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Original poster

Areas with great preps AND great state schools

38 replies

arizonagirl · 09/09/2010 22:43

We are in a huge dilemma at the moment and need to move area - dh is ok about commuting for up to one and a half hours to London.

Our children are currently in preps but we are considering moving them into state. I know some state schools are fantastic but our children love their schools and the whole intimacy thing so this is weighing heavily on me at the moment.

My question is can anyone recommend an area where there is a selection of very good preps BUT also a great back-up of state schools.

Before anyone jumps on me and tells me to stay in preps and not waste valued places in state schools - we are not rich by any means - otherwise I would not be asking this question. Sorry - feeling rather sad at the moment : (

Thanks for any advice.

OP posts:
mummytime · 10/09/2010 05:29

Guildford? If you get the right area, and can afford house prices (there are some more reasonable priced houses in the right areas, but you are probably down to a few roads)

Original poster
arizonagirl · 10/09/2010 08:11

mummytime, funny, that's where we live at the moment and will have to probably leave. Would never be able to afford a house here and we are paying through the nose each month to rent and not looking good. Have looked at other houses in the area to rent which are cheaper but it is still about two grand for something pretty grotty. Soooo - we are looking to move to a cheaper area where we might even be able to buy a house many moons away. Not good times. Want to go back abroad and wish we had never come back but too late now.

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ShakesPear · 10/09/2010 10:02

Fab state primaries in Buckinghamshire villages plus they have the GS's.

Original poster
arizonagirl · 10/09/2010 10:15

ok, so I am starting to think we have exhausted the whole scenario. Travelled all over the country with mumsnet Smile and been to dozens of places.

ShakesPear (great nickname), we went to Buckinghamshire yesterday and really liked it. Went to Amersham and Chesham. But houses are really expensive there as well and when I looked into Chesham there were so many people saying it wasn't such a great place to live and that I would need a Tazer if going down Sunningdale Road or into High Wycombe. It just all kind of put me off - this is a big move and I feel really awful for the kids. Don't know the answer to this but I have to get it right for the children Sad

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jem44 · 10/09/2010 10:22

Hamsphire has a large number of excellent state schools and many cheaper areas for housing. It also has some strong private schools.

maddylou · 10/09/2010 10:25

Godalming-near Guildford

Original poster
arizonagirl · 10/09/2010 10:29

jem44 - thank you. Lived all over Hampshire before we went abroad and loved it. We keep coming back to Hampshire but for the beginning we would be restricted to preps due to long waiting lists etc. We went to Winchester and ruled it out - know the state schools look fab but we didn't like the private schools very much - considered Prince Mead, St Swithuns and Twyford - very elite and would not be easy to go back into state if/when we need to. So ruled out Hampshire because of that but didn't really consider other areas. We did look at Daneshill but it wasn't right. That's about it.

Like the look of Brookham/Highfields (have I got that right) in Liphook but they told us that dc would be expected to board and I really don't want that. Any other suggestions on good private schools I might have missed with good state schools in the area. Thank you so much for replying - not having a good time at the moment.

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Lancelottie · 10/09/2010 10:30

Just outside Cambridge? Depends which bit of London your DH needs, but he could head into Kings Cross from Shelford (primaries feed into Sawston Village College, which is pretty good), or Liverpool Street from Saffron Walden (which has the Friends School as indie, probably others too, SW County High School for state option).

Original poster
arizonagirl · 10/09/2010 10:32

Maddylou - looked at Godalming - yes, fantastic prep schools, lovely area (perhaps a little too remote for us but yes, very nice) but house prices even more expensive than round here. Perhaps I just need to accept that there is no answer to what I am looking for!! Cheaper houses than Guildford, great preps and a great selection of state schools. The moon??

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Original poster
arizonagirl · 10/09/2010 10:34

Lancelottie - thank you!! Did consider Cambridge - commute would be bearable - but everybody said there was no point looking as house prices are just as expensive that way. No point making dh's life a misery if it is no cheaper.

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anonymousbird · 10/09/2010 10:36

Uttlesford.
Saffron Walden and surrounding villages.

Lancelottie · 10/09/2010 10:40

How bad are prices round Guildford? There's expensive, and there's expensive (and Cambridge itself would certainly be expensive, plus you have to allow for horrible railfares), but further out is not too bad.

Would suggest Royston, for quick access to KX, but I don't know anything about private schools round there.

Original poster
arizonagirl · 10/09/2010 10:45

A nice four bed semi in Guildford would be around 2,000 a month. Detached is about 2,500 a month. To buy a four bed you are looking at around 500,000 for something half decent. I think that is a fair guess but might get shot down.

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MarshaBrady · 10/09/2010 10:45

Arizonagirl it is hard, hang in there. Which part of London does your dh commute to?

Did you decide against TW? (saw you other thread, but don't have many suggestions sorry).

Lancelottie · 10/09/2010 10:48

Or, Huntingdon to KX the fast train at 7:17 allegedly gets in at 7:45 but then if you wanted Cambridge schools you'd be faced with the commute in that everyone else is doing at the same time. I don't envy you this decision.

Original poster
arizonagirl · 10/09/2010 10:53

Thanks everyone - feeling a bit more cheerful after lots of tears. MarshaBrady, dh moves around London and it probably doesn't matter too much. Yes, I think we have ruled out Tunbridge Wells. Rang two prep schools and they have a waiting list of up to 30 people!!! And it would be exactly the same for good state schools. The area just seems so over-subscribed. I'm not surprised you saw my thread - seem to have taken over the education boards as of late.

Lancelottie, thanks for your thoughts too. Will have a little look. Anyone know the good schools in Hampshire.

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MarshaBrady · 10/09/2010 10:58

It is so hard when there isn't an obvious choice (family or something). We may be sticking a pin some where in hc at some point in future. I am bracing myself for the hellish decision! Masses of good luck, glad you are feeling up Smile.

weblette · 10/09/2010 11:02

Have a look at this book

It really is good and helped us a lot when we were working out where to move to when we left London.

Docbunches · 10/09/2010 11:05

Have you looked at the Wokingham/Reading area? Some great state schools (Wokingham particularly) if you choose carefully. I would guess that house prices probably not quite so high as areas already suggested. I should add that Wokingham is about to re-draw their catchment areas for secondary entry in 2012, so again, you would need to be careful when looking at potential homes.

Don't know much about private schools, but there seems to be loads of very popular ones round here.

Also, good travel links to London.

It's a lovely area to live in, but I'm biased!

Original poster
arizonagirl · 10/09/2010 11:16

Thanks again MarshaBrady. Weblette - book arrived yesterday so I guess I am doing something right Smile Docbunches - yes, have heard lots of good things about Wokingham. I actually rang up about ten schools in the area but HUGE waiting lists and they said we didn't really stand a chance because we don't live in the area. Seem to remember Buryfields was a favourite of ours. So we are definitely stuck with preps until we get in an area and settle etc. But I don't know of any preps in Wokingham although you mentioned there are some. Will take another look. Thank you!!

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mummytime · 10/09/2010 11:23

If you can't afford to buy in Guildford and I mean www.findaproperty.com/displayprop.aspx?edid=00&salerent=0&pid=6437009 or www.primelocation.com/new-homes/details/id/CGWSA115138 then you can't afford prep schools. Sorry.

Original poster
arizonagirl · 10/09/2010 11:55

I don't think they are mutually exclusive. You might not be able to afford a half million property in Guildford, one of the most expensive areas in the country. But you can choose to move to a cheaper area and pay for prep schools, imo.

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chocolatefroggie · 10/09/2010 11:59

Brockenhurst - less than 90 mins to waterloo, lovely primary in the village and several in the surrounding area also several excellent prep schools in the vicinity

miffyjane · 10/09/2010 12:05

In your position I would look at areas with good state schools - eg. Horsham, Dorking, Sutton/Cheam, Farnham. Housing is still expensive in these areas (horsham cheapest) but if you didn't have to pay out for private education you would have a lot more to spend on buying a house.

If you want state and private options maybe Reigate/Redhill.

MeganMog · 10/09/2010 12:07

Have you looked at Haslemere - further south than Guildford, but very good fast train service to London (and Guildford). A good selection of prep schools there too.