Moving to Ripon

[Yorkshirecalling]

DH has a job offer in North Yorks. We’ve done a recce and we really liked Ripon, so just looking for views on what it’s like to be a newcomer there, schools (especially SEND provision), best places to live on the outskirts etc. Our budget is about 500k to buy although we’d probably rent first, and our kids are 12, 10 (with ASD) and 8, so going into years 8, 6 and 4. Many thanks for any insight.

Bumping for MN Ripon experts to see!

Ripon is a fab place to live. You are probably aware but Ripon is one of two areas in North Yorkshire where there is a grammar school system but both secondary schools are rated excellent.

Which side you want to live would probably be slightly dictated by where you need to be on a daily basis - though each village has its own personality - most are lovely - North Stainley has lots of new builds and is a little more marmite, but I am sure you will like it round here!

Thank you! I had seen that both secondaries looked great. I think both would suit different children of mine in their own ways which is good.

I assume for York, it’s much easier to be out that side? We know we weren’t there in school time - is the rush hour traffic bad in term?

Where in York do you need to be? Transport can be a nightmare into York in the morning - over an hour - so you would probably need towards Boroughbridge or south to make it at all doable….

Not York itself thankfully, but it’s that direction!

I've been reading some worrying things about Outwood Academy Trust; does anyone on here have experience of the Outwood School in Ripon?

There are two - a primary and a secondary - both reasonably well regarded. There are usually places in a range of primary schools - especially in the villages - and if you don’t want to use the secondary there are other local options but those would require organising transport.

Ideally I’d love to just send the kid to the local school. It’s just some of the coverage of practices across the Trust schools worry me but I can see there’s some disagreement about the truth of them!