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Welcome to Scotsnet - discuss all aspects of life in Scotland, including relocating, schools and local areas.

Advice needed around move to Auchterarder

20 replies

L1Hunt · 17/07/2019 15:29

Hello, moving from NW England to Auchterarder with husband and our two year old in November for work. Not entirely familiar with the area so looking for recommendations on the area, places to live, nurseries, classes and groups for toddlers etc.

OP posts:
Lidlfix · 17/07/2019 16:57

There are some posters from Auchterarder and Crieff around so I am sure they'll respond soon. I am from Stirling which is 20 miles away but have teaching colleagues from Auchterarder. It's a lovely wee town with some posh shops to serve visitors from the famous Gleneagles Hotel. It has a primary and secondary school/ I know one of my colleagues moved from Stirling to get more of a villagey feel.

Perth is closer geographically but many treat Stirling as the nearest small city I know there's a contingent of placement requests to Dunblane High School every year.

thethethethethe · 17/07/2019 18:46

Houses on the high street are cheap, but it's a busy road, so think twice.

StrongerSingle · 19/07/2019 10:23

Dunblane is not far away and that is a lovely town with good primary schools and a high school ... plus I live there :)

thethethethethe · 19/07/2019 12:12

Auchterarder high school is, as far as I know, ok.

chrislilleyswig · 19/07/2019 23:11

Auchterarder is a lovely place to live

There is one school, the Community School of Auchterarder, which is an all through school from 3-18. The gymnastics club has a good name

Lots of nice shops, great places to eat, and really handy for commuting

There are loads of new houses being built at the north of the town, the road has been reconfigured to account for this new estate.

There are nurseries and although my kids are older, there is plenty to do there. Crieff and Perth are close by for swimming.

BeckyWithTheSplitEnds · 29/07/2019 12:47

Auchterarder person here. School is F.U.L.L. - yeh, despite it only being max 10 years old - it's full. They must've signed off the architect's plans the same week they signed off all the new housing developments... there is also a massive problem with bullying at the school. I've had the head over a desk about this (he's new) and assured me that it was something he's going to change.

Schooling has the potential to be a big issue in the future - personally I'd be looking either Dunning north or Braco south.

Crieff is gorgeous - I love every single inch of it - but, the drive is an arse to leave the town and the primary school has a terrible reputation despite looking beautiful from the outside!

BeckyWithTheSplitEnds · 29/07/2019 12:51

Another plus about Crieff... Ewan McGregor's from there and Gerard Butler's been spotted around Loch Earn... so if you're into doing your damsel in distress bit with a flat tyre it's only a matter of time before you're rescued by one of them.

Famous people living in Auchterarder? Stephen Hendry. So... moving on...

L1Hunt · 29/07/2019 15:21

Thanks, that's really helpful to know! I'll look into those other options you mentioned too. Do you know how hard it'd be to get child into a primary school in those neighbouring places, if you're not in the catchment area? My boy is only two, so not an immediate concern but definitely something to be mindful off if it's likely to get worse.

OP posts:
BeckyWithTheSplitEnds · 29/07/2019 15:38

Braco is an old Victorian schoolhouse type so there simply isn't room for them to add an extension, Blackford also has a small primary - but the nursery is over in Auchterarder.

Dunning is half old + half modern extension - as I know there are currently spaces - there is flexibility for children who aren't from that catchment - basically if there are places and no local kids waiting - you're in. I'm not sure if they have a nursery though.

There's going to be a shit storm in a few years - they're opening a brand new high school in Perth which won't be running at capacity for a good few years - but given the number of new houses being thrown up - it'll be full way before then.

Outside of Perth and Stirling, childcare is problematic. There's a paid place in Auchterarder (Cheeky Monkeys) and some child-minders - but out in the villages, you're on your own.

There's a ton of stuff going on in Perth and if you want to be able to do "organised" stuff with a toddler, you'd be better off living in town.

Crieff is better organised I think because the roads out are such an arse - e.g., at the leisure centre (Strathearn community centre) there's a gym, pool, library, kids classes, cinema, afterschool etc. - all on the community campus which also houses the high school.

I think they lay on more there because with Auchterarder it's so easy to get out on to the A9 and go somewhere.

celtiethree · 29/07/2019 16:48

Are you set on Auchterarder or one of the surrounding villages? Do you have a plan for how long you will stay? Having been through the primary school stage and now only have teens I’d focus on somewhere with a train station and also look at secondary and work backwards from there. Unless you think you’ll have moved on by secondary. Auchterarder is a 20 minute drive from Dunblane - there or Bridge of Allan would be good alternatives.

L1Hunt · 30/07/2019 10:28

@celtiethree thank you for your input :) Not completely wedded to Auchterarder, was more to avoid the other half having a daily commute whilst we got settled, but will definitely look into Dunblane and Bridge of Allan as alternatives. How do they compare to somewhere like Stirling? I know it's a bit further, but if we're adding a commute, we would consider going a little further. If the move ended up being long-term, the idea was always to move towards a larger town as we had the same thinking as you've mentioned above for teenage years.

OP posts:
L1Hunt · 30/07/2019 10:29

@BeckyWithTheSplitEnds thank you - this is all so helpful! Going to look into it all this week. We're popping in to see Cheeky Monkey's when we visit, do you know where I can find information on local childminders?

OP posts:
BeckyWithTheSplitEnds · 30/07/2019 11:07

I haven't got a clue about childminders as I don't use them - but I know if you phone PKC (Perth council) they have a list of approved ones and can put you in touch.

In terms of Bridge of Allan + Dunblane - both are lovely - BoA (IMO) can be a bit snobby - it seems to be busting at the seams with Range Rover driving pensioners eating Waygu! Grin

Down points of BoA + Dunblane - bother are enough off the A9 to be annoying to get to.

As far as commutes go - depends where you're going. I know someone in Dunning commuting to the west end of Glasgow daily and she drives. I wouldn't! I'd happily drive to Dundee daily - but there's no way on earth I'd go to Edinburgh or Glasgow daily!

WaxOnFeckOff · 30/07/2019 11:13

I might have missed it OP but where will your DH be working? I'm in Stirling but at the Bofa side and DC went to Dunblane so might be able to help?

celtiethree · 31/07/2019 16:49

Stirling is bigger than Dunblane, Bridge of Allan but in reality it (in my opinion) is like lots of small villages strung together - you'd need to visit to get a feel for which areas you like. The main thing to be aware of is the different catchment areas for the various high schools. Dunblane has a good reputation but this is based on a crude measure of how many highers are achieved by each pupil. I know parents who have children at Dunblane, Wallace and Stirling and all have tales of the good and the bad. Wallace is gaining in popularity and seems to have good pastoral case and is good for sports. Can't help with Bannockburn. St Modan's is the Catholic High School but unless you are Catholic I'd discount due to the difficulties getting there.

For both Stirling and Bridge of Allan the commute would take you through the Keir roundabout which I'd avoid in rush hour (it's where the M9 joins the A9). Dunblane doesn't have this problem as you can join from the northern end of the town.

A lot would depend on your budget - house prices in BofA and Dunblane are more expensive. Stirling has a larger variety of housing stock.

BeckyWithTheSplitEnds · 02/08/2019 09:36

Drove through Aberuthven yesterday and noticed a day-care place there too which I didn't know about.

BeckyWithTheSplitEnds · 02/08/2019 09:37

celtiethree is right about the Keir roundabout - I used to have to travel to Glasgow at rush hour and it's not unknown to be held up there for 30 minutes. Grim.

WaxOnFeckOff · 02/08/2019 10:00

If you are coming of the local Dunblane Road through the Keir onto the m9, it's usually fine. Ditto from Bofa where it can be a little busier but still manageable. Seems to be worse coming from the A9 over onto the m9. I've personally never been delayed for than a few minutes but I don't think longer delays are infrequent. Joining from Stirling at either of the next 2 junctions isn't generally a problem.

Huntlybyelection · 20/08/2019 00:29

Nursery in Aberuthven is Good, I know a lot of folk that use it.

DividingByZero · 18/07/2020 22:00

Hi. I stumbled across this thread while researching Auchterarder and Dunblane. I'm in a similar position to the OP last year and I wondered if they had any update on their eventual choice and reasons for it? I have two toddlers so thinking about schools is important. Thanks!

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