Greater Glasgow: the battle of the Easts

[worriedmum89]

Hello,

We need to move within Greater Glasgow and we have narrowed it down to either East Dunbartonshire (probably Milngavie) and East Renfrewshire (probably Newton Mearns). Main reason is schools, and both places are OK for my and DHs commutes.

Can you please help me make a decision about which one to choose? House prices, schools reputation and distance to city centre are similar to both areas, so the differences that I can see so far are:

EAST RENFREWSHIRE

• shopping centres (the Avenue, Silverburn) for rainy days
• 15 min from Shawlands, Pollok Park
• Rouken Glen (huge, with lake, waterfall)
• close to the West Coast

• ugly town centres (Giffnock, Clarkston, etc.)

EAST DUNBARTONSHIRE

• nice town centres (pedestrianised Milngavie, oldish Bearsden)
• 15 min from West End
• close to Loch Lomond

• no shopping centres
• more traffic, and feels more crowded

Any other things Im missing? Anyone with a strong preference for one or the other so can help me making this decision?

Thanks!

I wouldn't say there's more traffic in ED? Feels much less busy to me than around Giffnock etc. East Renfrewshire always feels more soulless to me.

Nightmare drive in via Maryhill Road from Milngavie though. I used to do part of that journey and it was nose to tail.

You're not that far from The Fort (or Silverburn/Braehead in East Dunbartonshire so I wouldn't choose based on shopping centres. Asda in Bearsden is a big superstore and generally pretty good...

Mugdock would be the equivalent of Rouken Glen I guess. Decent walks at Drumclog moor too.

Bearsden very much feels like a posh suburb of Glasgow as there's no real boundary, just a line on the map, but I don't know East Ren well enough to comment on Newton Mearns - ED was the only one that worked for DH's commute so we didn't look into East Ren very much.

If you like big hills, better access to Arrochar and north from there.

East Renfrewshire always feels more soulless to me

Same. I would choose Bearsden or Lenzie. But you don't have to move to East Dun or East Ren for schools, although I know it's easy to get caught up in the competitive schools chat.

But you don't have to move to East Dun or East Ren for schools, although I know it's easy to get caught up in the competitive schools chat

Exactly. There's an inherent snobbery in both Milngavie and Newton Mearns that I don't like. DNiece/ DNephews went to schools in Bearsden/ Milngavie and didn't have particularly great experiences (I do feel these types of schools rely on pupils getting tutors. I work.in an inner-city school and we need to go the extra mile).

Puffalicious - and that's my second-hand experience of Newton Mearns too! Social competitiveness taking the fun out of everything from clubs to birthday parties, and then the schools trying to push kids out to colleges for exams if they won't keep their league table position up 😏

I'm in East Dubartonshire - moved here 15 years ago for the schools and have been more than happy. Newton Mearns has a very similar feel to it and there's not much to choose between the two.

People going on about traffic - yes it can be busy but you can go in along the Expressway rather than Maryhill road, or take the train. Coming from south side, the M77 is often chocka.

Also do not relate to the "schools pushing kids out to college". Some competitive parents, but there are everywhere.

Have you considered Eaglesham in east ren? Pretty village. Community feel. Village primary feeds to mearns castle high.

So very true. I've heard of many kids 'not allowed' to sit exams if they don't have at least a B in the prelim. A school's measure is also that they have some fails- it shows they're giving kids the chance, even if it's a slim one.

The competitiveness is ridiculous. Both my DS dislike playing against Whitecraigs (N Mearns) at rugby because they're so negative, with coaches who are really harsh and go right against the community feel rugby is supposed to have.

My best friend teaches in Milngavie, and some of the stories of sheer entitlement would make you shiver.

So the two people slagging off Newton Mearns and Milngavie don't actually live in either of those places, or have kids at schools in these places, they are just going by stories they've heard?

Sounds fair.

OP, where will you be working? I'd base things around your commute.

I think the schools are similar in ER v ED - but transport to your workplace can vary.

Some of the new build housing estates in these places can be very poorly serviced by public transport & there are few amenities.

It also depends on your budget & what type of property you'd like to live in? There can be real variations in housing stock between these places too eg old sandstone houses v. new build.

KassandraOfSparta not slagging it off - just passing valid comment. I have nieces and nephews who went through high school in East Ren and have friends who moved there for the schools. I actively chose not to do the same, which is why I don't live there.

I grew up in Bearsden and you’d need to pay me to live there again. Up its own arse, and have family who live in NM which seems pretty much the same. I like Giffnock better than both of them.

But you don't have to move to East Dun or East Ren for schools, although I know it's easy to get caught up in the competitive schools chat.

quite. We live in neither of those areas and my son got straight As at N5 and on course for the same for higher, and there were a lot of excellent results.

Grew up in Newton Mearns. Wouldn't move back. I don't enjoy the snobbery or how busy it has become. The school snobbery was apparent even back in the 90's and was deeply unpleasant.

Thanks everyone for all the answers.

Can the people recommending not to live in neither of these two areas tell us where they live and why they consider those places better alternatives?

Thanks!

For me taking the ED/ER route for schools is the safest bet,and it certainly worked for our DC
Of course lots of people who go to school in Glasgow do very well

But the figures speak for themselves. Put your child in a school in Bearsden/Milngavie or Newton Mearns/ and you are choosing to put them in an environment with motivated children, who are keen to learn, who have very supportive parents and where the rates of kids getting 5 decent Highers is the highest in the country.

Top 10?
Jordanhill (Glasgow city - but not a "normal" school)
Bearsden Academy (East Dun)
St Ninian's (East Ren)
Cults (Aberdeen)
Williamwood (East Ren)
Gaelic School
Dunblane High
Gryffe (Ren)
Boroughmuir (Edinburgh)
Bishopbriggs High (East Dun)

All this nonsense about "snobby" parents. From what I have seen of 15 years of having kids in East Dun state schools is that you have lots of very motivated parents who want the very best for their kids and are not afraid to tackle the school or challenge things they do not feel are in their kids' best interests.

Just be aware that moving to an area with good schools doesn't guarantee your kids will get into these schools. Not sure what it's like now but a few years ago the new families moving to Newton Mearns had to have their kids bussed to Barrhead schools as the Newton Mearns schools were full.

I think the situation may have improved now but please check before you move,

Yup. I'm exactly the same- nieces and nephews at schools there; many, many friends with kids there: I chose not to. It's a valid point of view.

I live in Glasgow in an urban area. My DS has had straight A band 1s in Nat 5s/ Highers/ Advanced Highers and started university today (offered 4 Russell Group places including St As - which he chose not to go to). He attended a very mixed school (35%FSMs) because we wanted him to experience a real reflection of society. His brother is similar- now in S5 in the same school.

I cannot stand the snobbery around schools. I teach in the depths of the East End of Glasgow and proudly have kids off to study medicine this year and one doing nuclear physics at St Andrews, as well as the myriad of kids going into college courses, apprenticeships and work. Each pupil is supported to fulfil their own potential. My niece at an ED school was told she wasn't 'cream of the crop', to get multiple tutors and hope for college 'at best'. She's now a primary teacher (probationer this year) and got a first at university.

I can assure you that many of these 'engaged' parents are too engaged and push, push, push when kids are not able yet.

You can tell it's a personal bugbear.

OP look at houses you like- the school nearby will have teachers who are just as qualified, committed and caring as those in ED and ER. There's no better teachers in those areas: we're all professionals with high standards. I CHOSE to teach where I do - I'm needed most there.

I trained in Barrhead High many years ago- I loved it. I hear it's still a great school.

I live in a nice part of South Lanarkshire with a good school. Can you be more specific about where you work?

I don't know East Ren at all but nearly all of East Dun is lovely. I feel like Milngavie has a good mix of people although I suppose it depends which bit you're looking at. What schools in particular are you looking at? (Although to be honest all are lovely from everything I know/have heard.) Bishopbriggs and Lenzie also definitely worth considering.

I live in east ren I love it I feel like it's close to everything I need closer to the airport and ayr beach

I was at one of those “mixed” schools which are a “real reflection” of society and it was miserable. Bullied for doing your homework. Bullied for not wanting to play truant. Discipline issues and kids telling teachers to fuck off. General ethos that education was for mugs. Some of us did ok and got into uni despite the issues but that was the exception not the norm.

im sure the teachers in the “mixed” schools are good teachers but they can’t teach because they’re dealing with discipline issues and social work issues while the few people on the class who do want to learn have to sit quietly.

I want better than that for my own kids. They are in good schools with lovely friends and achievement is celebrated not mocked. I could not give two hoots of that makes me a snob.

Kassandra do you work in schools? Like now, today? They are not the places they were when we were at school. How dare you condemn swathes of children and professional teachers based upon your own, unfortunate experience.

My DC have not/ do not have an experience as you have described. Their school is a mixed place with plenty high-achieving, motivated pupils around them and where their achievement is celebrated constantly. My eldest has a special award from the SQA for 95% and above in every one of his Highers; he was the school dux. They have done/ are doing excellently: the attitude and motivation comes from a child's home environment. This fact is why I work my backside off : to counteract the lack of this that many of my pupils have.

Additionally, how dare you accuse me, in my classroom, when you don't know me, or my school, or my relationship with pupils of being 'less than' as I'm unable to teach properly. That's an injustice to the hard-workimg pupils. Just this afternoon I stretched my high-achieving S3 with Shakespeare: we looked into iambic pentameter. Do not presume. I won't come into your workplace and presume anything, because I'd be untrained and wouldn't know what I'm talking about.

I did not call you a snob: I don't know you. You have the choice to send your children wherever you see fit, of course, and I hope they are happy and do well, just don't deceive yourself that an education in a middle class area is in any way better.

I will defend my beliefs, teaching and working-class kids to anyone.

This is not the place for this debate- and I will bow out- but I will be heard.