Moving to South Oxford or Reading area - please help

[Valdeeves]

Advice please mums,

My family has just temperarily re-located to Newbury for work reasons. We need to buy a house this year for many reasons. However, I don't feel Newbury is the right place for us to lay down roots - this is largely due to negetive feedback i'm getting about the schooling in the area. We do however need to be within 30/40 minutes of it for commuting reasons.

I really don't know what villiage to move to - we've just come from a city with a lot of facilities and had an amazing primary school lined up and I need to feel we are moving towards the same.

Education is my top priority - do you know the best villiages to live in for schooling?

And out of those, which has the best facilties or near to?

Any light you can shed on this for me would be so valued.

Thank you

You need todecide whether you want to be in the grammar school system or not.

Reading, bucks and Berkshire have grammars, whereas Oxford doesn't.

I live in thatcham and work in a school in Newbury, what are the key issues you are experiencing. I love it here and the academic achievement is generally above the national average so most schools can't be that bad. It really does depend on the area as yes there are a couple of schools to avoid if you can. There will be 'dodgy' areas and catchments in all areas.

There are lots of excellent primaries in the villages to the north of Newbury. They're also in the catchment for the Downs School, which, I'm told, is one of the best state secondaries around.

Village schools tend to offer something different to city ones. While the extra-curricular activities and after school facilities are not a patch on bigger schools, they have a much closer community and warm, family ethos. Have a look at Chieveley, Beedon, Yattendon, Hampstead Norreys, Brightwalton, Ilsleys. All good schools of varying sizes.

How old are your children?

Also live in Thatcham (waves at nmason) and there are a couple of schools you need to avoid. But there are many super schools. Have you looked at North Hampshire villages which again have lovely village schools.
As a work experience provider in a very competitive industry and can tell you that above the national average get into top courses at top Universities from senior schools so can't be all bad.

Hi, I live in Tadley, which is a village kind of in the middle of the triangle created by Basingstoke, Newbury & Reading. I grew up in this area, but have not lived here since having a family. My boys started school in the Middle East, where class numbers are small and each class always has at least one teaching assistant. We have been a little, shall we say, disappointed, with the local school which are boys attend. They have settled in very well and made friends, the staff are good and the school small and well run, but the lack of money shows in every area of the school and therefore in our boys eduction. Like you their education is vital, so we have taken the stance that we will need to add to their education needs. Believe me we have investigated other schools and asked nearly everyone I know in the surrounding area about their schools and the story is much the same. Unfortunately we cannot afford private school, if we could our boys would be there like a flash. So I do extra homework with them every day. I trawl through the various websites and print off Literacy, Numeracy, Science & History lessons. Please don't think I am a 'Tiger Mum' see BBC prog. a few weeks ago, but we am doing the best we can for my boys eduction with the tools and money we have.
I am aware I have not answered you original request, but hope our take on our boys education helps in some way.