Lovely places to live with great secondary schools

[EmBeEmBe]

We are considering moving out of London to do somewhere with easier access to proper countryside and excellent state schools - particularly at secondary level. We also need to be on a good train line to London or Glasgow for occasional work reasons. Ideally we'd find a small town with good public transport to somewhere more exiting for the teenage years. We love York but where else might suit us? I'm struggling to find information about places where the majority of schools are good. Do such places exist?

I know quite a few people in Harpenden. Both St George’s and Sir John Lawes are very sought after. However they are hard to get into - St George’s requires church attendance, child being Christened, family to live really close to have any chance of getting a place.

Whitley Bay. It's a lovely town on the coast with great schools and you can get the metro straight to Newcastle central station when you need to travel to London or Glasgow.

Do yourselves a massive favour and pick a non-grammar non-selective school area.

Cheltenham. Good comps, grammars and privates, lots to do in town, beautiful countryside on the doorstep, 2hr direct to london paddington, 30m to Bristol. No idea how you'd get to Glasgow though!

Chorley. 4 good comprehensives and beautiful surrounding countryside.

There's a direct train from Cheltenham to Glasgow (Cross Country service) . It's not fast, mind! @someoneelseentirelynow

@glorious every day's a school day

You can get a direct train from Cheltenham to Glasgow also.

Random selection, both for good schools and countryside and each are nice towns:

Strathaven (near Glasgow)
Dunbar/North Berwick area (near Edinburgh)
Thornbury (South Glos)

I could come up with a much longer list of nice towns on the edge of countryside, but I couldn't swear to the schools.

If you are considering Scotland, they, I believe, still publish league tables based on exam results and should be readily available on Google.

Barnard Castle

Thanks everyone. We were originally considering Glasgow itself, but now it appears our jobs can be done 99% remotely we're thinking more of a place we really want out children to grow up.

Am nervous of grammar schools, but DH went to one and has more confidence in the system. DC both do well at school but I really don't want to do the whole tutoring thing.

Cheltenham and surrounding areas are indeed beautiful, as is the coast north of Newcastle so both worth considering. Thanks.

What do people think of Yorkshire? I know it's a grammar area in parts, but I love the Dales.

Barnard Castle!! Hahaha! I've heard it's lovely for a day trip. But more seriously, does anyone have any inside info on the secondary schools around Durham? A city/town like Durham would suit us well I think.

How about schools in York? Do you only ever get a place at the catchment secondary or is there more choice?

Ilkley is great. Beautiful countryside, easy to reach Leeds for train to London. Ilkley Grammar is an outstanding school (but isn't actually a grammar any more). Skipton Girls or Ermysteads in Skipton are single sex grammar schools and not far away. If you're thinking of private schools, Bradford Grammer, Woodhouse Grove and GSAL are all nearby.

Harrogate is lovely, beautiful countryside, houses and excellent state schools. York for day trips and there's a daily (admittedly only once per day) train to London but plenty from Leeds.

Agreed Ilkley is lovely too, and skipton nice though both can be v chilly!

Lancaster! Great schools, Lake District, Yorkshire dales and beach on the doorstep And a good train link to Glasgow and London.

I second Harrogate. Superb secondary comps that are very high achieving. Gorgeous place to live and so close to Leeds, York.

I third Harrogate! Fabulous state schools and lovely town.

We live north of peterborough, although the schools in Peterborough aren’t that good, where we live there is a collection of outstanding schools, and grammar schools. Peterborough is on the mainline to London, I think the fast train is 45mins.

I'm a Yorkie. We live in a village just on the outskirts. We love it here. Schools are good, and it's just a lovely place to live really!

Should also say, village has a station which is a 5 min train journey into York.

Tunbridge Wells or surrounding villages - good selection of Grammars including some super selectives. Some great non grammars too

Sorry I read that as outside of London but commutable distance!

Thanks everyone. I've never been to Harrogate or Lancaster but they both sound appealing. Are there any schools that are particularly good? @ethelredonagoodday which schools in York are considered best?

Harrogate grammar school (state school I think) has a good reputation. Lots of harrogate schools ofsted outstanding

www.compare-school-performance.service.gov.uk/schools-by-type?step=default&table=schools&parliamentary=Harrogate%20and%20Knaresborough&geographic=parliamentary&for=ofsted

Hopefully this is useful OP!

I was going to reply York but see you have already thought of that.
Schools are usually catchment areas but they can be large.
You have the school list.
We lived in village outside York when dc were small, it was great for them. York itself would be better for teenagers I think.
I'm Scottish, DH from London we both love York.