Thinking about relocating from NW England to Scottish Borders

[Missssscarletttt]

my family are thinking about moving to the Scottish Borders from NW Eng. Have spent a lot time there on holiday and really like it. I would need to work in Edinburgh on a hybrid basis . DH’ work is not location dependent, but he does have some existing business ties to Scotland. Have 2 DC, one 10, one 7. When we travel there we always chat to people who have moved there from England and say how great it is. Would like to hear from people who have done this, or can provide any insights to help us make a decision. School wise, DC 1 is sporty, less academic. DC 2 is more academic , getting into sports more of late. Would be interested to hear about state and private school experiences . Thank you .

I have friends who live in Newcastleton, it's beautiful around there and you can get a lot for your money. Their lives with young kids look idyllic and other than getting snowed in occasionally and having to drive everywhere I think they are. There's a fabulous sense of community and a real effort to hold events.

The downside appears to be for older kids. There is nothing to do locally, you need your parents to drive you everywhere, there's minimal chance of getting a job, the community is tiny so it's hard to get out of whatever role you've grown up in - generally bad for LGB or quieter kids. Alcohol and low level drug issues are common, as is depression.

I think you can mitigate a lot of these if you have the resources to get your kids out and about, able to regularly take them further afield and give them a much wider social circle.

I would love to move out there when (if!) DC leave home.

Thanks for your response. I understand the downsides you have raised and they are really important considerations. It seems like the timing of any move is key, so it may be best to wait until they have left home. Would be interested to hear about choice of secondary schools in the borders, or whether secondary school in Edinburgh could work ?

I love the borders but I would do your research about differences in the education systems between England and Scotland. Unfortunately SNP policies have caused huge damage to the Scottish education system and the “curriculum for excellence” is anything but.

Peebles is lovely. LOTS of sports clubs, lovely high street, scotlands best mountain biking, lovely hills. George Watson’s (Edinburgh private school) runs a bus and there is a bus into town too. Buses are a big mode of transport in to Edinburgh. Melrose is also lovely.

does anyone have any insights on Kelso ? Agree that Peebles and Melrose are lovely.

Kelso is nice too. Just quite a bit further from Edinburgh

Born and bred in the Borders.

For schools, you basically go to the nearest one, most bigger towns have one High School but some of the smaller towns don't and kids are bussed in everyday. If you want to have a choice of schools you would be looking at the Edinburgh area rather than Scottish Borders.

Peebles would probably be the best place for a family as it attracts those with a better standard of living with it being an Edinburgh commuter town. A lot of the other towns, including the one I live in e.g Hawick, Galashiels, Selkirk, Duns, Eyemouth have a lot of poverty and all the anti social behaviour that goes along with that.

Most of the towns have a FB group for lost cats, is this your parcel etc that might be worth searching for as you can get a feel for which towns have a positive vibe and which ones are full of moaning, negative types.

Bear in mind if you live in somewhere like Peebles and send your kids to one of the Edinburgh independent schools they’ll be looking an hour bus ride at both ends of the day. If they stay for after school activities they could be left to find their own way home (not always that easy) and they’ll have friends from all over Edinburgh, the lothians, Fife and the borders which makes meeting up in the holidays and weekends a parental taxi nightmare!
I think it depends where in the NW you’re coming from……from a suburb or Manchester or Liverpool you’ll find it quite a shock, but from a village in Cumbria or Lancashire you probably won’t.
also factor in the Scottish tax system which will probably mean you’re worse off each month.

Thanks all, I am visiting Peebles soon so will have a good look then. Does anyone have experience of Peebles high school?
Also anyone moved to Peebles and found it an easy place to relocate to , and not felt like an outsider ?