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Original poster

Moving to wales

48 replies

Chloeelsie · 01/05/2017 09:11

Good morning everyone, I am new to net mums so please bare with me. I am 37 been married for 17 years with 3 children who are 15,11,6. we feel it's time for a fresh start and a change. We live in Birmingham and have all our lives but now wanting to move to Wales for a different life style. The only concern I have is will my children be happy and settle. I have been looking to see if there are any group posts to join so they can make friends before we go, i know that may sound crazy but i am a mom and love my kids so much hense the move for a better life style for them. Any help and information will be so welcomed. Thank you in advance.

OP posts:
Tobuyornot99 · 01/05/2017 09:13

Wales is a big old place, if you're moving to Wrexham there is no point joining a group in Cardiff, you'll need to be more specific Smile

Twoevils · 01/05/2017 09:14

I grew up in rural Wales and found it suffocating as a teenager. Couldn't wait to leave. Of course I now see its charms when I only have to visit as a tourist.

There are many different areas though, some more child friendly than others. Did you have a location in mind?

Twoevils · 01/05/2017 09:15

Oh and welcome to MUMSNET

Original poster
Chloeelsie · 01/05/2017 09:18

Thank you. We are looking at Saundersfoot.

OP posts:
Original poster
Chloeelsie · 01/05/2017 09:21

We feel Birmingham is just too built up now and no room to breath. We have good jobs here and always work hard but need a change and a new way of life. You only live once so why settle in life when not happy where we are anymore. My children deserve better x

OP posts:
dreamingofsun · 01/05/2017 09:41

isn't your 15 year old taking/about to take exams? I don't live in wales but have lots of relatives there and they all seem to send their kids to welsh speaking schools because they have the best reputations for academic results.

Original poster
Chloeelsie · 01/05/2017 09:47

Yes my son is doing gcse's but we will go as soon as he is done. I have been looking at schools so thank you for that I will look at the Welsh speaking ones 😀

OP posts:
Riversleep · 01/05/2017 09:54

I have next to no knowledge of this, apart from my MiL lives in Wales and we go to visit quite a lot. But as others have said, if you don't speak welsh, it can be difficult with jobs and schools from what I've heard from others. Also, there are less built up areas on the border, like Herefordshire that are still in England. My DH was a teenager in North Wales and hated it. Couldn't find a job, so moved to London- we've been doing 7 hour trips to see his parents for 15 years!

NotDavidTennant · 01/05/2017 10:02

Your kids would have to very quickly become fluent in Welsh in order to thrive at a Welsh-medium school.

Heratnumber7 · 01/05/2017 10:05

Saundersfoot is really lovely, with a great beach. I'm not sure where the nearest secondary school is though.
Noble idea to send DCs to a Welsh speaking school, but be aware that Welsh is a difficult language to learn, and EVERYTHING will be in Welsh, even letters to parents.
I am Envy though. Would love to have the get up and go to make a similar move myself.

TroysMammy · 01/05/2017 10:08

Saundersfoot is a very small place and I would say quite rural. You would have to be able to drive.

Original poster
Chloeelsie · 01/05/2017 10:11

Thank you everyone. It is the most difficult decision we have ever had to make but we recently lost a friend to cancer and was still young which made us think that we only live once and no one knows when our time is up so got to live each day to the full. 😊

OP posts:
TittyGolightly · 01/05/2017 10:13

they all seem to send their kids to welsh speaking schools because they have the best reputations for academic results.

Welsh schools are usually chosen for their superior pastoral care. They rarely perform better academically (because the pool of Welsh speaking good teachers is smaller than the pool of non-Welsh speaking good teachers).

Original poster
Chloeelsie · 01/05/2017 10:14

We have looked at Milford Haven too, any thoughts?

OP posts:
TittyGolightly · 01/05/2017 10:15

What sort of jobs do you do? Saundersfoot wont have much in the way of high income jobs available so you're potentially looking at long commutes. A friend was looking to move from the midlands to west Wales for similar reasons. They ended up in Northern Scotland instead. They do most of their commuting by plane now.

OvariesForgotHerPassword · 01/05/2017 10:16

I wouldn't recommend a Welsh language school if your kids are older than 7/8, a dual stream school might be better or they'd have to go to a special language unit to bring them up to scratch.

We're a Welsh-speaking Welsh family and have chosen English-medium education because the results and inspection reports are so much better.

AntigoneJones · 01/05/2017 10:18

Honestly , think hard about this one.
Your 11 year old will not be able to attend a Welsh speaking secondary school, not sure why people are telling you this. With no language knowledge, and coming from England, you will just get a big NO to that.
I would worry about your 15 year old...what if the local college doesn't do what s/he wants to do? What if the local college doesn't even do A level courses? (yes it's possible)
What if s/he can't break into any friendship groups that have been established for years, and ends up hanging around with the only group that welcomes them? (eg local druggies)
What about your 11 year old starting secondary school completely alone, where there will also be established friendship groups?
The only one I wouldn't worry about would be the little one, as they can go to a Welsh speaking infant school.

Tobuyornot99 · 01/05/2017 10:18

West Wales is beautiful, but as pp have said the job market is not great, unless you can work remotely. The chances of your children being able to slot into a Welsh medium school are extremely slim!

TittyGolightly · 01/05/2017 10:19

Our 6 yo is at a lovely Welsh medium primary. Have made no decisions about secondary yet - the local WM one concerns me and we don't know where DD's strengths lie yet.

The inspection process is so hugely flawed that it's no help. Luckily, we're able to give lots of academic support outside of school so it's just a case of finding the one that suits her when the time comes.

Original poster
Chloeelsie · 01/05/2017 10:20

I am a teaching assistant and my husband is a manager of retail.

My concerns would be that the children wouldn't settle or it would be too hard to be accepted.

OP posts:
AntigoneJones · 01/05/2017 10:23

Yes but Chloe - what if you cannot get a job as a teaching assistant because you cannot speak Welsh? (certainly true in junior schools).

What if your children finish school and, if they are not university types (sorry mumsnetters I know it sounds odd but yes these children do exist), then they cannot get a job or apprenticeship.

What if you look around one day and realise that the only teens that are working have strong local connections?

btw I am speaking from bitter experience.

Original poster
Chloeelsie · 01/05/2017 10:25

A lot of what ifs.

OP posts:
AntigoneJones · 01/05/2017 10:32

yes there are a lot of 'what ifs' but you need to think about these things.
I would be very surprised, for example, if you just walked into a teaching assistant position. Do you speak Welsh?
Perhaps this move might seem idyllic now, but trust me, living in Wales is no idyll.
Have you checked out the local FE college for your oldest? That could be a start.

turtletum · 01/05/2017 10:32

My parents moved from London to South Wales when I was 4. I found it easy enough to make friends although got some mild teasing for my accent. I went to a big 6th form college, again I made friends easily but some comments about not being local. I took it on the chin but depends on whether your dcs are sensitive types or not? I'd imagine theyve heard/ seen much worse in Birmingham? We lived near Swansea, rural location with lovely green space but short drive to shopping, beaches, etc. I'd be wary of moving too rural with city born teenagers, there is very little for them to do. Saundersfoot is pretty but id imagine very quiet and dull in winter. In terms of schools, there are good and bad everywhere, so narrow down locations and go visit them, then look at schools. I went to gorseinon college which had huge range of courses and decent results. Some rural schools will not be able to offer wide range of a levels.

chocaholic123 · 01/05/2017 10:43

Milford Haven and the surrounding area has very little Welsh compared to North Pembrokeshire/West Carmarthenshire.

In my experience, the majority of Welsh schools have a high percentage of English speaking parents and all letters would be bilingual. All schools in the Milford area are English medium, though.

There is only 1 Welsh medium secondary school in Pembrokeshire at the moment, Ysgol y Preseli (Crymych). There is a second currently being built in Haverfordwest. If you wanted a Welsh primary you've got one in Tenby, and then you're looking at further north again (there's 1 in Haverfordwest, but that's being moved to the new Welsh secondary site in 18 months (I think).

If you have any other questions, please ask.

It is a very beautiful area to live in

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