Alyesbury, stocklake, Grand Canal Union

[Tellmesomethingididntknow]

Hi all,

My very first time on here so hope you all can help me. I am looking at a new build house in Aylesbury in-between Bierton and Broughton by the A1457. The house is by the Grand Union Canal. I am from London and hoping for a better quality of life to start with my 7 year old boy and hopefully to get him into a good grammar school near by. I really loved Amersham but and the schools seemed amazing there but for the property prices the houses there were tiny for my budget. I have had to push my budget a bit higher to 700k. I have been to Alyesbury town centre and it is not my cup of tea to be honest. However, Im hoping that on days out there is lots to do in Hertfordshire and Ive been to a few lovely pubs in Aston Clinton and I wouldn't necessarily need to go into the town apart from shopping. I would like to be surrounded by good quality people (without sounding like a snob...p.s I've lived my whole life in a crappy part of London)

I also like Western Turville but a house that I like has not come up yet. This location that I am now looking at is close to town so the schools will be within 3miles. I would like to know if anyone know this area and the kind of people that surrounds here and what it like in general really.

Also if anyone knows any good private schools that would also be great. Thank you so much and have a great day ya'll.

Do you drive? if I had £700k I would be looking out to the small towns/villages more. Wendover and Waddesdon are both lovely and have very good secondary schools if your child does not pass the 11+. Wendover is particularly good in that it is on the train line to London, is in the hills so has stunning countryside and is also much nearer to the places you like such as Aston Clinton.
Aylesbury is not bad. But with your budget you could live somewhere much nicer.

I grew up in a rough part of London (east) and lived there until I was in my 20’s. I’ve lived in various parts of London and also spent 6 years in Suffolk. I would’ve happily stayed there but we had to move last year due to my husband’s job (military). We currently leave in Wendover; Wendover in itself is lovely as are some of the other local villages etc. but Aylesbury reminds me of being in London. Transport links etc are good but I wouldn’t choose to live here if we had the option.

Hi thank you for the replies.

Yes I do drive. The new builds I found was inbetween Broughton and Bierton, not exactly in Aylesbury but close enough.
700k is a lot even for us. Suddenly, we found that another company is making houses nearby for 200k less but obviously not overlooking a canal. Anyways that got me thinking that the schools will be even more overcrowded and my property will be devalued with alll theses new properties.
I was hoping that my son would pass the 11+ and go to a grammar school hence the move to Alyesbury because the house prices in Amersham was bad for the size of the house. However now I’m thinking if it’s best to get a cheaper house anywhere in the country and private educate him. Please help with any other advice. Thank you. My mind feels soooo blank with theses decisions.

I will look at Wenover thank you. Your both right, with the money I should look somewhere nicer really. But being in London all theses year,maybe a part of me is worried about a huge change.

There is a grammar school in Buckingham. Look there as 700K would buy you a lovely property there or any of the villages between Buckingham and Milton Keynes really.

There are loads of nice places around there where your budget would get a great house. Look at the villages rather than towns. If you moved closer to Amersham way your son would be in the catchment for a lot more Grammar schools. E.g.places like Great Missenden would be fine for the Aylesbury ones as well as Challoners, Royal, Chesham etc.

Another vote for wendover. I grew up there & it's lovely

Personally I think it's best not to assume your child will get into a grammar. Buckingham is lovely but the secondary modern is not that great if your child doesn't pass. However if you have the cash for private then Akeley Woos school is nearby and could be an option now till takes the 11 plus then still an option should he not pass.
You may also want to consider other places that are close to Bucks but if your child passed the 11 plus (taken as an out of county candidate) then you'd still be in with a chance of getting into a grammar. They also have good secondary schools if they don't. You could look at Silverstone or Northants villages close to Buckingham (though allocation distance for the royal latin is usually 8 miles or less so you wouldn't want to be further out than that) also the Leighton Buzzard area for access to Aylesbury grammars and possibly Tring too.

wow, thats some really great points and tons of information for me to think about. I looked at the village around Alyesbury today and the prices are £600k for anything decent and it seems like any bit of land is going to be built on. I looked at Stoke Mandeville again.

I have taken on your advice and now looking a bit further out like Waddesdon. The views are lovely there and I hope builders don't come there. I looked at the private school Akeley and the price is a lot but I suppose most private schools are around that price. Also my budget wasn't really 700k. Its more £550 but I thought I needed to pay that to be near a good school. With the amount of houses being built the competition would be fierce.

I also did check out Silverstone but its just too far from the grammar school like plentyoffishnets said. Thank you all. Ive learnt now to kept the options open for grammar, state and private. Makes life a bit easier now actually.

You need to understand about school catchments. You won’t get a bigger choice of Grammars by living in Gt Missenden. You are highly unlikely to get Dr Challoners High for example.

I know all the areas mentioned very well. First of all, Aylesbury Vale children pass the 11 plus at around 16% of children in the schools. It is double this in the South of the County. There are plenty of places in the Aylesbury and Buckingham Grammars for out of county candidates. Therefore I would consider Tring and Berkhamsted where you have comprehensives and the Grammars in Bucks are possible.

Your key priority must be getting a decent secondary modern. It is not a certainty that your DC will pass the 11 plus. Therefore look at neighbouring Hertfordshire (as above), Wendover (catchment for John Colet), Great Missenden or Prestwood (catchment for The Misbourne) and Waddesdon or Quainton for the tiny catchment for Waddesdon School (the Holy Grail of secondary moderns). Another area worthy of consideration is around Thame in Oxfordshire for Lord Williams School.

Buckingham Secondary has never been very good. You could however look at Winslow for the grammar in Buckingham and the Thomas Fremantle (small free school) in Winslow. Horrid new building though. Winslow is due to get a station. Wing might also suit you and has a decent secondary. My top pick would be Berkhsnsted but prices are high. There are several private schools near there plus Chesham Prep. Stoke Mandeville feeds into the Mandeville School but Aston Clinton and Weston Turville feed into John Colet. Go to AC or WT over SM.

Aylesbury is now a dormitory town. The traffic coming out is now more than goes in. The centre is losing House of Fraser. (Possibly M&S when that all shakes out). They keep building new, serially empty, shops. It has redeveloped the canal basin around the theatre (usually more ducks than boats) but there are no restaurants worth eating in nearby so it’s a very unfinished project. The university building doesn’t seem to have students either. Waitrose is there and it’s never busy. Aylesbury isn’t really a Waitrose town. Most people I know go to the theatre and nothing else unless the museum has a decent exhibition on. Basically it’s a sinking ship.

There are going to be new estates everywhere around Aylesbury. Hampden Fields is to be around 3500 in total plus Schools and employment zones. This might rekindle the town centre but I never go into it. There is nothing there I want. Most better off high achievers live in the villages and they don’t have children in the Aylesbury secondary moderns. I would avoid Aylesbury.

Aylesbury has grown too large now and remember HS2 is going through that region! I used to live in Bucks near Aylesbury but moved away to a rural area; Aylesbury and surrounds is far too overcrowded now.

To be honest, lots of people do like Aylesbury are there are not empty houses everywhere. If you want rural you would never look at Aylesbury. However nicer towns, as I explained above, are available! I think the new housing just off the A41 near the holiday inn looks attractive. Tring station isn’t far and it’s nearer to the Chilterns and countryside. There’s a lot of choice of housing in Aston Clinton. These are not affected by HS2. Even houses in Wendover are selling so it’s not all doom and gloom. Good schools and pleasant towns are still popular.

I live on a village nr here. Aylesbury has improved a lot, we often use the Waitrose and go to the cinema or Wagamamas. The house of Fraser was pretty poor, not surprised it's closing. The m and s is always very busy. Lots of nice pubs nearby (I have been to the ones in town).
I don't think the catchment for Weston turnville is great, the new builds there are lovely though.
I know Aston Clinton well and that's lovely as is Tring. Waddesdon also has some new builds - goldenmede. You'd probably get a bargain, I was on their mailing list and I've had several calls !

• I haven't been to the pubs in town ( they don't look very appealing ).

There are some great places for hair/nails etc

Hi, thank you again for all your thought and its really making me think now. The house prices in Gt Missenden is above what I’m looking for. Yes, I am now thinking of private, good state and grammar schools within 5-6 miles which I think is a lot but should be doable.
BubbesBuddy, I did look at houses in Tring and Berkhamsted but seems SOOO expensive. I will keep a lookout though as I might need to compromise on the views and greener for me and pay a bit extra to be closer to a good school for my DS. I just really want it ALL..the views, a bigger house, garage, the garden.

I am looking at a house in Waddesdon and the estate agents said it was a popular village and the house looked lovey and the views were incredible. From London pollution to fresh air please. They also said I would have to drive into Alyesbury for 4miles for food shopping and gyms. Should be ok? Being in London means I have everything on my door step except a garage, ticket wardens and crime.

Aylesbury itself is far from family in London so not sure if I’d look at Oxford. I have started looking at Winslow and in my price bracket, there are a few new builds. When I drove through Aston Clinton, it seemed the nicest place in Aylesbury. However, there are a lot of new builds and I wonder if it also going to lose its charm and get over crowed and parts of the new build houses given to the council. (p.s. I hate writing that but have to mention again that I currently live in council area and its Nott great!)
Anyway, I will still go to Aston Clinton again tomorrow as the HS2 won’t touch there and review the area and clients near there. Thank you all again for such great information.

I know Waddesdon quite well, which house are you looking at? IS the estate agents Williams? They are quite pushy ....

How about Leighton Buzzard which is just over the border in Beds? Relatively cheap, perfectly nice and on a train line?

I forgot Leighton Buzzard. That is cheaper than Berko and Tring. Good rail connections to Euston but a bit further out than Berko.

Waddesdon is a village but it gets a bit busy with traffic going to Waddesdon Manor. It has the best secondary modern in Bucks and Waddesdon Manor is an asset to the village. Qusinton just up the road is a prettier village and still in catchment for Waddesdon School. Yes, you would have to travel to the supermarket, theatre, and sports facilities but you have lovely countryside, way better pubs than Aylesbury and Bicester Village a mere 20 mins away! You can get to Aylesbury Vale Parkway station for trains to Marylebone in about 5 mins.

I wouldn’t just look at new builds. All new developments of any size will have social housing. It’s a condition of the planning permission but quite honestly it makes no difference to resale prices. There are houses in Waddesdon that were built not so long ago! My old house would now be 35 years old but I would buy it again!

Quainton.

HS2 is practically going through Quainton :'(

That's not quite right, there are areas that won't be.

Station road is most affected, also little Britain in waddesdon. Will try and link a map.

You’ve got haddenham and thame just outside of Aylesbury.

Both lovely, good schools and rail link to London from haddenham is 35-45 mins depending on the train.