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Original poster

Advice on where to live in Edinburgh

59 replies

FlyMeToDunoon · 31/01/2010 22:30

Hi I am hoping to move from the deepest south east England to Edinburgh soon.
Despite my name I am not from Dunoon. I am from Edinburgh but I don't have much experience of trying to find primary and secondary schools for children there.
We would be renting at first but to save disrupting the children I would prefer to rent in the same area as we would eventually buy in so as to keep them in the same schools. So If we were looking to buy in the future a 3 bed place for around £200,00 what areas could you recommend?
I have been looking at the espc site for a while and have seen flats available in Saunders St, Stockbridge for example to rent or buy and would imagine that to be a great place but what other possibilities are there?

OP posts:
StewieGriffinsMom · 31/01/2010 22:42

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Original poster
FlyMeToDunoon · 31/01/2010 22:46

I have honestly seen a 3 bed flat in stockbridge for that but maybe it had rats or something.
My DDs are 10, 5 and 3.

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Original poster
FlyMeToDunoon · 31/01/2010 22:53

Stockbridge flat here !

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StewieGriffinsMom · 01/02/2010 08:48

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meep · 01/02/2010 10:28

Here are some other ideas:

Newington - lovely area - I think the catchment primary is Sciennes - I always see lots of Mums and kids walking to school in the morning

Buckstone and here - just a bit further out from Morningsiide which has loads of amenities for children/parks/good schools etc

Juniper Green & here with a garden - again a bit further out but a great primary school

I have lived in Stockbridge and it is a great place to live - lots of "young professionals" and old ladies!!! But there are lots of cafes - drama/dance workshops etc and you are so close to teh centre of town. Not sure about those flats - I think I am a bit biased as someone I knew got beaten up walking through there late at night so I was always wary of them (am sure that they are not dodgy - just my experience)

Original poster
FlyMeToDunoon · 01/02/2010 17:49

Ooh I am surprised that there is anywhere in Newington. Thats the Gillespies catchment area!
The others are a bit too expensive sadly.
Thank you for looking.
Those Stockbridge flats look a bit barrack like which puts me off slightly too.

OP posts:
HLaurens · 02/02/2010 08:51

Bruntsfield and Shandon are both great - although Shandon primary schools feed into Tynecastle High, which is not so fab. If you live in Bruntsfield kids will go to Bruntsfield primary and then Boroughmuir High, which is the best state school in Edinburgh a/c to the league tables.

Loads of amenities, and the meadows (park) are nearby too. Even a Waitrose! (one of only two in Scotland). You might have trouble finding 3 beds for £200,000 though. But it is a great area with everything in walking distance.

EleanoraBuntingCupcake · 02/02/2010 08:56

that stockbridge flat is fantastic value. i know a family that live in that building. i think there was an issue with the local school closing.

EleanoraBuntingCupcake · 02/02/2010 08:57

what are you interested in apart from schools?

meep · 02/02/2010 09:13

don't rule out anything priced above £200k - there are lots of properties on teh market that have been there for a while so there may be a deal to be done

good luck!

EleanoraBuntingCupcake · 02/02/2010 09:14

meep - you have been watching too much phil and kirstie

meep · 02/02/2010 09:38

OMG, so I have !

fanjoforthemammaries7850 · 02/02/2010 09:43

there are quite a few places in Newington for £200k, ex council houses, in the Sciennes catchment area.

fanjoforthemammaries7850 · 02/02/2010 09:45

exactly like the one meep linked to in fact That is in a very nice area, I can vouch for that.

Original poster
FlyMeToDunoon · 02/02/2010 09:45

Well it doesn't hurt to be optimistic! Although maybe hoping for Bruntsfield is a bit too much.
I am hoping for a decent area preferably with a park of some sort nearby. We have a garden here although it is small and a park about 50 yards away. So if the children might have to live in a flat an open space close by would be good.
My family live in Abbeyhill and Meadowbank and my friends in Merchiston and Meggetland [sp?]
We would need to rent first until I have worked enough to persuade a lender to give me a mortgage. As I said in the op I want to try and stay in the same catchment area though to keep the children in the same school. I have done more research and now have the league tables and catchments for schools. I need to really immerse myself in it.
What does anyone think of DrumBrae/Clermiston? Firrhill secondary is quite high in the tables.

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AnneinEdinburgh · 02/02/2010 12:36

How about Tollcross - we live there and it is opposite the Meadows with 3 play parks and loads of greenery. It is the catchment are for Bruntsfield Primary and Boroughmuir - both very good. The area is mixed, but up and coming and very close to town and all the amenities of Bruntsfield without paying for the address

rookiemater · 02/02/2010 19:51

Second Buckstone as a possible area, good primary school which feeds into Boroughmuir and not too far from Morningside, but also close to the countryside and some lovely woods within walking distance oh and a really nice GP practice . This property is in your budget.

www.espc.com/Buying/273481.html

although there is another one at £215k.

TheCrackFox · 03/02/2010 14:32

That flat in Stockbridge is lovely - the kitchen is amazing.

I have found a good website to check on schools

Shitemum · 03/02/2010 14:47

I live in Stockbridge and know several families in Saunders St. The flats were built as council housing in the 70's. I have only been in one of then but it was surprisingly spacious and bright and much nicer on the inside than on the outside! I believe they are all different sizes tho. There is a great sense of community in the flats, I think there are 3 or 4 buildings in all.

The local school has not been closed it is thriving. It was saved by a huge parental campaign which proved that the criteria the council were using to propose closure of this particualr school was incorrect.

you will not find a 3 bedroom flat for this price anywhere else in Stockbridge.

arrgh schools out, have to go!

Shitemum · 03/02/2010 15:44

Aso - important - Saunders st. is not actually catchment for Stockbridge primary, it lies in Flora Stevenson's catchment, but it will be from 2011.

see here

Original poster
FlyMeToDunoon · 03/02/2010 23:00

Aha. So what is Flora Stevenson like? [lazy me]
And woohoo DP and I have actually, firmly and deinitely decided that we are moving up to Edinburgh. I phoned one letting agency today and they were useless. Didn't know about catchment areas and were blank when I asked why so many flats to let were furnished. Like eh they just are.....

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Shitemum · 04/02/2010 10:52

Well, my DC are not at Flora's so I can only go on second hand info.

These are the facts:
They have a new head teacher.
Flora's has nearly 4 times as many pupils as Stockbridge. This allows for streaming in some subjects.
They have just had a new hall and other installations built.
The nursery has 2 classes and was custom built a few years back.
Flora's traditionally has the reputation for being 'more academic' than Stockbridge but the tables for 2007 I have seen state that they are fairly equal, Flora's scored slightly higher (1 or 2 %) on maths but Stockbridge pupils did better at imaginative writing.
The special music unit at Flora's does not directly benefit the pupils who are not special music students already.

Rumour has it that the new head at Flora's is not doing a great job...
However the head at Stockbridge has just left and we don't know yet who will be replacing her.
I am biased towards Stockbridge as it is my old school. I prefer smaller schools anyway...

Original poster
FlyMeToDunoon · 04/02/2010 12:48

Doesn't sound like there is much in it.
Thanks again everyone for your input.

OP posts:
DomesticGoddessInTraining · 04/02/2010 13:06

Info on school catchment areas here

Judeboo · 05/02/2010 12:59

you've got to move to marchmont (EH9) its perfect. We moved here from new town 2 years ago for schools (either sciennes or gillespies primary and then gillespies second). Meadows on doorstep, views of arthurs seat,10 min walk to musuem, short walk into town. Lively and FULL of families - honestly stockbridge is full of oldies. Also stockbridge just feels quite dark and low and such a trek into town. Families choose stockbridge for the private schools and so the state schools suffer.

Look here's a great flat in marchmont (will need work from looks and price a bit too high) but it is fixed price so they may take less. Lots of these flats feel soo spacious. Friends often use a "boxroom" as a bedroom so you could look for 2 bed and a boxroom.

www.morton-fraser.com/properties/66_2f1_20_roseneath_place_marchmont_edinburgh_eh9_1jd

Good luck -