Help please- anyone know nottingham?

[Nottsmove16]

We are hoping to move to Nottingham with baby and 3 yr old and don't know it at all. Would appreciate help with any of the following questions please...

The villages around NE nott, particularly Woodborough and OXton etc look lovely but are there any toddler groups or activities etc to make friends at?

Is the commute to nottingham girls high ok? ( will miss application deadlines for Woodborough woods etc and get the impression they are over subscribed as excellent schools?) . Hate driving and dont want to spend life in the car.

Where would one go for a coffee shop/ wander/ chat with people ?

With a young family is it better to live on west Bridgeford side if I want to make friends?
Would the commute from villages on WB side eg Plumtree be a nightmare?

Thanks !

Boy's school is academically selective, I'm not sure about the Girl's. It may be that the boy's school ends up taking the top students from the Girl's.

Suspect girls school will eventually fold unfortunately. Or merge.

Very invested in this personally with 3 daughters (eldest 9) living equidistant from nottingham and loughborough.

I went to a girls school back in the day, which had the same set up as nottingham. Girls school traditionally out performed the boys . Boys school went co-ed, numbers dropped at girls school, new co-ed school had better results year on year. Within 5 years the girls school had to be merged with the coed.

Suspect the same will happen in nottingham.

Sad as I feel strongly about a single sex education for my daughters, who will now go to loughborough.

there will be very few West Bridgford properties with large gardens.

Oh and Gunthorpe floods and gets cut off so you can notget in or out of the village.

I hope not The 2 schools work together for plays/concerts so it would be a shame. Derby Grammar is a boy's school but has girls in the 6th form, there's also Derby High which takes boys in the infants I think so there isn't really a boys/girls only school here apart from Loughborough. Not sure about Hollygirt.

Ah I see. Presumably there will still be demand for those that want single sex education though. i guess will have chances to reevaluate schools at various ages eg 7, 11, 16.

Started reading about other prep schools too- salterford house is near Woodborough and there is an independent school in Plumtree. Anyone had any experience of them?

Nope, sorry. I moved from Derby so know the private schools there. Ockbrook is a girl's school (co ed for primary), surrounded by a small town and countryside. It's not too far from Nottingham.

Sorry missed a few posts there when typing. I can see how the uncertainty over the next 5-10 years would push you towards Loughborough. Hopefully by the time mine are older things will have stabilised one way or the other.

We looked around plumtree several years ago, it's was small. 8-10 children per year. (Possibly less?)

It had a rounded community/ family ethos. Very musical. And is considerably cheaper than other independent options. But was too small for us.

It was founded/ run by a husband and wife teacher team, sadly the wife died a few years ago and her husband has moved on, so it's under new management/ leadership. But no dramatic changes or so I understand.

We have friends with children who have been through the school who have been happy there.

I lived in Chilwell/Beeston as a child. Am amazed to hear of the tram! Last time I was there it was striking miners in the street, or the pop van. (Sorry no help at all, OP. I loved Nottingham from a child pov tk though.)

Woodborough is lovely lovely lovely, but nothing there anymore....not even a village shop at the moment (2 nice pubs though). If you want village, I would look at Lowdham or Papplewick.

Up in size a bit Ravenshead or Wollaton. Wollaton for me because it's much closer to town and has the gorgeous park. Also quite up and coming- just got a Big Waitrose, for example.

I do love Bridgford, but would not live there...20k more for same house as Lots of other places, very overlooked by rows of other houses and not enough green. Great restaurants and shops though

Heading towards Loughborough it's all quite lovely- Bunny, Riddington etc.

Stay away from Bestwood and Hucknall....some lovely areas, but too unpredictable.

Southwell to high school could well take an hour on a busy morning.

Bestwood has no nice areas it's not to be confused with Bestwood Village which is ok in parts.

Be aware of Estate Agents misdescribing house location, e.g. they're fond of saying Sherwood for houses in Forest Fields.

I can't say that I'm that impressed with WB. The bits close to "cafe culture" are all Victorian cottages in narrow streets and a parking nightmare. The nicer houses tie you to the car. WB is not on the tram line.

And you pay a schools' premium, which is a bad deal if you are going private.

I would recommend looking at areas to the south of the city on the extended tram line. It would be easy to get into the city, and easy to get to school.

My DDs will be going to NGHS and we are looking at the Beeston/Chilwell area (if nothing comes up in The Park). It looks like a 30 minute tram ride according to the preliminary timetables.

The other areas that are good for NGHS are Mapperley and Sherwood, where it is a straight run down the A60, with plenty of buses.

Lots more posts, thank you everyone.

Avoid Bestwood. Too close to grimsville.

Ravenshead/Papplewick are lovely but the A60 can be a nightmare to get through - Ravenshead is a bottleneck.

Mapperley is nice.

can anyone tell me any more about the Mapperley Park area please? What are the green spaces like? Any playgrounds? Would it be ok going out for a walk with small children on bikes and scooters?

What sort of shops are there at Mapperly Top?

Thanks

Mapperley park is different to Mapperley. Mapperley Park is nearer the city, it has some lovely big houses and doesn't really have a centre as such. Traditionally there was a problem with prostitution in some parts, but it has been a while since I lived there.

Mapperley is a proper suburb, you could walk with bikes & scooters there and it has a park. Nice garden centre with a little farm park down a lane too. Mapperley top has a nice mix of standard shops and newer trendy shops and cafes.

Thank FaFoutis- was this what you meant? This looks great and would make my daughter very happy! www.floralands.co.uk/

Yes! My 3 loved it there.

Mapp park - large private, gated homes. No shops or parks per se, but close to Mansfield road for supermarkets and shops. mapperley Park not at all like the areas that surround it. Not sure what state schools Mapp park is in catchment for. A lot of families go private.

Mapperley - slightly villagey feel where the shops are. Lots of parks and very close to the new Gedling Country Park.

If I were you, I would also look at Nottingham High School as well as Nottingham Girls' as it's just about to start going co-ed as others have said and it is absolutely fantastic.

Thanks. I think I am keen on single sex education when she is older but seems such a long way off will certainly reevaluate it later.