Main Differences Between Living In England And Wales

The Key Differences Between Living In England and Wales

Technically, both England and Wales are the same country, alongside Scotland and Northern Ireland, with all four countries forming the United Kingdom. Despite all being the same nation, there are many key differences between living in each specific region, including differences with lifestyle, culture, education, and more. Growing up or living life in each of the countries is surprisingly significantly different from one and other.

In the South West of the United Kingdom, England and Wales are both close and have a host of cities and residential areas. If you are thinking of moving from England to Wales, or vice versa, then use this blog to understand the key differences between living both England and Wales to decide which lifestyle appeals more to you and your family.

Mandatory Education

In both England and Wales, mandatory education is similar, however, there are some key differences. One of the key differences is that many schools teach the Welsh language or are Welsh-speaking schools, which is very uncommon in the UK. Unless you are Welsh with English children living in England, it is highly unlikely that your children will speak Welsh, so catching up on the Welsh language may be difficult if you were to move to Wales. Although many Welsh schools teach the language, there are also many that do not speak or teach Welsh. In Wales, approximately only 19% of the population are speakers of the language, so schools across the country will be primarily English speaking. 

In terms of qualifications, GCSE and BTEC’s are the mandatory final qualification in secondary schools in both England and Wales. Up until 2014 when the qualification was ungraded, the Welsh Baccalaureate was also an option for all students. Following GCSE’s, the system remains the same in both countries where education is mandatory until the age of 18. Students in both countries will be able to make a choice to continue education in a college, sixth form, or get an apprenticeship in any field of work that they choose. Another key difference in Wales is that some sixth forms may require students to continue to wear a uniform, which is very uncommon in England.

Landscape

In Wales, the landscape is significantly different from many places in England. Wales is home to many spectacular landscapes including national parks, mountains, hills, and stunning coastlines. Although these are all found in England, England has a lot more residential area and busier towns and cities compared to Wales. If your hobbies including walking through scenery with incredible aesthetics, or prefer to live somewhere quieter out of the way of the city, then moving to wales is an option that should definitely be considered as you’ll be in an environment with endless discovery.

Alternatively, if you wish to live in the city, Wales is home to numerous towns and cities such as Cardiff, Swansea, Newport, Port Talbot, Wrexham, Bridgend, Llanelli, and more, with all the resources you require, as well as lively town centres with excellent shopping centres, sights, things to do for entertainment, nightlife, and more. In Wales, many towns and cities are also close to each other in Wales, especially in South Wales, which can make it easy to travel between each town for different purposes. In England, the distance between different cities and towns can vary depending on where in the country you live, however, most English cities and towns have all the resources you need, so its unlikely that you’ll need to travel to a new town to get what you’re looking for. 

Sport

Rugby is a hugely popular sport in both England and Wales, however, it is much more popular in Wales than it is in England. In England, the most popular sport is likely to be Football, however, cricket is another sport that is also hugely popular, but is not as popular in Wales. If you’re looking to raise your children in Wales, it is highly likely that they will have a strong interest in Rugby, whereas, in England, it is highly likely that they may develop a strong interest in Football. People in public in Wales will also be much more likely to want to talk about rugby and there may be plenty more options to play rugby. If you’re looking to move somewhere for opportunities for yourself or someone for rugby, then Wales will certainly be the best place for you to move to, or for football or cricket, then moving to England will be a better option. Even though both nations have preferred sports, there are still opportunities in both sports in both countries.

Accessibility

England, in terms of getting around to other cities and countries, is much more accessible than Wales. This is as Wales only has one international airport and one motorway in the South, which connects England and Wales. England has many motorways and many local international airports, meaning it is much more accessible than Wales. If you do not travel much domestically or internationally, then it may be best to live in England rather than Wales, as living in Wales could make travelling more complicated. Wales is still very accessible and also has an excellent railway network, however, England is much more accessible than Wales is. It is likely that Wales has a less developed transport and travel network due to its hilly landscape, making it more difficult to construct motorways and airports.

Building Surveyor Bristol

Are you considering a move to Wales or south-west England? Southwest Housesurveys are building surveyors in Bristol offering surveys for homes across south-west England and Wales. Our team have successfully surveyed homes across the region for many years and can evaluate all risks of the property with accuracy and precision. If you’re looking for an accurate survey before moving into your new home, or require one of our other fantastic surveys such as measured surveys, then get in touch with Southwest Housesurveys. For more information or to book, get in contact with our team of experts.

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