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Original poster

Eynsham versus Cumnor, any thoughts/tips? Cant seem to make a decision!

9 replies

VinoEsmeralda · 24/02/2009 22:17

We are looking to move house
and Cumnor seems to tick all the boxes but all state schools (primary) are full, nearest school with places are Eynsham or Kidlington (this is for all of Oxford).

Seen lovely house in Cumnor BUT am very hesitant of moving into a new area and not sending the DC to a local school as would very much like to be part of the local community. Plus secondary would be Matthew Arnolds (good school) but they would not know many other kids unless we would get places at St Bartholomew but are out of catchment if in Cumnor...

Maybe we should move to Eynsham and then they could follow onto St Bartholomew but dont know much about Eynsham other then it is a village with good state schools but it is a village (am a proper townie) IYSWIM

Any thoughts of you wise Mumsnetters as am chasing my tail!

OP posts:

LadyThompson · 25/02/2009 10:33

Vino, you have my every sympathy - I am a townie as well and still have a flat in London but living in a tiny teeny village in West Oxfordshire. My DD is only 12 weeks so I don't have to fret about the school thing as yet but I know it's going to be a huge worry.

Are you already in the county? Well, firstly I don't know Eynsham or Cumnor terribly well, but they both seem nice and both close to the centre of Oxford (I am 15 miles away!)

I think two things:

if you don't move to lovely house in Cumnor you may always wish you had. You can still be part of the community without your DC at the school, but you will just have to make more effort. But that way, DC could end up with twice the number of friends - local ones and school ones. And I don't know how you would get DC to school in Eynsham but it is hardly a million miles away.

However, if you moved to Eynsham for convenience, I really don;t think it is that cut off as Oxfordshire villages go.

Well, that probably hasn't helped much but good luck anyway. They are both nice places.

Original poster

VinoEsmeralda · 25/02/2009 19:06

Thank you LadyThompson! Yes we are already in Oxford (Headington) and DC have school places here, we really should have done this a year earlier to avoid all this school being full malarky!

Going to view a few properties in Eynsham this week and next week and then make a decision plus apply for the school and hopefully get two places.

Make sure you get as close as you can to catchment for your preferred school and dont miss out like us!

OP posts:

mooli · 25/02/2009 22:20

Hello Vino, I live in Eynsham, but havent been here that long. My dc are in the primary school, they are happy and I'm happy with it too. But, we are thinking of moving somewhere in or closer to Oxford. Eynsham is a lovely peaceful place, and it is good for children, but it'd be good to have a shorter commute, and I'm another townie as well. I have ideas about strolling around the city, going to cafes, cinemas etc - maybe one day I will have time for such things....dream on....

Headington was one of the areas I've been thinking about (both dp and myself work around there), but I'm geussing you don't like the area that much if you're planning on leaving?

mooli · 25/02/2009 22:20

Headington was one of the areas I've been thinking about (both dp and myself work around there), but I'm geussing you don't like the area that much if you're planning on leaving?

Original poster

VinoEsmeralda · 26/02/2009 09:32

Mooli- thank you! If we had to do a rush hour Eynsham to Oxford commute I can well understand how this may take the shine of what Eynsham has to offer but we are very fortunate as neither of us has to commute into Oxford for work.

Headington is a good place to life but make sure you buy a house as close as you can to your preferred schools (secondary as well - Cheney not as good as Cherwell for example) as all primary schools are full. A friend of mine had DC1 in school A and DC2 was given a place at school B and we might be in the same boat hence we are thinking of moving. Plus the Primary School has better results in Eynsham too (other then St Josephs) with lots of after school clubs. Plus St Barts seems a very good contender for secondary.

We are looking for a house in Eynsham in case you are thinking of selling

OP posts:

mooli · 26/02/2009 12:54

Vino, we are just renting at the mo .

Commuting to Oxford city centre from here is not too bad, its that extra bit up to Headington that becomes a bit of a pain. Otherwise I would be very happy to stay in Eynsham, and as you say, the schools here seem to be great. When I looked into primary schools in Oxford I got a bit worried about them all being full and the LEA saying that you may end up with a school quite a way away, or dc in different schools. It seems to be a bit of a gamble. All in all, we might be better off staying put -which makes life easier in many ways!

Original poster

VinoEsmeralda · 26/02/2009 19:21

Yes I completely agree, it the Marsh lane/Headley Way bit that takes ages or at the top of Headington, green Hill roundabout/The London Road.

It is really wrong though that all schools are full and we are basically school/house locked unless we go to Eynsham to ensure we can walk our DC to school plus they go both to the same (good) school.

Lots of people gambled (thought it would be ok)and missed the boat last year. My BF didnt get any of her 3 choices but was sent to Bayards... She now drives to a village school every day on top of working full time, completely wrong.

If you were thinking of making the move try and get places first before committing anything house wise as you can reserve a place at the school for up to 3 months I believe!

BTW is it true Eynsham has 7! pubs?

OP posts:

mooli · 26/02/2009 22:05

Yes, loads of good pubs here! (don't get out much these days, but it's great to have them anyway).

The school situation sounds a nightmare where you are, I can't believe they are all full, where are people meant to go?. But the problem is, if you're moving you can't apply for places until you've comitted to an address (buying or rental agreement). Maybe its different if the schools are not full, and then they will keep a place for you until you move. For us, it would defeat the object of having a shorter commute, if we couldn't walk to school easily.

Good luck with the house hunting.

Original poster

VinoEsmeralda · 27/02/2009 19:53

Good evening Mooli, LEA offers taxis/busses to school if it is too far but TBH I would never ever sent my just 4 your old in a taxi to school, just not right.

Paperwork is all filled in and ready to go plus going to see a few houses next week so fingers crossed and hopefully before I know it I'll be doing a pub crawl in Eysnham

OP posts:

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