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?

We moved to Morpeth in Northumberland last year and it is seriously beautiful and friendly. A really great community feel to it, the prettiest town centre, flowers everywhere, some of the most beautiful Victorian houses I have ever seen, loads of beautiful countryside walks, the beach just a few minutes away. Outstanding schools and a train station with excellent transport links.

Altrincham (Cheshire): 15 minutes outside of Manchester, and on major train routes - there's a station in the town.

Voted best place to live in UK (Sunday Times, I think) and has amazing primary and secondary state schools, a few of which are v high in national league tables, if you like that kind of thing. It's a grammar school area, but the non-grammars are excellent too.

Thank you for your ideas. Lots of places to research and explore!

Durham - in the catchment for the Johnston School.

I'm in Richmond, North Yorks, and it's lovely here. Excellent secondaries - Richmond School is brilliant, and easy to get a place. Also, SFX gets a great reputation, although you do need to provide a christening certificate to apply.
Transport links to Glasgow and London are excellent from nearby Darlington.
Ripon is another great area with good schools, but I'm not sure what the transport is like.

I recommend Buckinghamshire - specifically Marlow. The local comp is so good parents often choose to send their child there if they are just passing the grammar school exam. But also several good grammars including a small village grammar and private schools too. Can get into London 50min drive? Large close train stations are high Wycombe and Maidenhead.