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?

Harrogate has excellent schools, is more expensive than York and for better and worse not a university town in the same way.
It isn't as good for transport links, it has them but York is better.

@EmBeEmBe Lancaster has a girls and a boys grammar. There’s also Ripley C of E academy. Garstang high also a good school. Quite a few outstanding primary schools too!

If the NE suits then consider

Durham - Durham Johnson is a good school

Morpeth - KEVI is a good school

Hexham - QEHS is a really lovely school

As mentioned above Whitley Bay has a good high school.

If I had to choose - I would go for Hexham.

North Cotswolds. Lovely area and amazing state comprehensives (the Cotswold School, and Chipping Camden School).

Following with interest in secondary schools in outer London / South East / home counties due to the need to still commute to London for niche work. I've been gagging to get out of London for years but seems a pipe dream!

@LegoPeople I think most people from my part of London who want to commute back and want good schools head to Guidlford, Farnham area, Kent for grammars and also Sussex.

thanks @EmBeEmBe. not sure what post covid working world will be like but my dilemma is it's not worthwhile commuting from places like farnham or sussex daily to London city. DH & I are both FT but not high earners so it doesnt justify that sort of commute and transport cost (and tiredness and anciliary childcare cost without any family)

i am in a London zone 5 neighbourhood which has very easy access to countryside but secondary school option is very limited - i'm not sure my DC are grammar material and personally not a fan. My local comp is bad - below national standards level - the sort even I couldn't attend let alone allow DC to attend. In all likelihood i'll probably move somewhere else in London within a school catchment or downsize to go private.

my brother lives in York - 30 minute walk to the city centre, and his family is very happy there. Also all the other parents there seem really nice and grounded.

How about Winchester?

Another vote for Lancaster! My nieces went to the excellent grammar there and you’ve easy access to the Lakes, coast and Trough of Boland without being ‘too touristy’. The university seems nice too.

Very quick trains to Glasgow and London.

Sorry.. just saw your thoughts on grammars. I believe non selective state provision is also good. Also worth noting that northern grammars seem less intense than their southern neighbours. (Personal opinion only!)

If you have a Girl then Horsham is a lovely town. The mixed school there is good but the girls school is amazing.

Harpenden / St Albans also nice.

Another vote for Harrogate, I live here and love it.

Chester and Cheshire worth considering as very speedy connections to London and also Glasgow via Warrington. But not as nice as Harrogate/Ilkley.

Durham Johnston school won the Sunday Times Comprehensive School of the Year this year, since you mention you're interested in Durham.

Ripon - both Grammar school and the non-Grammar are ranked as outstanding (grammar been ranked as top school in the north) and range of good undersubscribed village primary schools if you move a little out of the city. Main east coast line half an hour away in Northallerton and a lovely place to live

Ah I hadn't thought of Ripon. Thanks. What's Richmond (Yorks) like as a place to live?

Richmond is lovely as a place but don't know the schools

Ripon and Richmond are both much smaller and more provincial than somewhere like York.
It depends if this is a plus or a minus for you?

Richmond is great - really good secondary schools - both Ripon and Richmond are yorkshire market towns - probably worth visiting to see whether it is what you are looking for

St Albans and Harpenden are great for schools etc but if you don’t need to commute into London save your money!

I second York. We live in a village just outside and the schools are great. Fulford School is highly rated, large catchment area, as is Archbishop Holgates. There's All Saints Catholic School too. Houses are expensive but I suppose not as much as London prices!
Desirable areas to live in the city are Fulford Road and Tadcaster Road. The city is accessible by foot too.
We love our village and can get into York in ten minutes.
There's always lots to do and see. Festivals and events. Our DC loved growing up here although they have now moved away for work.

Bishopthorpe Road (Bishy Road) area is now very desirable area. Wins lots of awards for community.

Another vote for Durham.

Gorgeous countryside, easy access to the coast, really good rail links. Durham Johnston is an amazing school.

Wirral- (research carefully: it is a place of huge contrasts!!!!) if your children are bright. State grammar system, some single sex.

Winchester has 3 very good secondaries and an excellent 6th Form college school, all non-selective, easy commute into London too. Beautiful city and fab countryside.

Plenty to look at south of Birmingham. Warwick, Leamington, Solihull... all on a train line to London and you can be in Birmingham by train within ten / fifteen minutes for trains to Glasgow.

These areas have some great secondaries and Solihull doesn't have any grammer schools.

Lots of green space around and you have easy access to Stratford, Cotswolds, etc...