I've read through some of the threads and am getting a good feeling for the various areas of Sheffield. We may be moving to Sheffield for a year or two and would need to rent a place. We have two kids and three cats (which have started the exportation process). My son is 6 and is currently in 1st grade here. My daughter is 3. I won't be working so nursery school isn't an issue, but we would like to find a good primary school. My husband's company is paying for our rent, preferably furnished. Could you please help me determine a few good areas to look into for school and housing? :) Also, not being as familiar with the area I rely on either maps.google.co.uk or british-publishing.com maps. In your other threads I can't always tell where the areas you mention are.

What is the area like that you live in now in the U.S.A? Are you looking for a similar vibe or something different?

We currently live in a suburb of St Louis, Missouri. It's a nice area with a park nearby. I grew up in a small town of approximately 14,000 people and wouldn't mind living in a rural area. We are in one of the top school districts in the city. We would be considered middle class (professional) in the US. My husband will be working near the airport but should have access to a car.

Dore and Totley are the upper class area's of Sheffield plus both are within a 5 min drive of the country. So if you can get your company to pay up then I'd head for these.
By the way - welcome to the forum!

Have a look at www.blundells.co.uk for a useful Sheffield map :thumbsup: ( http://www.homesearch-sheffield.co.uk/blundells/propsearch.php )

www.upmystreet.com is great for neighbourhood stats.

if your husband will be working at the airport, Handsworth, Woodhouse, Aston, Beighton and Swallownest are all VERY handy to get to from there :thumbsup:

Our traffic is probably far worse than you're used to, and Sheffield airport will be amusing ;)

An idea of your husband's status or salary would be useful to get an idea of where you'd be best living, but don't post that on an open forum!

Thanks, torin8. We don't have what the company will pay yet, but we may have to make up the difference.

Strix, thanks for the website. He has a masters in mechanical engineering and has been with his company for 9 years. I'm a certified public accountant. I don't know if that will help on the salary without actually posting.

What do you all think of High Bradfield? There's a place for rent that's unfurnished, but it looks nice. I've also heard a lot about the Devonshire Quarter (furnished apartments). But I don't know much about the area.

Hi Shanmom,
welcome to the forum,
High bradfield is an attractive rural location, an ancient village, which has loads of lovely history. However if you are hoping to settle your children there, you will probably be annoyed in a few years when you have to drive them to sheffield all the time to go out and to visit friends, as the bus service is occasional, and you will probably not get any taxi service out there.

I would have thought that it would pay you to rent a house for a few months, while you get to know the area and find places which you would like to be near to. Traffic is a real problem here in sheffield at rush hours and football match times, it can take an hour to get across the city at the worst times of day, and my advice would be to get your children in a school which is within walking distance or on a bus route.

Muddycoffee - We only have to think of the short term since we will only be there for a year or so. We will only rent as we are keeping our house in the states. We are hoping to at least come over and visit once before moving with the entire family.

The biggest problem I'm finding is that there aren't a lot of places that allow pets. But I do want to be near the school, since we will only have one car.

Er don't move here it's TERRIBLE,i mean bus travel fares arn't fair,they cost way to much,there cheaper in leeds.I walk most of the time,or use tram but have to walk to Hillsborough park to catch it,which is a 15 min walk for me,tram is cheaper than first mainline,mainline charge £15 for a weekly saver,tram charge £9.50 for one.If i could move from Sheffield i would, i hate it,it's not got very good night life either!

If you really care about your cats, then high bradfield might be a good option, because many parts of sheffield are too close to busy roads where cats often get hit by traffic, I would have though that out in bradfield they would have a whale of a time in the countryside. :thumbsup:
unfortunately I think that YOU might have the biggest problem if you are not working during your stay, unless you can immerse yourself into a local club, society or church, 12 months might be short for you to make friends. I know several spanish speaking people from latin america who have taken 3-4 years before they got to love the city, and it can be the same for people from other parts, being accepted in a neighborhood takes a little of time but is worth it eventually.

If you can keep in touch with the sheffield forum, you will make many fiends here, but it will probably cost you to be connected in bradfield, I don't know if they have broadband out there.

wendyg, why dont you just move to leeds if you hate it that much...hello america.. its not that bad, judge it yourself
all the best SHEFFIELD.........

Er don't move here it's TERRIBLE,i mean bus travel fares arn't fair,they cost way to much,there cheaper in leeds.I walk most of the time,or use tram but have to walk to Hillsborough park to catch it,which is a 15 min walk for me,tram is cheaper than first mainline,mainline charge £15 for a weekly saver,tram charge £9.50 for one.If i could move from Sheffield i would, i hate it,it's not got very good night life either!

What an unhelpful moan! The husband is going to work near the airport - where the tram doesn't run. And with two children, our American visitors may not have much time for Sheffield's allegedly non-existent night life (e.g., two theatres, umpteen pubs, countless restaurants, etc. ).

Do you want to rent a house in the USA for a couple of years whilst the family are in Sheffield?

We may try to rent our house, but I have mixed feelings on it. I'd rather not have to pay for storage and we probably won't move our furniture.

You are right about not really being about the night life. Our kids usually go to bed about 8:30 pm. We definitely need broadband. I don't think I can go back to dial-up. :gag:

Cats are completely indoor cats. They're too old to change now.

From what I've read on the internet Sheffield sounds like a great place. And just like you wouldn't want to live in north city in St. Louis and if you have a chance to live in either Pattonville or Parkway school districts you should grab it, Sheffield has areas that are good and bad. It's hard to make friends here too. We have friends from college but most people were born and raised here.

Sheffield isn't too bad. I'm from a town of 50,000ish in Wyoming....Sheffield is a LOT different. I am finally learning to drive over here (after 5 years of driving in the states), and that is going to make a REAL difference. I hate buses and still haven't gotten used to them since moving here. The schools here are rather horrible with teaching, so I am home schooling my three ... Might be worth doing the same... The weather isn't very nice (although knock on wood we've had 3 days with no rain), the TV is rubbish, and the food is worse lol. EVERYTHING foodwise is different, although my mom loves toad in the hole:) Good luck!!

High or Low Bradfield are superb places to live. Being from the U.S I would presume that you are used to driving most places which is the only downside to what is one of the best placed out-lying villages in the area. You are only 5 minutes drive from the tram terminus at Malin Bridge and Hillsborough shopping area is a further 2 minutes walk. As a park and ride facility is just being bulit at Malin Bridge, parking will be very easy. I don't think schooling can be described as horrible, I have 4 kids in school ranging from 6 to 14 years and all are happy with their situation and I am happy with their progress.Also, Bradfield has a very good local school with a good reputation. In the area are numerous traditional pubs, lots of walking round the countryside and a couple of reservoirs with sailing I believe. Sheffield has two main theatres but many smaller ones producing high quality shows and this summer the Botanical Gardens has had a programme of out-door shows ranging from jazz to Shakespeare.
I could go on and on (and did a bit!!) but I reckon your choice of Bradfield and Sheffield in general will be the best move you'll make.

As a previous poster mentioned, both Dore and Totley are decent areas near some great countryside. I don't think you'll have too much trouble finding a place that allows cats - I rented my place out in Totley and they have a couple of cats....I'm not too bothered. I think the biggest issue you will find is actually the type of property - our houses are smaller than yours. Space is an issue here in a way that it won't be in most bits of the USA. You will find the average victorian terraced house rather small I expect, and if this doesn't suit your needs, you will find the choice greatly reduced.

High Bradfield looks like it would suit your needs family-wise, but I'd hate to think what the commute through Sheffield is going to be like!!

Ohhh, have a look at the traffic cameras!
Google 'sheffield traffic'

And ask www.multimap.co.uk or google maps for 'directions' ;)

The schools here are rather horrible with teaching, so I am home schooling my three ... Might be worth doing the same... The weather isn't very nice (although knock on wood we've had 3 days with no rain), the TV is rubbish, and the food is worse lol. EVERYTHING foodwise is different, although my mom loves toad in the hole:) Good luck!!


I don't know why you bothered to come! Rather a broad statement about schools - there are lots of excellent schools in sheffield so you obviously haven't done your research and everyone knows that British TV is far superior to American ( except for the awful imports we keep getting from USA).

Sheffield isn't too bad. I'm from a town of 50,000ish in Wyoming....Sheffield is a LOT different. I am finally learning to drive over here (after 5 years of driving in the states), and that is going to make a REAL difference. I hate buses and still haven't gotten used to them since moving here. The schools here are rather horrible with teaching, so I am home schooling my three ... Might be worth doing the same... The weather isn't very nice (although knock on wood we've had 3 days with no rain), the TV is rubbish, and the food is worse lol. EVERYTHING foodwise is different, although my mom loves toad in the hole:) Good luck!!

Each to their own! I suppose some things are better, some are worse (many just different), but as someone else said, it depends on, for example, which school you choose! There are some excellent schools here. I don't think I quite get what you mean by "The schools here are rather horrible with teaching"?

No one really likes buses I don't think, but they do the job. The weather isn't great, but I've been to parts of the US where I would describe the weather as being much worse!

One thing I disagree with you on is the food. like many things, it is where you go, and what your tastes are, but I think Sheffield has a fantastic range of restaurants, representing cultures from all over the world. Far more diverse than many cities. The portions may be smaller though!

I think something you missed when describing Sheffield is the atmosphere of the place, and the warmth of the people. The views accross the city are lovely, it's easy to travel to most other parts of the UK, and Europe, there are loads of parks and it's close to plenty of countryside.

BUT, much as I love Sheffield, it is slightly scruffy and rough around the edges in parts, so be prepared! I think it adds to the charm, bu some may disagree!

In terms of areas to live, I'd say Devonshire Quarter doesn't sound ideal for you. It's very central, but can be noisy, and probably not best for your kids. There are probably more students and young people living here, rather than familes and the acommodation can be quite, er, cosy! Also, the traffic can be bad.

Somewhere like Netheredge could be a good bet. You can walk to town within half an hour, or get the bus. There are wide, leafy and generally quiet streets with large, characterful houses. If you want to live somewhere further out then yes, somewhere like Dore or Totley would be good (I don't know Bradfield well) and close to the peak district for days out with you family.

In terms of schools, it might be worth checking out if your husbands company will pay private school fees, because as I'm sure you are aware a lot do as part of a package when you move abroad for a short term contract. You might be happier with the standard of these schools, you get longer holidays, and you won't have to be in the catchment area so it will give you more choice of where to live. Having said that, I've been to both private and comprehensive schools and been happy at both types - it depends on the school.

It sounds like you are quite positive about moving here, and I hope you enjoy it. I once had some Canadian friends who moved to London (Barnes) and left within 3 months, saying it was boring, smelly and dirty. I hope you have a much better experience!

There is also an interesting article about Sheffield on BBC news (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/5324458.stm) at the moment that you might be interested in.

I've read through some of the threads and am getting a good feeling for the various areas of Sheffield. We may be moving to Sheffield for a year or two and would need to rent a place. We have two kids and three cats (which have started the exportation process). My son is 6 and is currently in 1st grade here. My daughter is 3. I won't be working so nursery school isn't an issue, but we would like to find a good primary school. My husband's company is paying for our rent, preferably furnished. Could you please help me determine a few good areas to look into for school and housing? :) Also, not being as familiar with the area I rely on either maps.google.co.uk or british-publishing.com maps. In your other threads I can't always tell where the areas you mention are.

If hubby has to head to the airport, if you're looking for decent schools, if you want proximity to countryside and if the area has to have a decent rental stock, and if you have the budget then perhaps Ranmoor / Fulwood might do the trick.

I'm not sure Dore has so many rental properties and you'd have to cross the entire city (I think) to get to the airport. From my experience, there's less of a community feel in S17 cf S10 (that's only my experience so please no offence to those civic minded residents of S17!).

I would avoid living to centrally, mind.

You may be able to get around the 'no pets' clause in most rental comtracts by offering to pay a larger bond, and promising to pay for any damage caused by your pets, and by promising to have all carpets/furnishings cleaned professionally when you leave :thumbsup:
(doesn't work in all cases though ;) )

Im afraid the cats are going to be your biggest problem.
Pets are just not a cool thing in the eyes of landlords.
Id say that anywhere that you find that is OK with cats you should consider - doesnt matter on area cos you cant be choosy

Sheffield isn't too bad. I'm from a town of 50,000ish in Wyoming....Sheffield is a LOT different. I am finally learning to drive over here (after 5 years of driving in the states), and that is going to make a REAL difference. I hate buses and still haven't gotten used to them since moving here. The schools here are rather horrible with teaching, so I am home schooling my three ... Might be worth doing the same... The weather isn't very nice (although knock on wood we've had 3 days with no rain), the TV is rubbish, and the food is worse lol. EVERYTHING foodwise is different, although my mom loves toad in the hole:) Good luck!!

The biggest thing I have to find out with the schools is if my son will be where he needs to be when we return to the states. I figure that if the schools aren't getting him to the level he needs to be, I'll supplement at home. I definitely want him to go to school there though. He'll need the socialization and it will be an interesting experience for him. My only food need is peanut butter, which if they don't have Skippy I'll just have to have my friends and family send me a case. :bigsmile: What area do you live in?

High or Low Bradfield are superb places to live. Being from the U.S I would presume that you are used to driving most places which is the only downside to what is one of the best placed out-lying villages in the area. You are only 5 minutes drive from the tram terminus at Malin Bridge and Hillsborough shopping area is a further 2 minutes walk. As a park and ride facility is just being bulit at Malin Bridge, parking will be very easy. I don't think schooling can be described as horrible, I have 4 kids in school ranging from 6 to 14 years and all are happy with their situation and I am happy with their progress.Also, Bradfield has a very good local school with a good reputation. In the area are numerous traditional pubs, lots of walking round the countryside and a couple of reservoirs with sailing I believe. Sheffield has two main theatres but many smaller ones producing high quality shows and this summer the Botanical Gardens has had a programme of out-door shows ranging from jazz to Shakespeare.
I could go on and on (and did a bit!!) but I reckon your choice of Bradfield and Sheffield in general will be the best move you'll make.

My husband loves sailing. Which school do your kids go to?

One thing I disagree with you on is the food. like many things, it is where you go, and what your tastes are, but I think Sheffield has a fantastic range of restaurants, representing cultures from all over the world. Far more diverse than many cities. The portions may be smaller though!

Good. I hate american size portions. I do not need to eat what equates to two to three servings a meal.

I think something you missed when describing Sheffield is the atmosphere of the place, and the warmth of the people. The views accross the city are lovely, it's easy to travel to most other parts of the UK, and Europe, there are loads of parks and it's close to plenty of countryside.

BUT, much as I love Sheffield, it is slightly scruffy and rough around the edges in parts, so be prepared! I think it adds to the charm, bu some may disagree!

I don't mind scruffy I was born and raised in a small town. Most of the characters there could be considered rough around the edges. I can't wait to go back to Scotland and travel across England.

In terms of schools, it might be worth checking out if your husbands company will pay private school fees, because as I'm sure you are aware a lot do as part of a package when you move abroad for a short term contract. You might be happier with the standard of these schools, you get longer holidays, and you won't have to be in the catchment area so it will give you more choice of where to live. Having said that, I've been to both private and comprehensive schools and been happy at both types - it depends on the school.

Any opinions on which private schools are better and where they are? I am very excited about this opportunity to live in Sheffield for a year. I can't wait. We haven't got the job yet, but it looks promising. Thank you so much for your help.

What an unhelpful moan! The husband is going to work near the airport - where the tram doesn't run. And with two children, our American visitors may not have much time for Sheffield's allegedly non-existent night life (e.g., two theatres, umpteen pubs, countless restaurants, etc. ).

Do you want to rent a house in the USA for a couple of years whilst the family are in Sheffield?


Excuse me but i do have the right to my opinion,Sheffield isn't the brill at all,and the bus fares are to expencive.And has for leeds i was just useing them as an example,my twenty year old son has just moved there and say's there bus fares are much cheaper than Sheffield's.Every time there's a fare rise it's "oh it's fuel pricers" bus fares are way to costly,First buses care more about there wage packets then there customers,and evey time they want a pay rise,it's if we don't get it we'll strike attitude!They wonder way there's loads of cars on the road,because there fares are too much!

Hi Shanmom,
My kids go to school in Stocksbridge, a small town around 5 minutes from Bradfield. I have one child in the infants, one in the juniors and two in the seniors. All my kids and their friends are friendly, polite and well educated. I would like to take all the credit but I have to admit that the schools do a great job of educating in what can be a difficult atmosphere. If you google Stocksbridge Senior school, you will find lots of good info. (and references to thr Arctic Monkeys group who attended the school and gigged there I believe). If hubby likes sailing, there are a couple of clubs in the area but I imagine our lakes may be a little on the small side if he's a bit of a pro. There are some larger water-based clubs within an hour tho'.

Excuse me but i do have the right to my opinion,Sheffield isn't the brill at all,and the bus fares are to expencive.And has for leeds i was just useing them as an example,my twenty year old son has just moved there and say's there bus fares are much cheaper than Sheffield's.Every time there's a fare rise it's "oh it's fuel pricers" bus fares are way to costly,First buses care more about there wage packets then there customers,and evey time they want a pay rise,it's if we don't get it we'll strike attitude!They wonder way there's loads of cars on the road,because there fares are too much!

I'm sorry Wendy but if you really think that what First charge ends up in the wage packets of the drivers, you are very badly mistaken. I drove buses for First for a year a couple of years back and the pay was so bad I left to drive for Arriva in West Yorkshire, adding 1.5 hours to my daily commute but for £60/week more. If the drivers resort to striking to force a decent wage rise, its through desperation, not greed. The bus service is pretty abysmal, you're right but thats been the case almost everywhere since deregulation.

I think you would be better placed just over the border in the Rotherham area as your husband can get to work very easily from there. Have a look at Whiston village which is very picturesque and has a good mix of housing available. Also nearby Moorgate has mostly upmarket properties, lots of which are rentals, being in the hospital catchment area (check out Merryweather's website). There are good schools at Aston, Oakwood or Wickersley. Both also very handy for the Meadowhall shopping mall and good road links into Sheffield & Doncaster.

The biggest thing I have to find out with the schools is if my son will be where he needs to be when we return to the states. I figure that if the schools aren't getting him to the level he needs to be, I'll supplement at home. I definitely want him to go to school there though.

It's a good sentiment, but I'd talk to someone who knows about educational standards before drawing any conclusions. If you haven't spoken to a teacher who's an expert in and has worked in both US and UK schools, I would disregard them.

The British have a habit of self-deprecation that you'll soon get used to, whereas the reality is this is a tiny little island must be doing something right.

Anyway - for schooling, like accomodation, shop around - and don't think you have to stay put where your parachute lands.

I guarentee that you'll find in Sheffield whatever you bring from the U.S.

I suspect that will be positive. Good luck.

I'm sorry Wendy but if you really think that what First charge ends up in the wage packets of the drivers, you are very badly mistaken. I drove buses for First for a year a couple of years back and the pay was so bad I left to drive for Arriva in West Yorkshire, adding 1.5 hours to my daily commute but for £60/week more. If the drivers resort to striking to force a decent wage rise, its through desperation, not greed. The bus service is pretty abysmal, you're right but thats been the case almost everywhere since deregulation.

So why is it there have been petitions down Sheffield city centre saying "Save our buses,put people before profit"Surpose there wrong as well hey!What are bus drivers desperate for?I only earn a minimum wage,and if we went on strike over pay,we would be sacked!

Thank you everyone who gave us advice. I will definitely try to keep up with the forum as a decision is made by the company whether to send us or not. You all are very helpful. :thumbsup:

[QUOTE=Tommyteacake]I'm sorry Wendy but if you really think that what First charge ends up in the wage packets of the drivers, you are very badly mistaken. I drove buses for First for a year a couple of years back and the pay was so bad I left to drive for Arriva in West Yorkshire, adding 1.5 hours to my daily commute but for £60/week more. If the drivers resort to striking to force a decent wage rise, its through desperation, not greed. The bus service is pretty abysmal, you're right but thats been the case almost everywhere since deregulation.[/QUOT

So why is it there have been petitions down Sheffield city centre saying "Save our buses,put people before profit"Surpose there wrong as well hey!What are bus drivers desperate for?I only earn a minimum wage,and if we went on strike over pay,we would be sacked!

Wendy, I think you are getting confused with what the drivers do/get and what First charge for the service. I can tell you that the wage a bus driver gets for working as early as 4 am, as late as 1 am, Saturdays, Sundays and bank holidays, carrying abusive drunks, fare dodgers (who the drivers are expected to deal with), druggies, gangs of stroppy teens, etc etc. Being responsible for upto 70 peoples safety all day, every day, being tourist information, timetable information et al.
I couldn't put up with it for the wage, even though the unions are constantly trying to negotiate a living wage without the need for striking which is always the last ditch action (and has been called off on the last two occasions by the union). If you're in a job that treats you as badly as you say, maybe you should apply to be a bus driver as you believe its such a highly paid profession.

Excuse me but i do have the right to my opinion,Sheffield isn't the brill at all,and the bus fares are to expencive.And has for leeds i was just useing them as an example,my twenty year old son has just moved there and say's there bus fares are much cheaper than Sheffield's.Every time there's a fare rise it's "oh it's fuel pricers" bus fares are way to costly,First buses care more about there wage packets then there customers,and evey time they want a pay rise,it's if we don't get it we'll strike attitude!They wonder way there's loads of cars on the road,because there fares are too much!
So other than price of bus fares do you have any actual complaints? It seems rather a poor excuse to slur an entire city.

The last time I went to Leeds I got on a first bus from one of the business parks into the city centre, a distance of about 5 miles. It cost £1.50. A bus from my house to town, a distance of about 4 miles, cost £1.50. In my eyes that’s not actually any cheaper. I'm sure your Son would love a visit from his dear old Mum, maybe you could make it a permanent arrangement?

Shanmom hope you have a fantastic time if you do get to move over here. I lived near Bradfield when I was growing up and it’s a fantastic place. The commute to Manchester is very easy from there, over a road called the snake pass (weather permitting).

If you do need to be slightly more towards the centre Loxley is just down the road from Bradfield. That has a great primary school and lots of places for kids (and cats) to play. It may even be the Loxley where Robin Hood came from, that’s something your child will be able to regale his mates with (though hopefully not in a Kevin Costner type scenario). As I’m sure you’ve already seen most people on here are pretty friendly and will help in whatever way they can. Good luck.

So other than price of bus fares do you have any actual complaints? It seems rather a poor excuse to slur an entire city.

The last time I went to Leeds I got on a first bus from one of the business parks into the city centre, a distance of about 5 miles. It cost £1.50. A bus from my house to town, a distance of about 4 miles, cost £1.50. In my eyes that’s not actually any cheaper. I'm sure your Son would love a visit from his dear old Mum, maybe you could make it a permanent arrangement?
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Oh nice to see you lot all sticking together,all for one & one for all hey,so NO ONE on here has a problem with Sheffield then just me! !Bus fare's are DEARER IN SHEFFIELD and that's not just because of fuel COSTS,cus petrol stations have if you have'nt noticed when you all go for your petrol, HAS GONE DOWN IN PRICE,cus most of you probably drive anyway,some don't even know how much bus fares cost.I have to pay £1.60 a day for my younger son to go to school,then another £5 a week for my other son to go to college,the weekly saver from First is £15 at moment, so i'm paying £28.00 just for 5 days,every time,work that out for a month!why can't they do a saver for £9.50 like Stage coach,even London had cheaper fares last time i went last year,and children there travel for FREE lAs for me making it a PERMANENT arrangement you there's no need to be sarcastic, wish i could leave,but it's not that easy ,job or money wise!

MOD: Can we leave discussing bus fares to a bus fare discussion thread, please? We really don't want to put off potential visitors, now do we? Thanks.

crookes is a nice place to live (S10), i don't know what the schools are like though.

Most of the schools in S10 are ok arent they?

Deepak

There are elements of truth in all the threads above.Moving from US will be a culture shock.Sheffield is a modern thriving city but in some sense is still an overgrown village.That means you have a villagy feel in the city.Obviously it has its advantages and disadvantages.
If your husband is planning to work near the airport,it might be worthwhile looking around that part of Sheffield for a house.You get lot more for the money.If you are keen on new houses,there is a large new estate near Swallownest and even you could consider Barlborough.Barlborough has biggish houses and is a commuter town adjacent to junction 30 of motorway M1.It also has good schools including private primary and secondary schools.
Good luck with your move.I'm sure you'll enjoy your stay in Uk.
Nibble