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

alternative home?

alternative fell, I meant.

I would second Preswich if thinking up North.

We live in Stretford and it is fine. As a guardian reader Chorlton would be right up your street (probably the biggest distrubtion centre of the Guardian in the country!)

If I had the choice I would live on the stretford side of longford park - kenwood road area, lovely houses about £100 grand of chorlton proper prices, but near enough to walk into chorlton. But you get all the great trafford schools (even the non- grammar schools are good and all pretty much are 'better' than Manchester schools)

I go to Salford uni and it takes me about 20 minutes at rush hour.

Further out my DSS lives in Hebden Bridge (about an hour away in rush hour) - in west yorkshire; grammar system but he is decided to stay at the excellent local state (Calderdale high), v. guardian!, lots of lovely countryside. He and his mum love it there. He has so much mmore freedom than when he lived in manchester.

I'm a South Manchester girl so I'm biased I'm afraid - I'd be tempted to head south into Cheshire - Wilmslow has a good selection of differently priced houses and the school is pretty good. Stockport schools are good (well with a couple of exceptions) and academically do much better than the south Manchester secondaries.

Bramhall might suit you?
not as trendy as Chorlton maybe but more 'old money' iykwim and more suburban.

Something like this house? or would you want more traditional?

I grew up in East Manchester, Droylsden to be exact. Don't move there, it used to be nice when I were a lass but now it is grim. Mucho violent crime and deprivation

Have also lived in Salford, in a fairly grim bit. Eccles (just outside of Salford on the Swinton side) used to be nice, as did Patricroft (although there was a power station there, I remember going to it on school trips!). Don't know what the areas are like these days though.

If I were to move back that way with your budget I'd be looking at Worsley and further out to Cheshire. FWIW, Congleton is much more affordable than the real footballer belt of Alderley Edge etc but is still only a mere hop skip and jump away. Also agree with the person/people who mentioned Knutsford.

Ramsbottom is lovely too

When I lived in Manchester Chorlton was not posh and Whalley Grange was full of hookers . Such a shame as it is full of enormous, beautiful Victorian properties which in those days were mainly carved up into horrid bedsits for the dealers and addicts . I'm always faintly amazed to hear/read about the gentrification of it and the high prices given how I remember it not that long ago.

Now that sounds more like the Chorlton I knew, NorthenOne. How scary for you

@ hookers. Waiting for all the Guardianista SAHD's perhaps ?!

Agree with NorthernOne. I'm always surprised how much people recommend Chorlton.

Been at work, sorry.
It takes DH between 40mins-1hr, but he drives into the centre of town.
YOu do get a lot for your money in Ramsbottom/Rossendale. Very villlagey, but rather rainy! Tendency to get snowed in.
I'm not really a city type though, so I personally wouldn't look at Chorlton/Didsbury.
South Manchester Lymm just south of Altrincham is lovely as is Knutsford.

Bet get yourselves a weekend up here to get a feel for the place!

Hebden Bridge is fab.
Some fab properties there, lovely restaurants, cafes and a nice arty feel, we're going there for a day out tomorrow.
There is a train into Manchester there.

You lot are great

And finding me properties too!

Don't want to live where there are hookers, given DP reads the Guardian ...

I think Didsbury is your new home, Chorlton is lovely too very "boho luxe" though.

We live in Didsbury, v family friendly, similar to Clapham, both Chorlton and Didsbury retain a bit of a city vibe and are less provincila than heaton Moor/Bramhall Poynton/Cheadle etc.

Worked in Prestwich for 5 years but as a South Manchester girl would never be tempted to move there, it's v "local" as opposed to South manchester which has a lot more diversity i.e. people from all different areas of the country have decided to settle here after leaving University (like us!).

As another poster has mentioned Didsbury and Chorlton are v near to lovely Mersey valley for counrtyside.

For £400k you could get a lovely house too!

I'm from Trafford originally and my parents still live there - in Flixton/ Davyhulme where there are some good primary schools. Urmston is nearby & Urmston grammar is the local secondary if you pass the 11+. My Nan used to live in Chorlton & moved away (to Flixton) when it went downhill.

If you're rich look at Hale/Knutsford/Alderley Edge - that's where the footballers live!

I am back armed with a shiny new Pukka Pad, and I feel a spreadsheet may be necessary

This is all so helpful. Thank you.

And for giving me some hope that it could actually, possibly, perhaps just might, be OK.

Mobberley. Coupla nice gastropubs there. Though I suspect they're all into wife-swapping

Pampas grass on the front lawn?

not macclesfield

Still with Noonki...that is exactly where I meant. Bramhall is lovely though, and not far at all from Manchester....very very green. If you want the country though, Hebden Bridge however is not such a ridiculous idea, so many of my friends move out there, including one who commutes to Salford and it is so so nice there.

I have lived in Manchester and South London over the last decade and couldn't really bear to be too far out of the city, but then I don't drive.

I drive, but would rather not. I want to live somewhere where I don't have to get in the car to get a pint of milk, or take the kids to school for that matter!

So how do South London/Manchester compare? Did you stick with what you knew and find a comparable area, or go for something different?

I need a map. And some coloured pins.

Chorlton has big arty, studenty population, trendy bars and shops only 15 mins from city centre and easy journey to salford, problem though is that whole area, chorlton, didsbury, stretford is very congested, traffic is generally terrible and there is just no space. Or thats how I find it. Sale, altrincham, hale very nice, good schools and links to m60, still have 11 plus system in trafford.

If I were you id check out poynton, lovely village feel but still lots of open space, bars, cafes, good schools etc.

oh check out timperley village as well, this is inbetween sale and altrincham, lovely vilage, quite big, still in trafford for schools

Now you've mentioned it, flourybaps, I recognise Timperley from my property searches. Seems that Altrincham as a whole isn't too bad, although Trafford LEA have told me its most unlikely the children would get into the same school, which put me off. I will definately have a look at it when we visit though.

I don't need trendy bars, as we don't go out much and I will have no mates