Leaving London - where should we move for good schools?

[shoobaloo]

DH and I would like to move out of London as we want to buy a house and get DS into better schools etc. DS is currently 9 months but we're thinking about having another soonish. Anyway, to cut a long story short, we'll have between £250 - 320k to spend. It has to be nearish to London - within an hours train journey for DH to get to work, near good schools but also more importantly, has to be a 'cosmopolitan' area as I'm mixed race and therefore so is DS. We don't have any ties to any particular area and so we are currently at a loss as to where to start looking (although DH has got friends up in Northampton so he is poss thinking about being north of London rather than South). Any thoughts would be most appreciated. Many many thanks in advance.

bumping...

We really like Farnham (Surrey) and it is only 50 minutes into Waterloo.

Not sure you would call it Cosmopolitan, but most of the people I know are not from Farnham. IYKWIM

Bedford is near Northampton, and easy to get into London from. It's very cosmopolitan, and certainly used to have a reputation for good schools - my info is out of date now, but others may know how things are these days. My ex-Beds relatives now live in Northants - they migrated over the border

Brighton?Not that I'm biased but the schools are great and so is the city

I'd love to move to Brighton - which part though has the affordable housing and good schools?

Buckinghamshire or Kent for grammars (eg Aylesbury Grammar, Dr. Challoner's etc).We haven't moved but we know several families who've moved to Bucks for the grammar schools.

Definately Bedford for cosmopolitaness (just made that up didn't I?) Moved there in '88 with then partner who is black, felt that being a mixed race couple was the norm! There are certainly over 60 languages spoken, great food in restaurants, takeaways, delis as big Italian/Polish/West Indian/Asian communities.
Lots of good schools, good rail links and you should be able to get a very recent place with that sort of money.

Hi, just thought I would add Oxford to the list. Very pretty, lots of countryside nearby, but also thriving city with lots to do. Good schools and beautiful city.

not sure about cosmopolitan, but we moved out of London last year to Ascot and haven't had any probs. people were rather reserved at first, but are getting friendlier, and we aren't the only mixed race couple in the area. Defo very good schools tho. dd and ds are in different schools, but both are very good and we are in north ascot so in the catchment area for v good secondary schools.

You could get a very average 3 bed house for that budget near good schools and parks etc What do you need?

We would ideally like a 3/4 bed near good schools but not a modern box. This is proving really difficult - esp as I've only ever lived in London and so am used to not sticking out like a sore thumb!

have you looked on rightmove?

£250-£320k would definitely buy you somewhere in Kent with good schools.

I live in mid-Kent and it is an hour commute to Victoria / London Bridge.

I wouldn;t say it is particularly cosmopolitan but you could always come & start the ball rolling!

I've not read it myself but there is a book called Guide to Commuterland: Finding a Home Within Reach of London - might be useful. It's on amazon but I'm too lazy to link sorry