Please tell me about your prep if you live in home counties - I'm getting nowhere!

[arizonagirl]

Hi there,

We have just returned from abroad and got our children in a prep school in Surrey. Did look at state before anyone jumps on me - gave up in the end due to waiting lists etc.

We are near Guildford and it sooo expensive - can't afford to get a house round here. So we are looking at prep schools in another area but somewhere as nice within an hour's commute to London. Have exhausted the Epsom/Ashtead area - didn't feel right.

Have spent months on this but am getting nowhere. If you like where you live, house prices are not the most expensive in the country, love the prep school dcs are in and have a reasonable commute to London - please help and tell me : )

Thank you!!

Westbrook Hay and Lockers Park - quite a few friends have dcs there. Both near/in Hemel Hempstead which is dead cheap compared with other local towns. If not to your taste then Berkhamsted is more upmarket.

You need to narrow down where you want to live! I assume you have dismissed Bucks and Berks because you have already had advice on your other thread. That leaves Hampshire, Herts, Essex. Pretty large area to choose from.

Thanks fortyplus, will take a look. MollieO, yes, we think we have excluded Bucks - it just seemed like the really nice preps were in areas which are just as expensive as here. Also, if I am honest, I got put off by what I kept reading about problems in Chesham and High Wycombe. Don't know if that is a fair perception or not. Haven't dismissed Berks but don't know where to look. Looked at Hampshire, not much choice, dh not keen on living on Essex. Must now go and look at Herts as that might be a good option. Have now accepted that we can't limit ourselves to single sex route. Thanks for your help : )

There are plenty of good prep schools in East Berks and easy commute into London - West End easier than City but lots do commute to there as well. Have a look at Maidenhead, Windsor, Ascot.

Hi MollieO, thanks for yet another reply. will take a look : )

Try Ashford Friars Prep school in Kent, just 35min from St Pancras on the high speed train.