*Moving to Saffron Walden, Essex , in August - does anyone live nearby?*

[SaffyCat]

I am moving from Surrey to Saffron Walden in mid-August with my husband, 7yr old son and 1yr old daughter. We don't know anyone in the area yet and I would love to meet other local mums (am happy to drive a few miles) and also to find out about toddler groups/recomended family activities.

I did ring round a couple of months ago when we were first talking about it. I only rang 2 being RAB and KS. RAB couldn't take a year 3 child at the time but KS could. KS is a very similar school to the one my DD attends at the moment (open plan). We were looking on their website a couple of weeks ago and it could of been her current school we were looking at. I would prob go for KS (if spaces available) as I think I'd have more chance of getting both of them into the same school. I am keeping my fingers crossed that the whole thing ends up fitting into place... I don't want my 2 to end up in different schools...

We were offered KS for a year 1 place when we moved here so I guess it's not unusual for them to have spaces so that looks promising for you.

Can you just make an appointment to visit the schools or does it have to be a specific open evening? Did you wait until you were close to completing to visit the schools?

The schools do have open days -not sure what time of year though. We went to an open day for the school they are in now (it just happened to be on the saturday we were over here anyway). The state schools we rang and arranged appointments. RAB gave us a 10 minute look-around and a lecture on how in-demand they are, but KS offered ds a half-day session and let us look around. We've looked round Newport school since moving here, they were very helpful and friendly (2 miles out of Saffron Walden, have afterschool club and a sort-of preschool (just opened I think)). We looked round the schools before we had even exchanged contracts. Not allowed to apply for a place until you have exchanged contracts which would have been a nightmare for us since we had such a short gap between exchange and completion..think you will probably have to show a rental agreement since you will be renting rather than buying.

Thanks for the info.

On ringing RAB I got a very similar impression, KS I liked the sound of plus similar to DD current environment. I will wait until we have an offer on our house and then prob ring around again and get a feel for places etc... I would prefer a school in town rather than having to drive - but will obviously take whatever I can. I currently only have about a 4 minute walk to school!! So any school run longer than that is going to be a bit of a shock to my system.

Hi Clare,
Our family moved to SW area in July after spending 13 years abroad. I know what it's like having to find your feet in a new area, although for me it wasn't totally a leap into the unknown as I was brought up round here and went to school in BS. It's somewhere I wanted to come back to - partly because of the proximity of family and partly because I think it's a great place to live.
We visited 10 schools over two days(!) before we moved because we didn't know where we were going to end up renting. Finding a house to rent for a family proved more difficult that we thought - there was very little on offer when we were looking. The relocation co. advised us to find the school we liked first, check on likely availability of places, and then the house. However, as mentioned by Malarky, you do need a rental contract/exchange on a house before a school will officially give you a place - bit of a catch 22 situation... In this area you're really spoilt for choice for Primary schools though (although was not smitten by the primary in Newport). We ended up renting in a village near SW, and have just put an offer in on a house nearby. DS is seven and goes to a small village school - we have to go by car, but you do get used to the school run. He is settling in fine, although still a bit 'the new boy'. dd is nearly three and attends playgroup in Clavering, which is v. good. Have also found an excellent childminder - Essex CC children's information service provided me with a list of those in our postcode area. They have a website: www.childcarelink.gov.uk/whitebox/childcaresearch.asp
where you can search for playgroups and childcare.
Only problem now is finding myself some work to fit in around school times!

I have a spare copy of the local parents information booklet(Salad Days) which is published each term, gives details of Primary Schools, Pre-Schools and out of school activities which you might find useful. If you email me your address, I'm happy to post this to you.

emamilto - I was hoping to rent in SW town and then find out which schools had places and then drive to the nearest school I could get my DD into. Then hopefully, depending on when we move, try to get DS into a pre school but if close to summer hols will just have to keep my fingers crossed that I can get him into the same school as DD. I will make a note of the childcare link you mentioned and will look at that when I am more aware of our position.

susiehughsie - I haven't paid for the facility to contact direct. Would love to see the booklet - so if you don't mind I will register later on tonight and email you my address. Thank you.

The more information the better!!!

Hi everyone, glad to hear that you are all keeping well. Clare, we moved up in Mrach of lasy year and I found a lot of useful information from this thread. It's amazing to think that that's all in the past and here we are finally in SW. My children are nearly three and sixteen months. The oldest goes to Saffron Walden Nursery School, which is a preschool. It was recommended to me on here and after visiting it I put his name down. he loves it there and I'm very happy with it. They get filled up very quickly but you can always ring and reserve a place.

Yes, it's definitely nice to pick peoples brains that have moved into the area. This sort of information is priceless...

When we have an offer on our house I will ring the schools and pre schools and try to visit them all on the same day... Just need an offer now....

Another question for everybody. Do many of your commute to Liverpool Street from Audley End, or do your husbands commute? We came up to SW for a visit yesterday and had another drive around town to/from station etc. Checked out a few bus stops for bus timetables as only my husband will be commuting and he doesn't really want to pay to park at Audley End Station. I read on previous thread that trains can be really packed..how do you/they find it? He will be travelling about 7/7.30ish - would appreciate any info.

We don't commute so I can't answer all your questions except to say that I have been travelling into baker street recently once a week for a course. I usually get the 7.40am train and never have a problem gteting a seat - which makes any commute more bearable I suppose.

My dh only has a 35 min commute to Fenchurch St at the moment and he can't stand up for that long. He would probably get a train around that time - so that gives gives me a insight to commuting.

Just checked with DH who commutes to LS everyday, says there is usually no problem getting a seat on these trains from Audley End. Hope that helps.

That's good news then. I read on a previous post that there can sometimes be problems getting a seat at Audley End. Thanks for the info.

I commute every weekday from Audley end - but a bit earlier than 7. I occasionally get the 7am train and generally get a seat (I didn't get one a couple of weeks ago, but it was due to emergency engineering works plus an extra short train).
It was probably my post further down re: the overcrowding. I asked the same question before I moved here - trains are fine going into LPS, but can be crowded on the way back, depending on if you board at LPS (I get on at Tott. Hale and often stand from Tott. Hale to Broxbourne, but get a seat from then onwards), probably a better chance of a seat if you get on at LPS.

I will pass on the info to my DH. He will be travelling to/from LPS so hopefully the commute will be ok for him and he will more often than not get a seat.
Thanks.

Hi,
I have a request if any of you have children at RAB school. We have some decisions to make over the next few months as dd is reception age in September and our catchment school is RAB. We looked around it last year (when we moved here and they didn't have a place for ds) but I was wondering about the practicalities of the school for working parents.
If dd got a place she would be taken there and back by the school bus (we are guessing that we would need an au pair to be in the house for the 3 days I am not home til 5.30) - but I was wondering if she would miss out on a lot of after-school clubs this way, and also, if there are any after-school clubs do they insist that a parent is present during the club time (at my ds's old school we had to be present for the whole time during football club).
Also wondered whether most parents are expected to help with reading at school or help out on school trips, and how organised the school is re: Christmas shows and assemblys (ie. do you get more than a week's notice, can you choose if there is a choice of show times/days?)

Grateful for any responses. Thanks.

Hi. I am a mother of 2 girls aged 5 and 8. We are moving to cambridgeshire form oxford at the end of the year and would appreciate any information on good places to live in Saffron Walden and surrounding areas. Can anyone help?

Hi. I am a mother of 2 girls aged 5 and 8. We are moving to cambridgeshire form oxford at the end of the year and would appreciate any information on good places to live in Saffron Walden and surrounding areas. Can anyone help?

Hi Mumelizabeth - I've only just seen your message. In my opinion the whole area round SW is lovely - we chose to live in a village with a station because I commute back to London. If you commute by car then you can live further from the station villages and generally get more for your money.
What are you looking for? Quiet village, friendly village, town (shops!!), the majority of the schools are great. Have you visited the area?

Hi Millarkie, thanks for the reply. We have been up to SW a couple of times and are disappointed with what we can get in terms of house for our money. We have started looking into villages and have come across Bottisham. Do you know the village and if so what do you think? I am open to suggestions of other villages and would appreciate opions. HELP!!

Sorry, I don't know Bottisham - too far north for me
But hopefully someone else will be along in a minute..

Calling all saffron walden mums! Just thought I would see if any of you were still on here and how you were all getting on....?
We are in the thick of building work here - only a year late.....no roof on the back of the house and the shower room is gutted; the fron room houses everything including the kitchen and the back garden is off limits! I'm sure it will all be worth it in the end.

We've been here about fifteen months and eldest son settled into nursery well. My daughter will be two next Saturday but we haven't managed to find any 'friends' for her. Partly due to the fact that I haven't been going to the mother and toddler groups much due to work etc. But I'm now off and will have to roll my sleeves up and get stuck in come Septemeber.

We like saffron walden though as typical ex-Londoner's we've not been great at meeting people!! Sometimes, I forget I'm in a small town where most people say hello!!

How is everyone else getting along - all the newcomers especially!!

Let me know if you are out there.....

Hi - We are moving to Saffron Walden very shortly and excited that there seems to be a lot of new mums in the area. The properties we are looking at aren't in the RAB catchment, but KS sounds good. I would be really interested to hear any feedback. Even if we did get a house in RAB catchment we still wouldnt be guaranteed a place for my year 4 boy! But, Saffron Walden is so beautiful I cant wait!!