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

Ha, If my DH even tries to move us as far as Wales (never mind rural), I will be the one leaving and taking all the money (and I would leave the DC with him for a few weeks just to make the point). No off-grid fantasy here!!!!
I hear you loud and clear and am not going anywhere too remote or rural. I’m firmly in the small market town/large village not too far from a large town/city. DCs needs are driving this search and any compromises will be around what they need.

Very good advice @Oakandashsplash and a very tactful way of ensuring more dreadful down-from-Londoners look elsewhere 😆
DD would be in-year so I’d have to take what I can get, but would be open to either of private options for primary if state was full (and they had space). Think Malmsbury could be a good option. Westonbirt arboretum is one of my favourite places to walk the dog (always nice to have loos and a cup of tea at the end of the walk).
I did look at the school stats a few years ago. It does (or did) a BTEC in horse care. I have a real admiration for a school that actually bends itself to the local population.

@Bigmove25 I’ve just come across your post as going through similar thoughts and wondered where you have ended up? Hope all is going well for you!

Hi

Afraid I'm not going to be much help as we stayed in London!

I was given a couple of places 'beyond the Cotswolds' in the South West that I loved (places not in Gloucestershire the next one up and will definitely looking again in 10 years when we empty nest) but I just couldn't make the schools/extra curricular clubs work as well as they do in London. It all seemed like a lot of driving, expense and a lot less choice.

Truth is I really wanted to move to Gloucestershire to be near one of my besties when I was first pregnant. DH doesn't like her town and I didn't want to be stuck in a hamlet, so it was lots of 'where else then' conversations, that carried on for years, when we should have just said 'here'. I would have loved being in Gloucestershire for the baby years, but they were behind me even when I wrote this thread (those Gloucestershire mum friendships not made) and the besties children are 10 years older and so grown and flown, so she's coming to visit me more.

We are not a laid back family who go-with-the-flow. We are always planning stuff and on the go, and now children are older (and our lovely dog has died) we are actually getting a lot out of living in London. We can jump in the car at 6pm on a Tuesday go to a West End theatre and be home by 10.30 with children napping in the back, couldn't do that if we lived in Gloucestershire. For me, things like that make it worth being here. We do admittedly live in a nice part of London in a house we can all just about fit into. We don't have the dilemma of needing more space (although we'd like to have some) so I don't think I want upsize and have to drive miles when everything is so local here.

It was secondary schools that decided it and the dog dying (DH says I loved him too much, and teases me that the move was really about him). There is so much extra curricular on the door-step, and such great secondary schools, we are keeping them state for secondary - which frees up both the 11+ tutoring money or private school fees we'd have needed (I think I'd be now tearing our hair out if I'd turned us into a private school, 2 car owing family in the sticks).

Hope this ramble helps (it's been interesting for me to write it down). I do think my life is easier being in London rather than leaving, although I'll always wonder what it would have been like if we'd moved when I was first pregnant and I'd made my family life there. But I also now realise that although London is very hard with small children (and a dog) and it does come into its own when they are older. So for us it will be full retirement to the country - and another dog in - 10 years!

Good luck with your search.

Malmesbury has a great school and is a lovely little town, close to Cirencester / Tetbury / Stroud and not too far from Bath for big city stuff