EDINBURGH MUMSNETTERS - HELP!!

[Raptorrethy]

A few months ago I started a thread about living near Edinburgh - specifically within 30 mins of the airport. Moving to that area was on the cards and it is again - but the thread, of course, has disappeared as it was in Chat!! It was over 100 posts of great, friendly advice and I NEED IT AGAIN!! You lot were soooo lovely and I hope you will perhaps take a minute or two to post your advice again as a move is even more imminent now. THANK YOU in advance.

So - we would like to be semi-rural, preferably in a village, but must be 30-40 mins from Edinburgh Airport. Schools are a crucial factor - we have DD8 and DS6. We want, as does everyone, a lovely and successful primary school and then caring and thriving secondary - good state or private. DD very academic, DS more into being as noisy as possible as befits a 6yo boy . I am a teacher so would be looking for a job, too, but not crucial straight away. I'm also interested in the weather and midges - are they a nightmare?!

Let's go - can we make over 100 posts from unbelievably brilliant Scottish people again???

and here's a for good measure.

[prettybird]

wigglybeezer - it's a hill climb run (very well) by West Lothian Clarion. Ds (13) enjoys going as it's one of the last road races for the Youths of the season.

[dementedma]

From Dollar you could shop in Alloa, Falkirk or Stirling.
Stirling is great for shops.

[wigglybeezer]

People tend to drive over to the M90 and then switch to the park and ride at Inverkeithing or drive right in if they have parking at work, tales about an hour on average but the Forth road bridge can be a bottleneck, they are building a new bridge which will speed up the journey. If you are going to the airport you go over the Clackmannanshire bridge and then along the M9.
I use the local butcher and coop for food plus the major supermarkets in Alloa for big shops.
We have a nice state primary, a surgery, part time library, chemist, deli, cafe, pub, a castle! Brownies and scouts etc. Not so good for teenagers unless they are at the academy which keeps them well occupied with the usual extra curriculars.
Big old family houses are dear though, smaller 70's houses are good value, not much choice in between.
It is a very middle class bubble!

[Sunbeam18]

I second the Colinton suggestion within Edinburgh. For a vibrant city community with access to great green space and great local shops I'd put Stockbridge and Bruntsfield at the top of the list. The house prices will reflect the amazing location though. Would you consider a flat with garden?

[wigglybeezer]

prettybird, my BIL started West Lothian Clarion up, he was a Commonwealth Games Baton carrier today! My DN always does the hill climb too.

[wigglybeezer]

demented, I have been shopping in Stirling all my life, where the Miner's Welfare once stood is now a Waitrose! My late Granny would be amazed.

[Raptorrrethy]

wiggly I cannot believe we have just come back from Edinburgh and surrounding areas and WE DID NOT KNOW about Dollar and the Academy. How I wish I had re-started this thread yesterday!!!!

I think the nice Edinburgh bits (Morningside etc) are out of our league but thank you for the suggestions.

The difficulty arises though with the risk of the DCs not getting into Dollar Academy. We couldn't commit to such a move without knowing…not sure how the logistics would work. If they went to DA it would be a life choice, really, i.e. to set them up with an amazing education as we would be incredibly, completely stretched financially...

[Raptorrrethy]

There's a Waitrose in Stirling? SOLD!!!!

[wigglybeezer]

It is fairly straightforward getting into Dollar AcAdemy at prep stage as long as your kids are reasonably bright and presentable, it's not half as scary as popular schools down south, sometimes people have to wait a year for a place but they just send them to Strathdevon Primary, our local state primary and wait for a place to become available ( lots of the Academy teachers send their kids to Strathdevon too ). My kids have placing requests to Kinross High as we are arty types with erratic incomes and can't afford the fees! Happy with their education though.

[wigglybeezer]

I should get a finders fee from Dollar Academy, you are not the first person on Mumsnet who has ended up sold on it and I am not a massive fan of private education! It is a good school though.

[readyforno2]

Haha. Yes we should Badgers..
There are busses which run to and from Edinburgh too. When I was at school I had friends who bussed it to private school in Edinburgh.
Yeah 20-25 mins into town but it is a road that I know very well (especially the good overtaking spots)

[Raptorrrethy]

Wiggly - how about getting in at senior level ie at 11?

[wigglybeezer]

Oh and the cut off date for school years is January 1st at Dollar. One of the harder times to get a place is P6 (called junior 1 at Dollar) as that is when a lot of kids start. The next big intake is S1 at 12. There are formal entry tests and interviews but they can't be that hard as many of the kids I know who have got in were not top of the class at primary. It can be pot luck what spaces are available further down the school.

[Raptorrrethy]

Thank you

[wigglybeezer]

I think there is the usual verbal and non-verbal reasoning plus a maths and english paper, not sure what else, don't think it is as bad as I have read about grammar school entry down south, I think some people do use tutoring but not many. I could ask one of my friends.
Phone the school and ask, everything is winding up for the end of term here so someone should have the time to talk to you.
If you visit the school I live virtually next door, if you see a harrassed middle aged woman herding a gang of red- haired boys into a car, that will be me!

[Raptorrrethy]

PS thank you again, and sorry not to reply to each of you by name but I really appreciate the comments.
Wiggly - if we end up coming to Dollar I'll be in touch!

[dementedma]

wiggly my kids went/go to Kinross High school too on placing requests!

rapto the deli in dollar is just fab!

[wigglybeezer]

Rapptorrrety, you have been seduced by the lovely photos on the Dollar website haven't you? I feel I have to slow you down a bit for the sake of your family finances, if you are considering living as far out as Dollar would you consider Dunblane?

That said, I think selecting somewhere to live can be a bit like choosing between an arranged marriage and a love match.

[wigglybeezer]

Dementedma, I always end up on these threads because, between friends and family, I have lived or spent time in almost all the popular locations in Central Scotland. I shouldn't really encourage people to move up, it pushes the property prices up but I can't resist singing the praises of Scotland and I genuinely want people to feel they have made a good choice.

[Raptorrrethy]

What we would want, ideally, is a rural property but within a few miles of miles of some shops/life. We lived for many years in a village five miles from the nearest proper town and it was great. Also ideally we would be SW of Dollar as DH would be commuting to Edinburgh Airport.

What's the weather like around you?! Same as Edinburgh pretty much?

[wigglybeezer]

The villages south west of Dollar are significantly less posh, you want to look at Muckhart or some of the villages between Dollar and Kinross ( as you gain time by being nearer the M90 and also have Kinross High as an option). Try Rumbling Bridge, Crook of Devon, Drum, Cleish. Muckhart is the prettiest and nearest Dollar). Nearer Stirling is Blairlogie which is very cute but a big line of pylons is due to be sited near it in a few years. is work near the airport or do you need the airport for travel?

Weather wise I would say we are a little wetter than Edinburgh as the lovely hills do catch the odd rain cloud, it gets drier again as you go further east.

You are going to have to compromise on something, probably commute time.

[wigglybeezer]

Just read that work is at the airport so you would be better nearer Stirling ( although I know a family in Dollar where both parents work for airlines) most of the villages near Stirling are former mining or mill villages, not really village greeny. Doune is nice but about 5 miles from the end of the motorway. Again, there are very few villages/ towns in Central Scotland that are entirely lovely, they are mostly ordinary with nice bits. Bridge of Allan is handy for the motorway and has school buses to Dollar as does Dunblane. Are you sure you have discounted West Lothian?

[Raptorrrethy]

I think so, wiggly. We really looked closely but nothing quite fitted the school/budget/location conundrum.

[Crutchlow35]

Kinross/Milnathort. Excellent schools, some shopping and on the motorway into Edinburgh so you can either use any of the park and ride facilities at Kinross, Halbeath or Ferry Toll or park in Inverkeithing, Dunfermline and Rostyh and get the train into Edinburgh.