US family moving to Sheffield area

[Shanmom]

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.

[Titian]

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?

[Shanmom]

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.

[torin8]

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!

[Strix]

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

 

http://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

 

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!

[Shanmom]

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.

[muddycoffee]

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.

[Shanmom]

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.

[wendyG]

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!

[muddycoffee]

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.

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.