Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Property/DIY

Join our Property forum for renovation, DIY, and house selling advice.

Original poster

Moving to Suffolk - where?

78 replies

doornail · 27/01/2023 11:31

I posted this on the education board, but also thought I'd post here for more responses....

Husband wants to move to Suffolk where he's originally from... we are currently in Scotland (where im from) and have 3 kids - primary school and nursery age.

If we could live anywhere in Suffolk, where would you recommend for good schools and a nice area (work from home mostly so that's not an issue)

And can someone please explain to me about how admissions work with schools in England - if we were to live near a good school (do you have catchment areas?) does that guarantee you a place? If not how does it work?

We have a lot to think about and it's all scaring me as I don't understand it at all!

Thanks

OP posts:
PragmaticWench · 27/01/2023 15:11

I'd mostly be thinking ahead to senior school catchment areas (although some schools use feeder-primary school as a higher criteria than catchment area/distance). There are fewer senior schools so less choice around you than at primary level. Do you want town or village or really rural?

Thingsthatgo · 27/01/2023 16:44

I've always fancied Woodbridge in Suffolk

Roselilly36 · 27/01/2023 17:16

Woodbridge looks lovely on the surface, but I found people to be so unfriendly, when I was speaking to some locals that ran businesses in Woodbridge, they blamed second home owners from London. Have you considered Norfolk? We moved from the SE, to Norfolk best move we made, wouldn’t ever move back.

ZoChan · 27/01/2023 18:00

Ipswich! Everywhere is within driving distance: Thetford forest 40mins, seaside 20, Woodbridge 20, London 1 1/2 hours.

Town center is nothing to write home about but the people here are so friendly. It's a proper melting pot. Woodbridge and bury st Ed's are nicer towns, but the people aren't interested in meeting and making new friends. And don't get me started on Stowmarket - if they didn't go to high school with you, they don't want to know 😅

InBerlin · 27/01/2023 18:10

I moved to Suffolk/Norfolk borders ten years ago, it's the most unfriendliest place I've ever lived. But very safe, so worth it.

Wereongunoil · 27/01/2023 18:12

Bury st Edmund's has good high schools.

I'm not sure I'd want to live in the East of the county though

queenofthedryshampoo · 27/01/2023 18:16

Manningtree is a lovely town right on Essex/Suffolk border. There is a station with regular, direct trains to London. Good schools and friendly community. 25 minutes from coast and lots of lovely surrounding countryside. It is equidistant between Ipswich and Colchester which are both about 20 minutes drive. There has been a lot of new houses go up recently though so it isn't as quiet as it was..more traffic alas.

StellaOlivetti · 27/01/2023 18:19

Woodbridge has a very good state school, if that matters.

MalcolmTuckersBollockingface · 27/01/2023 18:21

Roselilly36 · 27/01/2023 17:16

Woodbridge looks lovely on the surface, but I found people to be so unfriendly, when I was speaking to some locals that ran businesses in Woodbridge, they blamed second home owners from London. Have you considered Norfolk? We moved from the SE, to Norfolk best move we made, wouldn’t ever move back.

Completely agree. I found people downright rude, personally.

Leakingtoilet · 27/01/2023 18:22

As said Ipswich is ok, some nice parts, town centre a bit crap but waterfront is nice. People are friendly, and some good high schools on the east side. Also Felixstowe is super friendly, local high school not great but kids do travel elsewhere. Beach is a bonus!

I like Bury. Woodbridge is awful, I don't even really like visiting it's so up its own arse. I've found the people to actually be quite hostile on occasions.

JoonT · 27/01/2023 18:56

queenofthedryshampoo · 27/01/2023 18:16

Manningtree is a lovely town right on Essex/Suffolk border. There is a station with regular, direct trains to London. Good schools and friendly community. 25 minutes from coast and lots of lovely surrounding countryside. It is equidistant between Ipswich and Colchester which are both about 20 minutes drive. There has been a lot of new houses go up recently though so it isn't as quiet as it was..more traffic alas.

God, stay away from Colchester. It is insanely crowded. Of course, greedy property developers don't give a damn about the traffic or the roads or the crowding. They just squeeze together as many ghastly, flimsy new builds as they can. Colchester is the fastest growing town in the UK, and was also voted the unhappiest – no doubt the two are linked. It's basically a grotty market town with the population of a small city.

I have heard others say that Suffolk is unfriendly. Hardly surprising. People find their dream village, and they don't want it ruined by new houses.

Original poster
doornail · 27/01/2023 19:38

@PragmaticWench - I'm not sure where we'd want to be tbh - at the moment we live in a tiny village, but before we moved here I was always in a city and while I love how safe it is here for the kids I don't love how cliquey it can be at times and I do miss being able to walk to shops etc.
It worries me that so many people are saying places in Suffolk are unfriendly as my main reluctance to leave where we are is that I have such good friends around (not so much in the village, but within 10-20mins drive! and I am scared that we know no one there except a couple of husbands old school friends who are spread out and who are also at v different life stages (their kids are older).
We don't need to be within commuting distance of anywhere for work, so I'm kind of pinning my needs on schools and hoping that we can find a place that we will be welcomed and feels safe.
We would have what should be a healthy budget, but I honestly don't know how far it would stretch if in a desirable area for schools as I am aware that house prices will vary considerably i depending on how good the schools nearby are. We'd be looking at (non-denominational) state schools unless we could get a house for half the price and use the savings on the house towards school fees!

OP posts:
thebellagio · 27/01/2023 19:53

I live in Suffolk.

ipswich is a great town to live in, but the high street is abysmal. Depending on where you live, public transport is hit and miss. But there is good transport links to London, Cambridge, Norwich. Depending on your budget, areas like Bucklesham, Ufford, Witnesham are all gorgeous.

Woodbridge is lovely but NOTORIOUSLY hostile to new people, as is Aldeburgh. It’s well known locally that when Roy Keane was manager of ITFC, he was hounded out of both because of being “new money”, in the same way that there are some people in Framingham who complain to the council about everything that Ed Sheehan does to his house even though he does so much for the local community.

don’t even think about Stowmarket, or Lowestoft. Felixstowe is nice, and Bury St Ed’s is also lovely.

it depends whether you want to live rurally or near a big town.

but as picturesque as Suffolk is, there are places that are seriously deprived (Haverhill, Sudbury, Lowestoft, Hadleigh). But because it’s seen as “second home county” it gets little support from the government.

Selfesteem22 · 27/01/2023 19:54

In the villages I would imagine many/most of.the primary schools are church of England - I like Bury St Edmunds- good schools I think if you were prepared think Norfolk- then Norwich or some of the villages around it might be good- Woodbridge pricey and I suspect quite posh - sorry but don't like Ipswich at all

Kenwoodmixitup · 27/01/2023 19:58

Bungay / Beccles - good high schools. Accessible to Norwich and the east coast.

Stickortwister · 27/01/2023 20:09

I like bury st edmunds. Schools are good and the town centre is really nice. Shouldnt need to go private as plenty of good state schools. Its also not far from cambridge which is good for jobs/ museums/ shopping/ sixth forms.

There are some nice bits of ipswich but the town centre isnt great. Generally i think the west of the county is nicer than the east.

I live in a village near to bury st edmunds and it can be a bit marmite as to whether you like it..... a bit claustrophobic at times but very safe and lovely countryside. We moved here 16 years ago and cant see us ever moving so that must mean something!
Its not hostile as such but the village politics and gossip can at times be a pita but ive made really good friends, and there is definitely a community feel. Having nursery or primary aged children is a massive advantage for making new friends. Despite being a family of atheists my children have all gone to the cof e village primary- the amount of religion is minimal.

You probably need to come for a visit and get a feel for it.

SD25 · 27/01/2023 21:48

I think the point about 'hostility' is because they've seen their town and local area fill with Londoners etc and now nobody local can afford to live there. A bit like Cornwall.

Branleuse · 27/01/2023 21:51

Ipswich would be my choice regarding transport links, things to do and schooling, although there are some rough bits, but i quite like the centre.
Aldeburgh or southwold is lovely but not sure of schools. I also quite like felixstowe, but again, not sure about schools

EmmaGrundyForPM · 27/01/2023 21:57

We moved to Woodbridge last month. Early days, but everyone so far has been very welcoming. It's a "proper" town and not filled with 2nd home properties. The secondary school is apparently very good.

IvyLeagueUnderTheSea · 27/01/2023 21:58

Nice to see some Ipswich love.

Everyone is normally so quick to run it down. Yes the town centre has seen better days but the waterfront is nice. It’s was just found to be the best town in the U.K. for sports facilities and the 3rd best for parks (behind Norwich and York).

I moved here 20 years ago and have made loads of friends.

But, there are areas to avoid. I’m more than happy to help. Pm if you like.

IvyLeagueUnderTheSea · 27/01/2023 22:00

Ipswich sports. www.ipswichstar.co.uk/news/23243916.ipswich-sports-complexes-per-person-uk/

MrsSkylerWhite · 27/01/2023 22:00

Honestly, if education is your primary concern, I’d stay in Scotland. University fees are a chain around the neck that must young people can do without.

Notonthestairs · 27/01/2023 22:02

Debenham & Eye (north Suffolk) have brilliant secondary schools and are nice places to live. I don't know about primary schools.
Eye is roughly 4/5 miles to Diss (Norfolk/Suffolk border) and has an intercity to Norwich & south to Ipswich/Colchester/London.

Original poster
doornail · 27/01/2023 22:59

I will look at all your suggestions thanks. DH would consider Cambridge area too, and is keen on Bury St E - one friend of his lives there. I have a v good friend in Essex, so if we were moving there I think I'd prefer to be more south than north, but I honestly don't know as we haven't spent much time there & I can't quite get my head around how we actually can get a feel for a place before moving & it's feels slightly insane to me. I guess that's why I'm pinning things on schools as if we have something to pin us to a particular location (as work doesn't) then that will help narrow things down.
I guess we might have a summer holiday there... dont think we are moving for a while, but it's basically what he ultimately wants and I know I can't argue with it forever so if we are doing it I want to do it right!

OP posts:
EmmaGrundyForPM · 27/01/2023 23:09

Funnily enough, we've moved from just outside Cambridge to Woodbridge. Cambridge is great in some ways, loads of things for kids to do, but the countryside is very boring and traffic in Cambridge is a nightmare.

We are loving being by the river, a few minutes drive to the beach and fantastic forest and heathland to walk in.

It's only been 7 weeks, but we are really enjoying it so far. Woodbridge is really vibrant.