Ashford itself pretty ropey - has always been the very poor relation to places like Canterbury. Schools don't have best reputation either. When I was a kid my mum disapproved of my having friends from Ashford IYKWIM. The whole town is wall to wall with 70's and 80's characterless housing estates which are all showing their age.
But but but there are some truly fabulous villages to live in around Ashford - houses are half the price of what you would pay for the equivalent in the home counties. Wye is a huge village, really civilised, more like a small town really. If you want something smaller with shedloads of character then go for villages like Pluckley (where 'darling buds of may' was filmed) & Marden. If you can fo further afield then Cranbook and surrounding villages must be one of best spots in the country to live - very beautiful, reasonable train links and just about every school in area has a fab reputation.
Another alternative if you can afford it is Chilham which is beautiful and very des res though the nearest good primary school is a drive away in Selling.
Area has grammer schools but I think the better ones are in Canterbury (Langton) or Maidstone rather than the ones in Ashford. Very very good private schools also in Canterbury or Maidstone (or further afield in Dover). I haven't heard of any good private schools in Ashford area - don't think there is the demand - but there's a good private prep in Wye I think (might be girls only, not sure).
Good websites www.struttandparker.com for posh houses in area, Browns is name of estate agent for smaller cottagey houses in area but don't know web address. If you type KentMessenger.co.uk into internet you will get the local newspaper group for area so that will give you lots of links.
Yell if you need further info.