Mountkelly and where to live

[Amuminhongkong]

My husband is very keen on this school. I haven't seen any updates here for over a year. Is there any news on this school? Also where would be the best place to live? My guess is nearer towards Exeter, but as I know nothing about this area we would consider anywhere within 30 minutes of the school. Thank you.

If you live 30 minutes from Mount Kelly, in the direction of Exeter, you will be in the middle of Dartmoor. The two main villages are Chagford and Mortenhampstead, which are both lovely, but the journey into Tavistock is all on moorland roads which can be blocked by snow in winter.

Tavistock itself is a very nice town, and worth looking at. There are also lots of villages between Tavistock and Plymouth. Look at Yelverton, Crapstone, Meavy and Buckland Monachorum.

Towards Okehampton you have Lydford, which is very pretty.

It depends what facilities you are looking for. Many of the villages don't have much in the way of shops, pubs or buses, but in terms of houses you can get an awful lot for your money down here.

I hear it (the school) is improving fast. Lovely part of the world, as long as you don't want to earn a living locally, or you are a doctor, or similar professional. Otherwise MrMum will be driving to London or on a train regularly.

Tavistock is great, the villages are delightful, Dartmoor is exposed to all the rain off the Atlantic. Good beaches close enough. South east Cornwall is good too.

Sexist assumption. One of you might be travelling long distances regularly for work.

Great, thanks for the info. Looks like near Tavistock will be best. How are the state primary schools there? I think it might make sense financially to send my youngest to state school and move him to Mountkelly later. My husband is coming up with a plan as to work some sort of consulting I guess, and I will need to do some courses/study. We don't have any ties so the school comes first and then everything else has to fall into place after that. We have a year to figure out if this could work, so will visit the area in the summer holidays.

There are some good primaries around. St Rumons in Tavistock has a good reputation, and I have friends who are very pleased with Meavy School. I think Buckland Monachorum is well thought of as well.

Of course, Mount Kelly has a nursery and a pre-prep, so that could be an option for your younger child too. They are on a the site of the old Mount House.

A number of people do St Rumons for infants (it's KS1 only) then mount kelly.

St Andrew's Buckland is well thought of - but has been oversubscribed for a while now - you'd need to live nearby.