Poole?

[MamaDuckling]

Hello there,

We are looking at a possible relocation for work to Poole (or surrounding area), and I was looking here to see if I could find any recent threads - I couldn’t!

We are interested in the Bournemouth side of Poole - Lower Parkstone, Lilliput, Canford Cliffs to Westbourne etc. Am I right I’m thinking that these are the better areas still? Any more detailed info on these would be so appreciated.

We would need to consider proximity to both primary and secondary schools, and would like to have a shot with the Grammar system next year - so any advice on that would be much appreciated too.

thanks in advance!

Hopeful evening bump 😬

Hello op, all these areas are lovely but also expensive. It depends on your budget really and where you are moving from.
There are grammar schools in Poole and Bournemouth but also very good state schools that I can pm you.

Yes please do, I’m a bit confused about secondary locations/catchments and where we’d likely be sending DS to secondary if we lived in say, Lower Parkstone or Lilliput and he didn’t get into a grammar.

Budget should be healthy as coming from London, up to £1.25m ish.

Main goal is walkable or cycling distance to beaches and coffee shops!

I think it would be Poole High from those areas but could be wrong. Think I heard they have what they call a Grammar stream there. There’s also St. Peter’s in some circumstances which was one popular for 6th form a few years ago.

Suspect Baden Powell for Juniors is worth a look as the current head taught my DC some time ago and seemed very competent and they both liked her.

The Grammars aren’t everyone’s cup of tea. DS decided a couple of weeks before the Poole test to have a go and went into the exam totally cold and failed by half a point. He has dyslexia and would have most likely passed with a bit of practice. He decided to look at 6th form as did well at GCSE and really didn’t like either Bournemouth or Poole - in his words he hated Poole which is very strong words from him and I don’t think either of them would have got the best out of him. I know a lot who have thrived though.

If I were moving now I’d be looking at Lytchett Minster which I have rarely heard anything bad about but that doesn’t fit with your criteria for the house.Also DS is my youngest and just finished A levels so I may be a bit out of date now.

Oh wow you'll get a lovely house for that price!

Thanks both, yes I had a look last night and seems Poole High would be the closest. All the secondary’s seems clustered near the grammars?

Lower Parkstone Bh14 and BH13 catchment for secondary school is Poole High. It’s got a good reputation these days but it is massive - 13 form entry. For junior schools it would be Baden Powell and Ocean Academy. The other secondary option might be St Edwards but you would need to live very close (and upper Parkstone is very different to lower!) or you would need to be catholic. The other secondary schools in Poole are not so great. You have the right budget for Lower Parkstone, Lilliput, Canford Heath and Branksome Park. Westbourne is Bournemouth and completely different school allocations.

From personal experience Lilliput infants and Baden juniors are excellent schools

Canford Cliffs sorry not Canford Heath.