Where should we move - for both house and school?

[duchessa]

Hello all,
We’re repatriating to the UK after a number of years overseas. We have three kids, the eldest of whom is currently in Year 6.

It’s been an absolute nightmare year in our current location, with schools still closed. DC1 has lost all motivation and this previously high-achieving child’s grades and enthusiasm for school in general have slipped, by a lot.

We have been away from the UK for so long and feel completely overwhelmed by the whole schools piece! DC2 is year 3, DC3 is last year of preschool.

Our biggest challenge is that we need to find somewhere to live that will keep all of us happy.

We had always wanted to do state schools all the way through but given how DC1 is currently struggling, and how given his shy temperament and how challenging a move to a new continent will be, we are considering sending him to a private school (the younger ones will go to state schools until year 7, most likely).
For DC1 we have no idea if we should be looking at prep schools that go through to year 9, or secondary schools?

And where should we move to that fulfills the following criteria:
Beautiful/historic
Close to nature
Buzzy town centre, cafes/restaurants etc
Good links to London (one hour max commute)
Not dull commuterville
Good state schools and choice of good privates for boys/co-ed
Welcoming community

We have a good rental budget - up to £4500/month - and initial thoughts were Farnham (so hard to find a rental) or Winchester (very few private school options for non-boarders) or possibly St Albans but we heard mixed things about the latter.

Sorry for the epic post. It’s been an incredibly challenging time for our family and we just want to get this move right. If we move just for schools, into an area DH and I don’t love, it won’t be good for our kids as we’ll be unhappy.

We don’t need super elite schools, as we’re not hugely pushy parents. A good mix of academics and extracurriculars would appeal to us more than a very stuffy school for DC1, who is quiet and quite geeky but also creative and not into ‘typical boy’ things like video games.

In normal times we would fly over to check out a few areas but with a 14 day quarantine and all the other covid restrictions, it’s not feasible (and we hope to move in February).

Thanks so much in advance for all and any suggestions.

St Albans was the first thing that sprang to my mind! But not lived there for a while so no idea what things you’re concerned about. It seems to tick the boxes and with your budget you could get something nice.

Canterbury?

Would you consider SW London/Surrey - You have the option of good primary schools and preps that go to 13. For example:
Claygate - village like, near London, Milbourne Lodge school
Teddington - as above with bushy park on the door step, Hampton Court House school
Cobham - not sure about state but Parkside Prep school, ACS Cobham etc, near Painshill Park

With your kids the ages they are, if you can move to a middle school area now (before Septemeber) - then your eldest would be able to move to a state high school with their peers. No need for private school. Here is a list....you.might want to look at Bedfordshire. The train Bedford line goes straight into the city. middleschools.org.uk/current-uk-middle-schools/

Cambridge ?

Farnham was the first place that sprang to my mind! It does tick all those boxes but I have no idea about the rental market. The main downside I think is traffic, the whole place regularly grinds to a halt, you really need to make sure that whatever school you choose you are on that side of the town or ideally in walking distance.

Not sure it satisfies all of your criteria, but I'd check out Guildford, Sevenoaks and Tunbridge Wells. Good luck.

My first reaction on reading your requirements was Winchester.
I know it has few private options for non boarders, but there is a reason for that - the state schools are good. Have you considered Embley School (not sure on the commute time from Winchester). It isn't top rank, but it is small, has lovely grounds and can produce good results. It is also an all-through school which might be a help.

It depends if you mean one hour commute door to door - from your house to an office in central London.

If so then some of the suggestions here are too far away.

If you do mean a total commute of an hour (rather than a train journey of an hour) then I think you need to look somewhere outer Londony, like Sutton or Richmond. I don't know about schools but MN seems to rate them.

St Albans or Berkhamsted. Berkhamsted is much smaller but has a real buzz to it. 90% of all house sales are people moving out of London so the High Street reflects that - lots of coffee shops and places to eat. You can walk to open countryside from the centre of town and Ashridge is on your doorstep.

Private school options - Berkhamsted, Westbrook Hay, Chesham Prep, Beechwood Park and Lockers Park all a short drive. All state primary schools are good or outstanding. The secondary school, Ashlyns, is fab and there’s a decent chance of an out of county grammar school place if that’s something that might be of interest.

Train is 34 minutes direct into Euston and you can get a seat 99% of the time.

Thank you for all the suggestions so far! I think we should add St A, Berko and maybe Harpenden to our list. A friend suggested Summertown in Oxford but that might he be pushing the commute a bit!
I think one hour plus tube time would be ok as we’ll only be commuting twice a week, most likely.
All other ideas for both areas and schools welcomed!

Quarantine time is being cut if you pay for a test

I like Colchester, but I know nothing about the schools there.

Guildford, great town, you have a good rental amount for something nice, fab state schools and private in town and nearby. Good commute to London but Guildford itself has plenty going on. Plus access to beautiful countryside,

Otherwise Dorking? Smaller than Guildford so less going on but right in the Surrey Hills which are gorgeous. Great schools all around (St Pauls is a fantastic state primary). Reigate and Leatherhead / Epsom close for good independent secondaries.

If you like Farnham, have a look at Petersfield - lovely state schools and some privates mainly coed near by. Or go out from Farnham a little to Alton - coed private school in town and very good state schools.
Fleet may also be worth a look.
But you are going to be looking an in-year place for your eldest and then a late year R application for your youngest. So it might be worth sending an enquiry to the relevant admissions team and find out where has space and getting previous year’s data to find out where you might be able to get your youngest into with a late application.

Cambridge, because of the university pretty much all the schools both state and private are used to pupils arriving from elsewhere and it’s a great place to raise kids, always lots going on.

You may well be too late to enter for private secondaries at 11+ And have definitely missed the on-time state deadline for next September so it would be considered "late" and an in year if you needed an interim year 6 place. Prep until year 8 may be an option but only if you intend to look at private schools 13+. You may wish to avoid those following Common Entrance syllabus rather than preparing for entry exams to local schools. In some cases Pretests are taken in year6/7 for deferred year 9 entry which removes some of the uncertainty.

Having said that it is still worth approaching private secondaries to see if they will accept a later application or have a different process for overseas applicants. If it has a linked junior/prep school you may find a year 6 place there if he is accepted.

Esher/ Cobham / weybridge - 30 mins to Waterloo

Private schools:
There's St George's junior school which leads to St George's college so 4-18,
Claremont Fan Court from 2-18. Both of these schools in beautiful buildings, CFC on 100 acres. Feltonfleet I believe only goes to 13 but I may be wrong. City of London Freemen's, again another beautiful school from 7-18.

All Winchester's state schools (primary and secondary) are fantastic which is why there isn't much choice of private - most people go state.
Also look at Alresford - Perins is very well regarded and children travel there from Winchester.
Alton is great, slightly more affordable, lots of new houses being built, first stop on train line into London and 2 fantastic state secondary schools, lots of good primary's and good private schools nearby.
Petersfield is also up and coming school wise.

St Albans- excellent schools, both private and state.

Muswell Hill and Highgate too.

Cambridge ....

I’m going to totally throw you now and suggest Stratford on Avon! Good commute into London, very historical, good schools, bustling town centre with good shops, cafes and restaurants plus the River Avon and all its amenities

Oxford.

Historic. Beautiful. Close to nature. Cafes/restaurants/shopping centre. Less than an hour into Marylebone. Schools galore. Friendly communities. International families friendly.

South of Oxford has loads of schools, and the train from Didcot into Paddington is 40-45mins.