Hertfordshire/essex

[luckyjames]

I currently live in Walthamstow, East London area and would like to move out slightly. Looking for somewhere with good Primary and Secondary schools, maybe only 1/2 hour to 45 minutes drive so that we are not too far from family. Hertfordshire/Essex would be ideal but we don't know where to start! My partner is English and i'm Chinese, therefore would like to live in an area where we will feel welcome and comfortable as well. Anyone have any ideas or suggestions please? It would be much appreciated.

[doings]

Try Sawbridgeworth, Bishops Stortford, Stansted. All on main line out of Liverpool Street - all with excellent schools.

Area is well served - all amenities and loads of people commute daily to London.

[emuloc]

I live in Tottenham Hale and like yourself I am planning to move out. I am also in a mixed cultural marriage and we have 2 Children. After some research into where to go, which included numerous visits to different areas, my husband and I have decided to move to Bishops Stortford. We understand that the schools are excellent and also that it is only 20-25 mins by train direct to Tottenham Hale, and also a short trip down the M11. What concerns myself as stated by the previous poster is how we would be welcomed within the community. Could anyone please reply.

[doings]

Ten years ago you may have felt self-concious. However, the proximity of Stansted airport means the town is full of Portugese, Spanish and Polish folks amongst other European nationalities. Also a recent housing scheme linked with Hackney has introduced many more cultures into this market town of late. There used to be an old library building used as a mosque in the centre of town but this has since been swallowed up by redevelopment but the presence of it must mean a thriving Muslim community within the town too.

[hocuspontas]

Welcome lucky and emu! We're lovely and friendly up here

With regards schooling - yes all schools are good but oversubscribed. Beware!

[emlu67]

Have a look around Brentwood, Billericay, Chelmsford or surrounding areas. I lived near Walthamstow some years ago and could not wait to leave, it is certainly not the same place it was in my childhood.

Most of the schools around here are very good although in the more densly populated areas oversubscribed so do your homework. We moved to a small village walking distance to a school with an intake thirty per year and had no problems getting in. Worked for us and was the best thing we have ever done.

Good luck!

[mrsnw]

Yes, be warned. I live very near Stortford and have many friends who live there and their children didn't get into the local primary schools. Apart from this the town is great. I used to work in Newham and would drive in (very early) down the M11. Good luck

[scoobydont]

Harlow has a large chinese community and even its own thriving Chinese community centre. I know because my step mother is chinese so my family atend al the chinese events (there is even a chinese school on saturday mornings there)
A lot of the primary schools are really good (you will need to research which ones are). I teach in a fab one in Harlow and my son will be going to a secondary school graded "outstanding" by OFSTED.

Harlow has a brand new leisure centre and is undergoing a lot of regeneration at the moment.

[luckyjames]

Thank you all for your messages. I will need to do a lot of research now. EMLU67, which area are you in as you mentioned a few in Essex. Also, can anyone give me some information on places in Hertfordshire? Thanks

[MadameCastafiore]

We live in a village called Kelvedon in North Essex - schools are fab round here with the choice of outstanding state schools and Grammers in Colchester and Chelmsford.

DH works in the city and Liverpool St is 45 minutes away by train but getting to London by car is easy A12 then A13.

[sb6699]

Bishops Stortford definately has the best schools - but as another poster advised, they are hugely oversubscribed.

It is a market town, so enough shops to meet your day to day needs and lots of lovely bars and restaurants.

Sawbridgeworth is also nice with good schools but doesnt have a town centre of its own although there is a small supermarket and a few smaller shops.

Saffron Walden and Great Dunmow would also be worth a look.

[emuloc]

We were thinking about Harlow as well. But when we mentioned it to a few people they said Bishop's Stortford would be a good place for schools, and there is lots for children to do.

[breadandbutterfly]

St Albans has good schools. Not so multicultural as some but quite tolerant I think in a middle-class, Green kind of way (I say Green as the Greens do well here politically, if that gives you a flavour of the place).

[newgirl]

I'm in St Albans and good schools and lots of Chinese people with city banker partners if that helPs?! Schools all very popular with tiny catchments city centre a big problem with primary at the mo but two new schools planned for 2012

[cecy1]

Hi all -we are relocating back to the U.K and have highlighted Bishops stortford and nearby as an area we would like to live.
When you say schools are oversubscribed how would this work if we found a rental (as we can't buy immediately) close to a good school and there were no places for our children (aged 8 6 and 3).

It's a minefield -can Hertfordshire council advise on which schools have vacancies -it seems very daunting that we could choose somewhere to live and then end up travelling to get to a school that has vacancies. Does anyone have any experience of this or any advice - sorry for hijacking the thread LuckyJames

[Beloved2]

Hi
I need to move to Bishop Stortford or within a 5 mile radius by September ,14 as children school there.I'm looking for a 4 bedroom house to rent.I have looked but the rental market is very high.Has anyone got any ideas in regards to where to search/agents.Do you know of a house swap rental programme in the area? As I do have a property in Essex to rent.