Relocation relocation relocation,(smile)

[bubbleandsqueak]

Hi all, I am thinking about moving to the Dorset area and am looking to buy and live there with DP,DD, and DS. Does anyone have any opinions on where is best for kids, ie schools, health-DS is an asthmatic and we want to be not to far from the sea. I like the idea of Bournemouth, Poole or maybe Christchurch,I appreciate any help or advice you may have. Cheers

Can I ask why? I have to say out of all the Counties I have always thought Dorset the most bland.

Yes Lojomojo, Dorset is bland, nothing to see here, tourists keep going on to Devon and Cornwall, please don't stop here .

Now bubbleandsqueak. What sort of thing are you looking for from an area that you live in ? Do you prefer being in a town or would you like to be a bit more rural ? What type of house are you looking for ?

Healthcare is pretty good down here so I think you would probably be fine with any of the 3 you have mentioned.

The secondary school in Christchurch that is supposed to be good is Twynham School. Don't know anything about the primary schools there. There are a few MNetters who can help with the Poole & Bournemouth schools and I can help you with Wimborne. Poole and East Dorset currently have the lower, middle & upper school system though I think Poole is changing to primary and secondary quite soon. There are also Grammar schools still in Poole and Bournemouth.

Dorset is a fantastic place to live. You are close to the sea and the New Forest and surrounded by gorgeous countryside. Loads and loads to do and see.

Hi lojomojo and chocolateteapot, thanks for the info, we are moving back from France and need some where that suits both me and DH. We currently live in a small ski resort, which of course DH and kids love, as a replacement in the we are looking for access to water sports. DD and DS are 9 and 6 years, and have been in school here for 3 years and are just begining their 4th year, so we have issues language although they are both fluent English speakers their reading and writing skills are lacking. I was born and brought up in London and am keen to avoid it as I 'have been there and done that,' Brighton was a possibility but many people say that its like london but by the sea, so am not that keen but I am open to suggestions? I have been to Dorset a few times and I really enjoyed it, and thought it would be a good place to settle in. What I really need is an insiders point of view on Bournemouth, Poole and Christchurch, so if you have any more comments I would appreciate them.
Cheers

hi myjobismum, great to get more feedback on the Dorset area. I am desperate to be near a town, I have been living in isolation for 3 years and really need to get back to civilisation! However I take on board your comments about the surounding villages, I would like this move to be my last move although we have said that for the last 3 moves. In essence I am looking for an environment where we can all be satisfied in. Not to far from civilisation and easy access to accident and emergency as well as not to far from the sea. I know I'm not asking for much but hey gotta see if its out there!!!!! I guess my question to you would be, where would you move to if you had the oppertunity?

we've just moved to Poundbury in Dorchester. Close to the sea, towns (Poole, Bournemouth, Weymouth). Good local schools and lots to do.

We moved from London to Poole about 6years ago, and chose the Lower Parkstone area of Poole, which is close to Sandbanks and the beach, handy for Poole & Bournmouth. Good schools. Friendly - lots of people moving into the area from outside. The other area we were recommended was Broadstone. Think about whether you want town or country life.
(We are now back in London for various reasons though)

Oh yes, Dorset is really bland. Dh had a day off today and it was dd's last day before starting school. We couldn't decide whether to go to the beach, the New Forest, the Purbecks, the local farm park, on the open top bus, or Oceanarium. We ended up borrowing a friend's boat and having a picnic afloat in the middle of Poole Harbour then pottering up the river for an ice cream at Wareham. We sat there going "how lucky are we?".

I live just outside Poole but was originally a Londoner. I think it's brilliant down here. There is so much to do - there are theatres, pubs, clubs, comedy bars, loads of live music. You can swim, ice skate, go bowling, sailing, windsurfing, surfing, ski, quad bike. Then of course we have our lovely beaches, we're close to the New Forest and the Purbecks. There's Brownsea Island and Corfe Castle. Tons to do with children.

There are two big hospitals in Bournemouth and Poole, each with A&E, and a small one in Wimborne with a minor injuries unit.

And we have the best meet ups!

If I had the opportunity to move I might possibly go to Holt, Witchampton or Gaunts Common (small villages, wouldn't be what you are looking for from what you have said)as I sometimes think I would like to be a little more rural. But I think I would be hard pushed to leave Wimborne, I love it here. We have got the option of moving nearer the beach if we wanted but I think the traffic in the summer would drive me nuts. Where we are I have routes that can avoid it all. DD has dyspraxia and the care she has received from Poole Hospital has been absolutely superb. At one point during her OT & physio sessions she had one physio and two OTs helping her at the same time to do her exercises. DH gets good care for his diabetes and I think there is an Asthma clinic, Sparkler will probably know.

We did nearly move back to Somerset this summer, as we could have moved back and had practically no mortgage. It went as far as DD doing a day at her new school. But we realised how incredibly lucky we are to live where we do and decided to stay put.

Surfermum, I have discovered the most fantastic place for icecreams - you may well have found it, Barford Farm. In case you haven't it's further down the road by the side of the Football Club, probably about 3 or 4 miles. The most divine chocolate icecream and you can sit out in their really lovely gardens.

bland ???? wh says Dorset is bland.?We are very lucky to live here and as surfermum says we are surrounded by lovely places.Its a great place to live !

mjim do you live at ch ?

Could I hijack this thread please and ask where are the best secondary schools? The secondary in Dorchester looks good on paper, is there anywhere else?

We are considering a big relocation from the midlands, but have 2 primary age children. Hence my interest in schools. It is really difficult to get good information on a place when you live miles away.

TIA

ChocolateTeapot, Barford Farm ice cream is deliscious. It was what we had at the theatre on Saturday. I had the chocolate flavour - sooooo nice. (We are not exactly close to Dorset either so it travels well! )

On the subject of Dorset, I grew up in Hampshire and second the opinion that Dorset is a beautiful place to live.

delicious

Funnily enough DumbledoresGirl, I have a feeling you are now up in my old neck of the woods, I grew up in Bristol. The chocolate is delicious. Embarrassed to say that DH and I made pigs of ourselves and had a cone with chocolate and a scoop of tiramsu. Out of this world - I must not go again until next year now !

Dramaqueen, I have heard that the one in Dorchester is excellent, from someone who used to go there. I would take a guess that it is one of the best in the county. The one in Wimborne is good (and going to be completely rebuilt in 2009) but I don't think it's the standard of the Dorchester one - though the figures are probably a bit skewed as the higher achieving pupils go off to the Grammar schools in Poole. Someone in Poole & Bournemouth can fill you in more about the ones there. Oh Corfe Hills in Poole has a good reputation actually. Again the Grammar school intake will skew their results in comparison those which don't have Grammar schools in the area.

Dramaqueen, Thomas Hardy has an excellent reputation in Dorchester, Just around the corner from me. Hope its just as good in the future so I can send ds there.

Thanks for the replies. I am hoping to have a look round the area at the end of half term.

Now all I need is a nice area to live and a decent primary school in or around Dorchester . Can anyone give me their opinion?

Is that ice cream the stuff they sell at Farmer Palmers? The honeycomb one is flippin' gorgeous.

Oh I don't know Surfermum. If it's not and there's another company who makes gorgeous flavours, please don't tell me !

I love Dorset - we wanted to live in Dorchester - lovely place

Damers Middle school in Dorchester looked v nice - went to visit when we were house hunting there

Hi,
I live on hants/dorset border.

Ringwood schools are excellent.
Senior school is particularly good.

It is a market town,great community atmosphere,loads to get involved in if you want.Easy access to forest and beaches.