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've only just picked up this thread...it's been a while since I've 'clocked in'.
Mid Cheshire's the place to be . Have you considered Hartford (near Northwich)...it has a choice of private school (the Grange) or comprehensive which my eldest 2 attend.
Good luck!!

Offs - we are in a similar position. We are moving in the next couple of months and need to be close to Altrincham grammar school as dc1 has passed the exam and we hope that she'll get a place for next year. Also moving from 'down south'.

I think we'll end up in Hale/Bowdon although tbh it's a bit our of our price range and we have concerns about being surrounded by people with porsches.

Anyway I'll probably go up in early Jan to look at houses (renting, not buying).

I've spoken to Trafford LEA.

Seems there's no school places.

Arse, arse and thrice. Arse.

Urmston.

Any views, opinions or experience?

Seems to have some interesting period properties, good schools. Bit closer to the city than I thought we wanted, but worth a look? Or not?

Mid-cheshire to far away from DPs work I'm afraid, but thank you Tivvy!

Bummer.
I know nothing of Urmston - neither I nor anyone I know has ever found reason to go there, which might be a warning sign .

have you tapped up stockport re: priestnall yet?

My parents live in Flixton, next door to Urmston. It was where I grew up. AFAIK it's still a nice area, but not at all posh. They've just done up the centre of Urmston with a new Sainsburys. It was previously a bit run down. Transport-wise it's close to the M60 and there's a very regular bus service into Manchester. It's very close to the trafford centre - perhaps too close sometimes. On the plus side it's also only 5 miles from Old Trafford! There are loads of good primary schools and it's trafford so there are selective grammar schools - Urmston Grammar has a good reputation. Trafford General (formerly Park) Hospital is very close. (It was where the NHS was born or so they claim.)
Urmston has a market that used to be huge, although it's not anything like as good as it used to be (according to my mum.) When the Trafford Centre opened, Urmston town centre really suffered, but as I said before, they've spent a lot of money regenerating it and it's become a lot busier than it was, (again according to my mum.)

Well, we're heading up for a few hours tomorrow to do some searching. 8 hours driving (please no snow!) for 3 hours viewings.

If only we could sell our place.

There's nothing new about, but we have two we really like. One is quite near the centre of sale, the other is near Sale Moor.

We like the houses, I'm not sure of the area, but I think it will be OK. I'm taking comfort from the Hale/Wimbledon Village analogy, and hoping that follows Sale/Wandsworth?

Or not?

I've been lurking following your threads for a while Fox, as we have our house in Sale Moor on the market and I was looking for reasons to stay local.

All the advice you have received about Trafford schools has been backed up by colleagues with DC in school locally and we have decided to stay in Trafford if we ever manage to sell our house.

Now that you are looking at properties in Sale, I thought I should come out of the lurky shadows and offer my opinion about the area having grown up here, escaped several times and now seemingly back to stay with DP (also born and bred in Sale) and DS.

Sale town centre leaves quite a lot to be desired IMHO, the fact that quite a few episodes of Shameless were filmed there for the last series says it all for me
It does have all the basic shops you need but nowhere to go for a good coffee or meal (again IMHO)

We currently live 5 mins walk from Sale Moor village and whilst it's not very stylish or exciting I love the fact that it has an excellent butcher, 2 bakeries, a chemist and a Spar shop which is open 'til 10pm everyday and has most of the store cupboard essentials you need.

Chorlton / Didsbury / Hale and Altrincham are all less than 10 min drive away for decent coffee shops and restaurants and Brooklands and Sale tram stations will get you into Manchester city centre in 30 mins or so.

Not sure if that helps or not but reading your threads has been one of the things that helped me to decide that whilst Sale / Sale Moor may not be the most exotic place to live; convenience, schools, house prices and TBH the fact my wonderful parents live on the other side of town means we'll probably choose to stay here if we ever manage to sell our house.

I have focussed on what I consider to be the honest truths about Sale town centre but if you want to know more about the good things Sale has to offer (libraries/ sports clubs/ gardens etc) please feel free to ask

That's really interesting Montifer, thank you. And thanks for de-lurking and taking the time!

Sale Moor is (apparently) less desirable than Sale centre, so I was told (by an estate agent trying to sell me a house). Is that true?

I agree with what you say about it being 10 minutes away from somewhere decent.

Today I learnt that apparently there are plans to develop the carpark in Sale Moor into a supermarket or something. And there are a lot of old people there.

But about Shameless being filmed there!

Would you mind contacting me by email (laineyjbe at hotmail dot co dot uk). I would really value the opinion of a local!

ohforfoxsake I know of all the places of which you speak. Urmston I don't like but people who live there tend to like it very much - some good primaries and some dodgy ones. Sale is a nice place to live but it's true that the town centre is a bit rough at night. Some nice restaurants there though. Primaries v.good. Sale Moor is a bit rough generally but it depends whereabouts in Sale Moor - if on border of Sale Moor/Sale some lovely houses and some excellent primaries there also.

I have contributed a small amount to this thread in the past, the small amount is mainly because I am not familiar with all the posh areas and am better aquainted with the areas I would advise you to stay away from .

On that note, I am that you are looking at Sale Moor, I remember you focusing on Hale and Bowden and places of that ilk.

Are you back down south now?

Yes Cornsilk, it is indeed the boundry.

I like Hale, but we'd have to seriously compromise on space. I have an ongoing vision in my head of hulking great teenage boys and girls which I can't shake off. The houses we've seen are great, but would cost heaps more. DP isn't keen on Hale, and is obsessed by being near the metro (this will change when he has done 3 consecutive evenings of getting home in time for tea/bath and bed. He will wish for the hour long traffic jam he currently endures).

There's not much in the way of property there, more movement in Sale. I suspect there is a reason for that though. Unfortunatly.

Having spoken to the LEA its all a bit of a gamble anyway. You could buy in a fantastic area, next to an outstanding school and still have to send the children to a less desirable school miles away.

There is only one thing which I remain consistently sure about:

its a nightmare.

interesting spelling of unfortunately. tired fox.

I think both of your choices sound promising then. It'll be fine!

Is it near Old Trafford?

You'd never get DP near Old Trafford he says.

But I'll take you up on that pint!

Er what about my pint?(pouts)

Looks like we're all getting together for a pint and a packet of pork scratchings

at thesecondcoming's DP holing his nose as he drive past Old Trafford. We live in Chorlton and DH (a blue) always flicks the V's as we go past it.

Agree about moving to the Kenwood/Norwood road side of the Chorlton/Stretford border for Trafford schools. The primaries here in Chorlton are great but the high schools not so much.

Just found this thread and would like to vote for Urmston. Church Road, Queens Road, Western Road - lots of lovely big Victorian Houses. Great great primary schools. 10 min (or less train to Deansgate) then a 10 min train to Salford (my sister works at Salford Uni and does this every day - not ideal but certainly less than an hour).

The town centre has just been partially done up.. We have some great restaurants (Isinglass is fab) and we are working on the pubs (there are some lovely ones - just not very Chorlton yet - I think Urmstonians aspire for our town centre to be hip). Lots of allotments, parks, activities (have just joined "Knit and Knosh" but am erring towards the food rather than actually being able to knit). Postcode is M41

ooh, just discovered this thread. . What a relief.

We're due to move from London to Manchester because of DPs job (he'll also be in Salford). It's not until next year but I'm already having night sweats at the thought of where to look, and about schools etc.

What OhForFoxsake said about moving somewhere nice with good schools but not actually being able to get your kids into them fills me with dread. Argh.

We've been up to have a look around and pretty much decided on Trafford. I've been looking at Urmston too. Really don't fancy Didsbury (haven't the sort of budget for there anyway) and didn't like Chorlton. We're looking for somewhere cheaper (200K ish), nice schools, multi-cultural with some parks etc.

notbloodybranston I am liking the sound of Urmston. Would you say it's a cycle ride to Salford? DP is thinking of cycling when we move

Mummyisamonster - I'm wondering if we are part of the same relocation? Salford Quays?