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Original poster

Wirral and nearby

27 replies

Underthemountain · 15/12/2013 15:55

Hi, I've asked before but still going in circles. If you only had say £210k to spend on a house, and schools to consider (plus train station for liverpool) would you live in

-bebington (lots of houses but not sure of area)
-west kirby area (beach, cafes etc but hardly anything affordable for sale)
-formby (not many affordable houses but good non grammar schools), some on here say it's too boring

?? Or somewhere else??

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BrownSauceSandwich · 15/12/2013 19:36

Crosby. Cheaper and more characterful than formby, 10 minutes closer to liverpool by train, and also in merseytravel area C, which makes travel passes cheaper than either Wirral or formby. If I were looking for a place in the area, I'd draw a radius of, say, 0.5 mile round blundellsands and crosby station, and start searching there.

serin · 15/12/2013 20:20

Cheshire, Most areas have fab schools, housing is more affordable and the road networks are bloody great. Both Wirral and Crosby are ok for Liverpool but not for the rest of the UK!!

JGBMum · 15/12/2013 20:29

Wirral still has grammar schools so if you do decide to live there, look carefully at the local secondary schools.
Basically, the nearer you are to the Dee side, the more expensive the property.

serin · 15/12/2013 20:40

What about Wales? here? Not far to Chester. Good motorway links.

Original poster
Underthemountain · 15/12/2013 21:38

I think Wales is too far from Liverpool. Whereabouts in Cheshire? We are limited by needing direct train to Liverpool. Will have another look at Crosby, thanks.

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Original poster
Underthemountain · 15/12/2013 21:46

Crosby seems difficult re schools (most religious or private). Can someone just tell me bebington is wonderful?!

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tortoisesarefab · 15/12/2013 21:49

Why dont you just live in liverpool?

JGBMum · 15/12/2013 23:07

Depends where you're looking, Higher Beb, Spital, parts of Bromborough. Raby, all lovely.

superlambanana · 15/12/2013 23:15

Sorry Under I owe you a pm about this! Will do it tomorrow eve :-)

Round the grammar schools in Bebington is nice, while I think of it Smile

ImperialBlether · 15/12/2013 23:24

Yes, get a house near to the grammar schools in Bebington. My daughter went to Wirral Girls and it's a fantastic school. The boys' school is next door and is great, too.

However, I've been going through that tunnel for years and the cost of it does get very depressing.

Have you thought of Ormskirk? I have friends there who like it very much.

ImperialBlether · 15/12/2013 23:24

The area near the grammar schools is very nice, btw.

Lesshastemorespeed · 15/12/2013 23:34

I would live in Wallasey, because:
large choice of non-grammar schools,
V possible to get in to the grammar and (better) non-grammars in your chosen areas, if you're happy for kids to travel.
Very up and coming area
Great transport links to Liverpool, Chester etc.
You get a lot for your money, house price wise.

If its primary schools you're after, be careful of catchment as, although there are a lot of great primary schools, they differ wildly in size.

I like this one, its not mine btw, I have a rightmove addiction!

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-40122496.html?premiumA=true

Original poster
Underthemountain · 15/12/2013 23:35

Ooh, thanks for the positivity!! Much appreciated. Have looked at ormskirk (online) and whilst it looks nice I guess it just doesn't grab us in any particular way. Is it better than Bebington do you think? I can see the tolls being annoying but am imagining using the train mostly.

Liverpool is a bit scary to us as the children have grown up in a town, not city and have been able to play in the streets etc. Is that possible to find in Liverpool?

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Original poster
Underthemountain · 15/12/2013 23:38

Xpost, nice house but maybe too far from schools. Feels very tricky not knowing these areas at all...

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Idreamofsunshine · 15/12/2013 23:46

Parts of prenton, oxton, meols are all nice places in wirral. So is greasby and heswall though heswall can pretty expensive. As prev posts have said round by vthe grammar schools in bebington is also nice

Original poster
Underthemountain · 15/12/2013 23:52

That's what we're considering at the moment, good to know it's a good area. Would like meols (beach etc) but nothing much for sale there.

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RedBushedT · 16/12/2013 00:13

I live in Bebington. It's wonderful Wink
Schools are great and there is a real sense of community. transport links are also great. If I didn't live here I'd consider a move to Oxton maybe. Like everywhere, there are good and bad bits. Feel free to pm me if you like Smile

Original poster
Underthemountain · 16/12/2013 00:19

I guess what I need to know is -where are the bad bits and are there lots of them?!

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tortoisesarefab · 16/12/2013 08:34

The reason i asked is that i can think of places in liverpool that are similar to the places you are looking at. You just wouldnt want to live in the city centre. Have a look at mossley hill and aigburth way (the mossley hill end of aigburth) great parks, good schools and lots of nice cafes and restaurants. Allerton too, though that can be more expensive. The kids can play out in liverpool just the same as long as you live in the right type of road (ie not a main road) just worth considering.woolton village/ gateacre is nice too

Original poster
Underthemountain · 16/12/2013 09:19

Ok thanks, if we could find a nice quiet street then that would make sense (and if schools are ok-calderstones?).

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tortoisesarefab · 16/12/2013 10:05

No, not calderstones. Are you not wanting a church school? St margarets, liverpool college and bluecoat are all very good but exam entry for year 7. You would needto check the entry criteria. Liverpool college may still be fee paying but this is set to change very soon and may have changed already. This and bluecoat are not church schools but st margarets is. St margarets is boys only i think. On the whole the church schools tend to be better in liverpool but there are exceptions

Original poster
Underthemountain · 16/12/2013 10:19

Oh is calderstones no good? We are not churchy at all so not sure if we are suited to church schools? My son is 12-would he go into year 8? I am finding the school thing very difficult to pick, have heard blue coat is good but don't know if he'd get in.

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tortoisesarefab · 16/12/2013 10:42

As far as i know calderstones is not great. The bluecoat is probably considered the best school in the city. I have family members who are not religious at all and go to church schools. Its just how things are here as there is more choice of good schools that way. I went to a church school and we had to endure a mass once a term but that was about it. King david is good too, its a jewish school but loads of non jewish kids go there.

JGBMum · 16/12/2013 12:28

If your son is going into Y8 then it will be about where there are places as much as anything else. So for example, the Grammar school may be the nearest to your house, but you will not be guaranteed a place there unless they have spaces, (& your son passes any relevant exams)

Original poster
Underthemountain · 16/12/2013 13:27

This is what is causing the bother. We need to pick a school to pick an area, but then if we don't get into the school we....panic?

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