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North East
Northumbria is a powerful place. Wild, lonely moors and rugged sandy beaches coupled with the vibrant, urban buzz of the city. A place of contrasts, where there ’s lots to do, both indoors and out. The right-hand side is seaside and the left-hand side heathery hills and moody mountains with the famous World Heritage Site Hadrian's Wall running right through the middle. Shiny, cities like Newcastle and Durham are thriving with lots of shopping and plenty of nightlife. Bustling market towns and pretty villages are scattered around the region.
With four sub-regions making up Northumbria, England ’s North East (Northumberland, Tyne & Wear, County Durham and Tees Valley), it’s a big place with lots going on!
Northumbria can lay claim to being The Cradle of English Christianity - St Aidan came to Holy Island in AD635 and English history was first written by Bede, at Jarrow. There’s also Durham, "the finest Norman Cathedral in the world".
Total Primary Schools in Area: 821
Total Secondary Schools in Area: 174
North West
This is the region for city breaks, exploring famously-fashionable haunts, historic streets and buildings. It’s a region to walk, cycle and discover the landscapes and wildlife of unspoilt villages.
There is always a feast of sporting entertainment including international cricket, championship golf courses and Premiership football.
The North West is also bursting with cultural confidence, from outstanding national museums and galleries to magical sculptures and blockbuster theatre events.
There are great places to stay in chic city centre hotels, rural retreats, country houses and cosy pubs.
Total Primary Schools in Area: 2567
Total Secondary Schools in Area: 486
East England
There are so many places to go and things to see in the East of England you'll find it hard to fit it all in! Each of the region's counties has its very own unique character and all of them have a wealth of places to explore and treasures to discover. Step into the East of England and you step into a subtly different world. Senses are somehow heightened beneath the great wide skies that arch above the area due to its flat landscape.
It's England as you like it - the perfect mix of soft and gentle countryside, ancient cities, stately homes and gardens, charming towns, storybook villages, bird-reserved beaches and old-fashioned seaside fun. And all with that special additive - so very unique to the East of England - a very quirky individuality. In Stilton, Cambridgeshire, they roll cheeses down the street. At Grimston, Norfolk, they race snails on the cricket pitch for prizes. And at Great Dunmow, Essex, they have a mock trial, complete with a bewigged judge, to find a couple who 'haven't had a brawl for the last 12 months and a day'. Delightfully different!
There are ghosts galore throughout the region. At Blickling Hall, Norfolk, it's not just the horseman that is headless - but the horses, too, along with poor Ann Boleyn who sits with her head on her lap. On the Norfolk Broads there's a phantom skater and a ghost wherry. And at Dunwich, Suffolk, now lost beneath the waves, you can listen for the church bells of a huge and prosperous town.
Follies are a favourite in the eccentric East. You'll find all shapes and sizes from the giant rotunda of 18th century Ickworth House to the House in the Clouds on the Suffolk Coast - a former water tower converted into a unique holiday home. And then there are those other oddities - like the huge Tudor Dovecote at Willington in Bedfordshire, where there are also remains of a Viking harbour down by the river. And to get really confused - try and puzzle out the ancient earth maze at Saffron Walden, Essex. Or how they built the Mathematical Bridge in Cambridge without any nails .
Total Primary Schools in Area: 688
Total Secondary Schools in Area: 174
East Midlands
Venture across the dramatic landscape of the Peak District National park or the rolling Lincolnshire Wolds.
Look skywards to catch a glimpse of the exhilarating Red Arrows practising in their homeland skies, and then go underground to hear the echoes in deep caverns and caves.
Prefer to live it up? Make for historic Lincoln, Nottingham, Derby or Leicester where fine Asian cuisine is spicily sumptuous.
Seek out traditional local fare too - delicious cheeses, gingerbread and the famous Melton Mowbray pork pies.
Total Primary Schools in Area: 1587
Total Secondary Schools in Area: 342
South East
South East England is England at its best! From Kent, the 'Garden of England' to the breathtaking Dorset Heritage Coast and the Isle of Wight to the mellow Oxfordshire villages, the South East of England provides the perfect mix - quaint villages, rolling countryside, dramatic coastline, seaside chic and heritage cities. Choose from rural tranquillity, city sightseeing, invigorating coastlines and seaside fun for a break with great variety.
There are dozens of gardens to visit in the South East, which brim with unforgettable pleasures, from the world famous Sissinghurst and romantic Nymans, or Cliveden overlooking the River Thames near Maidenhead to the Savill Garden in Windsor Great Park or exotic Leonardslee, near Horsham.
History has left a trail of magnificent buildings from all eras, Fishbourne Roman Palace, 12th-century Canterbury Cathedral and wonderful castles such as Leeds Castle in Kent or Windsor Castle, the Official Residence of Her Majesty the Queen.
You are never far from the coast and its associated maritime heritage. The Historic Dockyard at Chatham covers 400 years of maritime history while Portsmouth is the site of Henry VIII's ship the Mary Rose, Admiral Lord Nelson's HMS Victory and HMS Warrior.
It’s easy to escape the crowds here, visit the Oxfordshire Cotswolds famed for its thatched stone cottages, or walk high up on the North and South Downs or the Surrey Hills - it’s well worth the effort!
So close to London, this region of history and heritage, coast and countryside awaits your discovery!
Total Primary Schools in Area: 1730
Total Secondary Schools in Area: 298
South West
The South West is a region of contrasts - Wiltshire, where South West England begins less than an hour from London; Gloucestershire, home to the Forest of Dean and the Cotswolds; Dorset, an area of outstanding natural beauty and bordered by the Jurassic coastline; Bristol and Bath, with centuries of history and culture; Somerset, a mix of heather covered Exmoor and the levels of Sedgemoor; Devon, with two coastlines and wide open spaces; Cornwall, bounded by the sea and steeped in Celtic tradition with the delightful Scilly Isles, each with its own features and attractions.
Majestic cathedrals grace cities like Salisbury, Gloucester, Wells, Truro and Exeter while Bath boasts famous Roman remains and Georgian splendour. Maritime history features strongly in Plymouth from where the Pilgrim Fathers and Sir Francis Drake sailed. And for contemporary arts, Bristol, the largest city in the South West, is home to the wonderful Arnolfini.
Wherever you go you will see spectacular scenery, wonderful countryside and a beautiful coastline. Walk the coastal paths, discover sandy beaches, dramatic cliffs, secluded coves and picturesque fishing villages, or visit the larger and livelier resorts. Inland, visit prehistoric sites, villages with thatched, cob cottages and riverside pubs, stately homes with landscaped gardens or the wide open spaces of the wonderful National Parks, Exmoor and Dartmoor.
Total Primary Schools in Area: 1543
Total Secondary Schools in Area: 257
London
With over 30,000 shops and stores to choose from, as well as a burgeoning reputation in the fashion world, shoppers will not be disappointed - from designer labels in Bond Street to bustling street markets in Camden, Notting Hill or Brick Lane. The capital also has 400 live music venues, catering for everything from opera to Brit pop and sports fans will not be short of excitement whenever they come. The summer sees the world’s largest classical musical festival at the Royal Albert Hall – the Proms.
In the 21st century, London has reinvented itself on a monumental scale. Don’t miss the amazing views from the ultra modern British Airways London Eye, the world’s most visited modern art gallery, Tate Modern, or the staggering scale of the British Museum Great Court. Newcomers this year include the Firepower artillery museum in Woolwich and the Museum in Docklands
Total Primary Schools in Area: 1655
Total Secondary Schools in Area: 432
Wales
Renowned as Britain's 'Great Outdoors', breathe the fresh air of Snowdonia’s magnificent mountains in the north or discover the tranquillity of mid-Wales’ lakes and the south’s lush valleys. With three stunning National Parks and over 750 miles of coast, Wales is an exhilarating choice for activities.
Walk long distance paths like Offa's Dyke, the centuries-old border with England; scale the heights of Cader Idris (home of a mythical giant!); cycle along country lanes, golf, fish or indulge in watersports along some of the best beaches in Europe. Or simply get away from it all on Pembrokeshire’s wide golden sands and finish off with a traditional tea of Welsh cakes in picture-postcard Tenby.
The history and myths of one of the world's oldest civilisations have created an unforgettable range of sights to explore: ancient burial chambers, Roman forts and more than 400 castles, including World Heritage sites at Conwy and Harlech. Follow legendary King Arthur to Caerleon Amphitheatre, Merlin the magician to Carmarthen and relish Wales' rich culture in museums and galleries everywhere.
Charming market towns and quaint villages pepper the countryside, while cities like Swansea and the capital, Cardiff, are vibrantly cosmopolitan and forward-looking, with a fabulous collection of Impressionist paintings at the National Museum and Gallery of Wales.
Total Primary Schools in Area: 1439
Total Secondary Schools in Area: 380
West Midlands
Like the rest of England, the Heart of England is charmingly individual, but the bonus is that the Heart of England is at the hub of Britain’s road network, so exploring every last bit of it is made very easy! You don’t have to fly into London because there is the international airport at Birmingham right in the centre of the region. Birmingham is also now able to offer a world-class cultural scene, superb shopping, top attractions, fantastic nightlife, major international events and exhibitions
Take some time to visit the Cotswolds, taking in the many honey-coloured villages. The potteries of Staffordshire to the north of the region are juxtaposed with Shakespeare’s Stratford-on-Avon and the nearby lesser-known parts of Warwickshire. Close by lies the Black Country, and a visit here will reveal a rich seam of art, crafts, tradition and culture with modern architectural design sitting alongside villages from the Victorian era.
Explore the counties of Herefordshire and Shropshire along the beautiful borderlands of England and Wales, sampling the myriad of excellent restaurants and locally produced food. Don’t forget to discover the real taste of the countryside in Herefordshire’s famous cider.
In Worcestershire you can find fine churches, historic buildings and a thriving arts scene with internationally acclaimed festivals and events.
This is just a taster of what’s on offer in the Heart of England, you have to come here yourself to discover the rest!
Total Primary Schools in Area: 3049
Total Secondary Schools in Area: 649
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is your open door to so many different experiences. It’s big and boundless, a mix of magnetic landscapes, seductive seascapes and vibrant cities that change by the minute and the mile.
Unwind in its quieter side among timeless green vales and dales dotted with traditional villages. Be part of the buzz of a fast-moving city scene. Feel sea breezes in your face and sand between your toes at charming seaside resorts and salty old harbours. Tuck into the best fish and chips you’ve ever tasted, then savour the finest sophisticated cuisine at award-winning restaurants and inns. Take a trip back in time at atmospheric castles, abbeys and historic houses. Or leap forward to the future at state-of-the-art attractions.
Yorkshire is a unique mix of influences and inspirational places. It’s restful and zestful, forward looking yet founded on a bedrock of traditional values. We’re a friendly, straight-talking lot in these parts. And we take great pride and pleasure in introducing visitors to Yorkshire’s many and varied faces.
Plain speaking may be part of Yorkshire’s character, but there’s nothing plain about this captivating part of Britain. Country or city, trendy or traditional, ancient history or cutting-edge contemporary - Yorkshire has it all.
Total Primary Schools in Area: 1640
Total Secondary Schools in Area: 301
