I am a Canadian planning to move to the UK for the fall. I have a teaching degree (primary/junior with additional qualifications in kindergarten, intermediate drama, and I have early childhood experience), and a bachelor of fine arts. I have had full time classroom experience in Canada as an Arts teacher (drama, music, visual arts) for preschool - grade 8, as well as music for toddlers. Additionally, I taught phys ed for 5-7 year olds.

I will take teaching work wherever I am hired (I know that it is likely that I will get put in areas that British teachers do not want), but I would still like to apply to my desired areas and hope for the best. My boyfriend, who is moving with me, is originally from Southampton (although he has lived in Canada for 15 years).

We have been told Southampton, Cambridge, and Brighton are places we would want to live. Does anybody else have any suggestions? Unfortunately, I will not have the luxury of looking at any areas before I apply for work. I have NEVER been outside of Canada so I am certain I will love anywhere we go. I do not think I want to live in the city of London, but I am looking forward to being able to spend time there.

Any direction would be greatly appreciated! Moving to England will be a dream come true for me

You mentioned Brighton and I have a contact there who loves it - she lives in Eastbourne, and says it is lovely too.

who told you that you would want to live there?..surely that is your decision?

My boyfriend's family members. It is definitely out decision, but I do not have much to base it on. I am just trying to get as many opinions as I can, do as much research as I can, and find out as much information as I can before I start applying to agencies and school boards. As I said, I cannot get to England sooner than the week we plan to move (mid August) and by then I will already have my job set up.

Brighton and Cambridge, yes lovely, places, but Southampton? I could be wrong but I always thought it a bit rough...

haha, I think his family is a bit biased then, in that they came from there. Also, perhaps it was a nicer city 15-ish years ago?

My initial reaction when they said Southampton was that it looked beautiful (all that history, and right on the water), but then my research has been showing that there is a relatively high crime rate. That's why I wanted to get as many opinions as I can!

I looked up Eastbourne, it does look lovely! I am definitely partial to being near the water. I also want rolling hills, beautiful green countryside, ancient buildings... haha, you know, what us Canadians imagine England to look like

Southampton is a port city, so it goes without saying that parts of it are a bit rough. Same is true of Bristol, and of the two I would take Bristol - it has more history, culture and class (at least in the not-so-rough parts)

If you want rolling green English countryside, try Wiltshire (NW of Southampton - Swindon, Newbury, Salisbury), Hampshire (just north of Southampton - Andover, Basingstoke, Winchester), or Suffolk (NE of London - Ipswich, Bury St Edmunds, Newmarket). All these areas are 60-90 minutes by train from London.

mmmm - Swindon is a fair way out of London and will cost a lot by train to get into London - I know I used to work there. Basingstoke is a concrete town, lovely areas around it, but not an attractive town itself and the ring road makes walking into town from outside a nightmare. But Hampshire has some wonderful places to live - I so miss Farnham!!

I would suggest also looking at Surrey and Sussex, both West and East Sussex - beautiful rolling countryside with the south downs, historic buildings galore!!

and before anyone points out, Farnham is Surrey, but right on border with Hampshire!!!

And anywhere around Guildford is worth a look

Did you mean to say Brighton (since that was what the OP mentioned?) or did you actually mean Bristol?
I'm selfishly curious because we've considered both, so any tips on places- I take.

Southampton....hmmm...not my cup of tea and pretty rough in parts (especially at night when the pubs empty).

Lots of Surrey/Hampshire is extremely beautiful....full of quintessential English villages but be warned...cheap it is not. We rented in a gorgeous village nr. Winchester before we left for Canada. Could we afford to buy there? Well yes, but only if we wanted a two bed terraced teeny tiny house.

Good luck with your move. England IS beautiful!

Oh and to the OP, welcome and best wishes on your move!
What a huge adventure, moving somewhere you've never even been- heck, just leaving your home country for the first time for that matter! I wish you luck on all of it.

Will you be wanting to be near your boyfriend's family when you move? That might make your choices slimmer if you do, but moving to a new country without that support may be pretty rough.

I also wonder if you have figured out visas, as they can be kind of tricky to obtain?

Hehe!

Canterbury is worth considering! Loads of history back to the Romans, vibrant tourist centre, double UNESCO world heritage site, ecclesiastical centre, three university level colleges and big variety of state and private schools, Marlowe Theatre, seven miles from the sea at Whitstable, easy to get into London by bus and rail and good connections to Europe, main area shopping centre and good market and farmer's market, decent restaurant and pub scene these days, beautiful green countryside all around and good walks, in the Garden of England, attractive towns (Faversham, Sandwich, Deal) and villages around. Reasonably priced if buying and plentiful supply of rental property. No need to own a car.