Place to live : Reading or Milton Keynes

sonirohan · 22 April 2018 at 12:44AM

Hi,
I hope posting in the right category.

We have lived in Reading (town centre flat) for 7 years, and quite enjoy the town centre and vibrant scene.

However, we have our 3 yr old who will be starting school next yr, so need to move to an "awesome" school catchment area. Primary school catchment is the main criteria, followed by proximity to town/vibrant lifestyle/cafes/etc, and value for money (budget 400 -450K).

AFAIK, Reading town centre does not have many good primary schools.
Areas like Lower Earley and Wokingham have caught our fancy but again they are away from Reading town centre.

An alternate option, is Milton Keynes, found some schools in Middleton/Oakgrove area to be nice. Value for money is slightly better. And advantage is you could be anywhere in 5 min in the car.

What I dont know is - am I missing something about MK? It doesnt come across as a traditional place, but that does not bother me - as long as people are nice/friendly etc. Should I consider to move to Milton Keynes? Any major difference in culture of the two cities? Poshiness of people?

To be honest, I have been very pleased with Reading so far, just that the school element is making us consider the move - and we love a town centre lifestyle.

Private schools are beyond our budget so not considering. Also, not considering other places as we have shorltisted to final 2 - Reaading or Milton Keynes due to fast connections to London, amongst other reasons.

Any tips/thoughts - would be very much welcome.

Murphybear · 22 April 2018 at 3:58AM

I lived in Milton Keynes for a few years and loved it.

Things may have changed but there wasnt much antisocial behaviour back then. It has always been seen as a young persons town. From what I remember MK was built for the car lover and there used to be masses of parking. It used to be more of a public transport nightmare Here’s details

https://en.parkopedia.co.uk/parking/milton_keynes/?arriving=201804220400&leaving=201804220600

I have never been to Reading so can’t comment.

Ps you’ll get plenty of practice at using roundabouts

TheBanker · 22 April 2018 at 6:55AM

I have quite a few friends in Milton Keynes, and am considering a move to the area myself.

The impression I get is that it is a place you come to love. On first sight it appears a soulless place but I think as you get to know people and get involved then it grows on you.

Most of the people in MK are "incomers" so it's easy to get to know people and make friends.

There is a lot of visible homelessness and rough sleeping, especially around the railway station area. Like any town (I refuse to call it a City even though everyone else does!) it has good areas and not so good areas. So picking the right area is key.

What MK doesn't have is a traditional town centre. There's the shopping centre (indoor mall) with all the chain stores you could ever want or dream of, and there's the Hub and Xscape complex with the usual selection of chain restaurants. What there isn't, is a highstreet with independent quirky shops and cafes to sit outside in the summer. Or traditional pubs to sit by a warm fire in the winter while taking a break from Christmas shopping

I can't really comment on schooling but I would suggest taking case as I hear from friends with kids that the good schools are over subscribed so living in the catchment area is no guarantee of a place.

My honest recommendation would be to book a long weekend in MK and see for yourself.

AnotherJoe · 22 April 2018 at 7:03AM

It's easy to commute into Reading town centre and the train station from Earley, Winnersh and Wokingham and places in between, a few minutes on the Waterloo line. Not so much Lower Earley where you'd need to drive to one of the stations above whereas the others are more likely to be walkable.

LilElvis · 22 April 2018 at 8:56AM

If getting your child into Oakgrove is your primary consideration then you need to look at the catchment area. There was an article a few weeks ago which put the school in the top five in the country with regard to how small their catchment area is - it's miniscule and will make gaining a place extremely difficult and is likely having an inflationary effect on house prices.

Wicked_Lady · 22 April 2018 at 8:58AM

Reading and Milton Keynes are two very different places.

I live in one of the small towns that is part of the MK area so have the best of both worlds. There are some lovely houses and developments further away from the City Centre but some dreadful ones also so you would need to do your homework on this.

Have you ever visited MK?

wheelz · 22 April 2018 at 9:11AM

I have limited experience with MK and a bit more with Reading although not lived there, friends do. Reading is red (labour) and has a university so there might be more of a mix of people. MK also has lots of cycle lanes I understand. Perceptions change as Slough is considered to be one of the best places to live and work, we live a stone throw away but perceptions change so badly that my partner doens't want to go ice skating with us as your car will be broken into in the car park..... We live a stonesthrow away but don't choose to go into it, funny not sure why. Not that High Wycombe is that great. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-berkshire-41351549 I personally hate driving around in Reading it's very confusing and car-orientated, at least if MK is car and cycle/pedestrian orientated you would be better off there. Isnt't MK much further? How about Aylesbury, a lot of my friends live there. Or Slough maybe much closer to London. Just looked it up MK is no overall control. The political make-up is:
Conservatives !!!8211; 22
Labour - 22
Liberal Democrats - 13.
Almost jealous now, I live in South Bucks and it's tories all the way and always has been, pretty annoying if your previous town was Brighton & Hove. Reading is more labour and green. Labour: 31 seats, the Conservatives have 10 seats, the Greens have three and Liberal Democrats two. Gives you some idea. These might help: https://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/local/2929364-Best-areas-to-live-in-MK-2017 and https://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/property/2501053-Please-tell-me-about-the-Milton-Keynes-area

lush_walrus · 22 April 2018 at 9:23AM

We found when we were looking where there are large numbers of public schools, there are equally large numbers of poor schools. Reading preps are quite reasonably priced, have you looked into fees. Not sure whether your child is Male or female, but st Josephs or Crossfields for example is less than 4000 per term, Abbey is more.

In terms of state schools, you wouldnt need to go as far as Wokenham, Caversham have some very good schools for that age range and walkable distance to the town centre and quite affordable houses, St Annes I think is now outstanding and certainly seems to feed quite a few children into the public schools on scholarships. Or up the hill from there are other very good schools.

Only thing I would say is if you are happy in Reading have a good look at the Ofsteds there are lots of very poor schools thanks to the councillor who refuses to resign but there are some very good ones quite close to where you are now too.

goodwithsaving · 22 April 2018 at 9:24AM

wheelz wrote: »

I have limited experience with MK and a bit more with Reading although not lived there, friends do. Reading is red (labour) and has a university so there might be more of a mix of people. MK also has lots of cycle lanes I understand. Perceptions change as Slough is considered to be one of the best places to live and work, we live a stone throw away but perceptions change so badly that my partner doens't want to go ice skating with us as your car will be broken into in the car park..... We live a stonesthrow away but don't choose to go into it, funny not sure why. Not that High Wycombe is that great. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-berkshire-41351549 I personally hate driving around in Reading it's very confusing and car-orientated, at least if MK is car and cycle/pedestrian orientated you would be better off there. Isnt't MK much further? How about Aylesbury, a lot of my friends live there. Or Slough maybe much closer to London. Just looked it up MK is no overall control. The political make-up is:
Conservatives !!!8211; 22
Labour - 22
Liberal Democrats - 13.
Almost jealous now, I live in South Bucks and it's tories all the way and always has been, pretty annoying if your previous town was Brighton & Hove. Reading is more labour and green. Labour: 31 seats, the Conservatives have 10 seats, the Greens have three and Liberal Democrats two. Gives you some idea. These might help: https://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/local/2929364-Best-areas-to-live-in-MK-2017 and https://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/property/2501053-Please-tell-me-about-the-Milton-Keynes-area

You're assuming the poster as a Labour voter. I personally have always bought in 'blue' areas - it's not an active choice, it's just that when I do check the places always turn out to be represented by the Conservatives. I'm a Blue voter and some of my neighbours (who live in this Blue area) are Red voters. Do we care much day to day? No.

It's silly to base a 'where to buy' conundrum on that.

Morata_ · 22 April 2018 at 11:36AM

Lived in MK for 6 years, 2007 -2013.

Lived on Emerson Valley, which was a lovely part of MK, possibly the slighly cheapest area too (on that west side of MK), with Tatttenhoe, but literally 5 min drive from Middleton, Oakgrove. (You may also want to look at Grange Farm and Oakhill - good secondary school, Hazeley!)

Personally, it has plenty of facilties, loads to do but everything you have to drive for. Having lived previously and again now, in a town, I like the idea of a central, walkable place, which you wont get if you live in the nicer MK parts. Has everything, but we just felt it lacked a community feel. Prices since 2013 have shot up too but what is suprising is the amount of green space - you expect it to all be built up. If I had only lived in cities, with slightly older children, it would be ideal. Our younger family felt a little lost, and had no family support either. good luck.

sitesafe · 22 April 2018 at 1:26PM

I like Reading for its links to London and the southwest/southeast. It seems more homely and has more character than MK to me. However I used to like MK for it's modern facilities and nightlife but I think I remember there weren't that many places you could walk to but I guess that's going back years and it may have changed.

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Place to live : Reading or Milton Keynes

Place to live (Primary School Catchment) 23 votes

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