Perfect Family Friendly area in Manchester and nice nursery recommendation

[Kaizen92]

Hello,

I'm starting a new thread here, even though there may already be hundreds of threads on the same topic. My query is a bit different, so here I go.

We are planning to move to Manchester this year from Nottingham. We are a couple with a 2.5-year-old toddler. Currently, he attends nursery, and it took us several visits to finalize one that suits our needs. It's hard to believe we have to go through the process again. My husband will go to city centre for his job (twice a week) and we do have a car but public transport link will be good if we can access easily.

I have two questions for which I'm hoping to get some useful links.

1. Firstly, could you please suggest some good nurseries in Manchester that focus on lots of outdoor play? I've read about Montessori schools, which seem interesting, and my child seems to be a good fit for this kind of education. However, I'm unsure if they truly follow the Montessori method. Please suggest nursery names that you think are good, where your kids feel safe and happy.

1. My second question relates to family-friendly areas in Manchester. Google suggests Sale, Altrincham, and Hale, mainly in the south of Manchester. However, the price range doesn't seem to offer much value for money, with small kitchens for £1000 per month. In the future, we see ourselves buying a house, and our budget is £250-300K. We won't be buying in these areas, so if you could suggest some nice, family-friendly areas where lots of families are similar to ours, that would be great. As a couple, we really like the suburban, slow-living vibe, with plenty of leafy, hilly areas and not too much hustle and bustle. We're not very fond of bars and pubs, but book clubs would be highly appreciated. Schools should be excellent, and there should be plenty of activities for kids, such as indoor play, swimming clubs, football clubs, and parks with rides, etc.

I'm confused about whether we should first look for a nursery and then choose a place, or vice versa. Also, I'm not sure if I should make a separate post for each of my questions. Please let me know.

Thank you so much for your attention.

Alternatively I’d be looking in north Manchester with your budget

Have a look at Horwich, it's got the pike, new swimming pool, train station. No ideas about schools and nurseries though

Look into Todmorden and Hebden Bridge.

Saddleworth is lovely.
Some great nurseries around there.
You'll get a lot for your money compared to other places if you look in Stalybridge and that side (12min train to central), then it gets gradually more expensive the further you get out. Mossley/Greenfield/Uppermill nice to live, seem rural-ish but still close enough to commute.

Have they christened the baths with dolphins again? <curious>

I doubt you’d get anything in Bramhall for that budget. Not much in Poynton either. Maybe something smaller in Cheadle or Gatley.

@Kaizen92, look at Gatley-great primary school or Hazel Grove.
Anywhere south of Manchester is ridiculously expensive though. But schools are good.

Agree that anywhere on the Manchester - Huddersfield train line would be a good option (Stalybridge, Mossley, Greenfield, Marsden, Slaithwaite). Fairly quick commute into Manchester on the train, lots of countryside, and house prices aren’t as horrendous as south Manchester yet…

You might get a 3 bed semi for about £300k in Urmston, but that's definitely at the low end. Rent is £1300 minimum I would have thought. A 3 bed on our road just rented for £1500.

Lots of excellent primary schools, good comprehensives and priority grammar catchment. Lots of family based clubs, activities and people are very friendly. We're really happy here.

Have you looked at Congleton? Really close to Macclesfield, lovely area with plenty of countryside nearby, a thriving town centre and lots of lovely nurseries/childminders and schools. I used to commute twice a week from Congleton to Manchester - reliable and quick train service.

I know Manc VERY well. rent wise, you will definitely get something under £1000 - 1/2 bed, city centre, as an example (Castlefield - or around Hilton/Spinningfields/Deansgate - is a bit more pricey and yuppie, Ancoats was up and coming now v popular and developed, could try flats in Green Quarter or the building complexes dotted around manchester victoria station). Blackfriars is another area which is a bit on the edge of city centre, that might be ok for rent too. Generally it's a bit cheaper on the outskirts.

For a family area, Chorlton, Whalley Range might be ok for your budget - house wise. I recommend renting there too so you can get an idea. Maybe go for a day, split the day between the two. Chorlton has nice places to eat. Whalley Range is more suburbia but close to city centre. Prestwich might also suit you, it's a bit further out but there is a tram from there to the city centre (probably 30mins). The tram is pretty good from there but usually packed peak hours.

Avoid Moss Side, university areas, Wilmslow rd area (although good for food), cheetham hill side, Strangeways (prison and prostitues).

sorry I don't know much about nurseries.

good luck!

also, stay away from north manchester general hospital permiter too. no offence to anyone from there but it always felt unsafe there.

Honestly OP your wants are quite unrealistic. You want a leafy, hilly area with no 'hustle and bustle' but also all these activities. Where do you think the population to support all of the latter is going to come from? And 'parks with rides'... I don't even know what that means.
Your budget is also very low, unless you're happy with a 3 bed terrace.

We couldn't afford Altrincham or the naice suburbs of Stockport so moved to Hyde. The Gee Cross/Werneth Low area is quite nice and has a lot of the things you mention. You could also consider Wythenshawe/Northern Moor in South Manchester. These used to be no-go areas but have rapidly gentrified thanks to the Altrincham/Sale house price explosion.

Saddleworth is a very nice area especially villages like Uppermill. But those places are expensive!

Have a look at Swinton, Worsley, Astley

IME those places either go for above asking (even in this climate).
Or, have something very very wrong with them. Now don't listen to me, go and see for yourself, but just sharing my experiences...
One place we viewed had Japanese knotweed.
Another, house was fine, turning in was fine. But coming out was a right turn across a 4 way junction with NO traffic lights for the right turn, just vertically and horizontally. Every time one set of lights changed, cars would come the other way, it was so hard to look in every single direction. After 20 mins, I thought it clear.., only to almost be hit by a massive truck that had appeared out of a hidden junction!

I told the estate agent when giving feedback and the sigh she made, well it wasn't the first time she'd heard this.

The house ended up being taken off the market. It never sold. I felt sorry for the owners, but there's no coming back from something like that!

Second worsely, it's also nice! Transport can be a bit of a pain though

Slightly further out from Altrincham but still on a Manchester train line, Northwich? Family oriented village community vibe & countryside... More your rental budget.
Don't know about nurseries though.

Not recommended if reliant on public transport. The train comes once an hour. once every 2 hours on weekends and is often delayed/cancelled, even at peak hours...

What type of area do you live in now?

This article might help. www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/property/how-much-you-need-buy-28776613

I agree with PP that Warrington is suburban, leafy, good schools and more reasonably priced. Royton in Oldham similar distance and profile. More close to the centre are Stretford, Monton, Irlam.

I would search for houses in your price range to buy on rightmove, then join Facebook groups in those areas / post on here for feedback on the area. You can search on local school catchments based on postcode also.

Prestwich and Whitefield are lovely.
Look up Blue Skies Montessori Nursery in Whitefield and Kids Adventures which is a forest school nursery.

I wouldn’t describe Warrington as leafy. South of the river is nice I suppose but you pay a premium to live anywhere like Stockton heath, Appleton, lymm etc.

Agreed, even areas like Culcheth, while a bit cheaper than South Manchester is still a bit above OPs budget.
Also OP complains of a 'small kitchen' doesn't seem like she wants to live in a narrow 3 bed terrace. I think 300K as the top isn't easy to achieve, even adding an extra 20K would make the search much easier.

Agree with the pp's about the Greenfield/ Mossley/ Stalybridge train line. Your house purchase budget would get you something (likely more Mossley and Stalybridge than Saddleworth- you would get houses in that price range in Saddleworth but they would likely need compromise). You will struggle on your rental budget though.

Nurseries - Swan Meadow and Swan Meadow Cottage and Little Forest Farmers are ones that spring to mind with that ethos, but there are likely many more.

Tram line from Rochdale/ Newhey/ Shaw/ Oldham would also have affordable property in perfectly decent areas, all with possible access to countryside.

I'd look at area/ house/ nursery in that order. You can't choose an area based on nursery alone- they grow up so quickly!

Avoid Swinton centre, we moved as it was going downhill fast. Astley has nothing going on about it at all, and is a pain for commuting to the city centre.

Worsley (M28) on that budget is probably not feasible for either true worsley / boothstown - and you’ll end up in walkden / little Hulton without realising it. Neither are ‘leafy’.

South Swinton / Roe Green (M28) may suit your requirements, roe green has a nice feel to it no idea what house prices are like though.

Monton might suit, not leafy though unless you’re in Ellesmere park and it is expensive. Lots to do, good schools and commuter links.

Also look at Newton le willows, good commuter links / train station, lovely high street with lots going on, just far enough outside to feel villagey but with the benefits of being near Manchester and Liverpool city centres.

I was thinking of Grappenhall, Culceth Stockton Heath - admittedly I don't know it that well, just friends live that way. Im in Trafford my kids have friends in Lymm, Appleton etc.

It’s amazing that you claim to know Manchester VERY well and still think you can get a decent flat in castlefield for £1k a month 😂. You might get a one bed but what use is that with a toddler?

also, no chance of a house in Chorlton for under 300k. (I know it VERY well)