Calling all mumsnetters in Devon...

[hercules1]

We currently live in London with a 2 bed house and cant get up the next step to get a 3 bed house. I also dont fancy much brining up my kids in the area I live in.

I grew up in Devon and went to school at kevics in Totnes but have heard it's gottten pretty bad there now - not sure if that's the case still.

ANyway we are thinking as one of our options of moving to Devon. AS a teacher I would want to work in a special needs school and would want dh to give up his night job and do whatever.

It's beena few years since I lived down there so am wondering what are the nice areas where I could get a good primary and secondary (leaving behind 2 good ones here), buy a 3/4 bed house for between say 210-250 (lesser better so be more affordable) with a large garden.

Also my 11 year old son needs some persuading so what sorts of things can 11 year olds do there??

Going out for the day so if I dont come back much till later that's why.

TiA

ALmost forget our kids are mixed race so dont want to be in an area where this could be an issue.

bump

DH did some work with KEVICs not that long ago, will ask his considered opinion when I get home tonight.
Devon is less of a mono-culture than it used to be, but is probably fair to saystill at the point where non-white is a bit of a novelty. There are african and polish food stores springing up now etc.

Totnes is lentil -weaving mecca. Not sure re SN schools in that area (live in PLymouth...certainly several Pupil Referal centres there...)

Thannks. Willl be interested to hear what your dh has to say. KIngsbridge community school looks good- anyone know it?

Dh wants to get house for 200 now so we have less of a mortgage.

What type of SN school? DS1 goes to a great one (SLD/PMLD) in Plymouth (there are quite a few - SLD/PMDL, MLD, EBD/ PD's communicatins disorders; all types also Dame Hannah Rogers at Ivybridge). Probably the most multicultural part of Devon as well- certainly far more so than it used to be. Cheaper than Exeter or the South Hams (Totnes) as well. Still has the grammer school system- not as competitive as London; other schools vary. You could get a 3 bed house and probably 4 bed house easily in your budget.

What's there to do? What sort of stuff does your 11 year old like? Loads of outward bound stuff (dartmoor), beaches surfing then all the usual.

hi

We moved to Devon last year from Manchester and the lack of ethnic variation is probably the only thing we really miss. You'll get more of an ethnic mix in the middle of Exeter or Plymouth, elsewhere it's mostly white.

The teenagers I know around here spend a lot of time surfing, sailing, that sort of thing. Does your ds like outdoor pursuits?

Some of the Devon mumsnetters know more about the special schools, I know there are a few in Dawlish and there are a few in Exeter - big schools for blind and deaf children as well as for a variety of special needs. I've got a close friend who works in one of those schools and she's very enthusiastic about it.

x-posted, hi Gess

Hi fennel.

We've been in Torquay since May and are settling in really well - no regrets. Would strongly agree lack of ethnic diversity is an issue but I gather things are changing albeit fairly slowly. The big cities better in this respect. Such a nice environment for children - get your 11 year old on holiday here for a week!

I think your price range is reasonable for what you are looking for - at least it is in Torbay and Exeter where we concentrated our house-hunting efforts. Good luck.

I lived in North Devon my whole life and only moved 9 months ago, for job reasons.

You would be able to buy a decent sized property for around 200k in this area, especially the areas which are considered as being on the up (rather than arrived already iyswim!). I used to live in Ilfracombe, which is stil cheap. Nearest large town is Barnstaple, also other areas are Woolacombe, Braunton and Croyde (all of which are very desirable, with good schools, and property is a lot more expensive here).

The good things is that the countryside is BEAUTIFUL - I know I am biased but it is the most stunning place. The coastline is lovely as well. I used to live next to a beach in Ilfracombe, used to finish work and take a glass of wine out and dip my feet in the rockpools whilst watching my dd play on the beach. God I miss that now!!

There is a SN primary school in Barnstaple which is well regarded, I am not sure about SN secondary schools to be honest, but I know that the secondary schools in Ilfracombe, Braunton and Barnstaple have inclusion units. There is a wide range of primaries in the area, however few secondary schools (all have large geographical catchment areas as well).

And a previous poster was only too right - hardly any ethnic diversity at all, is rather parochial as well, and some attitudes are very old fashioned. And no decent shops for miles around!

Any more questions please ask and I'll try to help.

Thanks for this. I dont really like plymouth so much but Exeter seems to be looking good. Ds likes sports and has been on holiday to Devon lots of times but has this idea there will be nothing to do there despite dh and i trying to sell it to him.

AS for type of special school - doesnt matter too much the type as my experience is pretty wide.

You dont need to convince me about the countryside! I grew up there. I wouyld like my kids to have a similar upbringing.

How about the primary and secondary mainstream schools in Exeter area?

I know a bit about the Exeter schools, we looked into it. We live in a village just outside Exeter but in the Exeter catchment area.

Generally people think most of the Exeter and nearby primaries are good. Secondary gets mixed reviews.

Exeter has 4 "comprehensives" which til recently all performed below the national average. And one Church of England state secondary which selects on the basis of parental church attendance. And gets the best results (there's a surprise ). There are a few big private schools too, and some people who'd choose state elsewhere go for private here.

On the plus side, they're pumping money into the secondaries so they are improving, and I know people who have children at all the schools and are happy with them. We're in the West Exe secondary catchment which I'd say is the best of the bunch, but my oldest is only 7 so we haven't experienced them personally. Some people recommend the market towns a few miles away - Crediton, Ottery St Mary, Broadclyst, have schools which people seem to like. But then you have to live and maybe commute quite a way.

Check out house prices as well- Exeter is expensive compared to other larger Devon towns (although not Totnes/Kingsbridge etc which are really expensive). If you have to commute in Exeter by car be careful of your route- it has some bad traffic problems.

I live in Tavistock and grew up here. Its pretty nice and getting more ethnically mixed as there are lots of new businesses and houses round here which are bringing people in.
There are quite a few schools and a fair bit for kids to do, normal sports type activities and other outdoor stuff really. Plymouth is also about 45minutes away if you want to do anything there and Exeter is about an hour.

Hello to Lailasmum, I went to Tavistock school aswell.

Wow, Barnstaple and Ilfracombe areas are really cheap on Right move website. How are they as areas to live and how are the sschools. What about travelling distance to say Exeter?

Will search Tavistock now too.

Thanks everyone!

I personally don't like ilfracombe, it seems a bit run down, but then I don't live there so there may be things I don't know about.

Any commuting by car into Exeter is a pain because Exeter traffic is so bad.

We've had the Tavistock School conversation before haven't we? (lots of my friends went to Tavistock school/drinking in the Bedford Arms etc etc)

bump

Hi Herc, I've ranted about Devon before on here! Dh is from Devon and went to Kevics too. We mvoed from Darmouth and Kingsbridge a couple of years ago, Kingsbridge comm college didn't have a good reputation then. As you know, ds is half Indian and it's one of the reasons we moved, the 99% white population etc. Ex MIL was a huge novelty when she came to ds's school. I rekcon you'd be better off looking in Exeter direction, university town, nearer the M5 etc.

Didn't mean to sound so negative but I really think Exeter would be less of a shock and a better fit and more to do for an 11yo, plus trains, airport etc.

Arrgh. It's is so frustrating. Thanks www. It's really helpful. noone blinks twice at kids here and dh and I together so it's a tough decision to make.

Herc, I went from west London to there, was a shock!

REmind me where you are now?