A move to dorset or not advice please.

[lotti37]

Hello

I really need some advice please my head is spinning and can't decide. My husband wants us to move to dorset for a better quality of life . We live in the midlands and I have done all my life. We have 3 children 2 in primary school 7 and 9 and a 2 year old. We go on holidays to dorset and love it but all my family and friends and my husbands job are here in the midlands . Everything is very local here- kids are in the same school and very happy here. The secondary schools are not so great here. There is 1 outstanding schools and some good schools . I know in dorset there are lots of good schools.

I know my husband says he does not want to be here for the next 15 years whilst eldest 2 are at school.

His job is here but he has said he would work from home 2 days a week and then be in the midlands for 2 nights working here.

I am really struggling to decide as dorset is beautiful but more expensive and schools probably further away ( current school is a 5 min walk) . I know they have a 3 tier school system as well so boys would be a different schools probably . I don't know which areas are nice but not too expensive ? Which schools are good . My husband talks about Poole grammer but I know it's very hard to get into .

Really wanted any advice from people that have done it or live down there or anyone who has moved away from their home town . We need to make a quick decision as my eldest is 9 and would want to start before he start secondary schools here .Thank you much

I think it would be utterly hideous to do Swanage to Poole in the rush hour to be honest. I know someone who did Wareham to Poole and it took ages so they moved closer. Can’t tell you anything about Swanage itself as don’t know it .sorry to be negative about the commute but I do think it would be grim.

Wow, Wareham to Poole was that bad? We were looking at Wareham as our next best option. It's only 20 minutes on maps! Thanks for telling though. I really appreciate it as I feel we're kind of making the decision blind and we really don't want to move our girls more than once.

It’s the traffic, it’s awful. They were a bit outside Wareham but that should have made it better not worse. Bournemouth and Poole during rush hour. DH’s commute currently says 23 mins on Google but yesterday took 45 mins leaving at 7.35am, would have been worse later. One of the guys in his office lives in Dorchester working in Bournemouth (53 mins currently in Google) and we were surprised to hear he does a Monday to Friday let in Bournemouth during the week.

Just thinking what i’d do in your position. I guess it depends which bit of Poole to some extent . What happens is Poole and Boiurnemouth merge into one and all the routes in from all directions clog up during rush hour. I read your other thread, it will be very different down here and it will take time to find ‘your people’ but they are dotted around.

I think with the people who moved he worked Bournemouth side of Poole, it might not be so bad somewhere different.

The new workplace is just above Parkstone on the map so it is on the Poole-ish side? It doesn't sound like it will make that much difference though. We had sort of planned around Swanage as a viable option and if that isn't the case I'm guessing that in Poole itself will be our next best option. We're going down to visit this weekend with our eldest to familiarise ourselves but had initially planned on sticking pretty much to Swanage. I guess we might need to widen the search! Thank you so much for responding, any little snippet of information is really helpful at this point!

I'm in Poole. Live and work in the area, moved down here from Greater London suburbs last year. I love it, and we're really happy with the move.

We live a 10/15 min drive (or 30/35 min walk) from both our jobs though so can't give you any info on commuting from personal experience. Lots of people do commute in to my work from surrounding areas, and I know traffic is often cited as a real pain but they make it work.

For me, cutting out the commute was one of the massive plusses of moving from London suburbs as I used to commute into central London for work. Other massive plusses are the lovely beaches and country parks, of which there are many and a generally more relaxed environment for me - though I'm guessing Stroud is very different from where I moved from.

The area I live in is a mix of two/three tier school system - depends on catchment. We're in a three tier system catchment area.

Ok so he would come in on the dual carriageway way I think and not need to do Town centre? That might make it a bit better as I think it might be more free flowing till you start coming off then you hit it, but I don’t actually know as haven’t hit it in rush hour.

Thank you! Good to hear you appreciate the quality of life there. We were in London before and we felt that same relief moving to Stroud!

My partner says his work is basically next to the dual carriage way so maybe it wouldn't be so bad! Thank you!

Hey there I’m new too I’m sure it’s fine it’s all related right! What have you decided to do? We’re thinking of moving to Dorset / Poole also and I’m so confused on what to do. X

Hi @Tlenny - we're pretty set on Swanage. Despite the potential for horrific summer commutes it has such a lovely school. I also really prefer a non-middle school system and it has a secondary right in town. The housing is more expensive than where we are atm and I still worry about being quite isolated but we haven't really found a better option. We are looking at moving in the autumn. xxx

If you can afford a second home then that's amazing, alternatively could you consider renting out your current house while you rent something in Dorset so you have time to trial it and check out areas before deciding if to move permanently or head back up north, I know this would still be an upheaval for your children. It may be nicer if yoir husband coukd find a job more locally so you would all be in it together. We live in Hampshire but love Dorset, I personally would prefer to be by the seaside but there are so many lovely villages.

Moved to dorset when I was 10. Great education. Parents moved for health reasons. No regrets.

Hi, I am thinking of moving to Poole in the summer From London as it’s a lovely place,
However I have a mixed race daughter who is due to start secondary school this year I was just wondering about diversity in the area as I don’t want her to suffer racism etc I know it’s a bit of a weird post

You'd be best to start your own thread @Dunker31, this is a zombie one that keeps resurrecting but you'd get more replies with your question at the top.