Advice Needed - Where do we move to?

[dixia]

I have been living in Spain for 5 years with my husband and two sons. We have finally decided to come back to the UK. Mumsnetters are the first to know as we haven't told anyone else yet - I am totally over the moon. Life here really has been quite hard and I am very relieved to be returning.

Anyway, we have the luxury of being able to start from scratch in the UK and rent a house anywhere we want.

We have decided that we must be close to the M40 as most of our friends and most of our family are in Birmingham and London and everywhere in between. So we are looking for:

• Easy access to M40 - not traffic hell (like getting in and out of oxford)
• Good school options - good mix of excellent primary and secondary schools and independent school options.
• Woods or fields or big parks close by.

We used to live in Leamington Spa and could go back here. But I think my dh would rather be closer to london. So we are looking at options in Buckinghamshire.

Please - all mumsnetters - give me somewhere to start. Tell me the good and the bad about where you live (or lived).

Thanks

I would have suggested Solihull, although you may discount the idea if you want to be nearer to London. It is one of the few areas where the posh people send their kids to the local comprehensives instead of the grammar/independent so although it may cost in rent/mortgage it will not cost in school fees. THe LEA gets above average results.
It has easy access to all the motorways, including M40, and is not far from rail and air links.
It is close to the countryside of Warwickshire, which you will know all about.