Winkleigh given the nod – Devon village named best place for families

Research into education, safety, property and amenities names Winkleigh as best place in England and Wales to raise children A historic farming village between Dartmoor and Exmoor has been named the best place in England and Wales to bring up children. Research by Calnea Analytics for savings company Family Investments looked at 60 factors including crime statistics, property prices and proximity to Green Flag parks in 2,400 postcodes. These were grouped into five categories – education, safety, property, population and amenities – and each was given a score up to a maximum of 25. The results were published in the Family Friendly Hotspots 2011 report . Top of the table was Winkleigh in Devon, postcode EX19, which scored 19.76 thanks to a combination of low crime figures, excellent key stage 2 results at local primary schools, and facilities including a community centre, village hall and sports centre. The affordability of property in the area also pushed the village up the rankings. While the average price of a two-bed home in Winkleigh is a not exactly cheap at £150,837, the average salary of those who live there is £37,566, making property more affordable than in some areas of the country. Jane Rivans, headteacher at Winkleigh primary school, said: “It is very exciting to have Winkleigh highlighted in this way. “It is a lovely village with friendly people and we are fortunate at school to have enthusiastic children, supportive parents and a dedicated staff.” Lisa Garnsworthy, 33, an assistant optician who lives in the village with her husband Jason, 34, a car mechanic, and their two daughters Jasmine, nine, and Kara, seven, said the “great community spirit” made it a “happy, relaxed and safe” place to bring up children. “Everyone always says ‘hello’ and it’s never too much trouble to stop and chat,” she said. “Young and old always look out for each other and the local businesses, pre-school and primary school engage with each other giving an all round huge support network.” Second on the list was postcode TA13 – South Petherton in Somerset. Like Winkleigh, this did well because of good school results and low crime rates. But property there is less affordable, with the average two-bedroom property costing £158,823, and a lower average salary of £25,489. The rest of the top 20 locations includes a mix of villages and towns with a good geographical spread. Family Investments’ chief executive John Reeve said he hoped families would find the data helpful when considering their next move. However, he acknowledged that the tables could not tell the whole story. “Of course, one of the most important factors for families, and one of the most difficult to measure, is the vital support network of extended family and friends, particularly when children are young,” he said. “We know that the factors we’ve been able to examine must be looked at alongside these hugely important, but less measurable benefits, like being close to grandparents, for example.” Top 20 family friendly postcodes 1. Winkleigh, Devon, EX19 2. South Petherton, Somerset, TA13 3. Galgate, Lancashire, LA2 4. Eaglescliffe, Stockton-on-Tees, TS16 5. Bromley Cross, Bolton, BL7 6. Shebbear, Devon, EX21 7. Great Ayton, North Yorkshire, TS9 8. Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands, B74 9. Moor Row, Cumbria, CA24 10. Bromyard, Herefordshire, HR7 11. Groby, Leicestershire, LE6 12. Ilkley, West Yorkshire, LS29 13. Chellaston, Derby, DE73 14. Dunnington, North Yorkshire, YO19 15. Horncastle, Lincolnshire, LN9 16. Ramsbottom, Manchester, BL0 17. Wirral, Merseyside, CH60 18. Borth, Dyfed, Wales, SY24 19. Longridge, Lancashire, PR3 20. Sutton, London, SM2 If you want to see the statistics for your postcode, click here . Consumer affairs Family finances Family Hilary Osborne guardian.co.uk

Posted by on September 26, 2011. Filed under News, Politics, World News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.