Should I move to Epping/Loughton/Theydon Bois

[pusshkin]

Hi everyone,
I currently live in islington with 2 young toddlers. Our eldest starts school next September and I'm fairly happy with the idea of him going to the Catholic school at the end of our road.
However my husband is convinced it's time to move further out and has set his heart on Epping.
We can swap our nice house here for an even nicer house near Epping forest.
But I'm not convinced.
I work 3 days a week in Covent Garden and I don't fancy the schlep on the Central line into town.
Also, I'm not convinced the schools are any good in the Epping area.
I do fancy living somewhere a bit greener as Islington is, well, a bit grey, but I don't want to leave and find I'm unhappy in the "country"...
As you can tell I'm a bit confused. Any ideas???!

[RubySlippers]

If you want to CAT me, i live in the Epping Forest area and would be happy to waffle on for ages

i used to commute into Covent Garden and it was a breeze ... 40 mins and i was there!

[HarrietTheSpy]

Hi there
I live in Woodford Green (a bit further in and the schools are indeed very good) and would also be happy to chat. We are also ex-Highbury and Islington.

[Bubbaloo]

I'm not too far from Epping but my brother and his wife live there and like it very much.
Have no idea on schools though,as they haven't any children yet,but I would imagine they're very good.
I also have family in Loughton and friends in Theydon Bois which are very nice areas too.

[goldenpeach]

I live in E17 and can give info about Walthamstow (victoria line tube, one easy change) but I hear Woodford schools and Wanstead ones are better.
Islington is overrated, I used to live not far before and Islington had the highest robbery and street assault number. Epping is lovely, though, the high street has very posh charity shops, we go there to buy stuff for our baby.