I have to agree with my Taff mate above. No-one who has only experienced one school can make a valid judgement. It's a bit like debating whose car is better without driving the other chap's. Meaningless.
I have experience of a couple of schools as a student, I am an experienced instructor in my own right, and I know many of the people and products of the various UK schools. While there are differences in presentation, structure and emphasis, I think it's safe to say that all the well-known schools do a pretty good job. Certainly, you'll pay more at some than others, and that should be reflected in the facilities available to you, whether you are a residential or distance-learning student.
You may well find that a school that has been highly-recommended to you by a current student is staffed by people you can't get on with, or you find their notes confusing, or you hate the town they're in. There are many factors to take into account when you choose a school.
Don't forget that you are going to pay them a hell of a lot of money, so visit a few schools. Get to know the instructing staff. Look at a copy of their latest study notes. They won't object to any of this if they're secure in their product, and you get a chance to compare one against another. Then choose the one which you feel will suit YOU best. Recommendations are great, but they only tell one side of a much bigger story.
The kind of money you're going to spend would buy a reasonable house in much of UK; you wouldn't buy a house without looking at lots to see which is best. Same with flying/ground schools.