Moving to King's Lynn - Any suggestions on areas and schools to aim for or avoid

JimmyTheWig

We're looking to move to King's Lynn. Will probably start looking properly at Christmas, with a view to moving, subject to securing a buyer on this place, this time next year.

We've got children aged between 2 and 8, so primary and secondary schools are of interest to us.

Does anyone have any tips on which areas and schools are good and bad?


Thanks,

Jim

ETA: Jan 2013. Now looking at Downham Market. See below.

rosyw

A lot will depend on budget of course, but I would try to get somewhere in one of the villages, having lived in the area for years I wouldn't want to live in Kings Lynn itself. Watlington is popular and has a decent primary school, and a good rail link to London. Wiggenhall St. Germans is OK. The villages to the east are nice, Pott Row, Ashwicken etc. and to the west Terrington St Clement has fairly good primary & secondary schools. Secondary schools: Gaywood Park is a definite no! Springwood is a bit iffy as well, King Edward the 7th is OK. Not too sure about primary schools as both my girls went to St Germans, but again avoid Gaywood, St Michael's in South Lynn is reasonable, but not a good area to live in.

Unclefoobar

JimmyTheWig wrote: »

We're looking to move to King's Lynn. Will probably start looking properly at Christmas, with a view to moving, subject to securing a buyer on this place, this time next year.

We've got children aged between 2 and 8, so primary and secondary schools are of interest to us.

Does anyone have any tips on which areas and schools are good and bad?


Thanks,

Jim

For schools I would recommend South Wootton first and junior (two different schools but very close together. My youngest has just finished at the junior and my eldest went to both too. Was very tricky getting children into either this year due to over subscribing but in years gone by children have got in from some distance away. I live in between the two schools where it is very quiet (except during the school opening/closing times of course!) but be aware that South Wootton is divided by a main road which also is the divide for catchment. We're now in the process of moving as we always said we would once the children have moved onto secondary school but we we're not moving far and our present location was perfect for walking the children to school every day.
Both of ours are going to KES (King Edward VII High School) although Spingwood has a similar reputation. Park High School never had the best reputation but it has had a lot of money spent on it the last few years and I've not heard anything detrimental recently.
Hope that helps.:beer:

JimmyTheWig

Thanks both.
Interesting comments about Gaywood. Many of the properties we've looked at on rightmove are in that area.

Watlington is a bit pricey (looking at 5 bed + office), but should be achievable. They've got one with a stable and paddock! [Note to self - don't show wife!]
South Wootton was reasonably priced, if I remember rightly, but would mean cycling to the station - which isn't out of the question.

Unclefoobar

One major plus point with Watlington is the train link both into and out of Kings Lynn. As for cycling from South Wootton there is a cycle track to the station that follows the old train route prior to Its removal back in the 60's (ish!)

JimmyTheWig

rosyw wrote: »

Secondary schools: Gaywood Park is a definite no!

Having googled it, do you mean what is now King's Lynn Academy? Has the posh name made any difference? (I doubt it!)
Is it just the school that is bad, or the area?
When I first read your post I thought you were saying avoid the whole Gaywood Road area, but it looks to me like KES is closer to Gaywood Road than the Academy is.

JimmyTheWig

It's trains to Cambridge (ultimately Broxbourne, but I can get there from Cambridge (or Bishops Stortford) which lead us to the King's Lynn area), so yes Watlington would be fine there. We would like to be close to the coast, but Watlington doesn't seem that much further than King's Lynn to the nearest beach.
That's good about the cycle track from South Wootton, too, though.
I only do the journey once a week (work from home the other days, which is why we need the office space), so I could cope with that on a bike.

rosyw

Forgot they've renamed Gaywood Park and it's now "The Park". I would still avoid it like the plague!
If you live in town then KES is the best option, and if you're in one of the villages you'll need to check the catchment areas.

JimmyTheWig

rosyw wrote: »

I would still avoid it like the plague!

Sorry to be a pain, you're saying avoid buying any houses near Gaywood Road?

rosyw

TBH if it were me I'd stick to the villages, Gaywood isn't one of the better areas of town shall we say. If you really want to be in town then the Woottons would be my choice, although North Wootton can be expensive.
Yes, they've changed the name of the school again to Kings Lynn Academy, but it really is to be avoided.
If you could manage to get something in Watlington it would suit you for rail links, and it's a straight run to the coast so unless the roads are jammed it's a quick journey. There's a nice little village primary school, and a pre-school which my grand daughter loved, although they've now had to move. Also a handy village shop and a good pub, which is always a bonus :beer:

JimmyTheWig

Nearest secondary schools to Watlington are King's Lynn or Downham Market, right?
Bit of a trek for an 11 year old, isn't it?