Moving to Oxford area: Primary school. Options?

[NewEnglandMum3]

We're moving with our 3 kids (ages 2, 5 & 7) from the US to Oxford or nearby this summer. Is it true that schools in North Oxford (Summertown, Parktown, Jericho) are over subbed and we have almost no chance of sending our school aged kids to the same school even if we're in the catchment area? We feel we may need to give up on that dream.

We've started looking at other areas: Wallingford, even Henley, as reasonable options (unless it's the same story as Oxford) for state schools, my husband will be working in Abingdon.. But also wondering about Chandlings schools and possibly moving to Cunmor, nearby. There is also St Mary's in Henley.

Would appreciate some insight. Perhaps private would be good to ease our kids' transition with smaller classes and wondered if anyone can speak to realistic expectation of Oxford state school spaces vs smaller towns like Henley. What is life like in Henley for families? Any current experience at Chandlings or St Mary's? And thoughts on living in Cunmor, outside Oxford?
Sorry for all the questions! Lots to learn, obviously!

Have you got boys, girls or a mixture. There are some obvious Oxford schools to consider if you're willing to look at single-sex. And even they may have mixed pre-prep or nursery.

If you want to have good rail links, Didcot is a very useful station: often better links than Oxford because it's on a different line. The town itself is not great, but has lots of useful facilities, so worth looking at villages around: Culham, Appleford, Harwell.

I do know of friends in Oxford getting assisgned schools well outside their catchments and going through all sorts of appeals. The North Oxford to Abingdon commute wouldn't be pretty (even when the road works are completed you have to contend with the A34 which is often snarled because of accidents).

Didcot is the best for rail links so villages between Abingdon and Didcot could work well - Long Wittenham has a lovely small school, is very pretty and has a great community spirity (loads going on in the village). Blewbury is another option, not quite between as close to Didcot but an easy commute - nice school and again lots going on in the village.

Wallingford is nice but depending on where in Abingdon your DH will be working the commute could be tricky (as you have to cross town).

Will your DH be working South or North Abingdon - in all honesty Abingdon traffic is horrendous so where his office is is a factor to take into consideration.

Radley could be an option - just outside Abingdon (1/2 mile) and with a station. Also only 10mins to Oxford again.

Not sure of exact Abingdon location but I think south, as the office is in Milton Park. I think based on several helpful posts, I must rule out North Oxford, both due to commute and the school assignment situation.
I think it will be best to focus on a 10 mile radius around Abingdon and from there decide if whether to consider private (Chandlings or Manor) or learn more about the village state schools.
How are Boar's Hill, Wooton or Radley as communities - much doing? Will look at Cumnor, Kennington and Appleton and also Abingdon as well as the villages BathTangle mentioned.
This list has helped narrow down an initially overwhelming search!

Milton park is actually north didcot rather than Abingdon which I always find confusing so you may be better off in somewhere like Sutton Courtenay or Appleford, long wittenham etc which are I between.

Yes, Milton Park isn't Abingdon at all! Wallingford would work well to there, or if you are thinking of villages, Harwell or Chilton. Wantage wouldn't be an awful drive as I don't think the traffic is bad that way.

Boars Hill is lovely - my mum had a friend who lived there with a spectacular view. But you have to drop down onto the A34 from there and it wouldn't be my preferred place to live to go to Milton Park.

You can't go far wrong with any of those places OP. decide between state and private school then you're decision will be so much easier

Boars Hill is lovely but the A34 isn't. Would be fine if your DH would be going early in the morning though.

OWell, I should've confirmed the work location. Not sure how I assumed it was Abingdon! Helpful to know the A34 would not be ideal for commuting. Starting to consider Chandlings and the Manor (but haven't ruled out state schools) now will have to look to see what community would be sensible to school and work.

I work at Milton Park! Completely unrelated to your post question but small world...

I don't work at Milton Park but I do like the drive through Costa at that roundabout

If Milton park then Wallingford entirely doable. Also look at blewbury and long writtenham (both have very active village communities and good schools). Milton village and chiton/Harwell.

I know you are thinking private but if you are thinking of a village, a lot of the social life goes on around the primary school community. If your DC are at private school they may miss out on this and won't know other children at the various social functions and could feel left out of the clique. If you go for a village for its community and social life, it might be worth considerin.

Also these schools are highly results driven and you may be better in a smaller village school with less pressure if you think your DC may already be slightly behind the curve academically because if later start dates.

You'll have thought it was Abingdon because inexplicably, it is always called (on job adverts etc, Abingdon), which doesn't help. I'd definitely look at Abingdon and the villages between Abingdon and Didcot if I were you.

Sutton Courtenay is a nice village, big enough to have a primary school etc.

Be aware if looking at Abingdon private schools but living in a village traffic getting in to Abingdon is atrocious.

Hiya
we live in oxford (both work here at present) and went through a lot of heartache over schools.
DS1 was assigned a rather poor out of catchment area state school. we moved him from there to new college prep school which is absolutely brilliant. Lots of our friends sdid not get their catchment school in headington, marston or north oxford. Seems more likely in cowley or botley, perhaps slightly better provision but the schools are less well regarded generally.
If my dh worked in abingdon and i was not already established socially in oxford, i would move to a nice part of abingdon (cheaper than city or villages with very sought after schools) and use a state primary or abingdon prep/ sksh/our ladys if you can afford it. Definitely. Manor prep is fab too. Just not a sensible journey for us.
good luck!

This is all really helpful. I think Kanga59 is right, we need to decide between state or private and we're going to use a relatively small radius around Milton Park and choose a community. My husband doesn't mind doing a 30 min commute if it means we'll be closer to the right school and I'm not in the car half the day (and we have a 2 yr old who for whom we'll look for a morning nursery.)

Very good point from twofalls that it might be easier to connect with the community if we're in the local primary. I have found the state schools to be quite open to chatting via phone and setting up visits (in the US they are harder to penetrate) so perhaps I can get a read on the village schools. Sutton Courtenay and Blewbury do look lovely (from Google map images!), though I'm not sure how easy will be to find a house to let.

It's a bit of a relief to let go of trying to live & go to school in Oxford, however, we're quite a city loving family so I hope village life will not feel to isolating (for me, mostly.) Then again there is Abingdon & Wallingford. I can't tell you how much we appreciate these ideas from all of you!

You could try a quick search on rightmove.com for houses to rent within (say) one mile of each school, using the school's postcode from its website. That would give you at least an idea of how much choice there is in rentals and the likely ballpark rent.

You are so close to London on the train that it should sort needing a city fix! We regularly drive to London on a Sunday. Such an easy drive.

Oxford will also be on your doorstep. There are some lively community villages around this area. I am heavily involved in mine. Definitely using the local schools helps though.

lovely not lively!

be careful of The Manor. Lots of girls left last year and the staff aren't happy. I suspect things are changing….

Good advice and thanks for the tip, 1805. We are coming for a visit with our children in April and I think we'll try to set up visits at some local schools. What school does 'sksh' stand for?

shsk = St Helen's and St Katherine's School. It's an academic girls senior school (yrs 5-13) in Abingdon. Lots of girls from The Manor go onto to there.

Are your children all girls? If working at Milton, you could look at living further south. Easy access to Newbury and Reading would give you urban access when required. For private schools, you could then look at St Hugh's prep, Canford House (girls), Moulsford (boys). State schools could be King Alfred's in Wantage, The Downs in Compton, or Wallingford. Lovely part of the UK to live in too!! Good luck - happy hunting!

Thank you! We have a 7 year old girl, 5 yo boy and 2 yo boy. So the Manor may not make sense as my middle son would move on from there soon and I prefer to send them to the same school. I have family in London, and would like them to be able to visit easily via train, so will consider places with good rail links.