Should I move from Manchester to Bristol?

[Ceebeejay]

I have a 9 year old daughter and we moved to South Manchester three years ago. She is in her second school and seems to like it although I think it is full of pushy parents with tutors! I haven't really clicked with anyone here and am thinking of moving to Bristol - Redland sort of area
Does anyone have any idea of what it is like to live there? schools, social life etc? any comments would be welcomed - thanks!!

[sarahfreck]

I agree that not all tutors are bad uns! I've not met a "pushy" parent yet either and I live in Manchester. Although not the South!
tutors can be very helpful and useful - honest - particularly when a child has lost confidence for some reason or other or where there is a specific learning difficulty.

[crazymum53]

Bristol is a good place to live there is plenty for families to do with visitor attractions such as the zoo, theatres, At Bristol science centre and an impressive history including the suspension bridge and waterside developments. There is also good access to the seaside and surrounding countryside.

There are some good state secondary schools as listed above. There are also 2 former independent schools Bristol Cathedral school and Colstons Girls school which are now academies and take children from across the city. St Mary Redcliffe also has a good reputation and is an option if you are a church-goer.

Travelling around Bristol can be difficult as there are congestion and parking problems in some areas and bus fares are expensive compared to other cities.

[RinaandOllie]

Secondary schools in Bristol are either private (expensive and rather exclusive), not very good, or oversubscribed (state schools like Cotham and Cathedral). Two of the best state schools in North Somerset close to Bristol are Nailsea and Backwell, only about 15 mins drive south of Bristol, in easy reach of town - you'd need to live in the catchment of Backwell School (either in Backwell or Nailsea) to be sure of a place though as it's a very popular school.

[flowergirlbelle]

We live in Bradley Stoke, which is North Bristol and comes under South Glos. The schools here are really good (7 primary schools), 1 secondary school which has just had an outstanding ofsted. Alot of the children here also go to the secondary schools in Thornbury. I know there are problems with schools in other parts of Bristol. I have lived here for nearly 13 years and like the fact you are 7 miles from the centre of Bristol, 2 miles from Cribbs Causeway and right on the M5/M4 motorways. I made my move to Bristol without knowing anyone and it was the best thing I ever did. Good Luck.

[Mandy21]

I live in South Manchester and there are lots of pushy parents in the state primary schools - but in their my defence, there are lots of parents that want to send their children to the schools in this particular area so there is a huge amount of competition. If parents outside of the area sent their children to their local schools, there would probably be enough places for local children. I know that's not necessarily the answer to your issues!!

[givemeaclue]

We just moved out of bristol to north Somerset for schools. Very good and outstanding primaries and secondaries. I do find it a bit dull where we are but its 25 mins to central bristol and has saved up £250k for private schools.

In conclusion op, areas around bristol better than bristol itself for schools. Bristol one of the worst performing education authorities in the country despite throwing money at the e. That said many Of the brightest children travel to outside the area or go private which needs to be taken into account when looking at the data.

[Rudolphstolemycarrots]

Can you just look at all the bristol secondary ofsteds/results and then work out which catchment you need to be in. After that choose a secondary school.

[mam29]

rudolph not as simple as that.

only redland/cotham are any good state comps within bristol itself and small cathment costs small fortune.

colston girls/bristol cathedral lottory schools.

st mary redclife have to be coe go church regular-no catchment
st bedes -rc-wide catchemnt as no rc secondry in neigbouring counties.

The rest are mostly sink schools turned academies with appalling results.

most dont even get 50% a-c passrate at gcse.

It also has a huge shortage of primary places around 300without any of 3choices and soon will be low on secondry places.

south glos on suburbs bristol-where I am

john cabot academy-limited places
ridings academy

outside of that theres bradley stokke community but you really need to live close to get in or castle thornury a whole diffrent town.

Keynsham a town between bath and bristol has one good school wells way but they come under bath and north east somerset.

[exexpat]

Zombie thread alert - the OP is from two years ago. Not sure why CraigF resurrected it but he's been deleted anyway...

[InNeedOfBrandy]

SouthGlos is good for schooling, Hanham has a decent secondry school most Bristol schools are shite tbh (and I love bristol it hurts to say it) but yes knives drugs yadayada very much available and in use.

SouthGlos is a lot better and still Bristol/on main bus routes.

[SwedishEdith]

I think the OP mght have decided by now - she asked 2 years ago