Where would you live if you were me?

[GingerBeer1234]

Does anyone have any ideas? I'm in my early forties, a single parent with a 2.5 year old DD and I'm looking to move house - the main requirements being an excellent state primary school and reasonable house prices, am looking at around the £250k mark for a 2 bed house and garden, somewhere either in the south east or south west (but not as far as Devon or Cornwall). I work mainly from home so work commute etc isn't too much of an issue.

I currently live in Brighton which is lovely, sadly it's too pricey now, but I'd really like to still live somewhere that's a bit interesting, with different stuff going on. Not really keen on a tiny village as I'd have to drive everywhere. Doesn't have to be particularly alternative either, but I like tolerant guardian reading types, a decent cinema, somewhere I'm not going to feel like an outcast as an older single mum, hopefully you get the picture!

If anyone's got any suggestions, I'd love to hear them.

I would actually recommend portsmouth. Well, southsea. Loads of stuff for kids, loads of arty events as activities, especially in summer. Loads of gorgeous cafés and so on. Primary schools are generally good. Secondaries not so amazing, although if you live just off the Island Springfield is very good and you're still really close to all the fun of southsea. And you'd get a lot more than a little two bed there.

kits, Bath is VERY expensive! for 250K it can be Keynsham not far from Bath, or somewhere in surrounding suburbs (like Larkhall or Combe Down or further out on the hills), not in central Bath itself!

What about saltdean or seaford? You could get a 2 bed there and still be close to brighton.

Here?