should we move to oxford

[brezzo]

We both (sort of) have job offers from Oxford employers and are wondering if we should turn our backs on London and take boys ( aged 7 and 8) to start fresh life. we have had enough of London street life and worry about teenage years. But we can't find any decent schools in Oxford! Can anyone help?

We can only afford state schools and quite fancy Cherwell as a secondary, but all of the primaries look pretty poor. Is there somewhere we have overlooked? Any advice gratefully received.

I'm not an expert on state primaries in central Oxford - perhaps others can help you more than I can, but, as far as I am aware, Phil and Jims, as it's known here (I think that's Sts Philip and James) is good (certainly good enough for people to move house in order to be in the catchment area. The children of a friend are also happy and doing well at Cumnor Primary School (on the western edge of the city).

From what I hear, Oxford is really, really, really expensive.

W/o the London weight.

Yes, it is expensive - lots of people commute to London, pushing the prices up. You might consider one of the villages around Oxford, for that reason.

There are a heck of a lot of murders in Oxford. According to my good pal Morse.

I don't know if you've used this website before (I've set it to Oxford for you!) but I found it very useful as a quick reference before further Ofsted investigations when we were looking for an area. It shows you by town rather than by county, as the BBC league tables do. Just change the town you want to look at by going onto the 'Find Towns - By Name' link. HTH.

hmm. doesn't seem to be working just now.

The URL is www.town-guides.org

friends are happy with their school - don't know its name though but uts the catholic primary on horspath road, cowley/headington borders. but with their dd coming up to 8 they are seriously considering moving out of oxford, probably abingdon way for secondary.

I know people in Wheatley, who are very very happy with primary school there.

I would in a shot. Oxford is a gorgeous place - and expensive for that reason. Much nicer than London, and salaries are higher there. London weighting is negligible these days unless you work in the City and get a huge bonus.

THe countryside around Oxford is idyllic.

i am trying to get out of oxford, very expensive place to live, although i believe london is the most expensive, water rates very high and water quality terrible,very damp climate so lots of illness, however if you have very young children there are good centres and toddler groups

That is so they are all kept secret MMJ and nobody from London comes and pushes up the house prices.

Friends of mine made the move from London to Oxford and they are very happy there. Didn't have your concern about schools though. What about a different area of London? Oxford really isn't cheap if you want to live in a nice part.

brezzo - I gather Wolvercote primary is lovely. Is a feeder for Cherwell.

As far as I'm aware, Wolvercote and Phil and Jim's and Cumnor are the 'best'. I know people whose kids have gone to all and they have been happy. Everything about house prices is true. It's got to absurd proportions. We left recently but would have stayed if we could have bought a house. We rented for over a decade as prices were always out of reach, despite a goodish combined income.
Cherwell is a good secondary, acc to my sources with older children. They loved it, in fact.
Lots going on for kids, esp if they are musical.

is cherwell good for music Pruni? That sounds promising [assuming we stay that long if we ever manage to buy a house]

We left London for Oxfordhsire and don't regret it at all - not sure about the 'damp and illnesses' comment - everyone's hayfever has cleared up since leaving London... I suppose it depends what your basline is.

I hear the Anglican primary school in Headington is passably good but we are out in the southern Oxford commuter belt (hem hem) so don't know much more than that about schools in the city.

Dunno about Cherwell=music ruty
Just don't know
But seriously, every school-age child I knew was doing music of some sort in Oxford - no shortage of teachers/festivals/competitions/groups etc.

I had heard that because of the location in a bit of a bowl, the traffic fumes and the soil it's built on, Oxford is not good for asthma-sufferers.

It doesn't have a waitrose you know

We're on one of the main roads in North Oxford. I moved from London when I was 18, so been here 24 years . Sister is doing it in September with her 11 yo son who will be going to Cherwell. I'm in love with dds primary school. Do feel free to CAT me and I'll tell you all you need to know! BTW dds will be going to Cherwell, they're 7 and 8 too! Oxford rocks!!

Pru, you're right about Oxford being in a bowl. But we do have an M&S and where I am an M&S local, which is just being refurbished. So there

Isn't there going to be a JL sometime in the next few years?
Is that SUmmertown M+S being refurbished again???? FGS that's the third time since it opened, isn't it?
Sigh
I am feeling quite nostalgic actually
I miss bits of Oxford (not spec M+S though!)
Woke up thinking of Port Meadow in spring

Oooh, yes, I'd forgotten that! Demolishing the horrid old Westgate to make way for it!

Yes, M&s summertown is being reburbished again! Can't believe it's been open 5 years already! Cue lots of little grannies looking aghast as they realise the loos are closed and they'll have to go to Costa or worse the public ones in the car park!

BTW, are you the MNer formerly known as P-something-very-similar? Where did you move to?

Not at all, Ruty, it is important.