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.

Have you looked at Dunfermline? It's a lovely town with great parks. What parts of South Queensferry did you see? The High St and surrounds are lovely and are right on the beach, and we are 10 mins from the airport and within City of Edinburgh boundaries. I know there are some rough bits, but to be honest you would struggle to find somewhere that doesn't in your radius.

I'm in Dunfermline, although originally from Edinburgh, via 10 yrs in the Glasgow area. I like Dunfermline although it has a bit of small-town mentality. It's convenient for lots of places and has plenty of amenities. The housing is plentiful and relatively cheap (although I would personally avoid Duloch Park). We are in a small village very near the town and my DC are bussed into a good state secondary school, recently inspected with excellent results. Both are doing well academically and will almost certainly be off to uni in the next couple of years.

The new bridge over the Forth will be open in a couple of years and should take some of the 'crapshoot' issues of the Forth Road Bridge away. For us, moving to Dunfermline when our DC were little was a good move.

Hi Raptorrethy, we are in a similar position although our move has now been put back 12 months. We realise we are priced out of Edinburgh itself (for the lifestyle we want), and are gravitating towards the Stirling/Dunblane area, although we love Aberdour as well. If private schools are an option, have you looked at Beaconhurst School in Bridge of Allan. It goes through from infants to sixth form and we were very impressed when we visited last year. As far as I know it is non-selective and has some impressive results and a lovely feel.

Watching this thread with interest.

Thank you for more replies. It is so good to hear from people who live in the area already and recommend it.

Sunbeam, we drove along the high street in SQ (I think?) and there were cafes and a couple of galleries etc, and right on the sea front.

Time thank you for the info about Dunfermline.

Rockdoctor how interesting that you are planning a move there too! We feel exactly the same about Edinburgh - for what we want, we just can't have it on our budget so we are looking further afield. Beaconhurst looks lovely. We need to go back to visit Dollar and Beaconhurst, now…another trip to arrange. Obvs now we will wait until later in the year as schools are shutting up shop now…
How old are your DCs?

Raptorrethy my DCs are 6 and 3. The youngest will start reception this year in England but would not start school in Scotland until 2015 (one reason for delaying the move). As I said, we visited Beaconhurst earlier this year. I hadn't looked at Dollar in much detail as I had it in my mind that it was a boys school - I need to go back and do some more research.

Kinross isn't 30 mins from the airport during rush hour and there are indoor chicken sheds fairly close by which STINK out Kinross if the winds blowing in the right direction....

There is a private school in Perth which is supposed to be good...can't remember the name.....

I've never smelt the chicken Mostly.

Strathallan, MostlyCake?

Also, St Leonards in St Andrews. Neither are 30 mins from the airport, however.

There is also Cliftonhall, at Newbridge. Now that is in the flight path near the airport.

Rockdoctor, Dollar would be most offended that you thought it was a boys school!, It has been co-ed right from the start in the early 1800's! It used to be grant aided, my Dad went there for nothing and fees for local pupils were means tested, unfortunately it is still good but now very expensive!

Strathallan follows the English exam system which is useful for families that might move back down south in the middle of high school.

Thanks wiggly - I need to read this thread in more detail and do some more research. I get the feeling Dollar is quite academic, which would suit one of my DCs but probably not the other. Lovely part of the world though and I'm quite keen to make the move at some stage.

DH off to Dollar next week to check it out. Any last place names he should see? (Potential places to live.) So exciting!