Someone help!! Norfolk?

[CharCharxxx]

Argh I'm literally at the end of my tether with this location thing my brain feels like it's going to explode.
We are in South London where we were born and bred. Used to be a fab place as everything so accessible and opportunities etc. Now..those things haven't changed but I'm desperate to get away. The crime, gangs , violence, robbery and all the rest have filtered through to where we are and I can honestly say I feel so unsafe here now, there's no way I'll be happy letting my kids out once secondary school age comes.
So we are packing up and selling up this summer. Now here's my dilemma.. where the bloody hell to?! We have been all over Sussex and Hampshire and even the Cotswolds. But then we saw some amazingly beautiful country houses in Norfolk for so much less than our house is worth! I do understand that this will be partly to do with not as much employment etc therefore this reflects in the house prices. I then kept reading that secondary schools are under achieving so I basically would just like to find out the truth from people who know the area's? We think a village on the outskirts of Norwich would suit us so the kids aren't bored when teens. Any recommendations for nice villages with decent schools?
Sorry for the long post I only plan on doing this once so I need to get it right! X

Forgot to add that work isn't an issue for us as DH works in the north sea on an oil rig and I work remotely part time so jobs not an issue right now!

I think Norwich is a really lovely city with plenty to do and has a safe feel.
Do you not think moving to a rural village might be quite a change from London? How old are your kids

Do you know Norfolk well? It's beautiful but polar opposite to London so I'd recommend you do your research. Think poor roads, poor transport links, poor public transport, limited further education and future job prospects...
You're right there are a lot of underachieving schools and secondary schools near the city aren't great. School places at the better ones can be an issue.
Have a look at Wymondham and Taverham and Costessy for areas.

For easy links back to London, Wymondham would be much better than Costessey or Taverham.

Thank you so much for your replies! I only know it briefly as DHs family are in Suffolk. I would ask them but they will just tell us what we want to hear as they want us to move that way so much!
I have always craved a rural lifestyle even as a child and planned on being self sufficient growing our own etc, it's a lifestyle I am fully willing to embrace. My children are 8 (nearly 9) , 6, 3 and 18 months. It feels like the hardest decision in the world almost impossible. No matter what i do not want to be anywhere near London or at least in the ring of the m25.
I obviously have my children's education and future's as a priority so if it really is as bad as i have read then maybe it's a no go
We don't actually ever go into London city as I find it so unsafe now and just grimey! Changed alot since I used to work up there. I just want to give my children the best lives possible (don't we all?!) I just need to find a balance i guess. Thank you so much for your responses ladies x

I did read Wymondam was good and alsp Hethersett had an outstanding secondary? Does it have a 6th form college there?

I have in-laws in Norwich and visit four times a year. My husband left for uni and never returned. I would say that once you are in, it's hard to leave due to the poor roads to get in and out. I find it really stands when in-laws will holiday within 40 mins from home. Nearest airport is Stansted (Norwich airport only offers limited flights which are more expensive) so going abroad is a faff. My MIL has never driven on a motorway as they don't have any! My husband feels a lot of guilt for leaving but left for a more diverse city, where he can be himself without being judged. Could just be the people I have met but attitudes there seem very old fashioned. It's just so disconnected from the rest of the world. If your kids were to fly the nest outside of Norfolk you would be really hard to visit.

They do have nice beaches but the north sea is cold. Lots of nice national trust properties. City centre is very nice and clean. Definitely no gang culture!!! It would be the polar opposite of London. Housing is cheap so you would get loads for your London money. Also they have a place called Horsey where there are baby seals on the beach in winter they are gorgeous!

Personally I think Norfolk is too remote. Your kids are very young but I think what pp said about it being difficult for them to visit you once they leave home is really worth considering. There are no motorways and very few train lines.

Have you considered Cambridge instead? Much better connected to the rest of the country, beautiful city and countryside and still not to far from Suffolk for visiting your in laws.

I like Norwich a lot but find a lot of Norfolk too rural ( we have family there). What about Cambridge? Or south of Cambridge? Linton is nice or Saffron Walden. We live in Yorkshire, which is beautiful but very far from Norfolk. I personally wouldn’t want to go too rural because of the kids. We live in a nice town up north but there’s not loads to do with the kids.

Nottingham

Apart from the rigs I don't think Norfolk is somewhere if like to live. It's pretty ok but it's dullsville imho. I have family that live there so I've been there many times to comfort them. They hate it. They've been there 25 years.
I don't know where's a good idea though.
Norwich is a lovely city but I've not lived there.
I've brought 2 DC's up in South London and they're doing great.

Some of these answers made me laugh! I live in a small town outside Norwich. I was also born in Norfolk.

However, I did manage to leave!!!!!!!!! Shock haha. I lived in a busy capital city in another country for 6 years. Somehow despite the 'difficulties ' I did manage, even from abroad to visit home.

It's obviously personal choice. Its definitely not London. However, I enjoyed growing up in Norwich. Its large enough, has plenty of shopping, restaurants etc. But yes, ITV's quiet and safe.

I came back with my kids as I love Norwich, plus there is the beach, forest, broads, easy train to London.

I am also a teacher and dont think ofsted rating mean anything. Especially not if your kids aren't even at secondary age yet.

Good luck.

You do have to be committed to live here as pps have said, leaving takes concerted effort. Also i think your expectations are a bit daydreamy. We have drugs, crime, murders like everywhere else. It's not some utopia.

The general attitude of Norfolk people is quite reserved and wary of 'foreigners' (anyone born outside the village/town/city/county - delete as appropriate depending on where you settle). And that becomes more true the further you get from the city centre. Even the old folk who'll talk to you and the kids every day in their charming 'old skool' accents may never truly accept you.

Most people here have huge family and friend networks going back generations so there simply isn't that need to make new friendships that you find somewhere like London where most people are incomers.

And in terms of work, the only real demand sector is care work.

Just trying to give you a more rounded perspective.

Norfolk is lovely and Norwich is a great place. Everything you could want or need, beaches and beautiful countryside nearby. It’s not down the road from anywhere but realistically how often do you want to travel round the country. I live somewhere with apparently great transport links but rarely need or want to use them.

Personally I’d choose Norwich over Cambridge and Saffron Walden is ok but not all that. Don’t know why people are so obsessed with the ease of getting to other places, if where you live is lovely that’s more important surely.

Add on, I didn't see the age of your DC. They're very young. I have 2 dd under 3. It's lovely for them. But also remember I have no experience of london so can't make that comparison. As pp have said I should think life is a lot quieter and different here.

It’s true, when you leave there are checkpoints and guards to make sure you aren’t stealing our turnips... 🙄

I moved here 13 years ago now, have never felt anything but welcomed even by people with local accents , and I love it. Make of that what you will.

Still here in S London and managing to bring up three teenagers without seeing any of the drama you describe. But if moving is the right thing for you then good luck. One point though.. make sure you are close to secondary schools which have a long established good reputation because you can still end up in a bad school even if you leave London.

Did you move here without knowing anyone at all @Spudlet? Are yoi in the city/a town/a village? Most people i know who've come here from other places have done so becauss this is where their partner's family is from.

Some of these replies are odd.

I am in Norfolk, we moved here when I was small from London - pretty much the whole of my mums side of the family moved here.

Sure it isn't London but there are things to do! Its also beautiful. I feel lucky to have grown up here.

Yes there are more rural/remote areas but we are hardly out in the middle of nowhere!

Transport can be frustrating depending where you are, Norwich has plenty or trains to London. If you pick a countryside village sure you can be isolated (some people enjoy that!) but if you are closer to the city its lovely.

I am in Costessey and I have the city 20 min drive away with cinemas, pools, gyms, museum, clubs, tons of food places and shops. But also 10 minutes away lovely coutry walks and woodland and smaller villages. 30 minutes away beautiful beaches.

Personal preference I guess but I have never thought of it as a dreary kind of place in the middle of nowhere and it's a friendly city. I actually find when I visit London the vibe is much more unfriendly.

I think schools are a mixed bag, I send mine to a village based high school. Uni life is pretty good here I am told (I went to UEA but I was already a mum by the time I went so I studied and did family life rather than joining in).

I don't think jobs are hard to come by either, husband and I both professionals, easier for me than him but he is a bit more niche in his field, never been unemployed though, worst was a 40 min commute. I don't know anyone who can't get work (but sure not always the job people want but thats normal It think) its not like some areas where there is barely any out of season work, plenty of jobs here.

I don't think houses are cheap either, compared to London yes of course they are but generally no. We need a 4 bed and are looking at £300,000+ for something nice which I wouldn't call cheap.

And yes as others have said Wymondam is nice, that is where we would like to be when we buy a house. Also Thorpe Marriott, Taverham and Costessey.

If you want a bit quieter there are some beautiful country and coastal villages.

Maybe come for a few little short breaks and see where you like?

I'm going to stop now as I feel I am a bit too invested in telling you why Norfolk isn't as crap as some people seem to think. Feel free to PM me though if you have any questions I might be able to help with.

Righto I am off to tend my cabbages, drive me tracor n shoo off some of them foreigners , this is a local town for local people, theres nothing for you here 😂🤦‍♀️(haha, honestly baffles me that people really think its like that here).

I knew no one at all and was single. My family are all in Leicestershire. First I moved to a small town and now I live in a village. I had only visited for a family holiday before I moved here.

I don't think anyone is saying it's crap @anxiouswaiting. Of course it's a beautiful place. But realistically, if you hadn't moved here with half your extended family in tow, would your experience have been so positive? I would suggest @spudlet's experience is an exception and social isolation for those who move here without a big support network is very real.

One example in a village i lived in. A German woman of about 70 had recently lost her husband. She had lived there with him for thirty years. It was only at his funeral that a 'local' woman put her arm around her and said "it's ok, you're one of us now". And she was like

Well obviously I can’t speak for everyone who has ever moved to Norfolk, but the job I moved here for was quite specialised and recruited a fair few people for outside the county, due to needing various specialised skills. Most that I can think of moved here as single people, due to the nature of the job most lived rurally, and most were very happy. 🤷‍♀️ I personally felt much more lonely and socially isolated living in London. I’m a country woman at my heart and I love it here and don’t want to leave. I suspect someone who enjoyed the city more might struggle, and you do have to be quite self-sufficient, but honestly I’m at my happiest in a field with my dog, or on a horse. And I feel like I’ve found a sense of community here that I haven’t found elsewhere so far.

That said I am anticipating a commute of some sort when I look for another job when DS starts school - but you expect that with the sort of job I do, tbh.

I’ve lived in Norfolk all my life but did manage to escape 🙄 to go to Uni and shock horror, I’ve even been on foreign holidays! I grew up 30 minutes from Norwich and 30 minutes from Sheringham in a tiny village. As a teenager I hated living in the countryside because I couldn’t go anywhere with my parents driving me as we had no buses in my village.
We live near Sprowston now and the buses go every 10 minutes into the city until late which doesn’t seem like crap public transport to me.
Stalham is a nice town with the odd bus into Norwich. Hethersett seems nice but I’ve not got any friends that live there, Cringleford and Eaton are also good areas.

Yes we have crime but no it’s not at London levels. We have good schools and bad schools like everywhere in the country.

There’s lots of lovely National Trust properties to explore, the Broads are gorgeous, the beaches are lovely and we’ve got plenty to amuse children. Norwich is brilliant for shopping - I prefer it to Cambridge and it’s 2 hours on the train to London.

Do it!!!

I moved from a big city in 2016 and my children have freedom they would never have had there. We have a proper community life and I feel safe.

We are in Suffolk though. Is Suffolk an option? Some great state secondary schools x