Stroud Villages – Help us find our spot!

[flutterbye88]

We’re looking west and feeling really drawn to the Stroud area. We love the mix of countryside charm and how close so many of the villages and small towns are to Stroud town centre.

I know there are loads of Stroud threads on here (I’ve read many of them!), but I wondered if I could ask again - this time with our family specifics in mind.

About us:
We’re a slightly quirky, hard-working family with three lively children (1.5, 3 & 6). We both work from home and are really hoping to find a proper community feel.

We’re looking for:

• 🌿 Most important: A genuinely friendly village or small town where we can meet other vibey parents and the kids can easily make friends and have playdates (I know that’ll come naturally through school too!)
• 🏡 A character home with a good-sized garden (budget around £900k)
• 🏘️ A large village or small town on the periphery of Stroud - ideally with a bit of charm and not too sleepy
• 🏫 A good primary school
• ☕ At the least - a couple of local shops, a café, and a welcoming pub or two that aren’t anti-children
• 💚 More left-leaning than right

Also, I keep reading mentions of a “drug problem” in Stroud - does this differ much from other towns? Has it affected your lived experience of raising children there, or is it more something you hear about than actually encounter day to day?

Any thoughts on which villages might suit us best would be hugely appreciated - We're coming to look around in 2 weeks - thank you! ✌

We have just moved back. I'm not sure how to DM but if you can happy to meet for coffee.
We have kids in two schools. Bit identifying to say which. So instead I'll give you a list of the good schools that I know of.
North - more for your money close to Cheltenham and Gloucester.
Randwick
Painswick
West
Leonard Stanley
Nympsfield
Horsley
South
Rodborough
Woodchester
Amberley
Brimscombe

Not sure of chalford.

Best advice I had was - don't overthink it, don't worry if they don't get into the grammars. Most of the schools round here are good and the secondarys are not bad at all.
I grew up in a deprived area with a drug and gang problem - the druggies here are nothing compared to that. Most likely to have a chat with you while off their face.
Everything is left apart from perhaps Minch and some of the villages over to Cirencester and down to tetbury where it's old money.
Good luck.

There's alot of newcomers from London and Bristol which is nice. One child is in a village school - richer, parents less welcoming. The other in a slightly more central school - middle income, 'quirky' more supportive and friendly. (Out of the list up there if you know the areas you can probably work out which!)
Also - if on at 900k none are going for asking price here ATM and there are no buyers so knock at least 100k off.