Anyone in Worcester ???

[yorkiemom]

We are currently thinking of moving to worcester ( if I can get over my stress about moving my dd - whole other thread!!)
I would be really grateful if anyone has any advise about areas, schools etc..
My DD is 6 (yr2) and my ds is just gone 3.
Is this a nice place to bring up children, as quality of life for them is our main reason for moving.

Thanks.

There are a few of us in worcs (meetup on 15th of Nov!)

Worcester is a really nice city - smallish but has most things you need and close to B'ham for other things. Motorway handy for commuting etc.
Property Prices on the high side - £200ish for 3 bed semi in decent area.

V family friendly. Lots of parks, close to beautiful countryside, good kid amenities, a theatre, cinemas, etc.

Schools are mixed though primary are generally pretty good. Secondary schools are not great - there are several VG private schools which cream off the better pupils so standards in the public sector schools are down. However, they are improving.

Schools would be a huge factor, I used to live in Worcester for 7 years on Warndon Villages which was a HUGE new build estate of a whopping number of houses on the North East side and knew we would have to move to get ds1 into a good school (we ended up moving ooop North but that is a different story) There is a good school in the middle of "the villages" called Lyppard Grange but the catchment for it is tiny. This is right near junc 6 of the M5 so great for commuting.

We would have looked to move to St Johns which was on the other side of the river Severn. Quite tradtional, has a little "centre" of shops, butcher, library etc. Decent schools.

Bear in mind where you will be working because if you choose to live on the opposite side of the river there are only 2 crossing points, one in the town centre and one on the ring road. Worcester floods but only near the town centre and so the bridge closes.

Malvern is near which has the Malvern Hills very beautiful, lots of lovely parks etc but I found Worcester to be very limited on the shopping side so Birmingham is a good option for that. I came originally from a very large town so Worcester was a bit of a culture shock! I visit it regularly to see friends.

IMO Lyppard Grange not that great a school (my 2 ds's went there).

Worcester shopping has improved a lot in recent years.

Would you be looking to live near to the city centre ?

Feel free to CAT me for more info (don't want to give too much away about where I am on the board)

I grew up in Worcs, and my parents still live there. Would you be wanting state or private schools? I was one of the better pupils who got creamed off , so am better placed to comment on private ones than state.

I spent my younger years in Fearnhill Heath (half way between Worcs and Droitwich), and then we moved to near what is now a big area called St Peters.

Do you want Worcs itself, or just somewhere in Worcestershire? There are some nice smaller towns/villages surrounding Worcs - places like Upton on Severn perhaps, though you would prob end up travelling into Worcs for most things.

Beware, Upton always floods !

Avoid Dines Green, Tolladine, Ronkswood & Warndon (Warndon Villages is not the same place !)

Yes, good point NDP! Bring galoshes if you buy there .

Lots of development in Diglis has produced a nice 'waterside' feel (was an industrial canal basin, now a contemporary development with a mix of refurbed old houses/warehouses and new builds).

It all depends on your budget really

Thanks Slouchy and Fizzylemonade.
My brother moved to Warndon Villages 2 years ago and loves it there.
I personally think we might be happier nearer the town, Barborne perhaps???
Looks nice anyway, lovely old houses.
I don't know if this makes any difference but we are Catholic, anyone any experience of the catholic schools ???
We are pretty near Birmingham now, about 20 mins drive away, and I can't say I will really miss the Bullring, except Crisp Creme dognuts !!!
Thanks again for your responses.

My private school was Catholic yorkiemom, but you haven't responded re whether private is an option for you?

Sorry while I was typing I have had more responses, thanks very much.
Nomdeplumeofbonfiresmoke, sorry to sound like a dumbo but what does CAT me mean??? Would be interested to find out as much as I can.
Thanks v much again.

Sorry Cantsleep, I don't think our budget would stretch to private for both children so I would think state.
Thanks

Contact Another Talker . It basically allows MNHQ to give you my email address so we talk about it off board

Barnourne good and there is a great catholic primary there (St Georges, I think). The state Catholic secondary is Blessed Edward Oldcorne in Battenhall (it's voluntary aided). AFAIK it has good exam results but I know that bullying is quite a big prob there

Battenhall is nice too

Sorry NomDePlume, what a thicko!!!!!
How do I go about that ???

(BTW, Barnourne was a typo !)

I think you have to subscribe to use it (pay £5 to MN), you click on the 'contact a mumsnetter' tab on the top row (if you use mumsnet classic) underneath the mumsnet logo.

If you can't CAT or don't want to pay £5 just to talk to me (I wouldn't blame you), then I can tell you what I know without any personal info.

. Battenhall is where my parents live (it's near St Peters, but I was trying not to be too specific ). It's also where my school was. I didn't realise that Blessed Eds was Catholic, despite being so close!! If you do choose that area to live then I would be happy to help where I can with specifics.

Thanks NomDePlume, you have been really helpful.
Both the areas you have mentioned are the ones we like.
My situation is really that the area the me and dh have lived in all our lives has rapidly gone down over the last few years, and we are thinking of a better quality of life both for us, but mainly our DD 6 and ds 3.
It would be a big move for us, as apart from my brother who lives in Worcester all our friends and family are here.

My main worry is my DD 6 who is very happy at school, and is madly in love with her best friend of 4 years, who she tells me she will marry when they grow up !!!!
It sounds silly I know, but she will be devastated to leave him behind, and I have to be sure that Worcester is the right move for us.

We are coming to visit my brother this weekend, and are hoping to have a good look around,and try to persuade my dd !!!!
Sorry to go on, and thanks again for your help.

Good areas (imo) off top of my head

-Claines
-Battenhall
-Barbourne (particularly St Georges Sq and Brittania Sq/Albany Terrace/Stephenson Terrace)
-Northwick (on the border with Claines)
-Diglis

Areas also considered to be good

-St Johns (although I'm not overjoyed by it, but it seems very popular!)
-St Peters (new build estate, ok if you like that sort of thing)
-Warndon Villages (see above)
-Beech Avenue (well thought of but surrounding area of Perdiswell not great but ok)
-Norton (again new build estate but a bit more expensive than St Peters and Warndon Villages)

Thanks Cantsleep, Battenhall looks a lovely area.
Sorry I was typing my long waffley response while you had already responded!!!
Thanks very much though.
I will hopefully be back pestering for more info after the weekend .

I'm really curious as to where your folks are now CSWS, I bet I can see them from my study window ! Tell them to give me a wave

Thanks NomDePlume, we do really like older houses, and my dream would be victorian semi !!!
Hoping to have a good look around this weekend,but Barbourne and Battenhall are top of the list at the moment.

Well the 2 fave areas are full of them !

Anyway, I'm off to bed, hopefully I've been of some help to you