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Schools in Pimlico - C London vs Outskirts living

10 replies

confusedhubby · 26/04/2017 07:28

Well I am totally lost with this school decision.

My better half wants to live in Central London around the Pimlico area. I have shortlisted schools such as St Gabriel's CofE Primary School, St Vincent de Paul RC Primary School, St Peter's Eaton Square CofE Primary School and Soho Parish CofE Primary School.

I have seen a few properties to rent (we will be leaving our family home and will have to rent as of now) but i don't know if these schools are any good. I have shortlisted them on good reading, writing and maths scores.

My worry is:

  • My child won't have many extra curricular activities


  • Is this a safe area for a child (One property is bang on Victoria station/The other property (Romney House) is located near multiple stations - SW1P 1NH and SW1 3RD)?


  • Righmove shows schools are undersubscribed but when i got to the schools website it says they received more applications than available for reception


  • Also should i sacrifice and take a smaller living room (16x10) with open kitchen if it has three beds and three bathrooms and is well furnished?


Alternative I have for school is to go and live somewhere in Windsor. Our mortgaged home in Richmond isn't in the best part so the state schools i have are bad and I don't want to move again within the borough (plus wife prefers c London)

Too many questions but please share your thoughts. The more the reply the better it is for me. Need to make some decisions today.
OP posts:
Hiddeninplainsight · 26/04/2017 08:23

Personally I would not want to live somewhere very central with children. I like being able to walk to the park, and the swimming pool, the library. I like the fact that there are other families. Having said that, there are loads of great things to do - museums, parks, 'sights' in London and it is less far to travel. But I don't have the impression that Pimlico is very family oriented. There are more family areas still reasonably central. And in fairness, I grew up in one and always pitied those kids who had to grow up in the 'burbs.

Believeitornot · 26/04/2017 08:25

Air quality in London alone is enough to put me off having my child schooled or living in the city.

Iepie · 26/04/2017 14:59

Hi OP,

I happento live inPimlico for over 8 years now with a6 and a2 year old. I am acountry girl originally too so get where the above replies arecoming from but think it's very fair to say that Pimlico actually has got lots of families and playgrounds, beautiful parks and a great local library with kids' stuff. There are several playgroups - you could go to one or more every weekday if you wished! If you do go there you should sign up for the SW1Mum newsletter (formerly Pimlicomums byt ppl from outside Pim started to follow). Google it there's a blog I think. It's a weekly round up of all going on for kids.

I actually know Romney house as looked at a flat there once. Seemed nice but we found a house elsewhere near Pimlico station. Obviously housing and schools all come at a premium and there are excellent schools and houses, as long as you have money. State schools of good repute are St Peters, St Vincent de Paul and Westm Cath Primary for instance. The only thing I'd agree with is that the actual area of Victiria station itself is def abit grimey. The rest is pretty lovely imo:)

meditrina · 26/04/2017 15:15

There is a pan-London admissions system, and all boroughs share data eg council tax. If you are leaving one property and renting near a desirable school, it is highly likely this will be noticed and the house you own will be used as the address for school entrance purposes.

Of course, once you sell up that ceases to apply and a rental address as your inky address us fine.

Madcats · 27/04/2017 11:38

Hi OP
DH rented a flat in Dolphin Sq for a couple of years (quite possibly we might have been able to see the second flat on your list). It is a really brilliant location.

Admittedly I only used to stay up there in school hols and odd weekends with DD. Dolphin Fitness in the middle of Dolphin Sq has a number of classes for kids (ballet/swimming lessons/martial arts) as well as tennis courts over on the riverside. Westminster Boating station has adult and child lessons. There seem to be quite a few children living in the area (though many are ferried around by their nannies/au pairs). Battersea Park isn't too far away.

Victoria is a giant building site at the moment (lots of glossy offices and eateries) and it is soo much busier and grimier than south Pimlico. For a lot of the time Grosvenor Road isn't busy so it is fairly quiet (apart from aircraft noise and the bloomin helicopters if they are taking aerial shots of a concert/royal family/sports event). I've always felt safe there (but then I am not a teenage boy).

I have no idea about the schools.

elfonshelf · 27/04/2017 21:59

I hear lots of good things about St Peter's Eaton Square, and there are lots of good secondaries (Greycoats for starters).

I know the area pretty well and would have no problem living there.

My DD is in an SE1 primary and when we left London for the far south of Surrey, we kept her at school in London and she commutes in. The London school was so much better than anything local and the extras that come with being in a big City are fab (trips, theatre and so on). London has lots of green spaces too!

Loraline · 28/04/2017 02:11

I live close to Victoria station. There are loads of families around and lots ood child friendly things to do

In terms of schools St Peters Eaton Sq is highly, highly regarded locally but it's definitely over subscribed and you freshly do have to be regularly practicing C of E to get in. Even you can prove you practice regularly if it's not in a local church you still might not. We viewed it and apart from bit being religious we were put off by the absolutely tiny amount of outdoor pkay space in the school.

I've no experience of the others except that I think St Vincent's is equally tough to get into unless you can prove you're RC and regularly practising.

LadyLapsang · 28/04/2017 23:27

Look at the admissions criteria at the schools to check your children would be likely to qualify for admission if you moved. For example, St Peter's Eaton Square prioritises Baptised children whose parents worship at least twice per month at St Peter's, then siblings, then those that worship at St Margaret's (next to Westminster Abbey), then those that worship at another Church of England Church, then at another Christian Church (of course, looked after children come first).

Greenifer · 29/04/2017 13:19

I'd just stay in Richmond if I were you. There are no really bad primary schools in Richmond.

Winifredgoose · 01/05/2017 19:19

How old are your children? Nearly everyone seems to want to do the opposite to you.
While there are some playgrounds, there are no real outdoor spaces, and you would have to go to Battersea Park or Hyde Park or further afield.
Pollution is also terrible.
However, I do have friends who like living there because it is so central. If your child is very young, you may change your mind.
I don't have first hand experience, but the schools you list are all fine, but unless you are intent on living somewhere so urban, you could surely have such a nicer standard of living somewhere further out, say......Richmond?

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