Need Advice on Moving to Northwich ,Cheshire & good Private schools in the area

[EbeMbakara]

Hello MNs,

Please looking for a bit of advice and people's view re-living in the Northwich area as well as the Grange independent school? I visited Northwich and thought it was alright but read it is a rough area of Cheshire... true or false?

Any advice from people living in the area would be welcome. We are a young couple with DS1 in year 4 and DS2 in year 1.

Yes, it might have done, but my experience wasn't good and it's put me off.

I'm more baffled by the previous comment that the Grange isn't academic. It gets some of the highest results in the country. Last time I heard they had 9 applicants for every place.

I missed that comment- my dd sat an exam alongside 10 other children for one place!!

The comment is quoted in my PP but it was "They’re very happy there, it’s very nurturing but it’s not academic at all (it tends to be where kids who struggle with mainstream or who can’t get into the other privates go) - it really depends on what it is you’re looking for." Hence why I said they must have got muddled up.

I have already answered up thread about Northwich not being my top choice if I had a 700k budget but thinking about it more... if I could afford a 700k house and private school then Hartford would be a no brainer. I would love to be able to afford to send my children to The Grange.

@MrsSunshine2b apologies, I wasn't clear- I had missed it initially but I saw it by the time I commented re my dd.

I think the PP has definitely mixed up the Grange with another school, maybe Cransleigh or Abbey Gate? It's definitely selective and competitive at that.

Cransley is definitely more selective than it was years ago and putting more emphasis on academics when we looked around recently than I remember (I did a brief stint there in Y7 but moved to the Grange for various reasons, and regretted it), but Abbey Gate, as far as I can tell, still has a reputation for being where you go if you're posh but not that academic.

I have a distant cousin that my Mum has recently got in touch with via Ancestry at The Grange and she seems to be very happy and a lovely girl so it's probably not the cut-throat, fast-paced, mini-Canary-Wharf I remember.

Sorry, you’re right! Not sure what happened in my frazzled brain there- I was thinking of Cransleigh

Agree, or lache or saltney

handbridge is nice and just over to the bridge to the city with kings school within walking distance. Kings school is quite academic as far as I know

Thank goodness. I was quite worried about grange as I always thought it was very academic and solid.

Will definitely put Hartford and Grange back on the table. Had been set on Grange for a year so was a little disappointed with myself when I saw the comments about it being a place where those who can't get into other schools go to.

The Grange is super academic with non performing children encouraged to leave before seniors.

Many of those kids ended up at Abbey Gate.

Hartford or Davenham would be lovely or even Kingsley.

It's pretty brutal, my brother went to the Juniors and a few of his friends' parents were called in for "the talk" in Year 4 and promptly despatched elsewhere. Maybe they do it more gently nowadays.

Yes brutal is a good description Sunshine.

Absolutely crushed those kids.

I do think it's done a lot more gently now-if its that they wouldn't reach the standards of behaviour or effort required there are a lot of signposts and help given to try and reach that. In terms of ability I suppose there's not a huge amount they can do, if they feel a child will really struggle in the senior school they do have a chat with parents but it's not till year 5 that a decision is made. But I think if it's looking likely then they do start to hint in parents evenings etc earlier on. But there are those who would say that any selection of that kind is brutal I suppose.

Hartford, besides Northwich, is nice enough and has a decent rail link. Short train link from Greenbank to Delamere Forest which is just beautiful. Marbury Country Park is gorgeous too, as is the Anderson Boat lift canal walk.

Heaton Chapel, Stockport is better still, good location for Manchester Grammar School. Convenient.

Chester has good school’s and it is a nice picturesque place. I’ve heard Harrods is opening up in the old Browns of Chester site. Chester also close to Delamere Forest.

Knutsford is up its own a little and a commuter town to Manchester. Nice to visit though. The flower show is good, Tatton Hall is pretty.

Thank you everyone...

Please I would welcome thoughts on the following areas around Northwich

1. Oakmere
2. Sandiway

And

Cheadle hulme in Stockport

Many thanks in advance.

Sandiway is nice and you're close to Delamere Forest. Not sure about Oakmere. I am not massively keen on Cheadle Hulme but it's more urban and you would have better links to Manchester if that's what you wanted. Although commuting wise Sandiway is surprisingly well appointed with the bypass there.
It also depends on you and your kids and their preferred activities- eg if you're a horsey family I would say Sandiway without question.

Cheadle Hulme is suburbia. Mainly middle class. Good state schools. Good transport links. Train / airport close etc. Waitrose. Good private schools too eg Cheadle Hulme and Ladybarn. Just not as pretty as villages etc. Depends on what attracts you.

Oakmere and Sandiway are both on busy roads without a real village feel.

I would consider Ashton Hayes, Kelsall, Utkinton or Tarporley in preference.

All have a nice community feel, good pubs and shops.

Sorry I know this thread is a few months old, but I’m in a similar boat and wondering what you chose in the end @EbeMbakara ? We’re looking to move to South Manchester/Cheshire, and are TTC for our first, so looking for all rounder independents at the minute as no idea what our child’s talents will be! Ideally the location is near a hospital for DH’s work. Looking at Macclesfield with view of Kings Macc, as we didn’t like Cheadle Hulme/Bramhall very much (too busy/built up for us). Is Kings Macc not very good at academics? Any experience of the school (or Beech Hall) would be much appreciated!

Which hospital does your DH work at? We work at stepping hill and live in Altrincham and we love it here. Places like Bowdon and Dunham Massey are very countryfied with the convenience of being close to a town and the great transport connections that come with it! Lots of people move here for the schools as both state and private are exceptional.

He doesn’t work in North West at the min, we’re looking to move up and when we’ve decided where he will apply for jobs at the nearest hospital, so we’re open! Altrincham and Bowden with the view of Wythenshawe hospital is on our radar, though so expensive! Anyone have any knowledge of Kings Macclesfield School by any chance?

I haven't moved yet. Our circumstances have changed so we have had to pause our move for a year or 2.

No idea on King's Macclesfield though. Still have my heart set on Grange Northwich and possibly Manchester Boys Grammar. Let me know how it goes if you do move.

Sir John Deane’s 6th Form college is amazing for A level stage. Looks and feels like a private school but is state funded

I know Macclesfield. And surrounding. Prestbury is a lovely little village. Rainow too. Both have outstanding state primaries which feel more like private schools - debating and public speaking and chess (competitively). Mainly driven by invested middle class parents. Marlborough in Tytherington also lovely and Bollington although the traffic is terrible. Lots of ex Londoners as you can get from Macclesfield to London in 1 hour 50 direct.

In terms of secondary, Kings is the private school. It gets good results but has a focus on sport. I'd not say it was academic. You can get to MGS or Withington from Macclesfield which are the two top academic privates. Withington has ranked top in the Times results league since forever.

In terms of state secondaries, both Fallibroome and Tytherington send kids to Oxbridge and are academic. They stream early on. Tytherington has an Oxbridge programme / Advanced learners and offers Latin, Mandarin and Classics which, for a state secondary, is very private school esque. Their chess team has the top rated U18 player in the UK.

@ThisPeachStork sorry see above. And avoid Beech Hall like the plague. Terrible reputation. If it's still open in 3 years, everyone would be amazed.