From surrey to Norwich

[Emmaxh]

Hello everyone, i am really desperate for all your honest opinion's about moving from Surrey to Norwich.
we are family of 4 ( 2 boys 5 & 1 years old )
Husband work from home and i work part time on retail field.
my main reasons to move to Norwich:
1- Affordable rent then if everything goes well we will buy a house 🤞
2- I wanna feel stable on a place not to keep moving, i wanna belong to one place and start feel that i will continue living my life here.
3- i like the vibe, history and idea that its quieter than surrey as well its near a seaside but not sure when some people say its isolated.
4- i am aware that Norwich is away from lots of places but we been living in surrey for 4 years and didn't go much only our surrounding areas. We came and visited Norwich city centre and we really liked it.
My concerns:
•-to find good primary and secondary school around the city centre.
•- activities for kids and sports clubs.
•- Job opportunities.
•- Are you really gonna feel that you are isolate ( trapped ) especially for london people who moves here.
•- Is it suitable for long term settlement for a family with young kids.

What kind of "job opportunities" do you need?
What is the minimum "good" level you want from schools, I presume you mean state schools?
Are there any specific kinds of kid clubs you want? I imagine high board diving would be a challenge,for instance. But many other things are possible.

It doesn’t feel isolated living in Norwich

I am from Norwich and in my opinion it is the best city to grow up in. I took part in lots of clubs and sports activities, there was a lot of choice and I imagine a lot more now. It doesn’t feel isolated, it’s a two hour journey to London on the train and I went a lot growing up with school and parents. I am not sure about schools now but I imagine if you choose where you buy well you will ensure you are in catchment for the best schools, like any city there are good and bad.

Hi, we moved from very Central London to Norwich around 8 years ago with 2 toddlers and a baby on the way. While apprehensive about the move, I can honestly say it was the best decision and now one which I wished we had done years before.
Norwich is lovely city to raise children in. All three are in a variety of clubs and are at schools we are very happy with. We have only ever lived in Thorpe St Andrew so I cannot comment on schools in other areas but can highly recommend St Williams/Thorpe High.
We are 35/40mins from the coast and 5 mins from so many walks and woods and wonderful outdoor spaces. I do remember having to adjust to the lack of takeaway options here and them ALL being shut on a Monday and having to park in multi story car parks.
But overall, a move I would highly recommend.

Norwich is lovely - full of history, green spaces, lovely restaurants. Much more affordable than all of Surrey. Easily as vibrant as places like Guildford, probably more so.
Retail wise, it has all the major brands but not luxury, and lots of independents. More broadly from a jobs perspective, large employers like PWC, have left the city and closed their Norwich office.