More Cambridge Q's

Tassotti

Hi all

My sister has accepted a job in Cambridge. I have pointed her to the other threads on here regarding Cambridgeshire.

Has anyone else got any views about where to live in the Cambridge area or information on good schools and nurseries?

(nippers are three years and seven months)

Regards

Tass

Nenen

We're planning on moving to Cambridge in the next two months (I've worked there for over two years now and sick of a 30 mile commute)! From everything I've seen and heard, it's a wonderful place to live and work... really vibrant with loads of opportunites/ammenities.

Most schools in Cambridge are above average! For secondary schools Comberton Village College and Linton Village College are two that come to mind as having very good reputations... and usually if the secondary schools are good then the feeder primaries are good too! Comberton has the advantage of being nearer to Cambridge but commands higher house prices.

My three children all went to LVC (now aged 21, 19 & 16). My two oldest are both at university and youngest at sixth form college studying 4 AS levels. Hills Road Sixth form College has one of the best reputations/results for any state 6th form in the country (consistently in the top 5) and Long Road 6th form college is not far behind (also offers a wider variety of courses).

We currently live in Suffolk (we were extremely lucky to get our children into LVC being out of catchment) but have just sold our house (STC). I work at an independent school in Cambridge (again many excellent private schools). My work colleagues have told me that areas of Cambridge to avoid (as they are said to be 'rough') include Arbury and Kings Hedges. A village called Cottenham has a large travellers site which makes it unpopular and prices lower. There are a lot of new housing developments going on at Cambourne and even a new town of 8,000 houses planned at Northstowe. Property prices tend to be high compared to the rest of East Anglia.

On the downside, Cambridge is very anti cars! Driving into/out of the city centre is awful... what should be a 10 minute journey in peak times can easily take 45 minutes! Parking is an absolute nightmare in Cambridge (and very expensive) so parking space, drive, garage if you live or work in the city centre is really important. Alternatively, many people live a little way out and bike to work (Cambridge itself is fairly flat). It's not unusual to see a mum or dad on a bike with a trailer carrying two children bowling along behind and another child on their own bike peddling furiously! Buses, if you are on a citylink bus route, are excellent (every 10 minutes and running from early morning until late evening).

What kind of price range is your sister looking at? Has she any area of Cambridge in mind? I don't have any first hand experience of nurseries in Cambridge but can ask around at work if you are able to give the area of Cambridge or surrounding villages. pm me if I can be of any more help.