Where to live in the uk that has excellent state schooling?

[Shark74]

We may be moving back to the uk from living abroad for the last few years. Two daughters age 8 and 6 so am more concerned about secondary schooling. We do have a house in the uk but we will simply sell and move anywhere in the south of England as we have family there. Any advice/opinions would be gratefully received.

Bath - very good choice of mixed, single sex and church secondary schools. None are grammar schools. I have children at both Hayesfield Girls and Beechen Cliff (boys) but know the others are all good. Having had the oldest at a secondary in West London and the battle we had to get her into a semi-decent school we feel spoilt for choice here.

The "UK" is not the "south of England"

Point taken 7to25.(smile)

Hampshire & Buckinghamshire.

Winchester and Chandlers Ford in Hampshire have great state schools. Thornden in Chandlers Ford comes out top in the league tables for Hampshire (once you take out the Indy schools) and King's in Winchester isn't far behind. Nice places to live as well - on the M3 for quick access to other places, with the New Forest in one direction, the South Downs in the other and see if you head south. To me it has the best of everything. And we don't have any snow at the moment!

I came on to say there are many excellent schools round Glasgow. Obviously not appropriate!!

Second winchester.

If you've got a train commute, look at Trafford. It is in Greater Manchester, but is a shorter commute than much of the South, due to the West Coast Main Line, and impending HS2.
Schools are great, lots of choice and grammar schools. You'd also get a lot more house for your money.

I second Bath, excellent schools though many still single sex which you may or may not like. Bristol however is crap

Another vote for Winchester

Parts of South Gloucestershire and Gloucestershire. Thornbury, Winterbourne, Wotton Under Edge areas. Close to Bristol but some good schools. Gloucester, Stroud and Cheltenham have Grammar's if of any interest. Would also say Bath, and Wellsway school in Keynsham which is between Bath and Bristol.

I thought I had written this and then forgotten! Except I want to go to the North.

Savoy, Trafford

Can second Chandlers Ford, nice area, very good schools.

Probably try for Hiltingbury junior catchment and then Thornden.

Winchester is also good for schools, but very expensive housing.

Easy to access motorways, local airport, near continental ferries, railway in Eastleigh just up the road, halfway between Wnchester for great history and Southampton for good shopping and nice countryside nearby.

There are good spots in the midlands, some of them only an hour (or a little more) from KX by train, but they don't fit your brief so I cannot tell you!

(I might tell you though, if pressed. )

I also might hint that housing costs are relatively low too.

Isn't the Midlands considered middle England and not technically north?

Yorkshire seems to have quite a few comp schools in the secondary schools top 1000 rankings, more so than Lancashire. Best to have a look on the tables and cross check on maps to find best regions.
rankings.ft.com/secondary-schools/secondary-schools-2012?sortcol=23031&sortdir=asc&fields=23031|23081|23101|23111|23221|23271

Actually half of our family lives in Nottingham so we are quite open to other suggestions.... Thank you so muc to everyone here you have mentioned places I have never even heard of so this is such a great place to start.... Thank !.... :)

The downside of Winchester is that you need a Big Wallet to buy a house. London prices for period family houses. There are a lot of families renting with cash in their hot hands waiting to swoop on any overpriced pile of bricks that comes up for sale.

Streatham Hill.

Cambridge - again though, London house prices, not London wages

Cambridge(shire) schools of variable quality - so you have to choose right area of city/village.

If east is an option do check Norfolk/Norwich too.

If you want to face Surrey house prices - grammars in kingston/ewell/cheam; several outstanding Catholic schools; or Howard of Effingham (effingham!); George Abbott (g'ford) All top 500. If we didn't have to commute to London though, I'd fly further away ...!!

Norfolk?

Which just goes to show, really that there is no one simple story to tell on whole areas with great state schools. Favoured schools may not be the same as 'good', children may be happy and do v well in schools considered not good....