Schools and life in the Cotswolds (and beyond)

[Bigmove25]

DH thinks it's the perfect time to quit the big smoke and semi-retire (although we still have young children). We failed to pull the trigger when we started looking in 2018-2019, then Covid hit. Other than a few day trips we haven't really been back and don't know if finding a nice house, in a good location, with access to great school is an even bigger headache than in 2019.

Is it better to live with easy access to say Oxford or Worcester for access to (state and private) secondary schools rather than in the middle of Gloucestershire or are there good state and private secondary options in Gloucestershire?

My biggest concern is the growing reputation for the Cotswolds being over-run with billionaires and rich celebs (a lifestyle we certainly can't afford). We have a decent budget so could afford something in most areas but I don't want to move out of a big expensive city to a country lifestyle that is even more expensive (access to a big name Supermarket and good council run gym would be more use to me than having Daylesford on my doorstep). Perhaps would we be better off looking in Oxfordshire or Worcestershire for a nice non-Cotswold village or even moving the search somewhere like Bedfordshire or Northamptonshire?

Will also post in property as think I've rambled my way into a 2 question thread!

TIA

Thanks. Will check them out. Any recommendations for schools (think there are many state and private in Oxfordshire so maybe a silly question).

State schools-
Bartholomew (Eynsham)
Matthew Arnold (Botley)
Marlborough (Woodstock)
Wood Green (Witney)
Chipping Norton School
Burford School

These are the ones people tend to say good things about but obviously can be a bit luck of the draw and change over time

private schools:
Abingdon School (boys)
Magdalen College School (boys and girls in 6th form)
St Helen’s (girls)
Oxford High School (girls)
Cokethorpe (mixed - less academic)
Sibford (Quaker school, mixed)

It’s not an exhaustive list though!

@OneDayIWillLearn not exhaustive but pretty comprehensive! Thank you. I will check them all out. You should get a job with the good school guide!!

Anyone from Worcestershire got any recommendations? I don’t believe it’s so awful no one has a good word to say… I am thinking you are keeping it to yourself!!!!

This is a good school

https://www.patesgs.org/

Friend lives there. Difficult bus journey for schools and no public transport after a certain time so a lot of ferrying for kids activities and social life. woeful GP service and hospital mikes away. Only a village shop, overrun in the summer so no essential goods left. Have to drive to towns/cities - finds it dangerous when hedgerows are high, speeding drivers, tractors and horses etc.Has to be very vigilant. Beautiful area though but she will be moving on when the kids leave school.

I live in South Worcestershire (15 min to Worcester, 30 min to Cheltenham) and its great. As we're just off the edge of the Cotswolds the prices are lower than up onto the escarpment and its just long enough on the train to make commuting to London every day unattractive but yet totally do able for a couple of days a week. We relocated here from Sussex in 2007 and no regrets at all

@Bigmove25

Thanks @OneDayIWillLearn basically this list. I would say Witney schools (Wood Green, Henry Box) are having a bit of a dip and Bartholomew/Marlborough/Chippy/Burford in particular are having a bit of a moment (all outstanding or guaranteed outstanding at next visit after a short inspection).

Sounds great! Any secondary school (state or private) or village recommendations?

I work in Cheltenham (and used to live there) and it's a hell hole for traffic these days. Plus the town centre has really nose dived in the last decade, and whilst there are some nice bars/restaurants, it's a bit of a shadow of its former self. Gloucester is an absolute shit hole with no redeeming features.
Stroud quite a nice area but the town centre isn't nice, some nice surrounding villages like Bisley/Sheepscombe/Chalford. Remote for teenagers though.

The reason I mentioned Wood Green is that a friend who was considering private was impressed enough by there to choose it for her son but I don’t have any other personal experience. Glad you generally agree anyway!

Chipping Campden secondary school is foster rated outstanding. Lots of lovely local villages. You can even use their gym

I’m from Witney, a fabulous town with some lovely surrounding villages. Great primaries but WG and HB schools aren’t what they once were.

Getting to Oxford (10 miles away) can take ages during busy times, the A40 between Oxford/Witney is a nightmare. Chippy (Chipping Norton) School is good. Bit of a trek though.

So both Chipping … schools look like good choices thanks @Just2MoreSeasons and @maddiemookins16mum . Also good point about traffic. So hard to hit the sweet spot of being able to get around during peak time. I will admit now that I would only use a private school that had a bus service!

Chalford village near Stroud has a fabulous secondary school! Stunning area with bus links.

Wotton Under Edge. Great secondary school, community run cinema with the most comfortable seats, small outside pool. Train station a few miles away.

cirencester - beautiful little town, all the essentials, nice leisure centre, good secondary’s, safe. Train station close by.

malmesbury has an outstanding secondary school. Don’t know anything about the town.

I’d also look at Wells despite it not being in the Cotswolds.

😂I have to admit to being very surprised at how run down Gloucester centre was (have only been once), and that was pre-Covid when the councils still pretended they had money. I guess there won’t be any investment anytime soon. I did love the cathedral though… so it does have one redeeming feature.

Yes Cheltenham has lost a bit of the wow factor recently. But I’m sure it will get it back as it has such a lot going for it. We were put off by the new school and housing at Leckhampton… it felt like all the traffic had to go down a road the size of a farm track!

@AppleCrumbleTea Great information. Will check them out. Thanks.

I live in Stroud and love it so I'm bias! If Stroud is too Stroudie what about Nailsworth? Or Cirencester? The state secondary schools in Stroud are fine, not outstanding or anything but I went to Archway years ago and my son decided he wanted to go there after looking around the local schools rather than attempt the Marling test. The facilities are really good and the teachers seemed friendly. We used to have Saturday kids were I used to work and a surprising amount who went to Archway went onto become doctors, so often it's down to the pupil as much as the school.

Oxford is a pretty city, and bicycle friendly.

Good private schools in the city which many kids cycle to and from.
Nice villages/countryside to visit in all directions.
If you're not ready to leave the city yet, but want somewhere more countryside than London, Oxford is a pretty good shout. Fast train back into London if necessary too.
We live in a hamlet in Oxfordshire and do not have pavements and rely on the car to get anywhere. But we do have a small family farm, two farm shops, a river and open fields around us. We can be in Oxford for work in 20mins on a brilliant traffic day, or 2 hours on a bad day.😤(It happens).

Burford is Oxfordshire so doesn't have grammar schools. I wouldn't say it's particularly easy access to Oxford by road as the A40 is horrible, but train from Charlbury up the road is OK, and goes on to London if you want to do that

@Cotswoldmama I do agree that a good comp is the right option for some kids. They are unfairly compared to selective schools. Have a Stroudy friend who sent DCs to Archway a few years ago and they are both very hardworking and bright and did well. She did say it was a good, not great school, but the whole 11+ stress and strict grammar environment just wasn’t for them.

@blanketsnuggler Am sooo ready to leave the city, although I don’t live in the centre and don’t venture in unless I have to. Which really says it all… why bother to live here! I do live in one of the really nice bits, with its own identity with everything on my doorstep… everything except quick access to the countryside… but the overpriced coffee/bread shops and restaurants (even the chain ones) are completely wasted on me.

Oxford is awful for traffic/commuting and parking.
But schools are generally good, both state and independent ( you have by no means been given an extensive list) Ideally live in the city, or live in some of the beautiful villages on the outskirts ( Thame area hasn’t been mentioned yet!!) and if you send your kids independently into Oxford use the buses, which are good.
Countryside is lovely, chiltern hills lots of national trust etc…. Close to M40 for connections. Good rail links too

I think you need decide if you want state or private schools as a first priority as it really will guide your choice of where to live. What about Bath? It's gorgeous and has good access to countryside and good private schools.

@Maybeicanhelpyou Thanks I know that area a little (DH always jokes it must be easy to buy a place as there are so many murders in the area…. Not sure I can live with that as a rolling gag!). Think I would prefer to be further away from London as that is prime (pricey) commuter belt!

@Dbirk Would prefer a decent state as I’m not sold that privates are necessarily better. I can default to a private if that is the best option but realistically some privates will fold if they have to charge an extra 20%. So at the moment I’m being cautious.

Bath is another place that is lovely, but polluted to live in and a nightmare to travel in and out of. Am thinking I need a smaller place… perhaps something the size of one of the Chippings or Cirencester (as pp have suggested).

Still holding out for someone to tell me somewhere amazing in Worcestershire or Bedfordshire I can investigate!