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Original poster

Lovely places to live with great secondary schools

56 replies

EmBeEmBe · 06/06/2020 20:59

We are considering moving out of London to do somewhere with easier access to proper countryside and excellent state schools - particularly at secondary level. We also need to be on a good train line to London or Glasgow for occasional work reasons. Ideally we'd find a small town with good public transport to somewhere more exiting for the teenage years. We love York but where else might suit us? I'm struggling to find information about places where the majority of schools are good. Do such places exist?

OP posts:
Original poster
EmBeEmBe · 08/06/2020 09:50

@LegoPeople I think most people from my part of London who want to commute back and want good schools head to Guidlford, Farnham area, Kent for grammars and also Sussex.

OP posts:
LegoPeople · 08/06/2020 09:14

Following with interest in secondary schools in outer London / South East / home counties due to the need to still commute to London for niche work. I've been gagging to get out of London for years but seems a pipe dream!

Matildatoldsuchdreadfullies · 08/06/2020 08:53

North Cotswolds. Lovely area and amazing state comprehensives (the Cotswold School, and Chipping Camden School).

delightfuldaisy19 · 08/06/2020 08:09

If the NE suits then consider

Durham - Durham Johnson is a good school

Morpeth - KEVI is a good school

Hexham - QEHS is a really lovely school

As mentioned above Whitley Bay has a good high school.

If I had to choose - I would go for Hexham.

kazza446 · 07/06/2020 22:23

@EmBeEmBe Lancaster has a girls and a boys grammar. There’s also Ripley C of E academy. Garstang high also a good school. Quite a few outstanding primary schools too!

midwestsummer · 07/06/2020 19:30

Harrogate has excellent schools, is more expensive than York and for better and worse not a university town in the same way.
It isn't as good for transport links, it has them but York is better.

midwestsummer · 07/06/2020 19:27

I was going to reply York but see you have already thought of that.
Schools are usually catchment areas but they can be large.
You have the school list.
We lived in village outside York when dc were small, it was great for them. York itself would be better for teenagers I think.
I'm Scottish, DH from London we both love York.

ethelredonagoodday · 07/06/2020 18:30

Hopefully this is useful OP!

Lovely places to live with great secondary schools
Amymone · 07/06/2020 16:46

Harrogate grammar school (state school I think) has a good reputation. Lots of harrogate schools ofsted outstanding

www.compare-school-performance.service.gov.uk/schools-by-type?step=default&table=schools&parliamentary=Harrogate%20and%20Knaresborough&geographic=parliamentary&for=ofsted

Original poster
EmBeEmBe · 07/06/2020 16:39

Thanks everyone. I've never been to Harrogate or Lancaster but they both sound appealing. Are there any schools that are particularly good? @ethelredonagoodday which schools in York are considered best?

OP posts:
TimeWastingButFun · 07/06/2020 15:44

Sorry I read that as outside of London but commutable distance!

TimeWastingButFun · 07/06/2020 15:43

Tunbridge Wells or surrounding villages - good selection of Grammars including some super selectives. Some great non grammars too

ethelredonagoodday · 07/06/2020 15:21

Should also say, village has a station which is a 5 min train journey into York.

ethelredonagoodday · 07/06/2020 15:15

I'm a Yorkie. We live in a village just on the outskirts. We love it here. Schools are good, and it's just a lovely place to live really!

Awkwarddough · 07/06/2020 15:15

We live north of peterborough, although the schools in Peterborough aren’t that good, where we live there is a collection of outstanding schools, and grammar schools. Peterborough is on the mainline to London, I think the fast train is 45mins.

estherfrewen · 07/06/2020 15:13

I third Harrogate! Fabulous state schools and lovely town.

Changemyname18 · 07/06/2020 14:59

I second Harrogate. Superb secondary comps that are very high achieving. Gorgeous place to live and so close to Leeds, York.

kazza446 · 07/06/2020 09:53

Lancaster! Great schools, Lake District, Yorkshire dales and beach on the doorstep And a good train link to Glasgow and London.

Amymone · 07/06/2020 09:50

Agreed Ilkley is lovely too, and skipton nice though both can be v chilly!

Amymone · 07/06/2020 09:47

Harrogate is lovely, beautiful countryside, houses and excellent state schools. York for day trips and there's a daily (admittedly only once per day) train to London but plenty from Leeds.

Apparentlystillchilled · 07/06/2020 09:41

Ilkley is great. Beautiful countryside, easy to reach Leeds for train to London. Ilkley Grammar is an outstanding school (but isn't actually a grammar any more). Skipton Girls or Ermysteads in Skipton are single sex grammar schools and not far away. If you're thinking of private schools, Bradford Grammer, Woodhouse Grove and GSAL are all nearby.

Original poster
EmBeEmBe · 07/06/2020 09:36

Thanks everyone. We were originally considering Glasgow itself, but now it appears our jobs can be done 99% remotely we're thinking more of a place we really want out children to grow up.

Am nervous of grammar schools, but DH went to one and has more confidence in the system. DC both do well at school but I really don't want to do the whole tutoring thing.

Cheltenham and surrounding areas are indeed beautiful, as is the coast north of Newcastle so both worth considering. Thanks.

What do people think of Yorkshire? I know it's a grammar area in parts, but I love the Dales.

Barnard Castle!! Hahaha! I've heard it's lovely for a day trip. But more seriously, does anyone have any inside info on the secondary schools around Durham? A city/town like Durham would suit us well I think.

How about schools in York? Do you only ever get a place at the catchment secondary or is there more choice?

OP posts:
Davespecifico · 06/06/2020 23:34

Barnard Castle

Notlostjustexploring · 06/06/2020 23:30

You can get a direct train from Cheltenham to Glasgow also.

Random selection, both for good schools and countryside and each are nice towns:

Strathaven (near Glasgow)
Dunbar/North Berwick area (near Edinburgh)
Thornbury (South Glos)

I could come up with a much longer list of nice towns on the edge of countryside, but I couldn't swear to the schools.

If you are considering Scotland, they, I believe, still publish league tables based on exam results and should be readily available on Google.

SomeoneElseEntirelyNow · 06/06/2020 23:30

@glorious every day's a school day