Wokingham- Durham Close,Wescott Road, Ashville Way- Advice on location!

[gery82]

Hi,

We are thinking to relocate in Wokingham next month. We have booked viewings in Durham Close,Wescott Road, Ashville Way.
I've found not really nice information about Woosehill area where Durham Close is located.
Can anyone share his/her opinion about these areas? Our main priorities are to be somewhere that is good for our children (5 yrs old and 7 months old).

Thanks,
Geri

[CharlesRyder]

If you can get 5yo into Westcott Infants then I would go Westcott Road. Westcott Infants is lovely and Westend Juniors has a good reputation too.

[gery82]

CharlesRyder, thanks a million! I think that there are no available places for both schools :( Of course I will apply once we have a home address.
There is a new school opening in September- Evendons Primary School (161 Finchampstead Road) and I hope that they will find a place for her there.
Have you been to Durham Close. They said that it is not a really nice area...
On the other hand, Ashville Way is the closest to Evendons Primary School. Howeaver, I cannot find any information about this area.

[SoldeInvierno]

I don't know that area well, but it looks nice when you drive by. But I do know that the new free school is under the "wings" of Holme Grange (local prep). That would give me some peace of mind as the prep's head teacher is very good. I am sure she will take it in the right direction.

[RussTDaviesBear]

Ashville Way is a fairly new estate, built on a bit of land that used to have warehouses/office buildings which were demolished a long time ago and lay unused for several years. Then they built a Lidl on one side if the site and the Ashville Way houses/flats on the other - the rest of that side of the road (Molly Millar's) that Ashville Way turns off is still industrial - storage places, a Screwfix, offices etc. The other side of the road has offices at the Finchampstead Road end and residential(30's houses and bungalows) at the other end. As well as the Lidl opposite the houses, there's a big Tesco on Finchampstead Road about 5 minutes walk away and the Carnival pool is quite close.

The railway runs fairly close behind the estate and there's a stream that runs through from Barkham Road to Finchampstead Road that used to flood a lot, but the developers had to put flood prevention works in place when they built, so it's probably OK now - you might want to check. There are plans for a new development of houses south of the railway on the other side of the Finchampstead which will include a new road and a new school, but I'm not sure when.

I think the houses would be Wescott/Westende catchment, the other side of Molly Millar's is, but I'm not totally sure as there weren't any houses there before - if not it would be Walter County/St Paul's Junior on the other side of the Barkham Road, both good schools, but generally oversubscribed. Evendons is very new, but it seems to be being set up by a very efficient group and I've heard good reports so far - I'm not sure which year groups they are opening with. It's on the site of a private school that went bust a few years ago.
Wescott is generally oversubscribed and Westende was too this year. There's usually a little movement (1-2 places)at the end of year, but places often fill up during the summer when people move in.

Wescott Road's an older area, Edwardian houses, some have off road parking but generally parking is difficult, especially at school run times (as well as Wescott and Westende there's St Crispin's secondary nearby) I think residents have permits, but I'm not sure. It's much nearer the town centre and there's a Co-Op at the end of the next road.

There's a biggish estate being built just south of London Road which will have a new school, again I'm not sure of the timescale, but it will probably have an effect on Wescott/Westende catchment.

I don't really know much at all about Durham Close, just that the Woosehill area generally is very varied socially, and that the Hawthorns School is very well thought of (used to be outstabpnding under the old HT, but don't know what it's like now)

[gery82]

SoldeInvierno, I feel quite positive about the school as well, however, we were not able to find anything decent to rent close to it. It looks live it is 20 minutes walk from Ashville Way (the closest of the 3 streets we are looking at)
RussTDaviesBear, thanks for the great information.
Such mixed emotions...we are relocating to UK from Bulgaria (No, we are not going to live on benefits!). I know that it would be great for the kids but I am really worried for our 5yrs old girl. New language, new friends and school...that's why I am trying to find the perfect location for our new home.
If we live in London it would be easier in terms of travelling to work, however, we prefer to rise our children in a more quiet and relaxed area and that is how we've found Wokingham:)