Moving to MK - Swanbourne or Pilgrims?

[BlazeofLight]

Hi

We are relocating from London to MK next year. Current plan is to find somewhere to live around Woburn, as we have family and friends near there.

I am looking at schools for our DSs, the eldest is due to start reception September 2018.

Any views on Swanbourne or Pilgrims? Or thoughts on the local state schools?

In London we were looking at The Hall, Arnold House, UCS pre prep - but I would much prefer them to go coed.

Thank you!

I think you are looking at a slightly different offering at these schools. Swanbourne prepares for CE at 13 so pupils progress to a variety of schools at 13. Pilgrims feeds the senior/prep schools in Bedford within the Harpur Trust and is only a pre prep. Therefore they are not the same.

It would depend a bit on journey time as well for a young child. Instinct for me would be Swanbourne to give a wider choice of destination but you need to visit both.

Thank you so much Bojo. Our plan would be to stay in the MK for 3 - 4 years then move back to London (this is all being done to facilitate DH's promotion - but long term we are both totally committed to coming back to London).

So it is really a question of where which would be the nicest atmosphere for a few years before coming back to a London day school.

Take your point about journey time - google maps says both are about 25 minutes away from Woburn/Husborne Crawley.

Do you have personal experience of either?

My brother's DC have been/are at Pilgrims and have liked it. The children were happy and had lots of opportunities. I wouldn't want to be driving there from MK every day though - and I suspect you won't manage it anywhere near as quickly as 25 minutes in rush hour.

If you're only looking for infants age for 2 or 3 years then I would think picking an area with good state school to move to and letting your DC be part of the local community sounds preferable!

I think the driving would be fairly horrible too. I am a bit familiar with Swanbourne but both schools are great from what I can see. Could you live nearer one or the other? Swanbourne is in a quiet village surrounded by the Bucks countryside and once you get out of MK, it is plain sailing. If you lived in Stewkley or similar you would find the travel to Swanbourne a lot easier and have a good state school as well. My children went to state then independent school and the best state schools are very good. My children were ahead of quite a few!

Thanks both. My mother in law lives in Husborne Crawley, and we have really good friends in Aspley Guise, so we were planning to move around there. DH also does a lot of travel and wants to be as close as possible to the M1. Do you know anything about the state schools around those villages?

However I will investigate further afield!

Sorry but I don't know the schools in that area. I know a lot more about Bucks schools. I hope your search goes well!