PLEASE HELP ON AREAS - Shepperton, Addlestone, New Haw, Ottershaw, West Byfleet, Chertsey

[GoRomance]

Hi all,

After having lived in Isleworth most of my life we have now decided to move to Surrey to find more space (hopefully!). I am not at all familiar with these towns and would really value input from those that have lived in or know the areas. Knowing that I am pretty much priced of places like Weybridge, Cobham and Walton and given that I would like to upsize to a larger semi or bungalow that we can convert to a house in a couple of years has resulted in the shortlist of Shepperton, Addlestone, New Haw, Ottershaw, West Byfleet, Chertsey. Things that are important to me are a not too difficult commute to London (don't mind a changeover), road traffic, good accessible schools, space, green scenery. I am happy forgoing the nicer areas if it makes larger properties more accessible within my budget.

Any advice on the above would be much appreciated!!

[autumn51]

I'd go for West Byfleet. Good rail links, really good schools, variety of property choices and a Waitrose and Costa 😁

[ColdFusion]

There are some lovely houses in Chertsey.

[SuburbanRhonda]

I grew up in Twickenham and now live in one of the towns on your list. I work in the community and go to council meetings in Runnymede so I know a lot about the local area.

Of the towns on your list, Shepperton has the least deprivation. Parts of Addlestone and Chertsey have the most. A new small shopping centre and cinema is being built in Addlestone but public transport links are poor (important if you have or will have teenagers). There is no train station in Ottershaw. A new secondary school is opening in Chertsey in September.

There are fast trains to London from West Byfleet and New Haw/Byfleet stations. Shepperton is at the end of a long train line to London. Addlestone and Chertsey stations are on the Hounslow loop - over an hour into London unless you change at Weybridge.

There's green space everywhere but little for young people and teenagers. Have you looked at Woking? Bigger town, great transport links and a range of house prices. Good schools too, but you should check these out yourself as it depends what you're looking for.

We moved here from south London for jobs. I miss the transport links, diversity and vibe of London.

[SuburbanRhonda]

You might want to look at Egham too. If I had to move within this area, that's where I'd move to. Good shopping centre, ofsted-rated good secondary school, excellent sixth form college, fast trains to London. Again, some areas of deprivation but more affordable and a younger demographic than Shepperton, which struck me as like a retirement town when I lived there briefly.

[cece]

The best train link is Woking.

It might suit you - worth looking at.

I too moved from Isleworth to one of the places you mentioned about 11 years ago. We haven't looked back. Love it out here.

What age are your children and then we could recommend some local schools. Secondary schools - I can certainly recommend Fullbrook or Woking High School. Both lovely schools.

[SuburbanRhonda]

Fullbrook isn't as good as it used to be.

Ten years ago they had a waiting list. This year they've just offered a place to one of our year 6 children who lives in Englefield Green, which is miles away, and it was a late application, too.

[cece]

I am speaking as I find and I have found it rather good. No idea about waiting lists!

[AddlestoneReVampPlease]

I would think the lack of waiting list is possibly to do with the improvement of Bishop David Brown school and Jubilee High as much as anything plus the new school that opened I Woking! Also until it was ruled illegal they used to do that ridiculous having to put them down as first preference to be offered a place.

[SuburbanRhonda]

@cece

Please don't be offended. I work in education in Runnymede and I'm just sharing information based on that.

I definitely think improvements at BDB and Jubilee have impacted on numbers applying to Fullbrook.

Not sure about the new Hoe Valley school though - they're still in portakabins after two years 😵

[AddlestoneReVampPlease]

Ah well just wait until the housing plans in Woodham go through - I just can't believe it, the impact it's going to cause on the local infrastructure! Hoe Valley will end up with a waiting list then

I also wonder how many more Catholics are now fully baptised, confirmed and practising since the diocese changed the admissions criteria...

[ColdFusion]

I live in Runnymede and love it. The one weakness is the secondary educational provision. There is nothing to get excited about with the range of secondary schools. All mine went to the two independent schools in the borough.

[SuburbanRhonda]

Runnymede secondary schools are all either good or working towards being outstanding. There's plenty of choice across the borough, so I'm surprised you would say that.

[cece]

I agree - I think we are lucky to have a good choice of state secondary schools here. And primary too.

[AddlestoneReVampPlease]

So many great primary schools, I think with secondary it's just tricky you can't always get into the one that suits your child best IYSWIM but IME after 4 DC no school is perfect even if you are paying...

[ColdFusion]

It's not great when somewhere like Magna Carta is looked upon as a gold standard. It's far from it.

[SuburbanRhonda]

I don't think I've ever heard anyone describe Magna Carta school as a "gold standard", but I was impressed by what I read in the Times Ed last week about their new Growth Mindset Centre for supporting excluded pupils.

It's good to see a school trying a different approach to this issue.

[bluesky1421]

Echo Surburban's thoughts - Fulbrook could not provide any additional assistance for my dc with dyslexia, few of the teachers could give me any indication of how they would support dc in class. Very unimpressed!
And yes new secondary school in Chertsey has opened, under wing of Salesian's but not Catholic

[moodyoldbat]

What are people's thoughts on Jubilee High? Initially was going to go for fullbrook for my son but heard not so good now?

[SuburbanRhonda]

Jubilee is a totally different school from when my DC went there about ten years ago.

The head is lovely - he came into our primary school last term (lots of our year 6s go there). His leadership was rated outstanding at the last Ofsted and overall the school was rated good. It's smaller than many secondaries (700 pupils I believe), which counts hugely in its favour.

[moodyoldbat]

Thank you for your feedback suburbanrhonda

[moodyoldbat]

Anyone know what I should be looking for in a SEN department of secondary schools. Thinking of Jubilee high school or Woking high but how do I compare these two. My son has aspergers, he has social communication problems and im really worried he will be a target and be bullied at secondary school. Any advice please

[bluesky1421]

I found the best way was to go to the opening eves etc and talk to the teachers, ask what sort of support they would get, ask subject teachers as well as the SEN department to get a feel of how the teachers would help in class etc. One school that was outstanding that I visited - all the teachers passed me onto others and couldn't answer my question!

[SuburbanRhonda]

moody

You might want to contact the NAS to ask them what you should be looking for in terms of support for your DS.

[moodyoldbat]

Thank you will do that

[GoRomance]

Hi all,

Thank you so much for your contributions. I was away for a while, busy getting married! I am still not sure about areas and think I will look into Ogham, Cobham and perhaps some of the villages surrounding Woking.

Any further advice would be much appreciated. With property prices seeming to still be on the up (i.e. Auddlestone, New Haw etc) I would rather move now to our 'dream home' than wait.

What we are looking for is:

-An area with large, wide properties, on a quiet road with a driveway
-A quick drive back to Isleworth (30-40 mins)
-Access to good schools

• Happy to drive to train station for a fast or semi fast connection to London
  

-Traffic should not be too problematic on main routes (i.e. to the station)

I appreciate its a big ask, but in the current market, you can't afford to make mistakes!

I have had to increase the budget to 600k in order to be realistic.

Thanks all!