So DH has a job in the SOUTH WEST

[mamatomany]

We could live anywhere, very close to or on territory. Have about £350,000
Does anyone know where the best schools are for prep, state primaries and secondary state and private please ?
Many thanks

Have you considered East Devon? Colyton Grammar is one of the best state schools in the country if you're DCs are academically minded.

Is that for boys and girls ? I have three little girls and a baby boy, Ideally if I can be so fussy I'd like mixed to 11 and then single sex education.
If children are competing from around the whole SW to get in mine won't beat off that sort of competition, we are, I think a good C's with the odd B family rather than A*'s

I have friends near Chard. Their DCs go to the local academy school, Holyrood, and they are very happy with it. Mixed sex tho'. Don't know about primaries. there's a small private prep in Chard that they say is good.

Mount House in Tavistock for prep - best money I ever spent - goes from pre prep to 13. Great record at achieving scholarships to senior schools. Head is a fab man. I really regret not leaving ds there to board when we moved abroad.

Housing - you can live in Tavi itself - nice market town with farmers markets, fab butchers, cheese shop, book shops and deli plus usual suspects of of high street stores, or the Tamar Valley which is cheaper for housing, but you gets more bangs for your buck there. You could add another £100k to my house if you moved it to Tavi.

err the south West is a pretty big area - from Bristol/Gloucester down to Cornwall.
You may need to be a bit more specific, within commuting distance of X town/city

It can be anywhere on the south west hence I'm going to choose the house by the schools.
Thanks for the tips on the prep, is up to 13 the usual case ?

Yep, as what is effectively years 7 and 8 are used to to prep the kids for Common Entrance and scholarships.

It depends how much you are prepared to pay in fees as well. Port Regis in Dorset is good and feeds Canford but is an expensive area in which to live.

Sherborne in Dorset has a good mix of state and private schooling with many other very good public schools in easy driving distance; Kings Bruton and it's prep school feeder Hazlegrove, Millfield, Bryanston, Clayesmore, Sherborne Boys, Sherborne Girls, Leweston, and a good state secondary The Gryphon School.

All prep schools will take your children to 13, and then the seniors will take over after that. Which one you choose will depend on the strengths and temperament of your children. Will they go as day pupils or board? I'd say that would also affect which school you choose.

Oh day school definitely not ready to lose them for a long time. Thank you, any of those schools you'd particularly recommend ?

How about going Bath / Chippenham way?

Chippenham has some excellent state schools - namely Hardenhuish / Sheldon. You could go for one of the villages near chippenham as that would be in catchment, and you'd get a decent house for your money.

Alternatively, if you did want to go private, then many students get the train into Bath and there are a plethora of private schools which pick up from the station.

For a mixed secondary I'd choose Clayesmore or Millfield. For single sex secondary Leweston for girls and Sherborne for boys. Choosing the right school really will depend on the strengths, interests and weaknesses of your children.

Nursery and pre-prep and prep, I'd choose Clayesmore again or Sherborne.

Sexeys in Bruton and the Gryphon in Sherborne are both excellent state senior schools.

Hope that helps.