West Byfleet Info?

[henstooth]

We're thinking about moving to West Byfleet, anyone know it well? Has a train to Waterloo in less than 40 mins, good state primary and lots of family sized homes - seems to tick all the boxes....

What's the catch - are there any negatives we should look for? We currently live t'other side of the M25 where it's hideously overpriced to be anywhere near a decent school. West Byfleet may not be cheap but seems to give a lot more for the money...

Also looking for a great nursery in the area (state or private) as DD will be 3 when (if) we move.

Thanks!

Secondary schools, is there another catchment one apart from BDB? I wouldn't want to live there personally as its too suburban for me (although there are some big houses - doesn't Cliff Richard live there?).

Secondary would be Fullbrook which seems to be improving at the moment. Would live in an outlying village but train link to London is a must and I don't want to drive for 10mins to get to a station like Woking and have to park etc so that rules out places further afield like Ripley...

I wouldn't go for Ripley, because of secondary schools either! Go and have a good look, at different times of day, and try to work out why any seem especially cheap, as it may not be a problem for you. Do also try to suss out neighbours a bit.

If you are Catholic, the secondary school for West Byfleet would be either St John the Baptist in Woking or Salesians in Chertsey, both of which are excellent. Otherwise, primary is great and secondary problematic. Fulbrook is highly rated by some, not by others. It has a 300 intake so quite large. The fast trains to Waterloo are only 28 mins. Negatives are that it is not the most exciting place to live but depends what you are looking for. Once you have children and a commute, living in a "happening" place seems to take second place to practicality!

Thanks for the feedback, yes at the moment we're too shattered to have a life with two under 2.5 year olds but tend to go out either in London, Guildford or Kingston - so local places to eat out etc. not really an issue. It's really more about whether there are friendly toddler groups etc and lots of nice people and that the noise from the M25 isn't insufferable...

Currently have loads of softplay, playgroups plus cafes where we are and lots of young families so looking to see what we may lose vs the gain in house size/ garden.

For schools, we're not churchgoers so that rules out a lot of good schools in N Surrey. Not too bothered about secondary at the moment as we may go private or move again by then as limiting the commute is v important, so Burpham/ Merrow out as too far from the station...

Never easy is it

Hi

Just bumping this thread. Does anyone have any info on the primaries around here.

A lot of threads on here saying west byfleet hs good primaries but West Byfleet juniors doesn't seem to be doing too well from ofsted reports ? New Haw school hs become an academy so not sure if that's any good either. Are there any good non Christian schools in this area?

Both West Byfleet Primary and juniors are well regarded. If you choose Byfleet instead of West Byfleet you get a bit more for your money and Byfleet has 2 good primary and junior schools. West Byfleet is regarded as posher though and has the coffee shops, Waitrose etc.
There is a good selection of playgroups and pre school activities in the area.
Noise from the M25 generally blends into the background but be aware of the train line in West Byfleet. There are some lovely houses but with the train line literally at the end of their lovely gardens!

Hello Jade!

West Byfleet is lovely - I grew up here and then came back after a spell in London. Trains into town are great, mixture of slow and fast but in the evenings I can go from my desk in the City to my doorstep (about 12 mins walk from the station) in under an hour.

Schools are good - you have a choice (depending on where exactly you choose to live) between West Byfleet (lovely but in the midst of expanding at the moment from 2 form entry to 3 form entry); Pyrford CofE Primary; Marist (difficult unless you are Catholic but lovely purpose built modern school); The Grange/New Haw Juniors (great school, lots of space, fab ofsted, I think may need to expand from 3 to 4 form entry in future); and Broadmere (just expanded from 1 form to 2 form, very friendly, deaf unit attached).

Pyrford and Marist are church schools but the rest are community ones.