Can anyone help please, we are thinking of moving to bath and need a little help with areas etc... We have a 2 year old daughter so preschools and state primaries are important as is being in walking distance to town centre.
I would like to be in a good community and safety is of high priority!
Would be really grateful for any advice!
Many thanks x

"The" primary school to get into is "Bathwick St Marys" (http://www.bathwick-st-mary.net/): VERY difficult to get into though! Bathwick is a nice area and easy walk into town.

Newbridge is a nice area, useful "local" shops on Chelsea Road. Very close to Victoria Park. Town quite walkable (or very short bus ride). Newbridge Primary very "up and coming" (http://www.newbridge.bathnes.sch.uk/).

St Stephens (Lansdown - another nice, but pricey area) is also good, I believe (http://www.st-stephens.bathnes.sch.uk/). Walkable (but steep) hill down to town.

Batheaston is on the outskirts (good bus route into town, not really walkable). School has very good reputation, very inclusive, recently done quite a bit of renovation/expansion/building (http://www.batheastonprimary.co.uk/). Might know of a nice house for sale there if you are in the market for a large 4 bedroom family home....

Slightly further out "Bathford" - more "villagey": my neighbour's youngest goes there and they are very fussy (first two privately educated).

If in the market for private education, then King Edwards is an excellent private day school (pre-prep is in Weston, near Newbridge, Prep and Senior on the outskirts of Bathwick). Not as pricey as you might imagine... My DS (also 2) will be starting preschool there when he turns 3. Also look at Monkton Combe (on the outskirts) and Kingswood (Lansdown): two very good independent mainly day schools (with a few boarders).

Hope that helps, but best thing is to have some long visits and also tour around a few schools - get a "feel" for everything. Maybe even rent (before buying) and get used to the area. Bath is lovely, though...

If your toddler is active, I whole-heartedly recommend "Baskervilles" - http://www.baskervillesgym.co.uk/baskervilles-for-pre-school/

Thank you so much, great information! X

"Walking distance" is pretty subjective, imo, but anyway, houses within 20 mins or so of the centre are ££££. Don't forget either that Bath is v.hilly, so 1 mile in one direction will be nothing, but in another will be a real thigh-worker!

All areas of Bath are safe, even the supposedly rough ones, but again that's subjective. Basically though, there isn't a street in Bath that I'd refuse to walk down after dark.

Primaries are pretty much all v.good (that's a Jenai v.good, not some Ofsted confection). Much depends on what you think you're looking for tbh. My ds is in Y6, and with the benefit of hindsight I still made the right decision back in 2005. But I shan't out myself by telling you where (pm me though if you like).

Actually, tell us your budget and QT and I can play Kirsty and Phil!

Anyone know what corston is like please..... Seen a house I like or any suggestions about nice villages within 10 miles of city. Txs

Corston is quite nice, I have a friend there who loves it, she finds it quite quiet, the road they are in is mainly elderly people who keep to themselves. Nice play park, buses to Bath and Keynsham/Bristol. Village shop/post office. Nice for walks nearby as well. I have no idea about schools as I've not even started looking about for DD 1.4 yet.

Tonytiger - Box is a really nice village. Have friends there. Primary School got outstanding last year I think. Big sense of community.