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Original poster

anyone help pls with areas to live W.Surrey/S.Bucks/N.Hamps./E.Berks - schools/towns/quality of life

134 replies

MissChief · 04/02/2006 18:08

Just had "serious discussion" with dh and we've decided to look ahead to our next move and would really appreciate any help from others! Since making interim move out of London 2 years ago not quite settled in new town mainly due to its poor state school provision & quality of life locally (it's noisy - under flightpath, loads of cars everywhere, narrow streets, not enough green going on, not restful..).

We basically need the following:

  1. to be within 45 mins commuting distance of Staines, Surrey
  2. to have access to v good state schools - primary & secondary 2)to be ideally v nr to smallish town (by car or on foot) - with decent stuff going on such as cafes/shops/cinema/theatre/park
  3. to escape the Heathrow flightpath! 4)to find somewhere where c.£500k gets you an oldish semi or detached 4-bed house of decent size with garden & parking
  4. to find some peace & quiet! Maybe village location

If you're still with me so far is this too much to ask?? Any suggestions of where to look/places to avoid??
TIA!

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Original poster
MissChief · 06/02/2006 10:24

thanks all! Lots to check, will have a look at those links.

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PrettyCandles · 06/02/2006 10:26

We're ready to exchange on a house in Wokingham, that ticks all your boxes! Except that the house is not oldish, but there are others that are.

Original poster
MissChief · 06/02/2006 12:58

good luck with yr move pc-more i look more i think i do wt old, know it's limiting tho'!

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flashingnose · 06/02/2006 13:01

Did you CAT me? Try emailing direct on flashingnose at hotmail dot co dot uk

Original poster
MissChief · 06/02/2006 13:08

Hi FN - just mailed you!

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Bucksmum · 06/02/2006 13:09

Hi we live in Chesham which coevrs all your requirements and lots of little villages around all with great schools if you wnat more info let me know

Original poster
MissChief · 06/02/2006 13:13

hi BM - how does Chesham compare on the character front with Amersham? Is it, as I'm guessing a smaller version? I've checked out schs in the central area of Amersham and wasn't overly impressed so good to hear the surrounding area is better -any particular recs?

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LIZS · 06/02/2006 13:14

MIL used to teach in some of the smaller primary schools around Amersham/Chesham.

Hausfrau · 06/02/2006 13:15

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Hausfrau · 06/02/2006 13:18

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Original poster
MissChief · 06/02/2006 13:19

thx - wow, really overwhelmed by all yr offers of help, girls! This really is mumsnet at its best, isn't it? Hope I can return the favours some time!
Yes, really like Marlow too (tho poss a little far) so any inside information appreciated. Re schools, we've got 2 - ds1 who's 5, ds2 who is 6 mths. We're ideally looking for a long-term move so sec.schools important too.

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Hausfrau · 06/02/2006 13:22

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Hausfrau · 06/02/2006 13:28

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flashingnose · 06/02/2006 17:13

Have emailed you back MissChief

Klauz33 · 06/02/2006 17:39

Another vote for Guildford - we have just bought a 3 bed with 100ft garden in one of the best parts of Guildford for just over £400K. So 4 bed for £500K should not be a problem.

Having moved from central london we love it, it has great shopping, theatre, restaurants. As far as I can tell all the central guildford primaries are good and george abbot has a great reputation. The countryside about is stunning and very accessible with the downs running through the town and loads of quaint villages very close. If Guildford is too big then Godalming is a very good close town.

Original poster
MissChief · 06/02/2006 18:34

Guildford definitely sounds worth checking out! Seem to get much more for your money than E.Berks/S Bucks!
Hausfrau - great info, I can't be more specific yet tho' as we're not sure what we want - hence wide geographical search until we can narrow it down. I think would really like character house again tho', not sure I can do modern tho still want good schools, transport, facilities AND peace and quiet - a big ask I know!

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Original poster
MissChief · 06/02/2006 18:35

FN - got yr message and replied
Good to hear from you!

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Bucksmum · 06/02/2006 23:33

Chesham is a bit smaller than AMersham schools in the town are OK but the village schools, Ley Hill, Chartridge, Hawridge & Cholesbury, Chesham Bois are all great schools plus the secondary schools are good, chesham high, challoners and misbourne are good. let me know if you want any more info

Ellbell · 07/02/2006 00:42

The area between Reading and Basingstoke is strangely pleasant. There is a 'pocket' of 'real' countryside (not just twee commutersville) around places like Bramley, Mortimer, Sherfield on Loddon, etc. Not sure about schools in that area, but West Berks schools are meant to be good, overall. Also the selective schools (depending on how you feel about that kind of thing) in Reading (Reading School for boys and Kendrick for girls) are always among the top state schools in all the league tables.

The area just out of Reading around Pangbourne, Whitchurch etc. is also good, and is also on the Readng-Oxford train line if commuting by train is a possibility. (Reading to Staines is do-able by train, but slow. I used to work in Egham.)

Don't know if this helps at all...

Original poster
MissChief · 10/02/2006 11:07

thx- would like to go to w.berks -to get more for our money, be quieter,but probably unrealistic..

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Original poster
MissChief · 12/02/2006 10:17

anyone in Godalming at all? Fell in love with it, but know it's pricey. Any tips? TIA!

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flashingnose · 21/02/2006 11:14

How's the search going? Don't know Godalming but have friends near Guildford, gorgeous part of the country.

hellywobs · 21/02/2006 17:39

I live in Fleet and recommend it. Nice area, houses not too out of reach price-wise and decent schools. Unlike places like Farnham and Guildford, where most affluent parents send their kids to private school, they tend to keep faith with the state system in Fleet so the schools have better results than in Farnham (not sure about Guildford but I do know there are some dodgy areas there). You could also consider Odiham or Yateley where the state schools are also good. £500K will easily achieve what you want house-wise. Camberley is another option (25 mins odd to Staines but schools more dodgy if you are not in the right catchment area. You could also look at Ash Vale (direct trains to Staines - private school would be a necessity at secondary school level though). Buckinghamshire is good because it has grammar schools.

hellywobs · 21/02/2006 17:40

Also agree that the area between Reading and Basingstoke is good - but I think it is too far fromn Staines.

Klauz33 · 21/02/2006 18:09

Godalming - is nice town, good central local primaries, don't know about the secondaries. But lovely town, great sixth form college. Though a lot of parents do send their kids to private schools a lot of "middle class" parents do keep faith with the state system.

Its got lots of lovely shops and Waitrose .

Both Godalming and Guildford in particular do have not so nice areas, but so does everywhere. I always think the test is, as an ex-Londoner, can you walk through the centre of town on a saturday night without feeling like an alien in your home town. Both Guildford and Godalming pass that test.