Looking to relocate to Devizes

[GuruK]

Hello, we are currently living in South East London but looking to relocate to Devizes in Wiltshire. We have family in villages nearby and from what I've read about the town it seems to fit the bill for us. We will be making a few visits in the coming months but wanted to ask a few questions from and local to the area on here. We have two daughters in Reception and Year 3 so I'm keen to hear opinions on primary schools within the town. Also are there any areas to avoid when looking for a house?

Any more general advice on relocating your family, in particular how on earth to manage the whole in-year school application side of things would be gratefully received too!

Although my husband's family now live in Wiltshire, neither of us grew up in the area so it's a huge change for us (and my mum who will be moving in with us in an annexe!) so I'm finding the logistics of it all very daunting!! Excited about the many positives the move will bring too of course!

Thank you!

I have recently moved from that area & devizes is actually quite a nice little place. I don't know anything about the primary schools etc since my children are all grown up. But used to visit devizes regularly & it's nice. Good luck with your move

Thank you @Messyhair321 that's really good to know. Reading up about the place it seemed like it could be a nice place to live so it's nice to have confirmation from some who's lived in the area!

My sister lives there, and we are considering going there too. Lots of community stuff going on. Can't help with school stuff as retired.

Devizes is great but the only thing I would say is it’s mile’s from anywhere else particularly hospitals or big shops!

Agree with the above comment, public transport across Wiltshire generally isn’t great, and Devizes is quite a way from the nearest railway station.
It’s worth considering how you will manage as the children get older and want their independence to head off to Bath or meet friends from other towns.

Devizes is lovely. I live a few miles away and visit regularly for the Thursday veg market. Some nice pubs and restaurants in and around. Decentish shops there. I probably wouldnt live in the town as I prefer living rurally but if I was made to live in a town round here it would be there. Trowbridge isnt far if you want big shops although there is a Morrisons, medium size Sainsbury and a lidl.

We live in Devizes and moved into the area 8 years ago. It's a really nice town (has it's rough bits/issues but where doesn't?) with quite a lot going on (Arts Festival/Food Festival etc).

Housing is generally pretty good and if you have a decent budget, you'll be fine. Finding somewhere with room for an annexe might be your only issue as the town is quite compact with garden and parking space at a premium - your best bet for that would be houses on the Potterne side of town (Wick Lane/Pans Lane/The Breach).

Schools are mostly good - none over subscribed as far as I know (falling birthrates generally). Wansdyke and St Joseph's (Catholic) are well spoken of, Nursteed and Trinity not quite so much but still good. Devizes School (Secondary) doesn't get a good rep but lots of people send their children to Lavington School or St Augustine's (catholic, in Trowbridge).

We're not from the area at all but really like it here and our kids have thrived at schools. Happy to answer more detailed questions, if it helps.

Thank you, glad to hear that as I like to get involved in my local community and it'll be a great way to meet some new local friends.

Thank you, the hospital thing is a concern I will look into that further.

Thanks for commenting. It is a shame at the lack of railway station. Having said that, I grew up in a small town and the only thing that really bothered me as a teenager was having to travel miles to go to the cinema. Devizes at least has a cinema and apparently our teenage nieces love wandering round the town with their friends so I feel it will offer them something as teenagers. To a certain extent I think you have to sacrifice some conveniences for other benefits. For example, where we live now we are 30 mins from central London with buses every 2 mins, a plethora of amenities but 2 people got stabbed at the end of our road the other week and teens are constantly stabbing each other in the local area. I feel I would rather have a slightly bored teen than that alternative.

Lovely little town- quite a 'hippy' vibe too (think stroud and Frome) - we often pop on a Saturday as live in Bath- so it's only 25 minutes or so. There always looks a lot going on in the place (I read noticeboards in the market hall ) as others have said the only downer I see (and I have no ideas about schools) is the lack of an A&E anywhere remotely near or a train station. If it had those I think it would be far more expensive. Personally if I was going to Wiltshire I would go to salisbury as it has all of those (much underrated place I think)

Thank you @Prefersreadingtoreallife this is all really helpful. The arts/festival scene is what really drew Devizes to my attention. That and the fact it seems to really value it's independent shops and businesses. I feel like we could really become part of the community here.

The house we are currently interested in is in the catchment for Southbroom but on the border of Wansdyke catchment, do you know how strict the catchments are? I am more keen on Wansdyke as it has some great reviews but also my kids, currently in YR and Y3 would both be able to join together, quite important I feel as they will have the upset of having to leave their current school. With Southbroom my youngest would have to go to the separate Infant school which is not ideal. On the government website it says Wansdyke currently have 233 pupils and their capacity is only 210 which I think must be a mistake? If not then it seems unlikely we'd get in sadly.

Sorry to hear about the secondary school, my niece has just joined the Sixth form there and seems to like it but perhaps the sixth form is of a better standard than the secondary part?

If you have any info on local facilities for younger children I'd be very interested. My daughters currently go to Rainbows and Brownies so would be keen to carry that on. Thank you for all your help so far!!

I think the 6th Form at Devizes is generally considered better than the lower school (although we've just ruled it out for our two eldest as we preferred elsewhere). If the figures you have on Wansdyke are correct then spaces will be tight but bear in mind that Devizes is really small, so travel to and from all primary schools is feasible no matter where you are, so don't discount the ones farther out, especially if the two tier Southbroom system is a problem. Trinity school (off London Rd is nice and central to everywhere). There are no schools out the Bath Rd end of town (nearest would be St Joseph's, opposite the old brewery). Best thing would be to visit/call the schools and find out about spaces.

I know there are Rainbow and Brownie packs in town but can't help there are none of.mine were interested in that. Facilities/clubs are good - loads of sport (rugby, hockey, cricket, tennis, football, netball and swimming clubs are all excellent) plenty of dance classes/school plus gymnastics and trampolining. The Wharf theatre has a drama club, I believe.

Shopping isn't too bad - Salisbury is about 45mins away, Bath about the same. Trowbridge is dire for shopping, so avoid. Chippenham and Pewsey are about 30 mins away for rail stations (depending on what side of Devizes you are). Marlborough is also good for shopping.

Happy to answer any questions I can. We love it here, and are glad we moved.

I have family there and am really fond of Devizes (much more so than Marlborough). If your budget can stretch I would take a look at Salisbury (grammar schools and culturally much livelier), but if a market town is what you want it’s nice.

Holy Trinity at Great Cheverall is a fabulous primary, and you can get in there from living in Devizes. In the town St Joes is now good again (having had a terrible off patch). For senior schools, Devizes isn’t great, but St Laurence’s (C of E) in Bradford on Avon is, St Augustus (RC) in Trowbridge is as well - but is said to be a bit off very lately. I don’t know if you have to be a church goer to get in to St L’s from Devizes but check that out.. You can technically get into the Salisbury Grammars with a bit of luck (I know someone who did) but it’s a hike.

As a PP said, the Wick Lane side of town will offer you the best chance of an annexe and is very nice (near the woods etc).

Nearest general hospitals w A&E’s are Swindon, Bath and Salisbury, which are mostly decent, with Bristol Southmeads for the big stuff. There is a health centre that does small procedures though. The Lansdowne and Southbroom GP surgeries are good.

You will use a car a lot. The bus links to other towns are awful. Pre Covid there were plans to build a station (an ext to the Westbury line I think) which have been scrapped. It’s a great loss but I guess it will happen eventually and at that point property prices will shoot up. Chippenham has the most London trains, and there is Pewsy and Westbury also. Bus links to the stations are bad and have got worse in the last decade.

Shopping and Theatre are Bristol and Bath. The supermarkets in Devizes are quite small, but you can get everything really. Countryside is amazing. It’s low on restaurants - lost quite a few in the last few years.

Coming from London the population is pretty old. There will be lots of U3A type activity for your mum. It’s a nice town for kids I think. They will run off at speed at 18, but there’s enough bits and bobs to do for 12 to 18s. You might find it a bit dull - I love to visit but not sure I could live there. The PP who says it has hippy Frome/Stroud vibe is really pushing it - it does not. I would look at Salisbury and Bristol/Bath for more going on before you lock it for that reason - but otherwise I am sure it will gradually get a bit livelier.

… having said the buses are crap - it’s easy to get to St Laurence’s and St Augustus and lots of kids do.

Agree that it doesn't have the hipster Frome vibe at all but it's not too staid and boring.

Transport links are the main problem, but that's the same all over the South West. New station hasn't been cancelled, it was just that a feasibility study said it couldn't work as a standalone addition to the line but would need to be done as part of wider improvements on the Pewsey - Westbury branch. So it's been pushed to the right.

St Lawrence in BofA is definitely and option for secondary, but a bit of a hike, St A's had a hard time under recent OFTSED (let down by poor SN provision and pastoral concerns as well as poor leadership, academically it is very strong - new head has been in place for two years now and has been really good). Most people we know who haven't used Devizes School have gone to Lavington or St A's. Dauntsey's and Stonar run school buses to the town and Marlborough College is also only 25 mins away. Salisbury Grammers are an option but the transport is more limited, possibly easier at 6th Form.

Holy Trinity in Great Cheverall is outstanding but oversubscribed and a bit of a drive away unless you're on the Pans Lane side of town.

Hospitals aren't too bad - Swindon A&E is the closest - all three are roughly 45mins-1hr away depending on traffic. Dentists (like everywhere!) are a nightmare - very little NHS availability, even for children.

Pubs are generally good (if heavily Waddies dependent!) and there are some nice restaurants but plenty more cafés and coffee shops for daytime than at night.

Countryside is gorgeous with lovely walks along the Ridgeway or up Roundway Hill. The K&A Canal cuts through the town and is very popular for traffic free walking (and cycling), so good if you've got dogs.

Devizes is a fantastic town for shopping. It may be lacking the big names but has a host of great independent shops - clothing, homeware & gifts, an incredible butcher/deli, old-fashioned hardware store which sells everything and a brilliant independent bookshop. Cinema is closed at the moment, but being refurbished to a very high standard, and there's even a small theatre and a pretty good Museum.

It also has a lovely green with a duck pond and the best municipal planters I've seen in any small town in this part of Wiltshire.

Don't know about state schools but if you are considering private for secondary OP there is a very good co-ed school called Dauntseys in Market Lavington, a short bus ride away.

I would say Devizes shopping is much better than Chippenham or Pewsey.

@NetZeroZealot I think the shopping is really nice too- lots of lovely independent shops and cafes, superb bakers (several) - and the butchers!! Oh my goodness- it's pricey as heck but the produce is fantastic- that's one reason we potter over there some Saturdays ( presume you are talking about Walter Rose)?

Thank you @theduchessofspork this is all really helpful! Apologies for the length of time it's taken me to reply, a lot to process and it's half term so very little time to think haha!

Thank you for all the advice on schools, I'm feeling a little deflated as Devizes seems to tick all the right boxes for us but the schools seem to be a bit of an issue. I had a rose-tinted idea in my head of living in a small town and being a short walk to both primary and secondary schools (much as it was for me as a kid) but it seems if I want my kids to go to a Good or above school its either the other side of town or a drive to a village. I called Wansdyke and they are completely full so no hope of getting in there. St Josephs, I assume being Catholic is fairly important for that?

Funny you should mention the grammar schools in Salisbury as we actually looked there first but discounted it because of the grammar system as I'm personally not a fan. Do you know if there are any decent secondaries in Salisbury that aren't grammars? I also looked us opinions on Salisbury on here and there is a fairly scathing thread about what it's like living there. Admittedly it's about 10 years old but it put me off somewhat!

Finding it very hard to find the right balance of somewhere that we'd all enjoy living but also has great schools, the only places that have that mix are less affordable.

Thank you @Prefersreadingtoreallife the school info is really helpful. Of the people you know whose children went to Devizes School do you know how they felt about it? Do you know anyone who has gone to Trinity as that's probably the only primary we'd get the spaces we need in as unfortunately Wansdyke is completely full for the years we need. Do you know much about St Josephs? I always assumed you had to be catholic to go to a catholic school and was under the impression there was a much heavier religious focus than at a CofE school but perhaps I'm wrong on this. My two are currently at a CofE despite us not being religious and it's fine but I wouldn't want them to feel awkward or out of place if a school was heavily focused on religion.

If schools are important have you thought about Chippenham?

Not quite as good for shopping as Devizes but it's not far away and better for transport links. Also has parks, the river, cinema, station, cafes and restaurants and plenty going on.

Have you considered Malmesbury? Schools are good and the town (more like a large village tbh) is very pretty. Lots going on there and lots of people move there from other parts of the country.

My nephews went to Nursteed primary and Devizes secondary and both are doing really well. Biggest one is now at 6th form at Devizes and smallest one is year 10. Bro and SIL are very happy there

Chippenham also has exceptionally good secondary schools.