Moving to Bushey

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travor
Posts: 8
Joined: Sun Mar 09, 2014 5:46 pm

Moving to Bushy

Post by travor »

Can anyone please advise which are the good areas to live in Bushy (Hertfordshire)? What are the good (or better) primary schools there? Ideally, a place that is within walking distance to the Queens Secondary School, primary school and train station -- but I might be dreaming.

Are the areas around the Queens School safe for a Y7 to walk to and from school alone?
travor
Posts: 8
Joined: Sun Mar 09, 2014 5:46 pm

Moving to Bushey

Post by travor »

Hi,

We are moving to Bushy (Herts) and I would be greatly if someone can advise:
1. Which are the better areas to live in Bushy?
2. Which are the areas to avoid?
3. Which are the better primary schools?
4. Are there areas that are within walking distance to the Queens School, good primary school and train station?
5. Is it safe for a Y7 student to walk to and fro from the Queens School alone?

Thanks in advance
Mgnmum
Posts: 245
Joined: Fri Feb 24, 2012 6:34 pm

Re: Moving to Bushey

Post by Mgnmum »

all depends on your budget
Near the station there is a good primary called oxhey Village, i think. Oxhey village should not be confused with south oxhey. There are a few roads leading away from the station towards queens, including several new developments. You can also walk from that area into central watford via water lane.
It all depends on what you want.
I dont know the area well, but you can get the feeling by looking at the houses.
Middlesexmum
Posts: 1008
Joined: Wed Jun 22, 2011 9:54 am

Re: Moving to Bushey

Post by Middlesexmum »

I would say the best primaries are Bushey Heath primary (The Rutts) and Hartsbourne in Bushey Heath, and Ashfield in Bushey village.
HenryVIII
Posts: 105
Joined: Wed Jun 22, 2011 1:08 pm

Re: Moving to Bushey

Post by HenryVIII »

There are no bad schools or bad areas as such in Bushey - although there are some with more 'cachet' than others. You would also need to live relatively close to your chosen primary - my DS2 got a sibling place at a primary 5 minutes walk away but one of my neighbours had to appeal - she didn't drive (she won her appeal). The primaries are split equally between single form entry and 2 form entry - my experience of two form entries is that they can offer after school provision such as sports and other clubs, most provided by external parties which require a fee (there is only one after school club in the area based at Falconer Hall) which serves Sacred Heart, Merry Hill/Ashfield/Bushey Manor - please check in case they have recruited more walkers from other schools. There's also a breakfast club and plenty of childminders.

Unfortunately the topography of Bushey is quite complicated and most of Bushey is not within the distance place zone for Queens - the only person I know who got a distance place to Queens lived on Bushey Grove Road, which is close to Watford Town centre. The children who go to Queens from DC's school have gained their places via the academic or sport route. The school/area Mgnmum is referring to is Bushey and Oxhey Infants School which feeds into Bushey Manor Junior School. Please note that all schools in Herts are oversubscribed and the Bushey Academy (a secondary) has applied to open a new primary from 2016 on its site. The closest residential properties to Queens are most likely in North Bushey which is actually closer to Watford (you would probably want to commute into London from Watford Junction). The local primary school in North Bushey is Highwood JMI. We looked at this area but preferred the more villagey feel in Bushey.

There is a very large new residential development on the Aldenham Road which would be convenient for Queens - but all the routes into Queens are safe. From Bushey, many kids hop on a red bus a few stops and then walk the rest (probably 20-30 mins walk from a bus stop).

Several families I have heard about have had problems getting a ranked school from Oxhey (which unfortunately is very convenient for Bushey Station with some decent sized family houses); this is not the same as Oxhey Village which is a lovely area but mostly small Victorian terraced houses with no off street parking.

All the local estate agents are on Rightmove - Imagine has an office in Oxhey Village, Churchills caters for Bushey/North Bushey/Oxhey Village as does Connells. John Whiteman seems to specialise more in Bushey Heath.

You probably need to prioritise further what is important to you.
noonynunu
Posts: 318
Joined: Fri Sep 06, 2013 1:31 pm

Re: Moving to Bushey

Post by noonynunu »

If you have your heart set on a SW Herts ranked school i.e. Rickmansworth, Watford Boys Grammar, Watford Girls Grammar, Bushey Meads, Queens or Parmiters it might be worth having a read of this:

http://www.watfordobserver.co.uk/news/1 ... ?cmpid=cmt" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

All school places were filled this year and with the possibility of a further increase in school applications next year onwards, there is very little in the way of planned provision for additional school places in which to house the additional children.

I moved to where I live now when the distance cut off for the boys grammar was 720 meters. This year it was 224 meters.
travor
Posts: 8
Joined: Sun Mar 09, 2014 5:46 pm

Re: Moving to Bushey

Post by travor »

Thanks a lot for your replies. We found the properties in Bushey rather expensive. Watford is slightly cheaper and I need the train into London. Is it safe to walk from Central Watford via Water Lane to Queens? If not, is there a straight bus from Watford High Street or Watford Junction Station? Does Bushey Hall Road and Water Lane tend to flood during heavy rain? And would the train from Watford to Bushy be disrupted during the flood?
noonynunu
Posts: 318
Joined: Fri Sep 06, 2013 1:31 pm

Re: Moving to Bushey

Post by noonynunu »

travor, as the name suggests, Water Lane is prone to flooding. I don't think the flooding has ever affected the train line unless it did in the last lot of floods. I don't travel into London for work any more so I'm not sure.

Could I just ask, if you didn't get Queens, which other secondary do you think you would get for the area you are considering moving to. Please be careful and don't put all you eggs in one basket. Try to find somewhere that gives a commutable route to an alternative school as a back up. Believe me you are going to need it.
HenryVIII
Posts: 105
Joined: Wed Jun 22, 2011 1:08 pm

Re: Moving to Bushey

Post by HenryVIII »

It is safe to walk from Watford to Queens via Water Lane. Water Lane does flood occasionally - this year and about 8/9 years ago and more frequently before they sorted the drainage out under the viaduct. The train lines are not effected by the flooding as they go over the viaduct which conveniently traverses the flood plain! But there is disruption due to other forms of weather sometimes.

The route is easily walkable from Watford to Queens but it is a bit of a route march. There are school buses which pick up at a number of places (the routes are available at the open evening in the Autumn) - someone mentioned that the cost is about £200 per term - but check as I have no direct experience.

Other public buses are - 620 ? and another one which stops on the avenue close to the old International School (still a good 15 mins from Queens).

Be careful, this year 124 children got non-ranked secondary schools from the Watford area - there is a shortage of places. The desirable areas of Watford - Cassiobury estate and Nascot Wood are easily more expensive than Bushey.

When DS1 was in Y4 we decided to do a recce and go and see what all the fuss was about with Parmiters (Garston) with the view to relocating closer to the school. We decided that the school was not worth the risk of moving away from an area of 3 very acceptable/good schools - it is very close to one we wouldn't want or would have willingly chosen.
2g2c
Posts: 44
Joined: Fri May 31, 2013 9:26 am

Re: Moving to Bushey

Post by 2g2c »

School bus info for watford schools can be found on this link:
http://www.mullanyscoaches.com/schools/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Lots of kids from my dd primary get into Queens and we have neighbours who walk there from the north watford area, which is also within walking distance of the junction or by the Abbey link from North Watford Station.
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