Gloucester, dont know where to put this so...

[happychappy]

whats it like? thinking of moving around there and don't know anything at all. Give me the low down.

I live in-between Cheltenham and Gloucester, DD used
To go to nursery in Highnam which was small and friendly. Nice village but a pain to get out of traffic wise in the morning.

I would look at some of the smaller satellite towns to Gloucester personally (no offence to anyone living in Gloucester) - for example Stroud, Nailsworth, Painswick, Cirencester. They are all pretty vibrant small towns.

The Stroud valley towns are renowned for being full of artists (and lentil weavers :o), whereas Ciren and Tetbury are more 'hunting, shooting, fishing' - still nice though .

I agree with salty - Stroud and Painswick are lovely, as is Ciren.

But the property will be more expensive in those areas, unfortunately.

Property is also cheap in the Fiorest of Dean, which is the right side of Gloucestershire for Highnam, however (no offense to Foresters) I find them a bit bleak.

Chepstow is lovely, though, just over the border in Wales. I wouldn't mind living there personally (or anyweher in the Wye valley).

The 11+ is certainly not compulsory! It is now sat in October with results being sent out within a week, so that parents have an idea if it is even worth adding a grammar on the list. I have friends with children in yr 6 at the moment and the ones taking the 11+ are in the minority but some schools do "promote" it more than others.
My children are at one of the grammars and both they and I think it is a truly amazing school - but as with all grammars it wouldnt suit all children. My children do travel from Gloucester to Cheltenham to get to school though and the school does have a wide catchment area.

As for Highnam, I think it is a lovely place and the traffic has improved a lot since this time last year when there were a lot of road works. My sons good friend lives there and we never have any trouble with traffic getting to or from Highnam - fingers crossed as I am out there to pick him up later this evening!

As far as I am aware Newent school does have a good reputation - but I have no idea what that is founded on other than heresay! - That may be all academic anyway, as many of my friends/neighbours etc believe that Beaufort is not a good school - yet as Getorf and her daughter have proved it all comes down to individual choice and experience rather than gossip and rumour!

Have friends with children at schol in Churchdown, some took 11+ and some didn't. I gathered it was entirely optional?

That's where I live drusilla :) my friends with secondary school children didn't have to sit 11+ was entirely optional.

Thank you everybody, all good stuff

I'm still waiting to hear weather we got the job!!!

Oi, bog off you lot slating Gloucuester I live in Longford, and I love love love it. Straight down the A40 to Chelt to buy fabulous shoes, horses out the back of my house for the kids to feed carrots to, and spitting distance of Glos town centre for drunken antics on the 'strip', falling into Liquid at the end!!
Never ever go to Glos in the day though-yuck.

Disclaimer- Im 23 so haven't had experience of living anywhere else (brought up in Chelt)

Sounds like fun, I'm 37 and still up for that