Oxford v Bath

[Aires2023]

Thinking of re-locating to Oxford or Bath with DP and 4 year old DDs from North East London. DP keener than me but I can see sense in being closer to family and better secondary schools, close to nature and (slightly, in areas we like) bigger house and garden. She has suggested Oxford or Bath.

Oxford pros - shorter commute, bigger more exciting city, more diverse, good secondary school (but only if move to expensive North Oxford?)

Bath - bit cheaper, prefer Somerset countryside, close to Bristol for city life (and family).

Both touristy and very expensive houses/commute!

Not sure about Bath schools! Not interested in private (no judgment but not for us)

Grateful for any views at all

I don't live there, but Bath schools are good in general.

Oxford is expensive yes - best value areas/ nicest for families in my view are probably south Oxford (New Hinksey/ Grandpont), Headington, Iffley. You get a lot more for your money than north Oxford. Yes it’s touristy right in the centre but you barely notice that when you’re living a normal life there. Primary schools are fantastic, secondaries historically less so but having said that I know people with kids at various Oxford state schools who have been very happy with them. Cherwell, Cheney, Oxford Spires, Matthew Arnold. It seems that birth rate decline plus the expense of living in the city itself are gradually making it easier to get into schools.

Downsides: traffic, bus network isn’t great, parking tricky in various areas.

Bath is like a really wet and gloomy Disneyland

If diversity is something you value then Oxford would be better ( or Bristol?)

I would be booking visits to both places to get a sense of which cities you prefer. They have a very different feel to north London & to each other. Choose the city first then drill down into the detail of which parts have the best schools etc.

Bath is very hilly indeed, Oxford is much flatter. Honestly, bear it in mind because walking up - and even down - some of those hills every day wouldn't be for me.

Oxford traffic is absolutely terrible and the council is determined to make it much worse, so aim to live/work/school in the same area if you can, or at least in cycling distance.

Thanks for all the great replies already.

In Oxford I really like the look of New Hinksey and Grandpont but can’t work out which secondary people go to. Part of the reason to move is schools so want to find a really good one rather than just ok. Oxford spires doesn’t look great?

Same with Bath looks like the school for areas near train station (for commute) is Ralph Allen which looks fine but nothing special?

Those areas of Oxford are prone to flooding. Important to ask about that in connection with any house you look at there.

An old colleague of mine was on the front of the Oxford Mail going to the station in his kayak.

I like both but would choose Oxford every time for its location. Bath prices, in the good areas, just don't offer the same value imo. It's currently a well overpriced area. Oxford has a much better location and is massively more convenient, it is also much more recession proof.

I’d be researched the Oxford 15 min city plans, I think they’ve called it another name now, but I believe the principle of not being able to freely drive to certain locations within the ring road still will apply and you get something like 30 tokens per year to drive there or something.

i love Oxford, I grew up there, but if this does come into force will wreck the city, it’s already struggling tbh.

I haven’t got personal experience of Oxford Spires but the Ofsted last year was very positive and I know various people who have kids there having specifically chosen it and they have all been very positive about it.

Children in New Hinksey/ Grandpont go to all those schools I mentioned; Cheney, Matthew Arnold and Oxford Spires probably most popular (oh and The Swan).

The area does flood but the vast majority of houses within it have never flooded and the flood defences have improved a lot in recent years. There is a government scheme which means you have to be provided with normally priced house insurance in flood risk zones. Something you would want to ask about in relation to a specific house but wouldn’t use that to rule out the area.

Everyone has been so helpful- it’s restoring my faith in the internet!

We can possibly afford the Jericho/Walton Manor area at a big stretch and smaller house etc and remember liking it a lot when visiting (plus the Cherwell catchment). But given the huge prices I wonder if we will find our people there- will it all be bankers now?! We are a bit more lefty/green/academic types. I appreciate this might be a silly fear given we ourselves are considering moving there so probably there are some people like us.

I do wonder if south or east oxford might be a bit more laid back with young families like us. Someone else mentioned Iffley Fields which looks good.

As people have said, we need to do some recces and walk around these areas to get a feel for their differences.

Personally I find Walton Manor/ Jericho has less of a ‘normal family’ feel than south or east Oxford and a pretty wealthy feel. I’m sure there are nice people there but the house prices are off the charts (and those more normal people I’ve known there in smaller houses often leave when their children get a bit bigger to get a bigger house in a more affordable area).

yep Iffley Fields is very nice. So is Iffley village.

you might love Walton Manor/ Jericho though and yes you get the Cherwell catchment so maybe don't rule it out on my say so.

South and East Oxford are awash with lefty/ green/ academic types

Oh maybe look into the Europa School too, I’ve no idea how likely you’d be to get in but there is a bus from South Oxford and people go mad for it

New head at Oxford Spires: I really rate her. And some excellent teachers.

Europa has a complex admission scheme based on how close you are to various “nodes” around the city. There are typically buses that go around the nodes to get you to school. Check out the Swan school too - relatively new but quite highly regarded.

Flooding has been less bad in New Hinksey/Grandpont recently but avoid the bottom of Abingdon Rd if you’re worried.

If you’re lefty/green you will definitely find your tribe in east Oxford and the city centre is very bikeable from there. Get ready to take a side on the LTN debate…

Buses aren’t great as some folk refuse to get out of their cars (some for good reason, some less so) which would reduce traffic, but this should improve with bus gates later this year. Ignore the Daily Mail headlines that we’re all being imprisoned in our own streets; it’s categorically not true.

Moving outside the ring road will get you a lot more house - places like far reaches of Wolvercote to the north, Kennington to the south. Eynsham is much further out but also very nice.

If you’re commuting by train, Oxford Parkway or Bicester stations might be hubs to look around.

I've been to both but lived for a while near Bath,. What i'd suggest for Bath is look at the surrounding towns and villages as housing is cheaper, not cheap though just cheaper than Bath)and central Bath has good shopping ,( better than Bristol) and it's really easy and quick to get into Bath.

I would look at the wider Bath and North East Somerset local authority for schools.
Keynsham (where I live) has a number of both primary and secondary schools; is close to Bristol and Bath, with good bus and rail connections; marginally cheaper housing; and less tourists!

I've lived in both places.
I wouldn't even consider Bath if you need to commute into London.
Oxford is far more diverse than Bath.
Bath has a better town centre in my opinion.
There are decent schools in both places.
I'd consider looking at the surrounding towns.
Abingdon and Witney for Oxford and places like Bradford on Avon for Bath