Returning to the UK from NL, Autistic Child - Milton Keynes or Bristol

[Turfey21]

So we have been living in The Netherlands for 3 years.
We are returning to the UK due to my husbands work (he will still be employed by same company and only stipulation is we need to be nearish to an airport, motorway).
Anyway we live on the outskirts of a big city here and enjoy the freedom of being close to the city, good transport links and being able to cycle everywhere. I sold my car here a year ago and travel to the shops, doctors, schools, etc by bicycle.
Our children love to cycle too.
We need to be close to primary schools with resource bases to support out HF Autistic child and also ideally be able to use our cycles.
We considered Bristol due to family living in Exeter and it being close enough to Bristol, Birmingham airports but also on the M5 and being on the outskirts we will have access to plenty of countryside for family cycling, horse riding and schools.
We were also told to consider Milton Keynes for great cycling network, close to Luton airport, Birmingham airport and great schools and support.
We are looking to rent for the first year of so and then will sell our home here in The Netherlands and either buy something in the UK or find a lot of land.

I would like to not have to rely on a car again as I enjoy the freedom of cycling but also want to ensure my child gets the correct support she needs without having to fight for support and a school place again.
Do any of you live in Milton Keynes on the outer or Bristol on the outer and can give us some recommendations. We are looking for a 4 bed semi or detached home to rent in good condition. Thanks all.

Bristol is a much much nicer place to live IMO than Milton Keynes. You’re near to the beautiful countryside of Wales, Devon and Cornwall and nearer to your family there, which I would prioritise if I were you. Exeter is a pig to get to from MK. There’s nothing nice about Luton airport but I guess MK does have good transport links and is pretty flat for cycling. I don’t know about the services for ASD in either location. Good luck.

Bristol is a way nicer place to live than Milton Keynes and I have lived in both. MK is not that great for cycling - yes there are loads of cycle paths but their layout was clearly designed by a non-cyclist and they are often really inconvenient to use.

Bristol is a lot hillier so cycling can be challenging. for good cycling I'd recommend Southill as it's flatter, but the schools situation might make that unwise. How old are your children and what will be your budget range for rental and eventually house purchase? Can you afford private school fees at all?

Most Bristol schools are oversubscribed, and the ones where there are places available are generally not very good. You won't be able to get any school places until you are a resident and may not be satisfied with the places you are allocated, which may be quite far from your home if nearer ones are all full. South Bristol does OK for primary schools but the secondary schools (from age 11) aren't great.

If you can afford it then see if you can move to the wealthier areas like Redland and Cotham - the schools around there benefit from the "selection by wallet" effect - ie typically fewer very challenging families can afford to live there so the schools have a head-start compared to those with a more diverse intake.

However given that you have the whole country to choose from you might be better off picking a different city altogether - perhaps further north?

Bristol is a lovely place to live, but transport links can be extremely poor. Also bare in mind that for a 4 bedroom house you’ll be looking at anything from £1300 up to £2500 a month for a decent area (Fishponds etc). So that may also be a deciding factor in where you live....

As for your ASD kid i think the special need board is rhe place for you.
As i think you will be fighting for a place for him.