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Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

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Original poster

where to live between godstowe and oxford

33 replies

ailyroot · 16/08/2017 17:14

Hi All
Even I asked questions here and recieved many kind replies, we still have no decided where to live yet, sadly~ :(

Our daughter is going to study at Godstowe prep and my wife will be studying in oxford , is there any place you could recommend to live in between? Our budget is GBP2500 per month for house rent

I am thinking a spot like 10 minutes to godstowe by car and 30 minutes to oxford by car, any ideas?

thanks again :)

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KatyBerry · 16/08/2017 17:20

I know people in the Princes Risborough area who have children at Godstowe and The Dragon in Oxford so do a school run in each direction- not fun, but entirely doable if one person is doing only one of the journeys

Zodlebud · 16/08/2017 18:59

The traffic between that part of the world and central Oxford (assuming your wife is studying in the centre of town) is a nightmare. Cars often queue on the M40 to get off at the Oxford turn off. Also, the traffic going through High Wycombe to get to the M40 is also bad so what appears to be 30 minutes using a Google search etc but in reality it could take well over an hour.

I would seriously reconsider the school - there are some fabulous prep schools in Oxford.

ButtonLoon · 16/08/2017 19:01

Although if she is studying she may not have to commute during rush hour, in which case it'd be fine.

Zodlebud · 16/08/2017 19:18

Agreed ButtonLoon - timing will be everything!!!

Original poster

ailyroot · 17/08/2017 00:30

you are so right about google map shows only 30 minutes, but I feel something not right hen I saw M40 :(

is rush hour same as our common understanding 07.00~ 08.30 AM in that traffic jam period?

OP posts:

Zodlebud · 17/08/2017 08:46

Anywhere between 7am and 9am is traditionally rush hour in that area. If you approach Oxford at 7am then you will probably OK. As you get closer to 8am then it will be crazy.

LIZS · 17/08/2017 08:53

Train would be better to Oxford, largely going against commuter flow and parking likely to be problematic. How often will she need to go?

Original poster

ailyroot · 17/08/2017 09:04

my wife is studying in Oxford Brooks for master degree, I doubt it will be everyday for her, but 9AM class is very possible

OP posts:

Frankley · 17/08/2017 15:51

Look at the ' oxford tube'. It is a good fast coach service between London and Oxford, every !0 minutes or so. She could get on at Lewknor and off at Oxford Brookes. Live in a village on High Wycombe side of Lewknor?

Original poster

ailyroot · 18/08/2017 07:01

thanks for the coach information!
I read the news that there is also a train between oxford and High Wycombe now, to live in HW and let my wife commute between seems the best choice

OP posts:

ButtonLoon · 18/08/2017 07:06

That train (plus a bus, because Oxford Brookes is not in the city centre/near either train station) would take probably over an hour of travel time!

ButtonLoon · 18/08/2017 07:12

I will elaborate on the train thing: Yes, you can travel from High Wycombe to the new Oxford Parkway station (35 minutes) but that's in the Northern part of the city and there is no bus from there to Headington, where Oxford Brookes is.

So she would need to continue on to the Oxford city centre station (45 minutes total) and then board the U1 bus, which will take at least 20 minutes to get to Brookes - nevermind the time spent waiting for the bus too.

Original poster

ailyroot · 18/08/2017 07:23

ouch! this information is crucial :(
geee....let me dig more

OP posts:

LooksLikeImStuckHere · 18/08/2017 07:29

Ten minutes to Godstowe in the morning, for school start, really doesn't allow you to live very far out of the town of High Wycombe. I'm 3.5 miles away and it would take me 15 mins, more in term time at rush hour. I would allow an hour to drive to Oxford Brooke's from where I am.

I'd be more realistic about a longer journey to Wycombe. Even from Risborough in rush hour could take 40 mins.

Seems like it should be easy but Oxford and Wycombe both have traffic issues!

xyzandabc · 18/08/2017 07:38

Thame is a lovely market town to live in. In non rush hour 20 minutes to High Wycombe and 20 minutes to Oxford Brookes. You would be on the right side of Oxford for Brookes as well, not actually having to go through or round the city itself.
As others have said though, both Oxford and Wycombe have traffic issues at rush hour, so unless you live within walking/cycling distance of one of them, it's probably just something you'll have to allow extra time for wherever you live.

AliceLutherNeeMorgan · 18/08/2017 07:43

I was just going to say Thame, which is lovely. It would take longer to get to Godstowe than you want, but check out their bus you may be able to hook up with one of them

xyzandabc · 18/08/2017 07:43

If your wife didn't want to drive/park there is a good bus service from Thame to Oxford, the 280 (slower) or the X8 express i.e doesn't stop in the villages is less than 40 minutes even in morning rush hour, quicker at other times.

LIZS · 18/08/2017 07:54

How long is the masters? If you plan to stay in the area afterwards should location near school be higher priority? Also there will be more school days annually than uni days.

LooksLikeImStuckHere · 18/08/2017 07:57

Thame really isn't 20 mins to HW, especially not in rush hour traffic.

ImaginaryCat · 18/08/2017 08:16

I'm an ex Godstowe girl, and an ex Brookes student, so know them both well. And Godstowe is a great school, but as someone else said, of those two perhaps you need to rethink the school.
Stokenchurch would possibly work, your wife could drive to Lewknor, get the coach to Oxford, which passes right outside Brookes. Driving into Wycombe along the A40 from Stokey would be much better than approaching it via the M40.
But it's still going to be hard. We lived inside Wycombe and it was still 30minutes through rush hour traffic and that was 30 years ago! The traffic's even worse now.
If you decide to rethink the school I work in Oxford independent schools so can advise. Was it single sex you were after? Headington and Rye are both opposite Brookes! Highly academic... Oxford High goes all the way through 4-18. Or outside Oxford there's Cranford House.

KatyBerry · 18/08/2017 08:21

Hello Cat were you there in the miss F-K years or are you a Young Person?

Original poster

ailyroot · 18/08/2017 08:41

looks really hard indeed, I just googled, Stokenchurch to oxford brooks 's business school by coach takes 1hour 20minutes with every thing including transfer~~

Thame could take A40, looks like a better choice to M40 , but far from HW

reconsidering school is really not a option now~~

OP posts:

LIZS · 18/08/2017 08:48

Iirc your dd is still very young so it would be worth putting a reconsideration of school into the mix. It might cost you short term but be offset by less commuting cost. Are you in the area yet? Will you be working, if so based where? Does your dw know how much contact time she'll have and whether studying from home is an option?

Zodlebud · 18/08/2017 08:49

This will also put a spanner in the works - there is no parking for students at all at the university Headington campus www.brookes.ac.uk/travel/parking/new-parking-policy-faqs/#2

splatattack · 18/08/2017 08:52

Rent somewhere in Lewknor. It is a lovely lovely village with a wonderful local pub and great neighbours. You are right on the main road to Oxford and High Wycombe and your wife can get the Oxford Tube straight to Oxford Brooke's Headington Campus as it stops right outside.

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