Torquay

[movingtodevon1]

We have (naively) brought a house not knowing the area well (moving from Wiltshire for work) and after reading several threads on MN I'm starting to panic!
Please tell me there are nicer parts of Watcombe!
The house we are about to complete on is on the top right edge of Watcombe right next to Brunel Woods, the street seems lovely and very quiet/tidy.
I have heard that Torquay isn't the nicest of towns and has more than its share of problems so not going into the move with our eyes completely shut but am really hoping that we haven't made a massive mistake! I need positivity!.... if possible 🤣

Also what are the primary schools like, we have two children, one is about to leave this year for secondary but we have several years to go with the youngest and really need to find a good school that suits her - will be aiming for the Grammars when the time comes.

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@movingtodevon1 The Devon grammars are super selective so relatively few get in. Have you seen the stats for pass rates? At this stage you are a late applicant for schools so you will just get allocated one. Have you contacted the LA regarding school places? I’ve no idea if the schools are good but you need to check which ones actually have spaces in the years you want. It’s unlikely you will just get to choose.

Thanks for the reply, yes my elder daughter took the Torbay 11+ and received 3 yes's so fingers crossed she will have a secondary place come September.
Regarding primary's my youngest is also naturally bright and working at above expected in all three main categories so looking for a school where she will flourish.

Looking at the government statistics for the schools in the area most seem to not be at capacity so hoping there is a certain amount of choice when I contact the LA

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The grammars in Devon are definitely not super selective. They take the more academic children, obviously, but it's perfectly possible to get in for a child working at above expectations. A lot of children seem to have tuition but it's not necessary as long as you can do some preparation with them.
As far as I know, that part of Torquay is nice but it's not somewhere I know well at all. There are certainly some nice parts but there are others which are extremely run down, the town centre being one of them. If you love the sea and the outdoors, you will probably enjoy it down in Devon.

You already know the grammar system, Colyton is super selective but the Torquay ones are easier to get into (still hard!) so all good. These seaside towns are rough in the centre but have pockets of prosperity and pick up in the Spring onwards, plus there are amazing places to visit all over Devon, its a big county.

Thank you so much for taking the time to reply! Yes my daughter had no tuition, coming from a non grammar area we had no idea what was needed to prepare so I brought a math and English 11+ book off Amazon and left her to it!
Luckily she passed so we have applied for TGGS, Churston and Spires grammar stream.... hopefully we will get one of them 🤞🏽
So glad you think the area we are moving to is ok! My anxiety was beginning to rocket!
Hopefully someone will come along and list the better primary's in Torquay..... or just those to avoid!

Thats for replying, I've always loved Devon, but have stuck to east Devon (my grandparents lived in Exmouth) so this move is to uncharted territory😅
The coastline around Torquay is amazing though and to be able to walk to (albeit a steep hill) a quiet cove with the dog regularly will be fantastic!

Watcombe is fine! Out of all the places you could have randomly picked, that one is grand and I wouldnt worry too much. Definitely check out babbacombe, st marychurch and maidencombe which are near you and the nicer parts of Torquay for teas/coffees and nice walks.

I worked in watcombe and never felt unsafe. Torquay isn't the best area but it is by far not the worst area in the south west.
The woods are lovely to walk in.
There's building work going on at watcombe manor. The main building used to be a mental institution.

Oh and TGGS is a brilliant school especially if your child(ren) is/are aiming for university.

Thank you so much! I'd convinced myself after reading several threads on here that we had made a massive mistake and it was turning what should be an exciting adventure into an anxiety inducing nightmare!
After hearing what you all have to say I can rest a little easier tonight!

I’m sure there are equally rough parts of Wiltshire, areas around Salisbury especially have a bad rep!

People complain about Exeter at night these days too so I wouldn't worry too much.
Check a crime map for more accurate stats on the road you are moving too.

My extended family lived in St Mary Chrurch and Babbacombe. They were lovely places.

I was born in Torquay and went to the girls grammar school. You will be near maidencombe, stokeinteignhead and shaldon all of which are nice. The town is like many dead and horrible but there s a good shopping centre called the willows. Big marks and Spencer, Sainsbury’s, next and boots

Can't offer any advice on Watcombe or the primaries; I live over the border in Somerset. But it's a fab area to live generally. Close to Exeter & Plymouth; once you get on the M5 it's easy to get to Bristol, Cardiff & London. Train lines to Cornwall, London, Bristol & onwards.
So many attractions which you can visit all year round; beaches, moors, forests, lakes etc.
The North Devon beaches aren't far if you get on the link road or the Crediton road; & getting to Cornwall is easy too.

I have relatives who live in Babbacombe and that’s a nice part, along with St Marychurch. The town centre is pretty rundown but it was in the news a month or two ago that it’s one of the seaside towns that the government has identified to have millions of pounds investment so that’s a positive.

I don't think that is accurate. Torbay has Torquay Boys, Torquay Girls, Churston (mixed) and 60 selective places at The Spires College. Non selective there is Brixham, Paignton, Torquay and St Cuthbert Mayne and the rest of the places at The Spires College. Basically 4 selective and 5 non selective. Not sure how that is super selective.

I think Colyton is probably super selective but I'm not sure many Torbay children would go nearly 50 miles away when there are perfectly good grammars on their doorstep.

To be fair to the previous poster to many super selective means that places are offered only on how well you do in exams not on catchment, (where as many grammars take 11+ passers in order of catchment) so in that sense the Torquay grammars are super selective, but yes I do know what you mean.

Devon is not a grammar county in the same way as Bucks is. All dc can take the 11 plus in Bucks for 13 grammar schools. So Devon has 5 grammars? Presumably large distances travelled by some dc when they qualify. So presumably the largest majority of dc in Devon are in comps.

I think 7 grammars but presumably much lower change of getting into one.

Really hoping someone will be able to steer me towards or away from the primary schools.
Does anyone know which primary schools see more of their pupils go off to the grammars?

I don't know about Watcombe. I've always heard that Oldway is the best primary in the bay but I don't think you'd get in there although mine are all adults so things might be very different now.

Warberry and Ilsham both send reasonable numbers to the grammars (or at least, they did 5 years ago!)
Don't know much about the other primary schools as I didn't work in Torbay for long. Torquay gets a bad rap but there are some lovely areas around you!