Loughborough vs nearby villages

[Nnmama]

We are going to move to the UK early next year, and are desperately looking for some advices....We are looking for a home with close proximity to Loughborough where my elder son is now studying in secondary. At the same time we need to have good primary schools nearby our new home for my younger son. We are considering both inside Loughborough and neighbouring villages like Coalville, Sheshed, East Leake, Barron Upon Soar, Thringstone, Mountsorrel.... any comments on these areas are truly welcome.

We note that there are quite a lot of property developers like David Wilson Homes, Avant Homes, Jelson Homes, etc...Have you heard anything particularly good or bad about these developers?
Many thanks

The places named such as Quorn and Woodhouse Eaves are very pretty but very very very expensive. I live in a village near the so called grim places which may not have all the prettiness of the posher places but have a lovely community feel. One of the reasons we moved here was the prices being at a level we could afford. The reason we have stayed is how lovely people are and will always say hello and chat. The surrounding countryside is also lovely. Just think it is rude to describe an area as grim as not everyone earns the salaries often quoted on Mumsnet. The schools may not be as good as certain areas but my daughter just got a first class degree so she has done alright in the local schools.

Loughborough is very ‘students versus townies’ imo... quite divided.

It all depends on

A) budget
B) reliability of bus route to eldest’s secondary school ..,

Putting in a word for Ashy-de-la Zouch and the villages on the A512,
Coleorton, Swannington, Osgathorpe, Belton, Long Wharton.
All lovely if you have the money.

Whatton

What are people talking about? It’s really common to see kids travel to Loughborough grammar from Oadby and then get on the train. Oadby is full of families that send their kids across Leicestershire’s private schools and Loughborough Grammar is very popular!

Thanks so much for all your valuable comments. They are so very useful to us.

We are actually looking at a new development in East Leake but then it seems like the primary schools there are already full. We have to drop it unwillingly.

We would like to know if the primary schools of any other towns/villages are having similar demand over supply situation? By the time we arrive we will be in-year application which will pose additional difficulty for my younger son to get in good schools.

There is yet another new development in Sileby and would love to hear your comments about this village too.

We are also struggling whether we shall go for a new-build. How do you think about this?

@lljkk

don't rely on commuting on M1 --very congested

Do you go North or South, I commute north in the morning and haven't seen a queue since March 2020 and the daily accidents around the airport junctions stopped at that tine too

@gavisconismyfriend

Loughborough is pretty grim as are Shepshed and Coalville, Thringstone and others in the area. Mountsorrel, Barrow, woodhouse eaves etc are much nicer. Lots of private school buses service Fairfield, the grammar, high school and convent from villages across the local counties so that’s worth looking into too when you consider particular villages

I'm surprised that you say that Loughbrough is grim, there are some lovely houses around the Nanpantan Road area, great open areas on the doorstep and easy to get to just about all the larger towns and cities.

I agree that if you can afford to avoid Coalville and some parts of Shepshed

What is your budget?

Another shout out for Woodhouse Eaves. It's a gorgeous village with Beacon Hill and Outwoods on the doorstep.

tbh, lborolass, you're just confirming that 'normal' on M1 near Leicester junctions is horrendous. Also agree, it's worse coming from the south in the evenings. Fridays esp. awful.

@lljkk

tbh, lborolass, you're just confirming that 'normal' on M1 near Leicester junctions is horrendous. Also agree, it's worse coming from the south in the evenings. Fridays esp. awful.

Your definition of horrendous I think must be different to mine

I've found the M1 to be a breeze since covid but before living in this area I had a commute that involved crossing a river where the traffic went down to a crawl everyday

I am in East Leake, moved here a few years ago. I like it, monthly food market, pre Covid lots of village events - is a great village to raise family. The schools are full yes, but there is a plan to open a new primary to help with places in the near future. Yes there is a lot of housing and the village has grown but so have many villages. The drive to Loughborough is only 15-20 minutes and three main routes so easy to avoid traffic, supermarkets in close towns, lots of clubs and a variety of clubs for kids. I am bias though as I feel like I've found home moving here.

Quorn is lovely but more expensive. Barrow upon soar and Sileby are also good and not quite as expensive. Sileby has 2 primary schools plus there’s 2 small schools in Cossington and Seagrave that Sileby kids get into so more choice than some of the neighbouring villages.

@Nnmama

Thanks so much for all your valuable comments. They are so very useful to us.

We are actually looking at a new development in East Leake but then it seems like the primary schools there are already full. We have to drop it unwillingly.

We would like to know if the primary schools of any other towns/villages are having similar demand over supply situation? By the time we arrive we will be in-year application which will pose additional difficulty for my younger son to get in good schools.

There is yet another new development in Sileby and would love to hear your comments about this village too.

We are also struggling whether we shall go for a new-build. How do you think about this?

I'd research the companies and the area layout, before you buy a new build e.g. Risk of flooding in the area, the road and drainage system layout, if it's on a hilly part, ect

I live in that area.

Sileby is ok, but at the "lower end" of the "naiceness". I believe one of the primary schools is in special measures at the moment.

It's easy to get into Loughborough from all the villages really, Mountsorrel / Rothley (kind of turning into one place now, Rothley think they're better than Mountsorrel, but they're quite similar really.) Barrow on a par with Mountsorrel / Rothley I guess.

Quorn think they're extremely posh and look down upon the other villages.

Have you considered Cropston / Thurcaston? They're lovely and Thurcaston village has a lovely primary school, always undersubscribed due to catchment area.

Anstey less "nice" - probably on a par with Sileby.

The very very nice places - Woodhouse Eaves, Woodhouse etc are quite expensive, so it depends on your budget.

There is a squeeze on school places at the moment in the general area, due to all the building going on, so there's that to consider.

@Gorkastalker

I live in that area.

Sileby is ok, but at the "lower end" of the "naiceness". I believe one of the primary schools is in special measures at the moment.

It's easy to get into Loughborough from all the villages really, Mountsorrel / Rothley (kind of turning into one place now, Rothley think they're better than Mountsorrel, but they're quite similar really.) Barrow on a par with Mountsorrel / Rothley I guess.

Quorn think they're extremely posh and look down upon the other villages.

Have you considered Cropston / Thurcaston? They're lovely and Thurcaston village has a lovely primary school, always undersubscribed due to catchment area.

Anstey less "nice" - probably on a par with Sileby.

The very very nice places - Woodhouse Eaves, Woodhouse etc are quite expensive, so it depends on your budget.

There is a squeeze on school places at the moment in the general area, due to all the building going on, so there's that to consider.

Thanks for comments. Is it very much difference between independent schools and states ones for primary? while state school places nearby home is no guarantee, struggling if independent school should be a way out....

Don’t waste your money at the Loughborough endowed schools as they are just production lines for the dullest of the dull. Leadership is shockingly weak and teachers hate children unless they are as boring as hell or of a certain “persuasion” Nice link route into Loughborough town centre where they can mingle with the local “Characters” Oh and BTW, anyone can fluff up a nice caring promotional video, all you need is an iPhone and some slow motion “Happy” looking kiddies!! Good luck in your quest, oh...and BTW your remarks about Shepshed, Coalville and other salt of the earth areas are extremely offensive, on that basis LHS will be the perfect fit for you. (Aledgedly)

Sorry to also jump on this thread but you all know the area so well! We are also moving to Leicestershire and looking at where to live; we have never been there. Have down Quorn, Woodhouse Eaves etc but am seeing really nice houses for sale over in direction of Melton Mowbray and Hicking, Harby (Vale de Belvoir area). Would the commute to Loughborough be horrendous from those areas? Have looked at it on google maps but that doesn't tell you really how bad the traffic can get. We will have to travel into Loughborough for work and school. Would really like a secluded rural location/village.

@Daisy1812 gosh Daisy you really don't like those schools. How long did your children go there for? Was it recently?

Hi @RogerRogerDomino it’s not a case of not liking the schools I’m just giving my opinion. I just think they are not worth the money. Pastoral care really need to look up in a dictionary what the job title means and try and act on the definition. LHS especially…

Coalville is horrific, just don’t even go there if you can avoid it.
Loughborough is busy, lots of cyclists on the pavements and can be quite loud and boisterous.
I think if you have the transport to be in a smaller village like quorn that’s a better option personally.

Coalville - not pretty but most bang for your buck

Loughborough - massive drugs problem per capita

Quorn - Nouveau riche, some rough areas though and people of complete knobs

Personally I’d go to Farm Town (Near Coleorton) or Spinney Hills in Leicester x

I grew up in Woodhouse Eaves and it is a lovely village. I went to school in Quorn which again is a lovely village.

I also went to school in Shepshed which is a shit hole as is Coalville.

My sister lives in Loughborough and its OK but can be rough in parts. The university certainly helps.

I used to live in Barrow and it is a really nice village, as is Mountsorrel now the A6 doesn't go straight though it!

It depends on your budget tbh. If you have plenty of cash, I'd move to Woodhouse Eaves. If not then Quorn or Barrow

@Daisy1812

Don’t waste your money at the Loughborough endowed schools as they are just production lines for the dullest of the dull. Leadership is shockingly weak and teachers hate children unless they are as boring as hell or of a certain “persuasion” Nice link route into Loughborough town centre where they can mingle with the local “Characters” Oh and BTW, anyone can fluff up a nice caring promotional video, all you need is an iPhone and some slow motion “Happy” looking kiddies!! Good luck in your quest, oh...and BTW your remarks about Shepshed, Coalville and other salt of the earth areas are extremely offensive, on that basis LHS will be the perfect fit for you. (Aledgedly)

I grew up there and your 'salt of the earth' is my 'rough as a dogs arse'.

There is almost nothing to commend Coalville or Shepshed.

And OP, Sileby is not much better tbh

We are now looking at buying in Osgathorpe, seems a very pretty village so hope it is a good choice. Quorn etc look very nice but nothing much for sale there at the moment, market crazy and properties are selling so fast!