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 !

Saterford house and dagfa both had a reputation for being small and friendly. Both prep school but I think dagfa has a secondary bit too.

I have family in Lowdham - lots going on for families there. Really nice farm shop in walking distance of the village where you can buy heaps of good stuff. You do have to be handy with the sandbags if you live there, but there is a whole other bit of the village on the other side of the railway line which isn't so low lying. (I don't know that bit so well, though). Also you do hear road noise quite a lot from various points round the village which would bother me, though I guess you'd get used to it.

I lived in Arnold not to long ago and really liked it. Good town, friendly people just had a homely feel to the place

Lots of really helpful comments thank you- I am going to ask if MN can move this thread to somewhere where it won't vanish as I am sure it will be helpful to others who are moving to Nottingham too. I wasn't sure where to post it!

I live in Southwell and as people have said it's very nice, lovely shops and cafés with plenty going on in terms of toddler activities and groups.

My DD doesn't go to the largest primary school (infants outstanding, juniors not so much), but opted for a small local village school which is fantastic and has a couple of children from the Oxton village enrolled.

The GHS has a bus which travels from Southwell and goes through the villages on the way - I always see it on my journey to work so you wouldn't have to drive in each day.

Don't discount the local comprehensives though - good results and facilities but a recent change of head may affect this...

Used to live near Linby & Papplewick - nice area, good-ish small primary school which got tanked in its last inspection, nice pubs and close to Hucknall for amenities which has some groups going on for young children.

Grew up with a best friend from Ravenshead - a bit odd with not much atmosphere and certainly no cafe culture. A bit eerie Indiana like for me!

Good luck!

Hi everyone - we're just going to move this over to Property/DIY for the OP so it doesn't disappear.

I am in best wood village and love living so here as it has country parks/stables on doorstep but not many facilities - only one shop/post office and no pub. papplewick/Libby very nice villages. nice village school although difficult to get a place if reception/ ks1, might be easier ks2?

papplewick lane area of hucknall also has some lovely houses, although it would be a lottery 're primary school places as everywhere over subscribed, again particularly ks1.

if more urban /cafe culture then would recommend mapperley - lots of nice independent shops/cafes, good schools. woodthorpe also nice- lots of fab parks all round that area. woodborough is a lively village although you might find it slightly isolated. don't know much about what it is like to live in ravenshead but is a lovely area again and good primary schools (also woodborough woods one of best primaries in the area). feel free to pm for any specifics. good luck :)