Oakham, Stamford or St Ives?

[sponkle]

DH got new job with longer commute. Trying to decide whether we should stay put or move. Anybody got any experience of secondary schools in any of these places or what it is like to live there?

Oakham secondary schools are good from what I hear.I'm considering sending the dds there if our local ones don't improve.It might be worth being aware that with Ashwell prison closing and the loss of RAF Cottesmore,Oakham is going to suffer economically in the near future.

Stamford is a lovely market town with some good schools, a fairly nice high street and parks etc. Oakham is much smaller and their high street is really suffering at the moment. Both have good rail links. Oakham has an 'outstanding' primary school as well as other 'good' ones. I believe the secondary school is much better equipped now. Good public schools in both Oakham and Stamford.

Stamford would definitely be my choice over Oakham with secondary school-aged DC.

I don't know St Ives well, but went to school in Stamford. I don't know about the state schools in those towns, but Stamford and Oakham both have good private schools (Oakham being the "better" one). I would pick Stamford as a town to live in over Oakham. More facilities/restaurants/pubs - all important when you're growing up!