Moving to West Sussex Emsworth/Southbourne/Bosham

[Sunnysummersday]

Hi everyone,

First time posting, forgive me if this is in the wrong Talk category! DH and I are looking to move to West Sussex, we've fallen in love with a property in Southbourne and would really like to hear from the locals what the area is like. We hope to start a family in the next few years so are considering schools too. From what I can see online the only primary school catchments for this area are Southbourne infant and junior schools, what are these like? Is Southbourne a nice area?

We would love an honest opinion on the area. Are there nicer places to live nearby? What are the schools like? Are there many young families around? Moving from London we are nervous there won't be many young couples/families but we would love to live by the sea.

Any information would be very much appreciated!

Anyone in the Chichester Harbour area able to help?

Hi, our family are looking to move to Southbourne/Emsworth area as we have seen a property we would like to buy. We would like to hear from the locals what the area and the Secondary schools are like. Thanks in advance.

Hi. I live in this area- really lovely and the schools are good.There is a current issue with southern water dumping sewage though.
Secondary schools- mixed reports from those attending I’d imagine but I’ve had experience with Bourne and Chichester high school and they’ve both been fine. The actual building of Bourne is quite dated.
Bishop luffa is the preferred school locally but I’d a church school so harder to get in to

Hi Grapewrath, thanks for this. Is this sewage dumping affecting any beaches nearby? we were also considering buying in one of these developments at Old Broyle Road or Oving Road in Chichester but they seem a bit far out of town and my kids would not be able to walk to the high school, it seems easier/quicker to get to Chi city centre from Southbourne than from one of these developments!

Hi, Yes the sewage is definitely a problem on all the beaches around here. However most discharges are either during or after heavy rainfall. Southern Water have already been fined once. Having said that I swim regularly in the summer, you just have to wait a couple of days. Beach life is a huge part of living here.
All the schools are pretty good in this area, primary and secondary.
Getting to Chichester is easy from Southbourne; train or bus. Not sure about Oving. Broyle Rd leads in to the town centre.

Yea they are quite a walk but lots of the kids do them! I’d say it’s about 45 mins from shop whyke and half an hour from Broyle. Agree it’s easier to get the train but bear in mind they are packed at that time.
If you consider the local villages which have chi high as catchment they provide a free bus service- so tangmere, Lavant etc

Also if you’re considering Chichester central midhurst Rother college is easily accessible by bus

If we moved to Southbourne, kids would probably go to Bourne College, it does make sense. I checked about public transport from Broyle or ShopWhyke to Chi High or town and I thought it'd be easier. Something like walking 10min to take the bus, 10min journey and then other 10min walk to the High School? I don't drive so my priority is having buses/train that takes me to places.