What is Ascot like to live in? Any areas to avoid?

[Kelly1978]

Hi,
I started a thread on places to live around Camberley. We off viewing tomorrow, we ahve three to see in Ascot and one in Wokingham. So it looks like we will prob go for Ascot. Anyone live there or nearby? The properties are all pretty similar, so I'm just wondering about the area, schools, etc. Any useful info would be appreciated.

Kelly. Come and live in Richmond! House prices in Richmond itself are terrifying but if you don't need public transport Ham is a lot cheaper. Very pretty, close to a quiet stretch of the river Thames and with good schools/shops nearby.

And also a mile away from a tube station (District line) and mainline services to Waterloo.

richmond is a bit of a nightmare for traffic though isn't it? Prob take dp forever to get to work and back. Richmond is lovely though, I've been there a few times.

My dh lived in Ascot for 10 years. He reckons that North Ascot is nice and South Ascot is less nice. North Ascot is in the catchment area for Charters, which was a good school, can't comment now, you'll have to check out OFSTED. There's also the Licensed Victualler's school, which goes from age 4-18, if you're thinking about going the independent route.

Primary Schools - dh went to St Mary's in Winkfield Row, which is a very good school, but a couple of miles away. Most children in North Ascot go to Ascot Heath Primary School, which is in North Ascot itself. Can't comment on how good it is/was, possibly not as good as St Mary's, which is why dh's parents sent him there.

The train station is a good half hour walk at least from most parts of North Ascot.

If you could say which streets the houses are on that you're considering, I'll ask my dh if he knows them. You could CAT me if you don't want to say in the thread.

Where abouts in Wokingham are you looking. I grew up there & still have loads of friends & rellies there. We nearly moved back for the schools!

thanks for the info - street names;

Ascot are hilltop close, fernbank place, new meadow;

wokignham is silver birches.

def can't afford independant with four kids. dd needs a good school tho, she is 5 and not doing very well at the moment.

dh says about these roads: Hilltop Close is quite far out, and he doesn't know it; the other two roads are both close to a parade of shops, particularly the Fernbank one, which is a nice, fairly quiet street, or at least it was when he lived near there. He didn't know about the New Meadow one specifically, but that general area is certainly nice.

HTH.

oh good, thanks for that. I'm really hoping we will find one today, so fingers crossed!

Thanks. It does seem nice, my main worry is that because it is a pretty wealthy area it might be harder to meet people. I don't know anyone in the area.

Silver Birches on on the Barkham (expensive) side of Wokingham, very nice! The schools around there used to be very good, and all secondary schools in Wokingham perform well (I used to go to Emmbrook)!

we've been to see them all and they are all nice properties and I really am finding it hard to decide! They've all got their good points and bad points.

The fernbank one is prob the best property, but I've since heard a few bad things about the area. It doesn't look bad at all, so I'm not sure where that was coming from.

silver birches was a lovely area, and beautiful from the outside but the inside of the property and garden was a bit tatty.

decisions...aaarggh!