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Original poster

Moving to York with older children

23 replies

TessW · 03/04/2010 10:36

Hi everyone,

We're hoping to move to the York area later this year, and I wondered if anyone has any recommendations for the best places to live and which ones to avoid? I have four children aged 6, 11, 14 and 16, so education is very high on the agenda. Also with teenagers it would be great if there was something for them to do nearby, or on a good bus/train route into the city itself.

Any advice VERY gratefully received. It seems like a mammoth task at the moment. I was a student in York in the 80s but don't know many areas except Heslington.

(I joined an existing thread on this message board, but I think I messed up, so apologies and here it is again. I'm new to mumsnet )

Thanks so much.

OP posts:

BrownOwl18 · 13/04/2010 21:41

Hi Tess

Have replied on your Secondary Education thread.

Heslington is stil very desirable area (despite students!) with prices to match - not sure which secondary school's area it falls into though.

beeny · 13/04/2010 21:44

I know strensall is very nice huntington secondary school is very good.

jooseyfruit · 13/04/2010 22:12

southbank, schools o.k, lovely area
fulford nice too

Northernlurker · 13/04/2010 22:16

Heslington comes in to Fulford catchment - which is good. Huntington is also well regarded and so far we've been impressed with it (dd1 in year 7). Joseph Rowntrees is ok as is Archbishop Holgates and JORO has a brand new building. All Saints is very good if you want a catholic school and Millthorpe in the South Bank area isn't too bad either. I don't rate York High School or Canon Lee or Burnholme so if you want to be sure of getting in you need to live in the catchment areas for the others - JORO nearly always has places though. The majority of the primarys are good.
In terms of places to live - Heslington is nice but quite student infested. It's expensive but on a bus route. Fulford itself has a lot of nice houses and is also on a bus route. Heworth also has a lot of nice areas but you have to be sure of getting the kids in to one of the other secondary schools (imo) What's your budget and I'll have a look at rightmove

jooseyfruit · 13/04/2010 22:20

I bloody love you northernlurker and your superior York knowledge, I always just want mners to live near me < weirdo>

Northernlurker · 13/04/2010 22:24

All you South bank lot think it's the cats pajamas

I could go on mastermind with a specialised subject of York's secondary catchment areas - I spent so much time scanning the lists of roads etc when we moved two years ago.

BexJ78 · 13/04/2010 22:31

What's Manor CE like? I just ask as it's our nearest secondary. (won't be an issue for us for a while yet, as DD is only 4 months old!)

Northernlurker · 13/04/2010 22:37

I didn't look at it Bex as it's too far away for us anyway. My impression is that it's okish. A friend's son goes there and he is vey bright in a slightly off the wall way and they've just about kept up with him - just. There were one or two discipline issues that his parents weren't too pleased with - his shoes were stolen and the school hadn't a clue what had happened. Their alternative would have been Canon Lee and Manor was certainly a much better choice for their son!

OracleOfDelphinium · 13/04/2010 22:51

Hello!

We moved to York last year. If you have a 6-y-o, try to persuade our aged neighbours to move as we would love you to live next door to us.

We live opposite the racecourse (I took advice from the York MN crew at the time - under a different pseudonym - and they were fab). It's a great place to live - we walk nearly-8-y-o DS to school in the centre of town, which is two miles away; nearly-6-y-o DD cycles half a mile to her school. Very handy for Tesco and the local leisure centre is easily accessible by bike (has a climbing wall, pool etc). I'm afraid I have no idea about school catchments, though.

Good luck!

OracleOfDelphinium · 13/04/2010 22:52

PS we are also on an excellent bus route!

Northernlurker · 13/04/2010 22:53

I remember you - glad you're all settled

OracleOfDelphinium · 13/04/2010 22:55

Thank you NL!

We are liking it very much indeed. And we are currently making many changes to our mishmash of 1930s and 1970s abode ...

Bellasformerfriend · 13/04/2010 22:58

I can highly recommend Fulford School, Archbishop Holgates School and Huntington School. As non-fee paying schools go they are among the best and were either in the recent Times top 500 or very close to being. However the post 16 education is lacking in all of them and I would strongly recommend you take a good look into that before making any decisions. The lay out of York means that public transport tends to be into town and then out again so being near a good secondary but across town from the sixth form of your choice could mean an hour long bus journey (more at peak times) for the older child.

IMHO avoid burnholme and canon lee at all costs

jooseyfruit · 14/04/2010 09:36

I remember you too Oracle
Great new name

I'm so glad you got sorted!

I often wonder how you got on as I trundle up to Tesco

How have the kids settled in at school?

Northernlurker · 14/04/2010 18:29

Bellas - I'm confused by your post. All the schools you mention have sixth forms and the only other one that does is JORO and I don't think thats any better than the first three. The only other sixth form option is the college or private schools (or all saints - but you'd go with that from 11 wouldn't you if that was what you wanted). I think it's very unlikely any parent would choose 11-16 at Fulford say and then want to go with JORO for 6th form. Good job too as the journey would indeed take forever!

OracleOfDelphinium · 14/04/2010 19:24

Hello Joosey!

We probably pass one another regularly in Tesco as I spend much of my life there.

The children have settled in well, thanks. DS always takes a bit longer to settle, but it's as if DD has always been there. It's a really lovely school, and they have made her very welcome. DS's is ideal for him, too - so it has been a good move!

Bellasformerfriend · 15/04/2010 22:05

The sixth form at Archbishiop Holgates only offers a very select number of the new apprentice/nvq type things rather than a full selection of A levels etc so yes using a different sixth form would definitly be on the cards there. I am not sure about the others but my understanding is that their post sixteen options are also limited. Possibly not a problem for the op - but certainly something to keep in mind.

Northernlurker · 15/04/2010 22:20

Huntington certainly offer a good range - more than my grammar school offered 15 years ago They also do the International Baccalaurate (though I know nothing about that -dd1 is only in year 7!)

Bellasformerfriend · 15/04/2010 22:24

Ahh yes you are right, I do know about the Baccalaurate (well of the existence of it anyway). As I said though, it is certainly limited post sixteen in other schools so post sixteen is something to keep in mind, as you and I both said, the travel can be a big undertaking.

Northernlurker · 15/04/2010 22:30

The travel is a pain in the neck! Dd1 was at a G&T summer school last summer - at York High and we live off Huntington Road. I worked out that there was no way to get for her to get from here to there by bus without her leaving home pre 7.30 to get there for 9 - it's less than 3 miles!!! In the end we cycled one day and thankfully found a mate there from school who gave her a lift the rest of the time.

Bellasformerfriend · 15/04/2010 22:42

Thank goodness for that! Buses into town are generally good it just falls down massivly if you have to go anywhere else! It used to take me hours a day to travel from Heworth to Acomb and back for work becaue I had to do a nursery drop on the way. Ridiculous situation IMO!

BrownOwl18 · 16/04/2010 13:50

Ooh Northernlurker, we are nearly neighbours! DS starts at Huntington in September.

Pippy21 · 20/10/2010 10:51

For some reason Canon Lee seems to have a bad reputation. I have 3 children who have and are currently at the school and I totally disagree with this. My eldest achieved excellent results and the other 2 are doing extremely well. They are very happy there. The facilities are superb and the staff are warm and friendly and very supportive to children. The students are a credit to the school and all I can say is if you are unsure arrange a visit and see for yourself.

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