Where to move that is commutable to Birmingham?

[preggersbycheggers]

So this is very early days for us. We need to start looking at some places to move to that is commutable to Birmingham.

We currently live between Oxford and Cheltenham in a market town. We would like a similar set up with good primary schools and on a mainline rail link to Birmingham. We were thinking about Leamington Spa/Warwick, that sort of thing but we are wondering if there are any other places we should be looking at.

Will need at least 3 beds and budget is around £350k. Any suggestions please?

Many thanks.

Redditch
Barnt Green
Alvechurch

Wow. Thank you so much everyone. Have also realised that Cheltenham is only 45 minute train journey to Birmingham. So that could also be a possibility although we don't know cheltenham very well.

Didius - it depends what you are looking for in a school really. Yes, they are all very good schools (we only have 3 state secondary schools).

King Edwards is the 'status' school - their catchment area includes the most expensive parts of Lichfield & Shenstone village (also very expensive). Their results are very good, but not hugely better than the other schools nowadays. My goddaughter has had issues with bullying there which were more brushed under the carpet than dealt with.

The Friary has a very good reputation - great results & is generally oversubscribed. It is a huge school nowadays & is a specialist Arts & Sports College, with a significant number of pupils playing sports for the county or even country (DS2 has recently been on a school rugby tour of South Africa with them). Their academic subjects are still strong too though.

Nether Stowe is the smallest school - around 600/700 pupils currently. It has historically had the 'roughest' catchment area & the worst reputation. However, modern day Nether Stowe is excellent. DS1 (with Aspergers & dyslexia) went there & the support, teaching and encouragement was amazing. He left recently with very good GCSE results and is now at college. Since being in Special Measures quite a few years ago (10-15 maybe?), they have had new HT's and have sorted out their problems no end. They have been awarded the title of "The Most Improved School In Staffordshire" and their value added scores are the best of anyone.

I would recommend viewing all three schools & picking whichever feels the best fit for your DC. DS1 went to Nether Stowe, DS2 goes to The Friary & we will pick whichever suits DD's needs best when the time comes (she's only 3).

Cheltenham is nice, but expensive. Still has grammar schools.

Gloucester is scruffier and the train service is much worse, because it's off on a branch line.

Please note that today's news story about a senior school in Malvern is totally and utterly out of character, for that school or any in that part of the world.

Remember that all (or at least parts) of Worcestershire have a three tier school system. It's not something we would consider, so rules out some areas for us.

Solihull is expensive and the schools I know of are little more than average. But I'm known for my hatred of the place!

Commuting can be doable from Cheltenham. My company previously had an office there and many people commute up to (South) Birmingham - it takes about an hour I think.

Belbroughton
Hagley
Blakedown
Clent

What age schools do you need?

Princess - definitely not all of worcestershire. Two school (primary & secondary) system round here. I am pretty sure Droitwich does have middle school(s), though.

I think Bromsgrove still does.

I definitely recommend Lichfield. I grew up here and moved back when pregnant with my first child. It's a lovely area, good schools, nice parks etc... The cross city train line is generally good and A38 gives good road access although can of course be busy at peak times. We have a lovely 4 bed detached in a nice area for your budget. Good luck wherever you decide!

Bromsgrove and Redditch definitely do, along with their surrounding villages like Barny Green, Alvechurch etc.

Belbroughton and cleobury Mortimer are very pretty.

If you are working in Birmingham, I wouldn't consider living any further out that some of the places on the edge of the City - Barnt Green / Lickey for example.
Sutton Coldfield and Lichfield are lovely, but every single time I have to drive in from that side (going against the traffic, in the evening rush 3 hour s) I give a huge 'thank you' that I'm not trying to get out of the City towards the North.

As for Lichfield, it takes me 50 -60 mins to drive in peak time but if i leave work 6.30pm, then 40 minutes.

i suppose you've then got to factor in the time it takes to walk from your office to your car, which in my case, takes 15 minutes. totalling my drive/travel to 1 hr 15 minutes.

I live a few miles away from the centre. There are parks. There are decent schools. There are lots of arty places and other venues to go to and places that sell good food. If I want to get out in the country, it's not far to drive. The three children I've brought up have all benefited from the many activities on offer. What I didn't have - and didn't want was a lengthy commute.

Sutton Coldfield is 20 mins train commute on the cross city. Shenstone is a good halfway house between Sutton and Lichfield.

Sutton has 2 grammars and very good secondaries, 2 (maybe 3?) outstanding Ofsted ones.

Also commutable to the Birmingham Grammars, and has a couple of good private schools.

I cannot thank you all enough for the wealth of information. I haven't even started looking at all the places mentioned but am going to start to make a list and slowly go through them.

We need primary schools for now for those that asked. And my husband is currently doing an hour commute so I think that's why we thought cheltenham might be ok. That said I really would rather his commute was less than it is now as we are both frazzled!!

Definitely look at Hagley. It has a good primary and secondary and a train station with direct links to Birmingham (about 30 mins I should think). It's also very close to open countryside and has great road links as it's close to the M5/M42 junction.

Santa have a belated for your post regarding Lichfield schools - most helpful!