How to choose new commuter area for schools in 3 years time?

[CarpeBibendum]

So we need to move out of SE London before DD(1) needs to go to school as we are in a Bermuda triangle between 3 v good school catchment areas that have narrowed to approx 50 metres from each school.

We are starting to look now based on the fact that finding the right house may take a year or so but how do we go about identifying good schools for in 3 years time?

We are looking to move West of London but still need to commute back into the city so need somewhere education proof? We could probably afford private if we had to but would prefer a nice village primary. We were thinking villages north of Basingstoke or on that train line.

Any suggestions anyone?

West of London, education-proof, good links into the city. That'd be Richmond Upon Thames. Further south west - Farnham?

Wokingham or Twyford.

I've lived in Basingstoke itself and one of the reasons we moved away was the quality of schools. There are some good primaries, if you're in the right part, but the secondaries didn't seem to be much cop. The one we were in catchment for was v poor on results.

I would look at secondary school results as you may not want to have to move again.

There are some good primaries and secondaries in the Thatcham/Newbury area although the train goes into Paddington. Reading has a girl's grammar school for secondary which seems to get good results.

In terms of schools, Wokingham is a good option as most of the primaries are good and it has a good girls secondary which has always had good results. It's also in the catchment for Reading grammars and lots of private schools around. Drive to either Reading or Twyford for train

I think it's good advice to look at both primary and secondary schools. So many people forget and find they are stuck and you don't want to have to move again. There is no quick way of looking at all the schools but once you identify a few the good schools guide website is very useful for ideas and they have a good forum too I think. Also commutefrom.co.uk is a helpful website for working out the trainline.

Bexley has got grammar schools.