Berkshire/Bucks advice on areas

[Normandy144]

Just starting our search and still a bit clueless on areas.

Us: me, DP and 2 yr old DD, plus one on the way.
Budget £350,000-£375,000.
Would like a 3 bed house (4 even better) don't mind a village setting especially on the outskirts of a bigger town or a suburb of a big town.
Currently renting in Eastcote, Middlesex.
Work wise I need to be able to commute to the Uxbridge/Heathrow area. DP works from home.
In the immediate future we are looking for a family friendly place with access to things for the kids to do, especially toddler groups etc. Nice pubs, places for coffee/to eat would be a bonus.

We've looked around Holmer Green and Hazlemere near High Wycombe and also Flackwell Heath and Wooburn Green, but I suspect we may already be priced out of the the latter two areas. I don't hear anything positive about high wycombe itself, but I quite liked the feel of Hazlemere.

Also considering Wokingham/Woodley/earley as an option, but very curious to hear more about Bracknell as there appears to be a good stock of housing in our budget. Everything I can find about it on line seems to reference Bracknell before the regeneration of the town centre. Comments usually limited to ugly 60s monstrosity, so I would be very keen to hear about anyone who lives there post-redevelopment.

Any other suggestions welcome.

I have lived in both areas and if schools are an issue go with Bucks as they still have a grammar system. With the Berkshire places you mention I would go with Wokingham or Woodley but not Bracknell. Earley is ok and has a great secondary comprehensive school (Maiden Erleigh).

M40 easier for Uxbridge whereas M4 easier for Heathrow

I think house prices in Bracknell are going to rise considerably when the new town centre is finished (spring 2017). The house prices there are currently considerably lower than other towns in the area (Wokingham/Windsor/Maidenhead).

The new Lexicon centre will bring some much needed decent retail units to the town.

Bracknell is a bit bland and featureless, but there are some really good parks and the local Swinley Forest is fantastic for walking/mountain biking/play areas (Harry Potter forest scenes filmed there). The Coral Reef leisure pool is also going to be revamped.

Basically, it's a great town to raise young kids in.

There are some very good primary schools, and some not so good ones. Secondary-wise, Garth is a good school. Ranelagh is a very good school (fantastic results) but you really have to be a practising Anglican to get in.

If you want to know anything else, please ask.

What about Hemel Hempstead or Chesham? Think you could get something decent for your budget there - easy commute to Uxbridge and you have a amersham right next door, St Albans about 30mins away and in chesham you are on the Met line

I know HG and Hazlemere very well and would be happy to answer any questions about them. They are lovely places to live but to echo a pp, that area of Bucks is entirely grammars and the non-selective options are consequently limited. If you're committed to comprehensive eduction then the decision is at least partly made for you; it just isn't an option in south Bucks.

Thanks for the tips so far. I'm some way off secondary schools but it will fast become a reality. I didn't grow up in Bucks or anywhere with a grammar school system, so I'm not familiar with how it works. Are you essentially saying that should my child not pass the 11+ then there are no non-grammar options in Hazlemere or Holmer Green. I had a quick look at the Bucks website and it suggests there are grammar schools and Upper schools - are upper schools comprehensives then or if not what are they?

Yes, that's exactly what I'm saying. If your child doesn't pass the 11+ then in Hazlemere and HG your options are probably (and my knowledge is a few years out of date, so please check catchments etc) Holmer Green Upper, The Amersham School, the Misbourne, and possibly Beaconsfield Secondary. 'Upper' schools aren't comprehensives; they are non-selective schools in a grammar area, meaning that the most able pupils are creamed off. The options for grammar schools are very good from HG and Hazlemere, however; I went to Wycombe High School (girls'), and the RGS and John Hampden are the most popular options for boys. You could also go in the other direction to Chesham for Challoner's girls' and boys'.