Reasons to move to Glasgow (from England)

[Marmaladegin]

DH has been offered a job in Glasgow. We currently live in a naice area in S England but it doesn't have great schools. Bar the chilliness, I love Scotland but not familiar with Glasgow. I'm Irish, DH Scottish. Dc 11, 10, 6. We like the countryside but would be happy to embrace the greater culture available in/near a city, as long as there was easy access to green space.

I'd be really grateful for any thoughts on pros/ cons of Glasgow with a family, and recommendations for areas. Budget would be up to £800k for 4 bed detached house if that helps.

Yes. God forbid one should encounter a ... poor person. [shudder]

One of the things I like about Glasgow is that poorer and more affluent areas tend to be very close to one another. It gives a sense of diversity. Most of our schools (Glasgow, not East Ren or East Dumbartonshire) are pretty comprehensive.

Should add that I am a North sider (brought up in Bearsden/Milngavie and went to Bearsden Academy) who is a complete convert to the South Side

I'd love to know which schools you have experienced in Glasgow that are mainly white Scottish kids. That's not goady, I'd genuinely like to know. My current school has 45% EAL with over 40 languages spoken.

Am wondering what excessive Scottishness means?? Especially the excessive bit... heaven forfend Scottish schools be... Scottish! One could argue that English schools are excessively English? I teach in one. You wouldn't know the RUK existed in terms of what is taught, especially in history , English and geography so the education is very anglocentric and entirely different from what I learnt in a Scottish school - because it was in Scotland.

Anyway, re the comment that a lot of Scottish schools are run down. So are a lot of English schools. It's not like you cross the border and suddenly discover run down. There are English LA in debt (Northants would be one). The English DfE has a list of English schools at risk of imminent collapse. It's a longer list than you might imagine. The crumbling school estate is a problem nationwide, in all honesty.

I agree the Glasgow mindset is a thing - but many people nationwide feel enormous loyalty to their cities - I encounter the London mindset daily on MN!

I don't know why , whenever there is a Glasgow thread, people pile in to put relocators off.

One of the things I like about Glasgow is that poorer and more affluent areas tend to be very close to one another. It gives a sense of diversity. Most of our schools (Glasgow, not East Ren or East Dumbartonshire) are pretty comprehensive.

Dh was at an event with the headteacher of ds' primary school (he was chair of the Parent Council) and she was illustrating its demographic diversity by saying that they had a range from those that struggled to feed their families to those looking pointedly at dh that took their kids out to go skiing (Glasgow schools don't get a full week off in February- only 3 days ).

It was the same at the secondary: the headteacher at Shawlands described the range as kids in the school who went home to empty fridges and didn't know where their next meal would come from (high proportion of SIMD1 & 2) (SIMD = Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation) to children of, quite literally, millionaires (not us ).

There were 54 languages spoken at the school and according to the British Council it was the most ethnically diverse school in the UK (don't know if it still is). Ds certainly noticed how "white" Aberdeen was when he went to Uni there.

The good thing is that ds is very aware of his "privilege", as in how fortunate he is.

Have you visited Bearsden Secondary recently?

So helpful everyone, I really appreciate the range of views and ideas here, thank you all for taking the time!

@Piggywaspushed Agree with your points.

We also moved back to Scotland a few years ago with non Scottish born kids. They are really not liking the excessive "Scottishness" that has been forced on them across the whole curriculum. It's quite different from when I or your DH went to school in Scotland. Worth being aware of.

@largsmum Genuinely don't understand what you mean about "excessive Scottishness" which is apparently "forced" on kids? The education of all my kids was WAY more outward looking and inclusive than my own was in the 70s/80s.

Glasgow is a wonderfully diverse city, different to the transient nature of Edinburgh's diversity, but diverse all the same. We are, and always have been a city for immigrants. who settle here long term. It does have a particular set of problems that often feel unique/excessive to the west coast of Scotland - poor health outcomes, religious bigotry - but it's a great city nonetheless. Yes, you do need to have your wits about you at times (like most UK cities), but Glasgow has transformed massively for the better since the early 90s, although the last few years have been problematic.

I'm Lanarkshire in of the 60 kids in my older DC's year I think there are about 6 ethic minority kids. My youngest has about 70 in their year with about 4 ethic minority.
I'm not sure about languages how many from elsewhere in Europe ( not easy to tell that from the class photos)

Glasgow is definitely diverse. I live about 30 mins from Glasgow in a less affluent town and it is very not diverse.

Glasgow is a lovely city. I've never lived outwith Scotland but I've lived in several parts of Scotland and Glasgow is my favourite. The weather can be awful though. I've lived in Scotland my whole life and even I sometimes struggle with the short days and wet weather. The summer is something special though. As soon as it's nice out we all flock together and just enjoy it. With the trend towards hotter weather than people can cope with it's not as hot up here and it's less likely to cause people ill health.

You’ll love it - smaller class sizes, free leisure activities, free prescriptions, minimal uni fees for kids - great Irish community of traditional arts (our kids play music & dance - there are Gaelic classes too - everything from Shinty to culture).
For 800k I’d recommend Bishopbriggs - the academy is in the top ten schools in the country. Lenzie, Bearsden, Milngavie all good for north side.
Newton Mearns or Clarkston for south side - although these have poor transport links which is why we prefer Bishopbriggs (8mins on train to city, 12mins from Lenzie).

Clearly upset some of the Scots, sorry! To be clear I am Scottish and love the culture and history. I absolutely think that should be embedded in our curriculum. I'm just not on board with the way some of it is approached by those in charge of education these days.

Compulsory reading aloud of Burns by every pupil was one issue we had. And not short easy choices. Try getting a kid without a Scottish accent to do that in front of their peers.

There are many articles to be found expressing concerns about the one-sided, and at times factually incorrect, materials published for history exams. And the controversy around making Scots texts compulsory for all exam qualifications in English about 10 years ago which teachers tried to push back on.

Of course they should study Scottish literature and culture but there is a real forced emphasis, and at times nasty nationalist and anti-English undertone, after so long under the SNP that wasn't the case (at least in education) 15 years ago.

@SandraCumin i wouldnt have said that but after living down south for 7 years, the xenophobia was awful so yes, this and more!

I live in South Lanarkshire on thr outskirts of Glasgow. I think it's a great city, loads going on and surrounded by beautiful countryside. I know what previous posters mean about the parochial aspects but lots of people move here from other parts of the world so not everyone is like that. I used to live in Newton Mearns and found it very boring, it's just housing estate after housing estate and you need a car. With your budget I'd go for the West End if you want city living or Bearsden/Milngavie. Nice village feel in both of them, good restaurants and shops close by and quick to get into town. Also easier access to Loch Lomond and The Trossachs. If you lived in Bearsden you can be in stunning countryside within 20 minutes.

I literally had and did all of those things many moons ago!

The Burns' competition was a Big Deal.

Do not get me started on how they teach Mary Queen of Scots in English schools. And, her aside, the complete and total absence of Scottish (or Welsh, or Irish) history now in the curriculum.

It didn't upset me - I think it was your use of the word 'excessive' that was a trigger.

Why have you not recommended Largs, out foo interest? I love Largs!

out of , obviously!

Of course they should study Scottish literature and culture but there is a real forced emphasis, and at times nasty nationalist and anti-English undertone, after so long under the SNP that wasn't the case (at least in education) 15 years ago.

Scratch the surface of these comments and it always turns out the poster hates the SNP and independence, and so the perspective is just biased rather than evidential. Every time. And I don't even support the SNP.

Have you actually looked at the curriculum? Ever?

It's quite bizarre what you are saying..in the curriculum Gaelic is not even taught across the board, the same as Welsh and Irish Gaelic is taught in their respective countries.

Regarding Robbie Burns, yes he is celebrated on Burns day by lots of schools, it hardly means the SNP have somehow changed the curriculum to be anti English.

What a lot of nonsense.

@Piggywaspushed haha, my son was in the Burns competition in December- it's still a Big Thing.

I am not Scottish but my children are and I actually like that there is an emphasis on their cultural identity in school, I just don't remember that being something that was a part of my education in England and I think it's nice.

I've lived in Scotland for longer than I didn't and although I still have a noticeable English accent, I have never, not once, been on the receiving end of any anti English sentiment. Possibly because I mainly lived in Glasgow where it was more diverse and possibly because I didn't go to school here, but I don't think it's the big deal people make out that it is. Although I can't read Burns to save my life!

Also , the curriculum has a focus on social justice and global awareness. In fact, Scottish pupils came third in the world for their global outlook.

OP, East Dunbartonshire would be my choice. Or Hyndland is you want a more built up neighbourhood. Just be careful with some areas of the West End if you're not going private.

Re Burns, Scots is new to lots of children in specific areas of Scotland. Part of the task is to work through texts with children, translating the Scots to English, to ensure understanding.

To be fair my dad is English (a Geordie but posh - think Alexander Armstrong) and my Mum American. We all fitted in just fine in Helensburgh and the West End. My accent changed rapidly as we moved there when I was 5. One boy at my Glasgow school got minor ribbing for being English - but none of the English ones in Helensburgh did. And this is no more than a Northerner, or indeed a Scot , would get in southern England.

The only places my accent or identity has ever been made fun of in a nasty way was at uni in England , and then a few times working in English schools.