Moving advice to Cambridgeshire/ huntingdon areas

[FromBigCityToTinyVillage]

My husband is about to start a new job in Sandy.. we currently rent a house in Amersham but can't buy in this area as we are to be first time buyers and with 3 children need a 4 bed property , which we certainly can't afford here as average house price for 4 bed is in the £600,000 region.
So we are looking at the following areas for easy commute for my husband:
Camborne
St.ives
Swaveley
Alconbury Weald ( we really liked it here!)
Areas we arnt keen on are in centre of Huntingdon.
Our ideal spend would be £350,000.
Really looking for advice from anyone familiar with these areas or surrounding ones with positives and negatives. We have one child in primary school (8) another to start secondary in September (11) and a 13 year old. So schools to avoid and schools to aim for would help too as noticed Rightmove isn't up to date with ofstead results as it had St. Peter's school as requiring improvement but they have just had an ofsted check done this March which was granted " good" .. if we went for the house in Alconbury Weald this would be the nearest for my two oldest but worries me if it's not had the best past.. especially as currently all 3 children are in " outstanding" schools etc. In Alconbury Weald they have a brand new Primary opened on site so my youngest should be fine if we choose to go here but plans for secondary school is promised within a year to two so we have also considered the option of home schooling till then with paying for tutors .. again anyone that's homeschooling advice would be great! Thanks in advance!

Are you looking for town or village? I would defiantly look at Biggleswade as I'm sure train time into London is under an hour, plus it's close to sandy.
If your looking at good schools comberton vc which is near cambourne/Cambridge is outstanding. There a village called Gamlingay that is a 15 min drive to Biggleswade that is also in comberton vc catchment. I'm not totally sure about primary in Gamlingay as I think they are in the process of moving primary into the middle. We have been looking into moving to that area so if you have any questions I can try and help!

I have lived in this part of Cambridgeshire for a few decades. Currently living in Papworth, have family in Cambourne and other local villages. Comberton, Cambourne and Swaversey are all excellent secondaries. I have one at Swaversey and I am very impressed with the school, it has a strong academic and vocational ethos. Plenty of choices in subjects and good facilities. My DS is doing well there. One of the reasons families move here is for the excellent state schools. The feeder primaries are very good as well. I have heard great things from family and friends who have primary aged in Cambourne. I also have DCs at Pendragon and it is a fantastic primary school from my direct experience.

If you definitely want to be close to Cambridge I would agree with other posters about Comberton. Outstanding school, nice village and you can cycle or take the bus to town (or Park and Ride not too far away). It is very close to the main road routes but you don't get caught up in the Cambridge traffic as you are on the west side of the city.

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-65304731.html

I agree with huder look at sandy and surrounding towns/villages
Have added a link - this house needs updating but is in a lovely part of a nice place

borrower Agree Potton is lovely. We play a few football matches up there, kids and parents are very nice. It is definitely closer to Sandy. No idea re the schools, but it is a nice large village/small town.

User Gamlingay is a nice village (I cycled through it only this morning) but it's not in the catchment for Comberton.

Personally I wouldn't look at Biggleswade or Potton, even though they are close to Sandy, because they are actually a long way from anywhere else. But I do tend to be quite enamoured of Cambridge so can't imagine living as far away as Potton. My dc have benefitted so much from having museums, science festivals, literature events etc within a 20 minute drive. If you're not as bothered about that, or don't mind a 40 minute drive then do consider Potton or Biggleswade.

That's not totally fair, it's 5 minutes from Potton to Gamlingay. You haven't fallen off the edge of the known universe.

UsedToBeAPaxmanFan I think that is changing this year when they get rid of the 3 tiered school system In the village and go forward with the 2 tiered.
The schools in Gamlingay haven't had the best past with ofstead but plans to make a primary on the middle school site sounds like it could have great potential, especially if you can then go on to comberton vc.
If the work commute to sandy/London were a priority I would pick Biggleswade and surrounding villages. If better schools and options for the kids are a priority I would then prob chose somewhere nearer Cambridge and surrounding villages.

Thinking of your budget and requirement for schools - the following are a good indicator of prices.

Check out this property for sale on #Zoopla zo.op.la/03DMwY via @Zoopla

Catchment area Swaversey. Lovely village. Excellent primary school. Lots of amenities in the village.

Check out this property for sale on #Zoopla zo.op.la/nDBuZP via @Zoopla

Yelling is gorgeous, lovely small community. A great beer festival every year.

Cambourne - can just about get a four bed still for £350
Check out this property for sale on #Zoopla zo.op.la/LFxTKB via @Zoopla

Godmanchester - village, outskirts of Huntingdon, very nice (wouldn't look at the new build estate as it is a bit out on its own - think middle of nowhere over a busy road but somehow still classed as Godmanchester!) further to commute to Sandy, but you will get more for your money. Some lovely restaurants, pubs and plenty of amenities if in the main village. Good schools to boot.

Check out this property for sale on #Zoopla zo.op.la/647IGZ via @Zoopla

Ps st Neots is pretty shocking on the school front, hence why it's a lot cheaper. Even with the fast train to London. Lovely to live near, not just in.

Tapstep I didn't realise the council site would list school vacancies.. if this is so that would be great help in ruling in and out different areas! Thanks everyone for all your suggestions I'm going to look into them all .. some great points that we hadn't considered!

What about looking at Bedfordshire? Lots of nice villages and an easy commute to Sandy. Houses are a bit cheaper that way so you'd be more likely to get something big enough.

I can't get the link to work on my phone, but if you look at in Year admissions on the Cambs county council website the list is still there

Hi Tapstep it's there and I've printed it off! Is going to save me time ringing the council every time we see a house we like!
Sunnydales we have saved the property in Cambourne you put up a link too to go
view.
nigelforgotthe password we arnt too keen on Bedfordshire although know we could get more for our money etc

I would look at the villages round St Neots too. A lot easier to get down to Sandy and personally I much prefer St Neots to St Ives and Cambourne.

Every town has its rougher bits but most of the St Neots area is nice. Eaton Ford, Eaton Socon are parts of Eynesbury are nice. Villages around, particularly the Paxtons, Offords, Buckden and Brampton are nice.
The town itself has a lot of facilities for younger people and also great train links. Primary schools are decent, Little Paxton is an outstanding school. Secondary are more mixed. My DC go to longsands and have varied experiences, one is getting on brilliantly, one has really not enjoyed it and will be moving soon. I would never buy a house in the catchment of Ernulf Academy, the other St neots secondary. There is talk of a new Free School for secondary in the next few years so hopefully more choice soon.

Other villages such as Eltisley and the Gransdens are beautiful but more pricy.

Like you I would go for Cambridgeshire rather than Bedfordshire in general. Again, look at the proposed new A421 routes from the Black Cat to Caxton and where that will impact.

Quick update as you were all so lovely and very helpful.
We have found a house we love in Cambourne and hope to get a moving date soon, we looked at lots of different areas but kept coming back to this area. Seems very family friendly so I'm sure my 3 children will make friends easily etc.So thanks again to everyone that responded 😊