Moving to Manchester - and I have no idea where to go. HELP ME PLEEEEAAAASE

[Ohforfoxsake]

So, we are going to Manchester, DP has a job in Salford.

So far I have investigated Altrincham but the LEA have told us that its highly unlikely the children would get into the same school. Its really important to me that they do as they are upping sticks and leaving all their friends behind. I don't mind home educating until places come up, but not as a long term solution.

Or, we could move further out and move out from the city (currently in London so that appeals). If DP can do a maximum one hours commute, its possible.

We have 4 DCs so want to base our search around good schools - they are in primary at the moment, but will soon be in Secondary and we don't really want to move twice, so we'd like to get it right first time round.

I am stumped and have no idea where to look. Any suggestions, words of wisdom or pointers would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you

I do think Sale is a good compromise too but my heart belongs to Chorlton. I would/ will miss the tram though if/ when I move back. What schools did you look at? I think I have all the reports committed to memory and have visited most.

Hazel Grove is nice, also Disley type area, nr Lyme Park.
Can't warm to Sale /Altrincham. Can see attraction of Chorlton.
Think we are very different, but hey, we'd all be boring if we were the same

Not read the whole thread (rather long!). But we live in Cheshire and if you live on the M56 corridor then its an easy commute to Manchester. You can go on the train easily. Stay south of M56 though.

Ohforfoxsake, link to Lymm High's Ofsted report...

www.ofsted.gov.uk/oxedu_reports/display/(id)/103893

I left SGS in (I think?) 1995. I see the place just seems to get larger and larger - the old Kwikfix has gone...

To be honest we didn't make it to Lymm, or Knutsford, but that's not to say we won't, it just wasn't on the radar this trip. I loved Ramsbottom, but the transport links to DPs work make it tricky.

I didn't really get to grips with Altrincham or Sale, but they do tick many of the boxes with regard to education and accessibility. With two sporty boys, Wilmslow High was impressive as was Altrinchan Grammer for boys.

DP liked Handforth because of the value for money of properties, but The Paddocks made me shudder.

And I do have to say a very big THANK YOU to you all. I went very well equipped for this trip and everything on here was really useful.

Any further advice is very much appreciated

OH! I love you for loving Ramsbottom
See, there are nice places North of Manchester!
Best of luck for wherever you choose

Gosh Lizzylou, we've only just met!

We're very forward oop north, you'll get used to it

You probably drove past my house - I live a short walk away from Altrincham Boys' Grammar which is actually in Hale/Bowden and not in Altrincham. Being biased, I vote for Hale over Handforth - remember, it's location, location, location! Hale has its own train station and is only a 10/15 min walk away from the Altrincham tram/train station. All the state primaries are outstanding (due to grammar system). My children are reception and preschool age now so schooling was a priority for us when we moved just over a year ago from the SW. It wasn't a hard choice - there wasn't enough housing stock in Lymm/Knutsford (you would definitely need to drive from those places)at the time and Wilmslow was just that bit too far for a commute. A lot of people I've met who live in Lymm/Knutsford drive to Hale daily for schools and playgroups as well as coffee mornings, etc. I walk everywhere since it's such a convenient location (much to my surprise). It's expensive for a reason - people are attracted to the area because all the schools are good (not just one or two).

Piccolinos in Hale is nice too

Would you be my friend Selby?

Haven't read the whole thread but glad you like it up here in't north! I grew up in Southport then moved to London for University and ended up staying 15 years. Moved back up here about 5 years ago, and after doing pretty much what you did (driving round and lots of web searching) we drove through Lymm on a sunny Sunday and fell in love with the place!

It is nowhere near as urban or 'hip' as Hale or Wilmslow, it's a village, with villagey things, surrounded by fields and bike tracks. The restaurants are good, and the bus links to Altrincham and Warrington good but TBH I can't see that there is much going on for teenagers in the village itself. The schools all have great reputations though and lots of after school activities. It's the kind of place where you know your neighbours and say hello to people in the street, but then a lot of us Northerners are weird like that!

You'd have to drive to Salford but I know loads of other people from here that drive and if he is prepared to think about it, car sharing would probably be an option. If you need train links elsewhere, Warrington is ten minutes away and is 2 hours to London etc. Plus you can be on the beach within an hour from this side of Manchester... bliss!

I felt bereaved of London for the first few years I was here - there are so many choices in London and there just aren't as many here. Also I was bemused that most of my colleagues did not go out after work, just scooted off home to family and friends. But now I wouldn't ever go back. I am sure you'll feel the same!

The beach Piffy? Where's that then? Where are you (roundabouts, don't be specific if you don't want to)

I'm now wondering if we could live near the beach ....

I don't like Lymm. It's true it has a villagey feel but there always seems to be trouble there with gangs of teeneagers coming on the bus from Partington and those places.

The high school is excellent, however.

Anywhere along the M56 is good. For Salford I'd go as far as south Warrington but not as far as Chester.

Poynton is lovely.

Oh and so is Bramhall and Knutsford.

I'd live in Hale above all other places

That's interesting Mogwai,about the teenagers. Another thing I have been considering is that the children will want to go into the City and I want them to be able to come home at the end of a night out. Although that is another 10 or so years away (I hope!)

I liked Bramhall but I think that was swayed by seeing mums and toddlers and coffee shops. And nice houses.

How the bloody hell anyone makes these decisions I just don't know!!!

Am going to log onto rightmove and check out more Hale houses!

Coming home after a teenage night out is one good thing about the Heatons - it was a fairly short (i.e. cheap) taxi ride home from the city centre, and my friends always stayed over at mine because of it.

Hale is very pricey.

You can get more for your money towards Hale Barns but some of the houses suffer from traffic noise with being close to the M56.

Have you looked at Stockton Heath? It's an area of South Warrington but very close to the M6/M56 interchange. It's handy for Chester and for the Cheshire countryside (oh how I long to live in Tarporley or Nanatwich!!).

It has loads of restaurants ranging from Piccolino's (Italian) to Loch Fyne (fish) and Pizza Express, small branches of Boots and Sainsbury's, pubs, banks etc.

I don't personally like Warrington itself but this south side is quite nice.

I can advise on schools in that area if you were interested. We don't live there but I know people who do and I have a reasonable grasp of the schools.

I always think about my DD growing up and wanting to go on a night out. I wouldn't like her to be going out in Warrington at all. Manchester seems so large for teenagers too. Lymm is a compromise. Drove through Lymm today and still can't make my mind up how I feel about it. I was with a friend who immadiately mentioned the problems with the teenagers coming in from nearby Partington (and said "Scatter" in the manner of Frank Gallagher!).

Where do you live Mogwai?

Thanks for the offer of research, we really need to make another trip up and get more of an idea. Will look at Hale Barns.