Moving house can be a stressful experience so when a new city is added too, it can be a daunting experience, especially when you have a family to consider. Ben and Emma found themselves in this situation when Ben secured a new job that would involve moving to Manchester from Bristol. With two children aged 8 and 6, one of their main concerns was to find the best schools in Manchester, for when they were of secondary school age.

First meeting with Ben and Emma

We had our initial consultation over a coffee on Zoom where I delved into Ben and Emma’s lives; hobbies, work, type of home preference and essentially, the need for quality education for their children. One of Emma’s main concerns about moving to a new area and what had been keeping her up at night was taking her children out of good schools to an area she had no real previous knowledge of and any research came from what she could glean from the internet.

Having moved to Trafford myself with young children (1 & 3 years old), having navigated the complicated grammar and 11+ schooling system, and moved 3 more times since then, I was able to share my experiences with Ben and Emma and that it was having the best schools in Manchester that made me decide that Trafford was where we wanted to bring up our young family and so it soon became clear to Ben and Emma that they wanted to focus their search on Trafford too.

The Search!

After discussing the local schooling system with Ben and Emma, they decided they wanted to be in catchment for good state schools rather than selective (grammar) state schools. This meant that I could focus my search on their behalf on a specific area that would see them in catchment for 2 great secondary schools, Wellington School and Altrincham College.

To streamline the process and save them time I conducted video walkthroughs of each property I viewed which we then discussed over Zoom. This meant Ben and Emma could virtually explore the homes and narrow down their choices before making the trip from Bristol to view in person.

One of the key challenges with moving to Trafford is that because it has some of the best schools in Manchester, whilst a school can advise what their catchment is (ie postcode WA14/WA15) living within these areas is no guarantee of a place. Recognizing the oversubscription of these schools, I ensured that every property presented to Ben and Emma was strategically located within the catchment zones, and therefore guaranteeing as much as possible that their children would have access to the  best schools Manchester had to offer.

Finding their perfect home whilst ensuring access to some of the best schools in Manchester

Having knowledge and insight into the area paid off when Ben and Emma viewed their perfect home after seeing it on a video walkthrough and then viewing in person. The schools, the neighbourhood and the transport links available were fantastic and it was a house that they instantly felt they could call home for a long time to come.

After helping with the negotiation process, moving logistic recommendations and generally being available to liaise with solicitors and estate agents, Ben and Emma moved into their dream property knowing that their children’s education was anchored in some of the best schools in Manchester.

In their relocation, Ben and Emma realised early on that to be able to get the information needed to ensure they found a home suitable for their requirements, including finding the best schools in Manchester, a relocation agent with in-depth knowledge of the area was a great way to create a move that was as stress free and time saving as possible.

If you’d like to find out more about schooling in South Manchester  or about the services I offer for moving house, contact me here and lets chat!