A NEW report has named a West Devon village as the number one place in England and Wales to raise a family.

The village of Winkleigh is simply the best — the 'Family Friendly Hotspots Report' has placed it top of the table thanks to a combination of average property prices of £150,837, excellent key stage 2 results at Winkleigh Primary School and extremely low crime figures.

This winning combination made Winkleigh finish ahead of second place South Pemberton, a small town in Somerset, and the Lancashire village of Galgate, which came third. Shebbear finished sixth.

The report has been published by children's savings provider Family Investments. The study identifies the top 20 postcodes providing the best range of essential and desirable factors for family living.

The study investigated factors that cover the essentials of family living, including key stage 2 and key stage 4 results, school inspection outcomes, quantity and quality of early years care, crime figures and property affordability, based on average house prices and local salaries.

Lifestyle factors were also considered. These include parks and green spaces, the existing population of parents with young children, local leisure centres, and zoos and farms.

In terms of property prices and affordability, salaries in Winkleigh are well above the national average at £37,566, while the average value of a two-bedroom property is below the national average.

The village amenities include a post office, butcher's, wet fish shop, general stores, doctors' surgery, a vet, community centre, village hall and sports centre. These factors also helped Winkleigh claim top spot.

Education opportunities played a big role in the village, finishing first in the report. Winkleigh Primary has excellent attainment at key stage 2, with results well above the national average.

Headteacher Jane Rivans said: 'We're obviously very proud of our school's achievements. Our SATs results are above the national average, and our children work very hard.

'The parents are very supportive, and our staff are dedicated and hard-working.

'I think Winkleigh is a good place to bring up a family because people here are so friendly. There's a great sense of community here.'

The village also has Winkleigh Pre-School, which is benefitting from brand new facilities costing more than £500,000.

The pre-school moved into its premises on the primary school site earlier this year. The modern 'pod' building was funded by a government grant of £587,000 to Devon County Council as part of the Children and Young People's Better Buildings Fund. The development provides a bright and spacious interior for under-5s to learn and play, and a garden to encourage outdoor activities.

Pre-school administrator Amanda Singer said: 'Winkleigh is a great place to bring up a family. There are lots of young families here, which really helps. I have three children, and they have lots of peers, which is good.

'There's a great community spirit here. We moved here from the south east five years ago. What drew us was Winkleigh's position in Devon, being near Dartmoor, driving distance of the beaches and other attractions. There is a perception that Devon is a great place to live, and it's turned out to be right.

'The pre-school is doing very well in its new building. We have a stimulating environment for the children here, and it's very safe. All the children love it here, and it has been a very successful move.'

Kate Moore, head of savings and investments at Family Investments, said: 'Family Investments has developed the Family Friendly Hotspots Report based on all our experience of what matters most to families.

'While we recognise that not everyone can lead a village life like the lucky residents of Winkleigh, our number one hotspot, we hope the factors we've identified will help families across the country when considering a new area to live.

'As parents, we might research local schools or house prices, but this new report brings all these elements and a great deal more together to create the first ever holistic picture of the best places for families to live.'

This in-depth picture of all 2,400 postcodes across England and Wales was managed with the analysis of 60 different data sets by Calnea Analytics, a leading provider of property market analysis and data to all sectors of the UK economy. Information gathered from Land Registry Information, Ofsted reports, ONS population data and police figures were among the data sets analysed.

To download a PDF copy of the report visit http://www.familyinvestments">www.familyinvestments.

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