susie q

hi[/LIST]everyone we are a family of 2 + 2 from co durham uk moving to cochrane soon i am a nurse going to the foothills medical centre, oh will be house husband for a while what is life like in cochrane and are the schools any good daughter aged 11 and son 14
susie q

niksagkram

Hi Susie, welcome.
I live about 40 minutes drive north of Cochrane, so I don't know a lot about the schools and such, but the area is beautiful. On a clear day you have great veiws of the mountains. You will be just a few minutes from Calgary too. I drive through there on the way to Banff quite often, and it seems to be a booming, thriving town. Definitely, a cowboy town feel to it too. I think you will really like it.

Mark

ann m

Hi susie q

We have been in Cochrane for nearly a year - and very much like the town, the location, the pace of things - oh, and fab views of those big hills to the west

You have several options on the school front - but predominantly it will be based on where you live.

Generally speaking (with a few exceptions, of course), north of the rail tracks and your kids would go to Manachaban Middle school and/or Cochrane High School. These also offer French Immersion running side by side the English teaching if that is something you wanted to look at (but I am not sure that you could enter those programmes at your children's ages ??).

Generally speaking, south of the rail tracks and your kids would go to Mitford Middle School and/or Bow Valley High School.

If you are interested in Catholic, then the town offers Holy Spirit School which goes until Grade 6 (depending on birthdays, I think your daughter would go into Grade 5?) and a new-ish High School called St Timothy's for Gr 7 upwards.

There is a new Christian programme also available, which has been available for children up to Gr 4 but they are hoping to add on Gr 5 this year aswell, depending on interest.

And finally, there is also a solely French school in the town about which I have no knowledge whatsoever (), but it's down near the Riverside area of homes.

Feel free to ask me anything else - or PM me if you wish - I might know the answer or find someone else who does.

There are quite a few fellow Brits dotted all around the town, and you will hear all the UK regional accents when out and about.

I suspect your kids will be welcomed easily into the school by both staff and fellow students - my two settled in well pretty quickly - and people were friendly and helpful to the newbies !

Best wishes with the move and the new jobs

frankieforehead

Our two little gems went to Cochrane high...our daughter is in grade 11 at the mo...and they both enjoy/enjoyed it. It is quite a sporty school and the majority of the kids are friendly. I can't speak for Bow valley high, but it appears to be okay as well.

As previously stated it will depend on what side of the town you live on (seperated by the rail tracks that run through the centre) as to which school your children will attend.

Anyway welcome to Cochrane, you're coming at a nice time as the grass will start to turn green in a couple of weeks, and the weather is starting to turn nice.

Best wishes
Frankiefh

woodmanbg

You will love it. We live south of Cochrane in Bragg Creek. Our kids are all grown up now so cannt help on schools, but I see Ann M has given you some good info.

susie q

hip hip hip hooray! twp has arrived today so should be on my way soon now starts the hard work i think
many thanks to all who replied to me
susie q

niksagkram

Congrats, Susie.

Mark