Moving back to the UK - which Buckinghamshire town/village?

[dixia]

I have been living in Spain for 5 years with my husband and two sons. We have finally decided to come back to the UK. Mumsnetters are the first to know as we haven't told anyone else yet - I am totally over the moon. Life here really has been quite hard and I am very relieved to be returning.

Anyway, we have the luxury of being able to start from scratch in the UK and rent a house anywhere we want.

We have decided that we must be close to the M40 as most of our friends and most of our family are in Birmingham and London and everywhere in between. So we are looking for:

• Easy access to M40 - not traffic hell (like getting in and out of oxford)
• Good school options - good mix of excellent primary and secondary schools and independent school options.
• Woods or fields or big parks close by.

We used to live in Leamington Spa and could go back here. But I think my dh would rather be closer to london. So we are looking at options in Buckinghamshire.

Please - all mumsnetters - give me somewhere to start. Tell me the good and the bad about where you live (or lived).

Thanks

[JLo2]

How about somewhere like Stokenchurch or Radnage if you fancy somewhere villagey?

Very easy access to M40 and close to Oxford
Plenty of woods/fields/open space
Good primary school locally, feeding into excellent Grammar school system in High Wycombe. Not sure about independent, none very locally but plenty in High Wycombe.

[MollieO]

Beaconsfield? Good schools, nice shops although expensive housing. Wooburn Green - near Beaconsfield but cheaper. Maidenhead, in Berks but 10 mins drive to M40. North of A4 is in catchment for Bucks grammars, good independent schools and good primary schools. Very good rail and road links to London.

[frAKKINPannikin]

Marlow is nice - catchment for Sir william borlase (mixed), wycombe high (girls), john hampden and RGS (both boys).

Danesfield and spinfield primaries are both very good plus 2 strong church schools

Easy access to M4 and M40, trains into Maidenhead/London and also London/Birmingham from High Wycombe.

Wycombe abbey, piper corners and, well, tons of options for private!

I grew up there and my parents still live there - it was fantastic. Big enough to not be a goldfish bowl, small enough to feel like a town and people are nice and friendly (as long as you're in right area). You're close enough to Wycombe, Reading and Oxford for shopping!

Marlow Common is beautiful, there are walks along the Thames and my parent's house backs out onto field. There are at least 5 parks/playgrounds that I can think of - good big green spaces as well as play areas for children.

Marlow Bottom is just as nice but smaller! And Little Marlow is very picturesque but smaller still.

If you want any more specifics then do let me know but I heartily recommend that general area.

[JLo2]

OOh yes I agree with Beaconsfield and Marlow, both really lovely small towns. Just be warned they are both very expensive in the best bits
I suppose it depends what your budget is!

[jeanjeannie]

I'm in Bucks - in High Wycombe - if you want good schools then you better put your hard hat on - places like gold dust and many disappointed parents as the bad schools are all to plentifull Plus it's an 11+ area so it's fiercely competitive for a decent primary. Plenty of excellent independents though.

I'd second Marlow...but if you're after good catchements then get as close as you can - again we know some disappointed people - techincally in catchement but not close enough. Beaconsfield / Penn/ Knotty Green is lovely - and I happen to know that new-builds are open to some VERY good offers ATM

Another lovely place is Bledlow - good schools, lovely country. You could try looking at Amersham too -some great schools.

Like MollieO said - it might be worth looking at Berks borders too - Cookham/maidenhead - most are eligible for the good grammars as it seems not enough local Wycombe kids pass the 11+ to fill the places. Lots of buses bring the kids over the border.

It is bloomin £££ still though!

[ouchitreallyhurts]

Have lived in chalfont st giles and Amersham - both lovely and with very nice schools.
somewhere like Bourne End would be right near the M40 and might still be nice as its stones throw from the river areas like Marlow

[Charlina]

HI all, I know this is an old thread, but we are thinking of moving to marlow in time to apply for primary place for dd1 in jan 2012. Can anyone fill me in on Bisham School? Thanks so much! Any insider info on schools and desirable area to live gratefully received!

[gordongrumblebum]

My house?

BTW someone mentioned lots of private schools - there are lots of private primaries, but many of these feed into state grammars.

You really need to choose your catchment if your child isn't likely to pass the 11+ as some of the secondaries are among the poorest in the country.

Holmer Green has a good secondary, but you really need to be careful. I live in the catchment of a particularly underperforming school and was very lucky when ds scraped the 11+.

(Oh no - I've just talked you out of buying my house!)

[gordongrumblebum]

Lol didn't realise I was answering stuff from 2009.....
Sorry, know nothing about Bisham School!

[GypsyMoth]

Ahem...Milton Keynes anyone? thats where i ended up. in a village just outside.

its got everything

[GypsyMoth]

me neither gordon!!

[LeoTheLateBloomer]

I grew up on the Oxfordshire/Buckinghamshire border (between Thame and Aylesbury) and the area ticks every box you've listed.

It has excellent transport links (road and rail), is really convenient for Oxford and has lovely countryside.

[Marjoriew]

My 7 kids were brought up in Marlow, Bucks.
Great primaries, especially CofE, Marlow CofE going on to Holy Trinity.