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Original poster

Moving to Tamworth/Lichfield

97 replies

spiralqueen · 03/03/2009 16:33

we're being relocated to work to the Lichfield/Tamworth area and really don't know the area at all. Can you MNs recommend any nice villages/small towns in the area?

We have a 2 yr old to find a full time nursery for plus the joys of finding a good primary school I guess.

Thanks!

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JODIEwantsanewname · 17/04/2009 18:58

It's fine, weather been so nice (apart from HUGE thunderstorm the other morning, lightning was just outside our house!)

Where abouts are you moving from?

Original poster
spiralqueen · 21/04/2009 11:35

From Hampshire right next to the sea so it's going to be a bit different! The sea is literally 20 feet from my desk but we're really country people at heart.

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JODIEwantsanewname · 22/04/2009 20:25

Well you can't be further from the sea here!!!

Original poster
spiralqueen · 01/06/2009 14:38

Saw Animal Crackers and Bright Beginnings last week. Loved the setting at Animal Crackers but thought the staff were all pretty deferential to the owner and weren't that chatty with us, especially the leader of the room DD would be in. Apparently they have quite a high turnover of staff.

At Bright Beginnings the staff were much more friendly although the setting was much smaller and had less to offer.

I guess if we could have the setting of Animal Crackers with the staff of Bright Beginnings we'd be laughing

Anymore recommendations of nurseries in the Fradley/Alrewas/Barton/Whittington area?

Thanks!

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JODIEwantsanewname · 01/06/2009 22:40

There is a good nursery in Elford, that my friends DD goes to, can't remember the name, but it shouldn't be difficult to find via google as Elford is only small!

Elswick House in Whittington is supposed to be nice too....

Have you decided on where to live yet? [nosey emoticon]

DottieLottie · 07/06/2009 20:16

Hi Spiralqueen, if you are looking around Alrewas/Fradley area, I live in Edingale which is about 5 minutes from them - but not on the A38.

Much smaller village, but we do have a very good nursery called the Stableyard (both my dds have been there). I also have a house to sell (lol) as we are moving to Oz (yippee). Edingale has pub, church, primary school and feeds to v good senior school.

JODIEwantsanewname · 07/06/2009 21:06

Do you know what, dottielottie I actually think that my friend DD goes to that nursey, not the one in Elford. I agree Edingale is lovely (but my heart is still in Alrewas!!! )

Just out of interest what senior school does Edingale feed to?

DottieLottie · 08/06/2009 13:11

Hi Jodie, Edingale feeds into John Taylor - same as Alrewas(?) Mind you I have just given up my dd1's place there for September due to our o/s move - wondered about auctioning it on Ebay as they are so over subscribed lol.

JODIEwantsanewname · 08/06/2009 14:09

John Taylor is supposed to be very good isn't it! Good luck with your move (you are being very brave!)

Original poster
spiralqueen · 09/06/2009 14:42

Up tomorrow for a planning meeting so hopefully might have better idea when the move will take place.

We looked at houses in Yoxall and Rosliston and liked both when we were up last month.

Thanks for the tips about Edingale and Elford - will do some surfing.

Dottie when are you off to Oz? Things good for you Jodie?

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DottieLottie · 09/06/2009 18:14

Yes, John Taylor has Very good rep. - last Ofsted rated it as Outstanding in most areas. One of my friends sent her son there in preference to Private as it performed better than the private school!

Off to Oz in Aug/Sept - not sold the house yet but have decided that we will rent it out and then put it back on the market when things pick up a bit. Hopefully the tenant will fall in LOVE with it and buy it ;)

Not really being very brave though Jodie I'm originally from Oz and am getting to go home.

Sprial - I agree with you about Yoxall it is lovely. DD1 is currently at the primary school at Rosliston and we have been very happy they have a really good pre-school there at the village hall as well (no personal exp. of it just going on what the mums at school have to say about it)

JODIEwantsanewname · 21/07/2009 15:26

Any update yet??

Original poster
spiralqueen · 22/07/2009 14:26

Hi Jodie

Had a meeting today and it looks as if we may be able to move in January. Woo hoo

Unfortunately we are not likely to get the magic official confirmation letter (which enables us to move as cash buyers) until early October so life is about to get rather hectic.

How's things with you?

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SallyinLichfield · 22/08/2009 17:50

Hi again,
Hope all in well.
Just thought i'd let you know that my son has just started at Animal Crackers and loves it, it is such a friendly place, cant reccommend it enough!

Sal x

JODIEwantsanewname · 23/08/2009 20:16

I've heard loads of great things aout Animal Crackers! I really wanted DS1 to go there, ut there was a 8 month waiting list in the baby room, so we ended up at Bright Beginnings, so thats were DS2 goes too! (I'm not complaining, BB is great too, DS1 loves it, DS2 seems to enjoy it!)

How's the move going?

Sally, how old are your DC's?

Original poster
spiralqueen · 24/08/2009 14:41

Hoping to come up in October once we have the move confirmed. Have had details from nurseries in Whittington, Edingale and Yoxall. All of which were a lot more expensive than nurseries here in Hampshire. So we will need to visit them with DD when we come up and look again at Animal Crackers and Bright Beginnings.

Jodie - is the lack of much outside space at BB an issue? DD is used to having a large garden at nursery to rampage about in.

Sally we felt there was tension between the staff and the lady that owned it when we visited - is that the case? She did say the staff turnover was pretty high.

Just trying to get a grip on the work we need to do to our house before we move and the prospect of trying to empty the loft and where we put the contents until the packers come is a bit terrifying

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Original poster
spiralqueen · 29/09/2009 16:55

Jodiewantsanewname Hi jodie - we've seen this house on Rightmove and wanted your expert opinion on how noisy it would be and how safe with a 2 yr old on the loose.

Obviously any local gossip on it too would be much appreciated!!!

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JODIEwantsanewname · 30/09/2009 15:54

Thats a lovely house, it is on the 'slip road' to the A38, but I think it's quite safe, traffic is limited to 30mh down there and it's not horredously busy.

My friend lives further up the slip road and I can never hear the traffic when I'm at hers.

That house also has a gate, so thats another safety feature for the kids.

I say, don't rule it out, go see it and go from there....

Original poster
spiralqueen · 30/09/2009 21:44

Thanks Jodie - there doesn't seem to be too much about at the moment. Two houses we liked have both been taken off the market. Expecting to get our letter confirming the move and the all clear to start seriously looking any day now so we're on tenterhooks. Looks like we may have to be moved by mid January so it's all going to be a bit of a race to find somewhere.

How's things with you?

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JODIEwantsanewname · 30/09/2009 22:30

Wow, it's moving quickly now isn't it!!

There is a couple of houses that I've seen on my walks about with for sale signs up, but just searched the internet for some of them, but they don't seem to be on there. I'll make some enquiries

I'm OK, back at work now, doing about 30 hours a week, so am knackered!!! (it's 5x6hours shifts in a bar, so I'm not back at home until 1am 3 nights a week!)

Original poster
spiralqueen · 01/10/2009 10:22

Jodie - no wonder you're knackered. Are you a night owl generally? Hopefully so or those 1am finishes will really be a killer.

All detective work would be much appreciated! We've given nursery early warning that DD will be leaving and they asked if there was anyway we could stay here and not move. It's been awful when the girls in the next room having been saying how they can't wait til DD is big enough to be in their room when we've known she won't be there long enough but couldn't tell them until it was all official.

Nursery reckon DD will settle into any nursery easily but she chats about her friends so much that I have my doubts sometimes.

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JODIEwantsanewname · 04/10/2009 20:21

Right, not had a chance for a proper walk about coz I've been working, but there is a house on Walkfield Road for sale with Bill Tandy. It's near me and all the houses around it are young families, it's at the end of a cul de sac and really quiet for cars, it's also 2 doors down from the park, so really handy for quick trips before tea to the swings!!! Not sure what it's like inside or how much it is, but worth a try.

I'll have a proper nose around this week x

Original poster
spiralqueen · 06/10/2009 10:30

Thanks Jodie - much appreciated. Hope work is going ok.

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JODIEwantsanewname · 29/10/2009 17:12

Sorry I've been a rubbish detective!!

I would say though that I've 'investigated' that house that you were looking at on the slip road and it's really nearthe end, just as teh speed limit changes from 30-70 so I would be a bit about it TBH.....

You had any luck?

Original poster
spiralqueen · 30/10/2009 10:26

Hi Jodie - that's useful and I really appreciate your detective work when you've got a busy life. We've actually got a viewing of that house in a couple of weeks as we are up for the weekend. Apparently there is a couple who are very interested in it but they haven't sold their house yet. I said to the EA that we had concerns about road noise and she said that it had put some people off but not all.

We also viewing a house in Fradley (village not South) which has had lots of viewings by families but the feedback has been that the rooms are too small according to the agent.
Plus a couple of houses in Coton so we will be racing around. There's also a house on the main street in Alrewas which I quite like the look of.

We finally get into the hands of the relocation people in a couple of weeks so things are finally beginning to happen....

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