Kennington OX1 - what's it like?

[NewEnglandMum3]

Our family is considering a move to the village. Can anyone tell me the good and bad about Kennington? We're looking at a private school nearby, but is the local primary ok? How is the montessori school there? Amenities, toddler groups? Any advice is appreciated!

[HPFA]

I live quite near there (Abingdon) - the village is quite strung out - I would imagine it takes a while to get from one end to the other - but its large enough to have plenty of the facilities you would want and easy access by bus or car to Abingdon and Oxford. So you won't struggle for things to do. Don't really know the primary school, I know of kids at Chandlings and the Manor who seem to like them.
Catchment secondary Matthew Arnold is extremely well-regarded and Didcot Girls is an alternative if you have girls. My DD goes to Didcot Girls and it is fabulous. If you want private for secondary its easy to get to Abingdon Boys or St Helen's for highly academic or Our Lady's for less academic (or "well-rounded" I am sure the school would say). Plenty of private schools in Oxford as well of course but Abingdon schools would be easier to get to.
I daresay secondary seems a long way off - but will happen sooner than you think (sniff!!) and even if you go private Matthew Arnold catchment will definitely help your house's resale value, but make sure you buy in Kennington itself and not in Radley.
Hope that helps - PM me if you move - will provide tea and a welcome.

[NewEnglandMum3]

Thanks, HPFA! We are likely going to Chandlings, so the convenience is nice. We'd really like to be in Abingdon, (like the area near to the Abingdon School) but haven't found anything there. We're also looking to rent, so that is a bit easier from a commitment standpoint, but less 'nice' properties available. Coming from an urban place (similar to Oxford) I worry that the tiny villages will be a hard adjustment, but also don't want to sacrifice on charm. If you have thoughts on other areas, with amenities, near to Abingdon - I'd be happy to hear!

[HPFA]

Steventon is a lovely village -friendly, pretty and close to cinema and theatre at Didcot. But definitely less handy than Kennington for Chandlings. And the state secondary options from Abingdon and Steventon are not as good as Matthew Arnold so you'd need to be pretty sure you're going private all through.
I think you'll be OK in Kennington -it's close to Oxford so you're not going to miss out on city facilities at all.

[NewEnglandMum3]

I've heard Steventon mentioned before, and I don't believe there is anything for rent there at the moment - but I'll keep an eye on it. Thank you - that would be very convenient to DH work, at least!

[sausagepoo]

I really wouldn't move to Kennington in preference to Abingdon. Have lived in both, kennington is a long line of houses around a road that is used every morning as a cut through to avoid the A34 if coming from abungdon way. There is no real sense of it being much other than a suburb of Oxford. Abingdon has more frequent buses to Oxford and a defined identity and a centre and shops etc. And closer to both your husband's work and chosen school.

[NewEnglandMum3]

Sausagepoo, I must have missed your last post last week and we agree...have decided to no longer consider Kennington.
A nice house in Sandford on Thames has presented itself, so we're strongly considering this whilst hoping to see a really good option in Abingdon or Sutton Courtenay. Any experience with Sandford ? It's close to school, and looks very pretty, but I don't know if it's a particularly social village.

[roguedad]

I used to live in Littlemore up the road and often went to the pub at Sandford lock. It's got shockingly expensive of late, but is jolly handy for the main road, the nearby Sainsbury's, the Science Park (where I work), Oxford and Abingdon (where DS goes to school). I would not go to Kennington basically because it's a long thin village with a lot of traffic, as I have found out when dropping kids off at Radley holiday camps. Parts of Sanford are lovely - I nearly moved to one of the row of cottages looking down over a green to the lock - I have regretted not doing so several times!

[freshmint]

You would be the only Chandlings parent living in Kennington. No decent houses. Look at Steventon, culham, Sutton courtenay, the Hannays, the hendreds, Clifton Hampden, boars hill, Appleton, Cumnor, maybe sunningwell, blewbury.

[freshmint]

Sandford has a collection of quite nice barn conversions but there is nothing else really there.
Might be something in nuneham Courtney but I'm not sure what.

[freshmint]

Radley also worth a look

[NewEnglandMum3]

Thanks roguedad and freshmint. Really helpful to get some local insight. We're going to continue to consider Sandford, with the hope that there will be opportunities to socialize in the village. We'll keep the villages you mentioned, freshmint, in our search, but not too much coming up on RIghtmove that fits our criteria and we are hoping to be settled by July.

[sausagepoo]

Sanford is OK - especially the bits near the river, but unless you're commuting by bike over the the lock to radley and Abingdon, then there are potential traffic issues getting into and out of Abingdon from the south each day. If you don't fancy Abingdon itself (there are all sorts of properties in Abingdon, the Radley could be a compromise as a nice small village, close to Oxford but also the right side of the river for your commutes.

[sausagepoo]

Sorry, lots of phone related typos there.

[NewEnglandMum3]

These are all helpful points, as I don't have the advantage of testing out the traffic and commutes until we arrive in July. Can you weigh in on Steventon? It's a bit farther from Chandlings than what I'd prefer - but if it's a great place to live, then we'd consider the longer school run. We're still looking closely at Sandford, for it's convenience to school and Oxford and it's spot on the Thames.

[HPFA]

Steventon is a nice friendly village - it feels down to earth and there's a lot going on. Driving to Chandlings is not going to be much fun everyday though as the road through Abingdon will be very busy! It might be worth checking out the school in Steventon if you really like the idea of the village.

[NewEnglandMum3]

Thanks, HPFA. That was my very concern. My 7 & 5 year olds will be at Chandlings (I believe Steventon's local primary is oversubscribed) and my 2 year old will do nursery maybe at Chandlings or somewhere else near to home -- I can't see how the logistics would work if I have to drive to Chandlings 2-3x per day (if my youngest is doing a 1/2 day nursery.) Ride shares are good possibility, but we can't count on that right away. I think Sandford might have to win out on proximity.

[NewEnglandMum3]

Thanks for your thoughts. We decided to go with Steventon, after hearing what a lovely and social place it is and that there are a number of children attending Chandlings there. Hopefilly, lift shares are in my future 😬 Thanks again, I'm so looking forward to exploring this lovely part of the world!

[Lamplighlady]

Hi there, I live in Steventon. Be very, very, very careful with traffic. Even before all the construction going on in the village, traffic into Abingdon via Drayton can be brutal. And up the A34 in Oxford direction even worse. You may be better iff going in the other direction ie live closer to school and commute slightly further for work. Also, while Steventon is very social I think for adults. Have not found it to be especially so for kids. It is also very difficult to get childcare as only one bus per hour. North Abingdon has some lovely houses and is much closer to the rowing/swimming/hockey clubs your kids will go to. Sutton Courtenay has a back route to Abingdon. Or Iffley village in Oxford is a great spot and you will be travelling against the traffic. Pm me if you need more colour.

[Lamplighlady]

Just to add, there is also a possibility they may rebuild the railway bridge out of Steventon to Milton. The proposal got over-turned at the last minute but may rear its head. Would mean driving round through Drayton or Sutton Courtenay to get to Milton.