# Which part of Bristol to rent in /avoid?



## floyd6 (Mar 1, 2011)

Hi there,
We'll be moving to Bristol soon, anyone could recommend parts of Bristol that'd be the right place to rent? We're looking for someplace quiet, preferably close to a park. Also, I'd appreciate it if you could name the places to avoid.
Thx!


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## BlackArab (Mar 1, 2011)

Bristol is quite good for parks. Easton/Greenbank/Eastville served by Eastville Park. St George/Redfield/Whitehall for St Georges Park, both these areas are in East Bristol, good for transport and reasonably cheap. 

Can you be more specific? Are you looking for house/flat/share? Have kids? Any need to be near a particular place for work/study?


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## floyd6 (Mar 1, 2011)

Thanks. So is it east Bristol that we should be looking at?

We'd be looking for a house preferably (tho the cheaper the better, really, so might end up with a flat), have 2 small kids. I'm planning to commute into town by bike, so 6 or 7 miles from the city centre is still alright.


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## Thora (Mar 1, 2011)

If you're looking for a cheapish house then probably the places BlackArab mentioned or Bedminster in the south are good bets.

I'd avoid Southmead and Hartcliffe.  Not particularly nice areas and miles from the centre.


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## Crispy (Mar 1, 2011)

If you cycle to work, the hills may well do a lot of choosing for you! East Bristol is relatively flat, but northeast/west and south can get hilly very quickly.
There is no West bristol, the gorge gets in the way


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## Yetman (Mar 1, 2011)

I wouldnt immediately recommend East Bristol, but I've little experience of it tbh, Knowle is ok (not Knowle West!) and Bedminster, Southville and Ashton have loads of massive parks and arent too far from the centre, though Ashton is a bit further out than the rest.


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## floyd6 (Mar 1, 2011)

Thanks very much, everyone. Look forward to the move 
If you have any other good tips for new people in town, I'll very much appreciate to hear them.


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## AverageJoe (Mar 1, 2011)

Fishponds. You'll love it


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## Geri (Mar 1, 2011)

I live in Eastville, and it's very handy for cycling as it is close to the Bristol/Bath cycletrack (that goes for most of East Bristol actually). It's also just a couple of miles to town.

The park is huge, and you can cycle/walk right along the river Frome for miles. The good thing about East Bristol compared to most other areas is that it is one of the cheapest areas to buy in. Nightlife is not exactly rocking, but there are plenty of pubs if all you want are a few quiet (and cheap) beers. Lots of good places to eat as well.


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## Geri (Mar 1, 2011)

AverageJoe said:


> Fishponds. You'll love it


 
I'm not sure if you are being sarcastic or not, but Hermitical and Lollybelle have just moved to Fishponds and they do indeed love it.


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## Crispy (Mar 1, 2011)

Up a (long, shallow) hill though


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## Geri (Mar 1, 2011)

I can't think of any part of Bristol that isn't hilly.


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## bi0boy (Mar 1, 2011)

Lawrence Hill isn't very hilly, but it's not particularly nice either IIRC.

Totterdown is nice, but very hilly

I liked Southville, but it doesn't have any parks, although it's not far off Ashton Court.


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## Geri (Mar 1, 2011)

Of course it's hilly, there's a clue in the name.


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## Thora (Mar 1, 2011)

Greville Smyth park is practically Southville isn't it?


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## Geri (Mar 1, 2011)

Isn't that the park right in front of the City ground? I would say that was Ashton, unless I was an estate agent


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## 3_D (Mar 1, 2011)

Geri said:


> The good thing about East Bristol compared to most other areas is that it is one of the cheapest areas to buy in.



There's usually a good reason for that.



Geri said:


> Isn't that the park right in front of the City ground? I would say that was Ashton, unless I was an estate agent



'tis indeed in Ashton Gate. Just like in the Fever Pitch movie, some would pay more for an AG address. Especially with the new Sainsburys on the way...


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## Crispy (Mar 1, 2011)

The sainsburys isn't happening any more. For now, any way


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## 3_D (Mar 1, 2011)

Crispy said:


> The sainsburys isn't happening any more. For now, any way


 
Actually the planning comittee meeting to determine the application is tomorrow (Wednesday) evening. Will probably be declined, as you say, but will no doubt ultimately be approved on appeal.


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## Geri (Mar 1, 2011)

3_D said:


> There's usually a good reason for that.


 
What do you think the reasons are?


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## Gerry1time (Mar 1, 2011)

3_D said:


> Just like in the Fever Pitch movie, some would pay more for an AG address.



I've seen Stokes Croft being somewhat implausibly described as 'lower cotham' by estate agents before now. 

In which vein, no one round here giving any love to the Gloucester Road kind of area, St Werburghs/Montpelier/St Andrews/Bishopston? There are good parks round there, close to town, and loads going on.


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## Thora (Mar 1, 2011)

Montpelier/St Andrews/Bishopston aren't exactly cheap though are they?  St Werburghs might be good.


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## Geri (Mar 1, 2011)

Not quiet either. You can barely move on the pavements of Gloucester Road at the weekends.


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## hermitical (Mar 2, 2011)

Geri said:


> I'm not sure if you are being sarcastic or not, but Hermitical and Lollybelle have just moved to Fishponds and they do indeed love it.



we do!


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## marty21 (Mar 2, 2011)

I used to visit Montpelier to see friends who lived there, quite liked that area - no idea if it is near a park, or how expensive it is though.


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## BlackArab (Mar 2, 2011)

floyd6 said:


> Thanks. So is it east Bristol that we should be looking at?
> 
> We'd be looking for a house preferably (tho the cheaper the better, really, so might end up with a flat), have 2 small kids. I'm planning to commute into town by bike, so 6 or 7 miles from the city centre is still alright.



For cheap rents, cycling and parks I would definitely say East Bristol. If you're commuting to the centre, do invest in a strong bike lock however.


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## BlackArab (Mar 2, 2011)

ps 6 or 7 miles is ok to commute, expensive though if you ever want to get a taxi back from the Centre at night


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## floyd6 (Mar 2, 2011)

Thanks, guys, I almost feel like a local now


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## butchersapron (Mar 2, 2011)

marty21 said:


> I used to visit Montpelier to see friends who lived there, quite liked that area - no idea if it is near a park, or how expensive it is though.


 
That's where scum live.


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## marty21 (Mar 2, 2011)

butchersapron said:


> That's where scum live.


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## Geri (Mar 2, 2011)

marty21 said:


> I used to visit Montpelier to see friends who lived there, quite liked that area - no idea if it is near a park, or how expensive it is though.


 
No parks, unless you count that tiny piece of grass outside the Star & Garter. Very very handy for good pubs though.


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## strung out (Mar 2, 2011)

3_D said:


> Actually the planning comittee meeting to determine the application is tomorrow (Wednesday) evening. Will probably be declined, as you say, but will no doubt ultimately be approved on appeal.


 
the application's been approved. i hope ashton is looking forward to being home to the biggest sainsburys in the south west.


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## Geri (Mar 2, 2011)

I would laugh my arse off if they ended up with a big Sainsburys and no football ground.


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## strung out (Mar 2, 2011)

innit, though of course im sure the whole sainsburys deal is subject to work starting on the village green


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## Geri (Mar 2, 2011)

Yeah, but they could sell the ground and then go bust. Steve Lansdown might do a runner with the money.


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## strung out (Mar 2, 2011)

apparently he was heckled about being a tax dodger at the meeting tonight and completely lost his rag


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## Chris P Duck (Mar 3, 2011)

Gerry1time said:


> In which vein, no one round here giving any love to the Gloucester Road kind of area, St Werburghs/Montpelier/St Andrews/Bishopston? There are good parks round there, close to town, and loads going on.


Ok, ok .. I'll pop me head up and say something... moved to Bristol about 20 years ago and after a spell in Redland have lived just off the Gloucester Rd in Bishopston since about '94 and yeah it's alright. With a lot of students in Bristol each year, I get the impression that a lot come here and then don't ever move on so there fair amount of non-bristolians around, so it ain't exactly gert-lush country, for good or bad.

Nice little park in St Andrews, yes Gloucester Rd gets busy on Saturdays ... but with all the little independent shops and cafes I like to call it cosmopolitan and vibrant. 

It is a bit pricey but it's ok.


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## strung out (Mar 3, 2011)

i like gloucester road and being a north bristol boy my whole life, bishopston, montpelier, cotham etc would be my perfect area to live in.

south and east bristol is much cheaper though i think.


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## Gerry1time (Mar 3, 2011)

Chris P Duck said:


> With a lot of students in Bristol each year, I get the impression that a lot come here and then don't ever move on so there fair amount of non-bristolians around, so it ain't exactly gert-lush country, for good or bad.



Guilty as charged! (me babber...)


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## BlackArab (Mar 4, 2011)

Geri said:


> No parks, unless you count that tiny piece of grass outside the Star & Garter. Very very handy for good pubs though.



There's a park on St Andrews Road just up from the Old England. It is however more concrete than greenery.


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## strict machine (Mar 4, 2011)

But the concrete is a pool!


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## Callie (Mar 4, 2011)

Gerry1time said:


> Guilty as charged! (me babber...)


 
moi babber surely ?


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## 3_D (Mar 4, 2011)

Geri said:


> What do you think the reasons are?



Not really sure why, having myself lived in Whitehall and St George for several years I really liked it. But needless to say, the reason East Bristol is cheaper is that not so many people want to live there. I guess maybe people perceive it as a 'rough' area of the city?



strung out said:


> the application's been approved. i hope ashton is looking forward to being home to the biggest sainsburys in the south west.



I understand it is, yes. Very little opposition from local residents, only from political activists.



strung out said:


> apparently he was heckled about being a tax dodger at the meeting tonight and completely lost his rag



Wouldn't blame him, would you? After all he has paid more tax to HMRC than all the rest of those present at the meeting put together and, no doubt, continues to do so.


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## strung out (Mar 4, 2011)

i do blame him. he shouldn't dodge taxes if he doesn't want to get abused at a council meeting in a city (and country) he doesn't live in.


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## 3_D (Mar 4, 2011)

Don't be ridiculous, 'tax dodger'? Lansdown undoubtedly STILL pays more in tax to the British govt than you or I have ever paid. And his business helps to prop up our city's economy. As a socialist, I salute him!


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## strung out (Mar 4, 2011)

yes, because he's paid more tax than i ever have, it's completely fine that he dodges tax now. stop being such an apologist.


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## gentlegreen (Mar 4, 2011)

Lived in East Bristol half my life (26 years) - cheap and cheerful and the Bristol to Bath path *is *Bristol's best park - once the little'uns are riding their own bikes. In fact, these days, proximity to that would decide where I lived.

http://www.bristolbathrailwaypath.org.uk/home.shtml

As said, if it's shops, eateries, pubs and nightlife you want, then it's Horfield / Bishopston - but you pay a hefty premium - and it gives me an excuse to get on my bike.

Public transport in Bristol is uniformly shite and expensive because it's near enough to being suburban to have the highest per capita car ownership in the UK - or at least it did.  The hills are routinely dragged out as an excuse, but I find it empowering to cycle up them - though I chickened out of doing Steve Loughran's two-wheeled celebration of them. :-

http://bristolbybike.blogspot.com/2009/11/bastard-hills-of-north-bristol.html


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## floyd6 (Mar 6, 2011)

Gentlegreen: we yokels tend to judge cities by places that are unlike the city itself (thus living in contradictions, until we're free to leave one day, as you seem to have been).
The Railway Path seems unique indeed.

3_d, strung out, BlackArab, Chris P Duck, everyone:
Thanks, guys. Looks like it's going to be East Bristol, then.


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## Geri (Mar 6, 2011)

I would seriously consider Fishponds area, the kids will love Oldbury Court.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/bristol/content/goingout/2004/parks/oldbury/oldburycourt.shtml


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## gentlegreen (Mar 6, 2011)

Geri said:


> I would seriously consider Eastville/Fishponds area, the kids will love Oldbury Court.
> 
> http://www.bbc.co.uk/bristol/content/goingout/2004/parks/oldbury/oldburycourt.shtml


That's certainly a nice concentration of parks and near the railway path. I cycle through there every evening.

The rents may come down too (??) as UWE's moving out of St. Matts soon.

Brand new priority bus route going in too - though doubtless Bristol may manage to make a mess of it.


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## Geri (Mar 6, 2011)

The bus situation is pissing me off - I used to be able to get 5 buses into town from where I live, then they re-routed the 4 and 24 so if I want to get them I have to walk right down to the stop opposite the jobcentre on Stapleton Road. That left me with three (48, 49 and 342). Now they have moved the bus stop further down the road and I can't get the 342 anymore unless I walk up to Royate Hill. 

The new bus stops are very posh though.


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## kebabking (Mar 6, 2011)

floyd6 said:


> Thanks. So is it east Bristol that we should be looking at?
> 
> We'd be looking for a house preferably (tho the cheaper the better, really, so might end up with a flat), have 2 small kids. I'm planning to commute into town by bike, so 6 or 7 miles from the city centre is still alright.



schools are going to be your main concern. the totterdown/victoria park area has some good schools, but you'll be very hard pushed to find a decent school in east bristol. cheap, yeah, but your kids will be lucky to leave school able to read.

having just done this i feel your pain - we wanted that 'city village' feel with good transport links into town, good schools, decent rental properties and it not to be a hangout for drug addicts.

we found Southville too expensive, Totterdown had no room in the school we wanted, Montpelier et all too expensive - we tried Portishead but found its transport links rubbish (but it was cheap with great schools), and Thornbury was too expensive, had awful transport links and had great schools.

in the end we went for Stoke Gifford - boring, but good schools, excellent transport links, and while not cheap, better than the Gloucester road area.


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## Geri (Mar 6, 2011)

kebabking said:


> in the end we went for Stoke Gifford - boring, but good schools, excellent transport links, and while not cheap, better than the Gloucester road area.


 
LOL


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## Thora (Mar 6, 2011)

Schools are a problem all over Bristol - very few good/outstanding schools, tiny catchment areas and a severe shortage of places.


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## butchersapron (Mar 6, 2011)

How can there be tiny catchment areas?


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## Thora (Mar 6, 2011)

butchersapron said:


> How can there be tiny catchment areas?


 
Well they're not really catchment areas with primary, but the furthest distance you can live from the school and get a place.  Two near me were less than 500m.


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## butchersapron (Mar 6, 2011)

I don't get what the problem is then.


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## gentlegreen (Mar 6, 2011)

From what I remember of school it was mostly a case of what your home was like that determined how you turned out.

My parents wrongly blamed my school (Kingsfield, Warmley) for my underachievement and proceeded to fail both my sister and my little brother who went to a fancy school further away (Broadlands near Keynsham).

One of the kids I hung out with got to Cambridge but his parents encouraged and pushed him. (He turned out to be a completely vile arrogant bastard)

I would hope that if I had had kids I would have sent them to local schools. They wouldn't have had any choice to be honest. No way could I have afforded to move anywhere else.


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## Thora (Mar 6, 2011)

butchersapron said:


> I don't get what the problem is then.


 
There are a shortage of places, so if you don't live close enough to any of your local schools you might end up being given a place in a school miles away.


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## Geri (Mar 6, 2011)

Someone who was in my class at school is now a millionaire. Another owns the Clifton Observatory (so I'm guessing he must have done pretty well for himself as well).

Although my school is in North Somerset, not Bristol. However, my friend went to school in Bristol and she is now a head teacher.


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## butchersapron (Mar 6, 2011)

Thora said:


> There are a shortage of places, so if you don't live close enough to any of your local schools you might end up being given a place in a school miles away.


 
OK, i get you now. No way round that though. 

I still don't get that 500m thing.


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## Thora (Mar 6, 2011)

butchersapron said:


> OK, i get you now. No way round that though.
> 
> I still don't get that 500m thing.


 
To give you the example of St. Werburghs primary - there are 28 reception places.

1 went to a child in care (1st priority)
15 went to siblings of children already at the school
12 went to local children - the child furthest away was 300m from the school.

The way round it is that Bristol needs more primary school places.  The council are making some attempts to provide those now - I think there's going to be a new school in Ashley Down and there was talk about St. Ursulas (private school) becoming a 3-18 academy.


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## gentlegreen (Mar 6, 2011)

MY infants school was about 200 yards away and my Junior school even closer.


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## butchersapron (Mar 6, 2011)

I still don't get it. Why did you say 500m? I'm not being funny, i just don't get it.

St Ursula's is now a normal school i think.


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## Geri (Mar 6, 2011)

gentlegreen said:


> MY infants school was about 200 yards away and my Junior school even closer.


 
Mine too. I don't really understand the problems these days, I'm guessing the number of school places has just been outstripped by population growth. Or are the problems down to choice, i.e. there are enough school places but people don't want to send their children there because they are crap?


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## Thora (Mar 6, 2011)

butchersapron said:


> I still don't get it. Why did you say 500m? I'm not being funny, i just don't get it.
> 
> St Ursula's is now a normal school i think.


 
Did you understand the example I gave of 300m?


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## butchersapron (Mar 6, 2011)

Thora said:


> Did you understand the example I gave of 300m?


 
I got the example of 300m from the school mentioned. What about 300m from where you actually live? Is that what you mean?


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## Thora (Mar 6, 2011)

Geri said:


> Mine too. I don't really understand the problems these days, I'm guessing the number of school places has just been outstripped by population growth. Or are the problems down to choice, i.e. there are enough school places but people don't want to send their children there because they are crap?


 Mostly it's a problem of a lack of places - there are (just) enough places in the entire city, but your child might get a place in their 15th closest school rather than the nearest.

Obviously as good schools in nice areas are oversubscribed, there is an element of Clifton parents complaining that Jocasta has been given a school in Southmead.


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## Thora (Mar 6, 2011)

butchersapron said:


> I got the example of 300m from the school mentioned. What about 300m from where you actually live? Is that what you mean?


After children in care and siblings, places are allocated to the children who live nearest.  In St. Werburghs the child living furthest from the school who got a place lived 300m from the school.


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## butchersapron (Mar 6, 2011)

Thora said:


> After children in care and siblings, places are allocated to the children who live nearest.  In St. Werburghs the child living furthest from the school who got a place lived 300m from the school.


 
I know. You said. What about where you live?


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## Thora (Mar 6, 2011)

butchersapron said:


> I know. You said. What about where you live?


 
Me personally?  Our nearest school is crap so I doubt we'd have a problem getting a place   In fact it's a school where people living on the other side of Bristol complain they've been allocated.


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## butchersapron (Mar 6, 2011)

Thora said:


> Me personally?  Our nearest school is crap so I doubt we'd have a problem getting a place   In fact it's a school where people living on the other side of Bristol complain they've been allocated.


 
Ah i get it, you've been applying to schools elsewhere and aren't happy that places go to locals. This is 'the 500m problem'. Tough shit.


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## Thora (Mar 6, 2011)

butchersapron said:


> Ah i get it, you've been applying to schools elsewhere and aren't happy that places go to locals. This is 'the 500m problem'. Tough shit.


 
I haven't been applying for schools anywhere, we're about 3 years off that.

I think you've missed my point though - some children in Bristol struggling to get a place in _any_ of their local schools.  If their local schools are oversubscribed and they don't live within a few hundred metres of any of them, they are allocated schools in other parts of the city.


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## butchersapron (Mar 6, 2011)

Thora said:


> I haven't been applying for schools anywhere, we're about 3 years off that.
> 
> I think you've missed my point though - some children in Bristol struggling to get a place in _any_ of their local schools.  If their local schools are oversubscribed and they don't live within a few hundred metres of any of them, they are allocated schools in other parts of the city.


 

OK, thinking ahead. 

Primary schools or what?


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## Thora (Mar 6, 2011)

This might make it clearer - this kid doesn't live close enough to her three local schools in St.George so gets allocated a school in St. Annes:

http://www.thisisbristol.co.uk/news/Mum-quit-job-school-run/article-2233699-detail/article.html


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## butchersapron (Mar 6, 2011)

Thora said:


> This might make it clearer - this kid doesn't live close enough to her three local schools in St.George so gets allocated a school in St. Annes:
> 
> http://www.thisisbristol.co.uk/news/Mum-quit-job-school-run/article-2233699-detail/article.html


 
A single shocking example rarely does but..why is this happening then?


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## Geri (Mar 6, 2011)

It's nonsensical. When I was a kid, in the 1970s, all the kids in the village went to the local school. There was room for all of them. What was the situation in Bristol in that time, I wonder?


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## kebabking (Mar 6, 2011)

the school we looked at in Totterdown was about 70yds from the border of its catchment area - we were explicitly told that if we moved to an address on the wrong side of X road we stood no hope whatsoever of getting a place at the school. if we had of fallen foul of that the school we'd have got a place in was another half a mile away (yeah, i know - 20 miles each way to school, we were beaten with the strap, starved, couldn't afford friends, made our own fun etc...), and was shit.

we fancied Redfield - good location, nice 'villagy' vibe. lots of interesting shops and cafes, reasonable (ish) prices - but the schools were dire, infact 'dire' is being deceptively charitable...


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## Geri (Mar 6, 2011)

You're just a fucking snob by the sounds of it. You deserve to live in Stoke Gifford. I hope you die of boredom.


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## Thora (Mar 6, 2011)

butchersapron said:


> A single shocking example rarely does but..why is this happening then?


 
Council have mis-managed school places I guess.  It seems to have come as a surprise each year that there have been more 4 year olds than reception places.


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## kebabking (Mar 6, 2011)

Geri said:


> You're just a fucking snob by the sounds of it. You deserve to live in Stoke Gifford. I hope you die of boredom.



am i a snob because i'm not keen on sending my kids to a school that gets Grade 4's (poor/unsatisfactory - can't remember the terminology) in OFSTED reports?

i'll live with the hurtful arrows you've fired at me...


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## gentlegreen (Mar 6, 2011)

How does one evaluate an infants / primary school before you actually live in the area. ?

I cycle past Whitehall primary every morning and it looks fine. A shame they don't actually use their cycling facilities though ...

Stoke Gifford -


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## butchersapron (Mar 6, 2011)

kebabking said:


> am i a snob because i'm not keen on sending my kids to a school that gets Grade 4's (poor/unsatisfactory - can't remember the terminology) in OFSTED reports?
> 
> i'll live with the hurtful arrows you've fired at me...


 
How many people that can't read do schools in east bristol churn out? What's the %? Where have you taken your figures from?


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## Geri (Mar 6, 2011)

kebabking said:


> am i a snob because i'm not keen on sending my kids to a school that gets Grade 4's (poor/unsatisfactory - can't remember the terminology) in OFSTED reports?
> 
> i'll live with the hurtful arrows you've fired at me - if your kids can live with asking everyone they meet 'would you like fries with that?'...



Yes you are.


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## Thora (Mar 6, 2011)

gentlegreen said:


> How does one evaluate an infants / primary school before you actually live in the area. ?
> 
> I cycle past Whitehall primary every morning and it looks fine. A shame they don't actually use their cycling facilities though ...
> 
> Stoke Gifford -


 To be fair, if a school is in special measures or has an inadequate Ofsted rating you wouldn't want to send your child there even if it looked fine.


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## Gerry1time (Mar 6, 2011)

Yeah, really. I have some knowledge of the stats around education in Bristol from a previous job I did, and the fact then was that a good few Bristol schools had negative scores in the 'value added' assessment. This measures how far ahead kids at that school are from where a kid would normally be at that age.

In other words, statistically speaking anyway, these schools made kids less able than they would have been if they'd just stayed at home. 

I can't see how wanting a decent education for your kids is an issue of snobbery. It's more inverted snobbery not to in a way.


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## Geri (Mar 6, 2011)

Gerry1time said:


> I can't see how wanting a decent education for your kids is an issue of snobbery. It's more inverted snobbery not to in a way.


 
Everyone wants a decent education for their kids - it is ridiculous of you to suggest otherwise. However, not everyone has the resources to move to areas which are served by the "better" schools!

My niece went to the worst school in North Somerset, where only 31% of pupils achieved 5 GCSEs at grade A-C. She came out with 6 A's and A*s, loads of Bs and Cs. She was one of the top performing pupils in her year.

She is not yet having to apply for jobs in McDonalds!


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## floyd6 (Mar 6, 2011)

***


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## kalidarkone (Mar 6, 2011)

floyd6 said:


> gentlegreen:
> Thanks for the links. We yokels tend to judge cities by what's un-urban about them (and thus live in contradiction, until we actually leave for the sticks, like you did!)
> 
> BlackArab, 3_D, strung out, Chris P Duck, everyone:
> Seems like it's going to be East Bristol, then. Cheers!



 I loves East Bristol-bin ere since 96'


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## embree (Mar 6, 2011)

kebabking said:


> in the end we went for Stoke Gifford - boring, but good schools, excellent transport links, and while not cheap, better than the Gloucester road area.


 
Jesus fuck


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## strict machine (Mar 7, 2011)

Sadly most Bristol schools don't even match that 31%
Both Henbury and Portway where I taught for 5 yrs put kids in for GCSE substitute exams to falsely raise their status from 20% upwards and disguise the fact that most kids (by definition) do not achieve there. There will always be exceptions, but I still wouldn't risk putting my kids in that situation. We moved.
Better go - got to teach!


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## BlackArab (Mar 7, 2011)

Geri said:


> However, my friend went to school in Bristol and she is now a head teacher.



What a heartwarming story, must have been a fantastic school


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## BlackArab (Mar 7, 2011)

gentlegreen said:


> Lived in East Bristol half my life (26 years) - cheap and cheerful and the Bristol to Bath path *is *Bristol's best park - once the little'uns are riding their own bikes. In fact, these days, proximity to that would decide where I lived.
> 
> http://www.bristolbathrailwaypath.org.uk/home.shtml
> 
> ...



Glos Rd is accessible from Stapleton Road Station via the Severn beach line. Five mins to Montpelier Stn, another five minutes walk down and your at the Arches. If you can't be arsed there's your St Marks Rd eateries with BYO options so more money saved.


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## Geri (Mar 7, 2011)

BlackArab said:


> What a heartwarming story, must have been a fantastic school


 
I think you know who I mean


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## JE:5 (Mar 15, 2011)

I'm going to have to recommend east Bristol too, I live in Easton slap bang between Eastville Park and St Georges park so I have two really nice places to take the dog for walks plus a stones throw from the cycle path. Plenty of local amenities and not really that far from town, takes me 25 minutes to walk down M32/Newfoundland Way and reach the centre. Lived here 3 years now and wouldn't have it any other way.


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## kalidarkone (Mar 15, 2011)

JE:5 said:


> I'm going to have to recommend east Bristol too, I live in Easton slap bang between Eastville Park and St Georges park so I have two really nice places to take the dog for walks plus a stones throw from the cycle path.


 
Me too except I do not have a dog. I wonder if I have seen you at the spar shop?


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## JE:5 (Mar 17, 2011)

kalidarkone said:


> Me too except I do not have a dog. I wonder if I have seen you at the spar shop?


 
Quite possibly! I tend to spend more money in Jims across the road though


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## kalidarkone (Mar 17, 2011)

JE:5 said:


> Quite possibly! I tend to spend more money in Jims across the road though


 
Actually I do not go in to the spar anymore as they are small minded bigots -they treated an Eastern Europeon woman shockingly, throwing her change at her and giving her filthy looks,so I said something about it and they said that she had stolen from the shop. I then asked why they let her in at all if that was the case


Sorry for the derail......


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## floyd6 (Mar 17, 2011)

kalidarkone said:


> Actually I do not go in to the spar anymore as they are small minded bigots -they treated an Eastern Europeon woman shockingly, throwing her change at her and giving her filthy looks,so I said something about it and they said that she had stolen from the shop. I then asked why they let her in at all if that was the case
> 
> 
> Sorry for the derail......



Yep, Spar seems to represent many of the things I don't like about life...

As for schools: my son should be starting pre-school in September. Do I need to apply directly to a school/schools, or are places assigned in some other way? Thanks.


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## Thora (Mar 17, 2011)

If your child is 3 before September, I think you need to register for school nurseries/children's centres by May directly with them.  For private nurseries and pre-schools you'd need to contact them directly to see if they have spaces.


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## fizzerbird (Mar 18, 2011)

Avoid, Southmead, Hartcliffe, Knowle West and Withywood...all socioeconomic deprived areas. They have great community feel but only if you've been born and bred there or are originally from another area of Bristol and have past lengthy initiation rituals 

Totterdown, Southville, Bedminster, Redcliffe are quite cool places to live with small children, plenty of parks and easy walk/cycle into town.

Happy home hunting 

_Missing my home town like mad!_


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## hermitical (Mar 18, 2011)

JE:5 said:


> I'm going to have to recommend east Bristol too, I live in Easton slap bang between Eastville Park and St Georges park so I have two really nice places to take the dog for walks plus a stones throw from the cycle path. Plenty of local amenities and not really that far from town, takes me 25 minutes to walk down M32/Newfoundland Way and reach the centre. Lived here 3 years now and wouldn't have it any other way.



maybe seen you in Eastville Park, what dog you got?


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## JE:5 (Mar 18, 2011)

hermitical said:


> maybe seen you in Eastville Park, what dog you got?



This cheeky beggar


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## hermitical (Mar 19, 2011)

cute!

If you spot these two come say hello


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## strung out (Mar 19, 2011)

.


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## fizzerbird (Mar 19, 2011)

strung out said:


> .


 
Take it you have nothing to add then hun


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## floyd6 (Mar 20, 2011)

This one is in Hanham: 
http://www.houseandco.co.uk/letting-details.php?id=10666_000001287

if anyone d like to share their thoughts (the area etc)... 
Cheers


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## Thora (Mar 21, 2011)

I don't know Hanham and don't know anyone who lives there I'm afraid


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## gentlegreen (Mar 21, 2011)

I spent my first 18 years a few hundred yards away from there.

It's comfortable suburbia. A bit hilly to get anywhere ... but that's Bristol.
My parents complain about Tesco not building their shop - there's a Coop near there - and a Lidl at the other end of the high street. Asda a couple of miles down the road ...

Very annoyingly Conham hill is closed to traffic at the moment so cycling that way to town is problematic,


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## floyd6 (Mar 21, 2011)

That sounds good enough, thanks.
I wonder if anyone on this forum would be so kind as to view this house for us some time tomorrow - I'll pay for the taxi/petrol/trouble once I'm in Bristol (in cash and in beer/cider, or via Paypal now). I can imagine it's a big favour to ask, I'd be most obliged. 
(You can email or text me on +353 851 227 747, I'll call back)


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## gentlegreen (Mar 21, 2011)

I'm afraid I'm tied-up at work, but it looks OK to me - not sure what they'd make of me ...

It's a tad shabby I suppose but infinitely nicer than my slum.

Thereafter as per usual it's whether the neighbours are into noisy BBQs and parties - you'll find a mix of people around there.. mostly fairly well-off.

Streetview seems to have missed that particular pair of houses. As I said, the area's very decent


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## dervish (Mar 22, 2011)

Don't know about Hanham I'm afraid, but House and co are customers of mine (we look after their phone systems) and they are really nice people to deal with... For estate agents!


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## floyd6 (Mar 23, 2011)

dervish said:


> Don't know about Hanham I'm afraid, but House and co are customers of mine (we look after their phone systems) and they are really nice people to deal with... For estate agents!


 
Yep, I've had the same impression so far (tho can't ever make out which one of them two I'm talking to on the phone, so I half expect they'll look the same as well )
A friend is viewing the place for us later today, we'll see how it goes.


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## Geri (Mar 23, 2011)

floyd6 said:


> This one is in Hanham:
> http://www.houseandco.co.uk/letting-details.php?id=10678_000001287
> 
> if anyone d like to share their thoughts (the area etc)...
> Cheers



Hanham is a little further out than I would live, but it's a nice area, with some great riverside pubs (The Old Lock & Weir and Chequers, which are next door to each other). In summer you can get a little rowing boat ferry over to Beeses Tea Gardens on the other side, which is another great place for summer daytime drinking.

It seems like the road is named after Hanging Judge Jefferies. 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/brizzlebornandbred/2038388068/


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## gentlegreen (Mar 23, 2011)

> Murder in *Dublin
> *
> I do not know why, but we read of him going to Ireland in 1704 and for some reason or other he fought with the Attorney General. The fight took place in the *Church of St. Andrew, Dubli*n, and the Attorney General received a severe wound from Creswicke's sword and this brought him another nine years in prison. Release came at last and so back to Hanham once again, but now old and poor. His creditors began to press him and at last he was put in prison for debt. After many years he was again released and passed the rest of his days very quietly at his old home. Sooner or later old Father Time calls us all, and on the 18th January, 1732 at the age of 89 this hardy and adventurous old veteran was called to his Father and was buried in Bitton Churchyard.



Blimey. I grew up there - walked up Creswicke Avenue all the time and knew none of that. !

It's a crying shame about Conham hill - I hope they get it finished this year - in that case there's potentially a decent route into town - though Feeder road will demand good lights in the winter and an assertive riding style - though there will doubtless be side street routes ... thence via temple Meads / Victoria Street - lots of shared paths ...

.. otherwise there is a back road that at least avoids Bryant's Hill all the way to the Kingsway - I don't know if you can cycle across Troopers Hill ... probably not as it's a nature reserve ...

My brother cycles from a couple of streets up from there all the way to Airbus at Filton- unfortunately I haven't spoken to him in years so I don't know his route - probably Kingsway - Lodge Causeway - UWE  then Ringroad path ...


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## floyd6 (Mar 24, 2011)

gentlegreen said:


> It's a crying shame about Conham hill - I hope they get it finished this year - in that case there's potentially a decent route into town - though Feeder road will demand good lights in the winter and an assertive riding style - though there will doubtless be side street routes ... thence via temple Meads / Victoria Street - lots of shared paths ...
> 
> .. otherwise there is a back road that at least avoids Bryant's Hill all the way to the Kingsway - I don't know if you can cycle across Troopers Hill ... probably not as it's a nature reserve ...
> 
> My brother cycles from a couple of streets up from there all the way to Airbus at Filton- unfortunately I haven't spoken to him in years so I don't know his route - probably Kingsway - Lodge Causeway - UWE  then Ringroad path ...


 
It looks like I'll have a chance to try out all these, as we'll be moving in in 2 weeks' time! And our decision wouldn't be half as informed without you guys, thanks everyone for your tips and advice.


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