Can I put in a good word for the standard military circuit pattern? You join at (and call) Initials (2nm from the threshold, slightly to the deadside of the extended centreline) and descend to hit circuit height abeam the threshold, still slightly to the deadside. This keeps you 1000ft above the traffic on finals at all points. Then you call deadside, track alongside the runway just on the deadside (giving you a grandstand view of what's going on on the runway); at the upwind end you turn crosswind (you won't hit someone just taking off, because you've been able to see the runway throughout this manoeuvre); then call downwind as usual. I'm not massively attached to the long curved finals - a square base and final would do fine - but up to that point I think it's unbeatable.
Tim