Mumsnet Talk

Doesn't Ilkely have a grammar school though and the children who don't get in there tend to go to the ones in Skipton or elsewhere?

Sheffield. Ofsted outstanding school a 10 min walk away, with a good w outstanding features primary next door to the secondary. We moved last year into a 4 bed semi which was <300k. 3 min walk to local shops and bus stop with frequent service to city centre.

Where I am!
Will pm you details if you like...

Have pmed you

These houses are all within walking distance of this school. Or is that too far away?

I live in Halesowen, West Mids, and there are some fantastic schools here. If you go a little further out there are lovely villages (eg Hagley) with decent transport links to Stourbridge, Kidderminster and Birmingham.

Ludlow, Kinver, Bewdley, Clent, and Romsley are well worth a look too.

Bewdley house

I am in a non grammar school area.
I have my older son in a very good sen school. He is doing an extra year before college.
My younger son is year 10 and in a catholic secondary school. We are catholics but it is not a super selective letter from your priest type of school. Very happy with his education and its wider links with the local community.
We are on the south coast so always something going on, safe for children to play out, go to the parks or into town and lots of activities for them.
£300k would buy you a decent house with a nice sized garden and plenty of choice of styles. There is everything from victorian to modern build estates.
Good transport links, good local colleges for further education and generally a lovely place to live.

How do you know if a Comp is "happy"?
Our local comp has typical GCSE pass rates around 50%. MNers probably consider that abysmal not decent. I think I need "decent" defined, too.

This is in catchment of an Outstanding rated high school with GCSE pass rates near 80%. Sheringham, too, would fit your bill.

Solihull has good comps, and 4-beds under 300,000.

This is all making me feel a bit only because I am in London and can never leave because of work (only London-based), all family are here, I was born here and also love London. But...so many nice options. I like the sound of a market town in Herefordshire or somewhere like that. <daydreams>

Come to Bedfordshire! I live in a 4 bed in a lovely little village - market town within 10miles and nearest comp is outstanding and only 1mile down the road! X

Btw we are just over the border from Hertfordshire - trains into London every 10mins and £300k buys lovely big houses here in the villages! X

Have PMed you!

Live in a village - Google Bradon Forest. Am a govenor at the school. can buy in thsat range in village and you can walk to school - there is also a primary next door. Its in village outside a quite major town, near M4 but you can get to naiice palces quickly plus fairly decent facilities in the bigger place.

Oh there's a Royal connection nearby too

Am in Cumbria. Dd1s school is v good AND OFSTEd likes it. Loads 4 + beds under 300k. Don't want to say the town on here but if you fancy Cumbria pm me

I live in South Yorkshire near a market town that has a comprehensive school that DD goes to. She is happy there. The school has been graded as satisfactory from ofsted, but they are on the up. You could easily find a 4 bedroomed house for £300k.

Durham is a really lovely place to live.

And we are very lucky to have this school with properties nearby within your price range.

Just back here after work, school runs dinner etc. Brilliant to have so many messages. I am so excited to see different places around the UK. It makes me realise how expensive our current hometown is. (and how brilliant some schools are, unfortunately not here).

lljkk, good question - what makes a school 'decent'. I wish I knew! Ds (lots of aspergers traits and some SEN) doesnt fit in his current school at all. It is an independent school, very competitive and sporty. Its an excellent environment for many children but trying to force ds to conform to the schools expectations is like forcing the proverbial square peg into a round hole. To me a 'decent' school would be one that allows ds to be himself and not feel inadequate about it. His needs are key to our move because his schooling has been a disaster so far . He has 2 sisters who are very different (one is extremely academic) and a decent school would also provide them with an appropriate education. (I have seen very poor and very good differentiation in schools when I was a secondary school teacher pre dcs).

Back to rightmove. thanks again everyone. I am slowly working through the list of suggestions, checking each one and compiling a spreadsheet (how proud dh is of me and my spreadsheet!)

I've PMd you

Sorry forgot to add, whilst I linked to properties in the village, the catchment covers lots of villages, to which coaches run, so the search potential is wider if walking isn't a major issue.

We live on the N Yorkshire coast in a 3 bed detached overlooking the sea and similar go for around 225k. Both kids went to the local comp, it's a nice school on 2 sites with an upper and lower school which we liked as the young ones dont feel too overwhelmed at 11 as there are only years 7 and 8 in lower.

Youngest is still there and eldest is at uni now.

Town is lovely - we won the most enterprising town in Europe award so there is a nice vibe. We are 40 miles from York which is 1hr 58 from London. I love it here.

I went to the Durham Johnston! I was happy but it was centuries a while ago!

Ashbourne?

<high fives Awks>

The school used to be on two sites but was recently completely rebuilt (finished in 2009) at a cost of £24M and now offers really excellent facilities as well as fantastic teaching.

OP,I know just the place. It's fully comprehensive in the town BUT There are two schools (both comp) that are single sex. The girl's school is very well thought of and academic. The boy's school looks after it's pupils whatever they want to do. These two schools are within walking distance of the town centre and seafront.
Should you want co-ed there are at least two other schools.