Advice moving to Surrey

[baronflick85]

We are also moving from Winchester and need to be near West End in Woking. We have 4 children and so will be looking at primary and secondary schools. I don't want more than a 20 minute commute. We need entertainment for both young children and teenagers and nice safe green areas for the younger ones. We have been so spoilt with Winchester we are probably quite picky! Would really welcome any suggestions.

My first choice would be Guildford. Firstly for the schools,and also for entertainment,sports facilities etc.

Thanks for that. Have looked at Guildford but we will
be renting and when I do a search most properties
seem to be for students. Are there any specific
areas we should look at, particularly within catchment
of good schools?

So you are working in West End? In rush our to be within 20 minutes commute you can't be that far away as traffic is heavily congested around there/most areas in this part of Surrey.

Gordons is a fantastic secondary school, no idea about the primaries though.

Bagshot has 2 good primarys one state one private, easy to get to Camberley and Woking for entertainment, but Bagshot village is mainly pubs and restaurants.

Onslow Village has First,Middle and Secondary schools within walking distance. There doesn't seem to be much to rent though.

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-to-rent/property-29209086.html

Also Merrow or Burpham,are family friendly.

knaphill, Chobham and Pirbright might be good options.

I think 20 min commute anywhere in Surrey is a bit unrealistic.

I would have suggested something closer to West End,but there aren't the amenities. Guildford would seem to tick all the boxes. There's always Woking,although I think that good schools are more difficult to find.

Thank you for your comments. We had a drive around the villages near Woking on Sunday and they seemed lovely however when we came to look around Woking it just made me feel home sick for Winchester. I think that Guildford might be more my cup of tea but am now worried about the commute up to West End. The whole reason for moving is to reduce the commute down to a doable 20 mins. Onslow looks good and we have also seen a house in Compton - any info about that would be greatly appreciated!

west end is very close to the Berkshire border, why not consider Berkshire?

Sunninghill, Sunningdale, Ascot, all around 20 minutes commute, and excellent schools.

Windlesham is nice too.

You'd never make your journey in 20 mins,from Compton! Whilst it's a nice area,there'd be nothing for your teens. Cobham might be worth a look.

Thanks will look at Cobham and Berkshire then. How far
is Compton from Guildford DC 1 and 2 are used to getting
buses on their own as we live in a village just outside
of Winchester at the moment.

Cobham is miles away from West end, Chobham isn't. How about the Hampshire side too, Frimley area maybe.

Compton is about 10 mins drive from Guildford but there isn't much to it it's the Godalming side of Guildford to be closer to town and the leisure facilities of Guildford you'd be better on the Burpham, Merrow, Jacobs well, onslow village areas.

Compton is about 15 mins from Guildford.
Wow...

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-to-rent/property-44833094.html

Traffic wise, bottleneck is often at Brookwood. Often do Guildford to M3.

Secondary schools I think are the issue, some state ones are good, others are not. Charters in sunningdale has good rep but catchment area is small, Ascot mainly.

I would look at secondary schools, look at their catchment areas, then rule out where you don't want to be.

Guildford would certainly be more like Winchester. However the traffic is a nightmare at times, especially by Ladymead retail park.

I know someone who works in West End, they live in Fleet. Depending on time of day, the drive can not be that nice as the M3 gets very busy, 6:30-9am. Though there are various back routes through Farnborough, Frimley.

If you could stand village life, then Lightwater, Heatherside, Deepcut. Though check which secondary school would be catchment. Camberley town centre is getting an expansion, Bracknell is being regenerated. So whilst not like Winchester you will have some facilities (shopping mostly) not that far away.

Missed an 'h' out of Chobham

rental queen Elizabeth park just north of Guildford on the road to west end but lots of buses down to Guildford. Don't know about schools though.

Thanks everyone. I really want to avoid commuting
on the M3 if possible. Have looked at secondary
schools and there seems to be a few ofsted rated 'good'
ones near both Guildford and Woking. What is Camberley like in comparison to Woking and Guildford?

West Byfleet may suit.

I honestly think you would benefit and just seeing how congested it is around there especially if you have fixed office hours. Not to mention the house prices for those nearest to the good secondary schools. I'm not sure I see the attraction of moving unless the commute it much much shorter, sort of on the doorstep.

West Byfleet to West End isn't far but you still get caught up in the traffic heading out to the M3, school run traffic in this areas is nightmarish so don't whatever you do try it out during the school hols and think that is a reflection of what it's usually like!

I grew up in that area between knaphill and Chobham. I went to the Winston Churchill School, not sure about it's reputation now. Horsell and Collingwood in Camberley were the other options then. Woking isn't very nice but Camberley and Guildford are easy to get to from knaphill and Chobham too and yes also look at Windlesham. I agree about the a3. Also once had to commute from Godalming to Woking that was a nightmare.