Can you recomend some breeds?

[eyesofapanda]

I want good layers but nice to look at and not skittish with dcs. We will let them out during the day but they won't be totally free range as They will need to go in their run quite a lot.

I was thinking of these which are available at a local place my friend recomended (although I'm only going to get 3-5)

Speckeldy
Black Rock
Ancona
Leghorn
Maran
Orpington
Welsummer
Wyandotte
Sussex

Is there any breeds that I should stay away from?

Leghorns are really nervous and skittish IMO.
Orpingtons are big couthy dumplings.
Isa Brown are excellent layers but do not live long - sweet natured too.
If Satan kept hens then he would have Black Rocks
Little Bantam Pekins can bully the other hens.

Do you mean big couthy dumplings in a bad way? They will be in a raised house so I was a bit worried they wouldn't be able to get up the ramp.

No. In a good way. They are sweet natured ( and terribly nosey). They are big chickens so need room to roam.

Orpies and Sussex. In terms of being good-natured and calm, I'm currently preferring the Silver Sussex (black with white neck) to the Light Sussex (white with black neck) though that might just be my flock. My Light Sussex birds are nervous of me and are pecking other birds whereas the Silver Sussex' sit on my feet or follow me about and are currently raising lovely chicks! Plus the Sussex birds lay vast amounts of eggs for years.

Speckeldy - we have one - she's lovely, so big and soft, but quite hard to pick up
Black Rock - she is evil - a real bully, and pecks my feet. Fab layer though
Ancona
Leghorn - very skittish
Maran
Orpington
Welsummer - beautiful, lovely eggs
Wyandotte - beautiful
Sussex

I want a Brahma which are supposed to be really gentle - also Cochins. They aren't great layers though, and are huge and cuddly!

My Goldlines (same as Isa Brown/Warren/Ranger etc) are very friendly, and good for the first year - think the laying goes off a bit after that though.