Wokingham Top Town to Raise Children

1 October 2012, 06:00 | Updated: 1 October 2012, 12:19

Wokingham's been named as one of the best towns in England and Wales to bring up a family.

The Berkshire town, which is 33 miles from London and has a population of 30,000, has topped a study which has looked at the quality of schools, childcare provision, affordability of living and crime levels. 

Other Thames Valley towns that made the top 20 include Woodley and Twyford in Berkshire, Chinnor and Bloxham in Oxfordshire and Wendover in Buckinghamshire.

The survey was carried out by Family Investments, who say it has good transport links to London and the nearby M4 makes it an attractive town for business, leading to the relative affluence of the area with an average salary of £33,544.

The factors considered by the study included key stage two and four results, school inspection outcomes, quantity and quality of early years care, affordability of childcare, local crime figures and property affordability.

It also considered the availability of an existing population of parents with young children, parks and green spaces, leisure centres, zoos and farms and museums and theatres.