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Original poster

Moving to South London and Schooling

132 replies

WineLover21 · 14/03/2024 08:01

We are planning to move to South London with our kids (from a fairly rural part of Scotland). Absolutely terrifying.

Any tips on schools and how to know what schools to get into?

Looking at Balham, Wandsworth, Earlsfield area.

Also totally scared about doing this with kids. Any advice appreciated

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OP posts:
Original poster
WineLover21 · 17/03/2024 09:15

@Thepeopleversuswork

I don't mean that London is terrifying. I lived in Balham for 5 years and absolutely loved it.

I mean moving with two young kids and not knowing if it's the right move for them is daunting. I guess I feel selfish in a way as I want to be back there, with friends and working in the city. Rather than countryside, being around for the kids and not working.

It does feel terrifying because it's not just us we need to think about. And we can't just move back.

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Original poster
WineLover21 · 17/03/2024 09:12

FunnyFinch · 15/03/2024 07:56

And I know the area very well, lots of family support and friends. Don't want to be in a random place that I don't know well.

and what do they say? where are they? surely they’re a great source of knowledge and you just gravitate to where they are?

(and how come you haven’t visited them in 5 years? 😆)

I have visited them in 5 years. What a strange comment....!

I wanted to reach out to a different pool of people. Isn't that what Mumsnet is for?

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FunnyFinch · 15/03/2024 07:57

One thing I did find was that London with little kids is quite tiring

this is true

although the upside is my step count on maternity leave was through the roof!!

FunnyFinch · 15/03/2024 07:56

And I know the area very well, lots of family support and friends. Don't want to be in a random place that I don't know well.

and what do they say? where are they? surely they’re a great source of knowledge and you just gravitate to where they are?

(and how come you haven’t visited them in 5 years? 😆)

Osakagirl · 15/03/2024 07:39

If you’re not sure on the areas, could you rent for a bit to get a sense of whether you like an area? I think that your life in London adapts - I spent my twenties in nightclubs and dive bars, never going near a museum, and spent my thirties in museums with the kids, never going near a nightclub. It will probably be much more of a local life centred on the area where you live, but you’ll make local pals. One thing I did find was that London with little kids is quite tiring - having to get on public transport with buggies, long queues for things, everything getting booked up immediately. But it was a friendly place and we found a good support network. Having said that, we decided to move to the commuter belt for secondary as I wasn’t happy with the safeguarding situation at the local schools, and have heard of far too many teenagers getting mugged for their phones.

FunnyFinch · 15/03/2024 06:08

if you have so many friends and lots of family support in london as you say OP…. why not ask them?!

UpsideLeft · 15/03/2024 00:02

OP most likely means the move itself is terrifying as opposed to where she's moving to due to the huge distance

Thepeopleversuswork · 14/03/2024 16:55

WineLover21 · 14/03/2024 08:01

We are planning to move to South London with our kids (from a fairly rural part of Scotland). Absolutely terrifying.

Any tips on schools and how to know what schools to get into?

Looking at Balham, Wandsworth, Earlsfield area.

Also totally scared about doing this with kids. Any advice appreciated

LOL. "Absolutely terrifying". I've lived in SE London for over 20 years and raised a teenager there. Nothing terrifying has happened to me.

I'm sure your post wasn't intended to come across like this but it came across as if you were moving to a post Apocalyptic shanty town. I do find it slightly staggering (and ever so slightly insulting) that people can't grasp the fact that people manage to live perfectly normal, healthy, even happy lives in (gasp) South London.

FunnyFinch · 14/03/2024 16:08

FluffyFlufferson · 14/03/2024 13:34

Earlsfield, not Earl’s Court

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sorry yes my typo

Newusernameforthiss · 14/03/2024 14:11

I live in Sydenham and love it. Just looked at primary schools (DC in reception) and they were all really good. So, so much stuff for children to do round here.

Agree with PPs that you will get more for your money in SE than SW!! Good luck, it's not mad at all.

Crushed23 · 14/03/2024 13:53

ISeeTheLight · 14/03/2024 10:11

I'd honestly consider living somewhere in the commuter towns with that budget rather than more central. There is a happy medium between the middle of nowhere in Scotland and central London...

Balham is in Zone 3 and not “Central London” at all.

FluffyFlufferson · 14/03/2024 13:34

FunnyFinch · 14/03/2024 12:56

earls court isn’t balham or clapham that’s for sure. nice though.

burn thought your budget was £1.3 for balham or clapham?

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Earlsfield, not Earl’s Court

Radiatorvalves · 14/03/2024 13:06

We are in that area… kids love it. Brilliant primary schools… Telferscot, Henry cavendish and many others. The local secondaries are generally good too. Or you have private options. As they get older they can catch buses or trains. They are independent, lots of clubs. And I’m not a glorified taxi driver. Scotland is great, but S London has its good points too.

FunnyFinch · 14/03/2024 12:56

WineLover21 · 14/03/2024 11:55

No longer on the market as I saved last year but I really like Earlsfield @FunnyFinch

earls court isn’t balham or clapham that’s for sure. nice though.

burn thought your budget was £1.3 for balham or clapham?

Octopuslethargy · 14/03/2024 12:05

To add as well
A school may have a waiting list of 10- but that child may be on the list of 10 schools. Lists go down quickly

Also some parents go private but dont release their reception place- which is very annoying for schools. Some were still holding at October half term last year.

Octopuslethargy · 14/03/2024 12:00

Wandsworth has great schools and a falling birth rate, you can secure a mid year place at almost any school- even those which are oversubscribed at reception. The State till 8 schools have a lot of KS2 spaces! Some of the most oversubscribed in April for 2023 reception actually had empty reception places in January this year.

There is a big pupil churn- I suspect the person above who says about the popular schools isn't talking about Wandsworth. You will almost certainly get a place in a very decent WW school- waiting lists are not long in most.

TheRainItRaineth · 14/03/2024 11:58

WineLover21 · 14/03/2024 11:44

Thank you. We actually held him back a year because of his birthday. He was the youngest for his year.

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Are you aware that the school year cut off point is different in England? Only summer born children would be eligible to defer a year which is different from in Scotland where it would be children born in autumn/winter who would be more likely to defer - in England these would be the oldest children in the class. Please check the position with the local school admissions team in England.

WarningOfGails · 14/03/2024 11:58

WineLover21 · 14/03/2024 11:44

Thank you. We actually held him back a year because of his birthday. He was the youngest for his year.

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You might need to look into this a bit as delayed admissions are different in Scotland to England.

Original poster
WineLover21 · 14/03/2024 11:55

No longer on the market as I saved last year but I really like Earlsfield @FunnyFinch

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Original poster
WineLover21 · 14/03/2024 11:54

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/141060455

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Nextweektoo · 14/03/2024 11:52

If not, Surrey is nearby 🏃

PosiePerkinPootleFlump · 14/03/2024 11:49

I was wondering whether to suggest SE London to get a bit more house for your money, but given you have lots of friends in the areas you suggest it obviously makes more sense to go with those.

Fwiw I moved to London from the Cheshire countryside with a tiny baby who is now 16 and has siblings of 14 and 12. I have never for a second regreted it. There is so such for kids to do, we have a great network of friends (no family near london) and they love how independent living somewhere with good public transport allows them to be.