Moving to Bramhall / Cheadle Hulme

[runningLou]

House is on the market as of yesterday (fingers crossed for viewings and a reliable buyer!!) and we are looking to relocate from Midlands up to Manchester. My family live there in quite central areas (Whalley Range, Stretford), but we are thinking about moving to Cheadle Hulme / Bramhall.
Which of these is better to go for? Any good primary school recommendations?

Hi can't help really except to say they're quite different areas. Bramhall is traditionally seen as upmarket, Cheadle Hulme is nice too but not as well regarded as Bramhall. Perhaps someone more local can give you more specific advice. Good luck!

Have you had a drive round to get a feel for the place?

Cheadle Hulme, Bramhall, Cheadle, Gatley, Heald Green, Woodford, Poynton. They're all nice areas to live in.
Have lived in Cheadle for most of my life. Can't give you any help on primary schools but happy to answer any questions.

The most over subscribed primary school in Bramhall is Pownall Green. Hursthead on border with Cheadle Hulme is very well rated as well and oversubscribed. My dd goes to Queensgate in Bramhall which is also outstanding with good results. Depends on your budget. Central Bramhall is very expensive. Also a shortage of certain types of house for families.

Between Bramhall and Cheadle Hulme, as Mandy says, overall Bramhall may be seen as slightly better nowadays (slightly smarter looking centre to it). However in reality it will depend on the road - there are many roads in Cheadle Hulme that are smarter than much of Bramhall and vice versa.

Cheadle Hulme train station gives you more options than Bramhall as two lines converge heading into Manchester. Cheadle Hulme has a supermarket (Waitrose) in the centre. Bramhall has Bramhall Park, although in reality both suburbs share it as it sits on the boundary in the North.

Bramhall has attractive period (mainly Edwardian) housing but this does tend to be on the major roads (Bramhall Lane South, Woodford Road and Ack Lane East). Cheadle Hulme has attractive housing on quieter roads within the conservation area.

Both have a range of primary schools from average to excellent. As Bella says, Pownall Green is particularly drooled over as a catchment.

Bramhall also has modern housing estates with detached, semis and mews houses at pretty reasonable prices.

Thanks everyone, this is so useful ...
I think we may be renting to start with so I'll have a look at the schools and catchments. I'd heard about Hursthead. Are there any other particularly good primary schools in Cheadle Hulme?

I think I can probably write off any over-subscribed schools right now as due to DH's job we won't be able to move / apply until April and I would be looking for a late admission into Y2 for DD for Sept 2014 ... so it would need to be a school likely to have spaces!!

Hurst Head and Cheadle Catholic are both excellent but consequently probably full with waiting lists...

Ring the LEA, I doubt there will be many if any spaces. When I enquired about spaces in Trafford recently there were 2 available in Y2 across the whole of the borough.

More for your money in Stretford!

Try Flixton or Urmston. Nice places, good schools and near to Stretford to see your rellys.

Lane End is a nice school in Cheadle Hulme. One form entry so friendlier.