. It has all the things you'd want in a small market town, and the fantastic Wolds on it's doorstep.