To think there is nowhere within commutable distance to London that I want to live?

OP, I presume if you change your teaching job to a closer school you will have to pay back any extra maternity benefits? Or maybe you don’t get anything extra anyway.

I would definitely consider having one person closer to home if possible, and prioritise the Farringdon commute.

I would say things that make a commute easier are only getting one form of transport. So being able to walk to the station each end is just so much easier - I would look at somewhere on a direct line to Farringdon.

The other thing is that if the trains to where you live aren’t very frequent, it is completely soul destroying waiting on the platform for 58 minutes for the next one because you were delayed by 5 minutes at work. I personally would choose somewhere with at least 4 peak time trains an hour.

Royston, Herts might work. Market town. Nice countryside around, should be within budget for a house within walking distance to the station. Direct train to Farringdon. Fast, frequent trains to Kings X, so if you end up having to commute to Vauxhall, you can get the Victoria line.

Other train lines nearby, so if there’s a problem on the line from Kings X, you can still make your way close to home from Liverpool St.

Your op could have been a little better. If you'd given all the important info.

London Bridge, Victoria, Vauxhall, Farringdon.
£900k
40 minutes.

Any requests? How many bedrooms. Any other requirements/wants/no-no's?

I only take the sw trains out of Waterloo towards Woking, via Clapham, Surbiton etc, so only know that train route mostly.

Where I live OP! Honor Oak Park SE London. We have direct trains to Farringdon and we have the overground. Two stations you see. We also have a Southern train service to Victoria or London Bridge. We have a local community, bit too active for me.
Nice primary schools and nice secondaries, at least the teenagers behave politely. Some lovely shops and my hairdressers. More soughdough pizzerias than you can wave a stick at. And a successful vegan restaurant. We also have a Sikh temple and allotments. No cinema but we are close to East Dulwich Picture House. And a fuck ton of cafes catering to most sections of the market.
No particular accent dominates and we aren't on the tube, which is awesome on strike days. You can also get a bus to Lewisham dlr in a dire emergency. I'm a teacher and I commute to custom house but schools are available nearby!

I don't know about that. I have a distinct Pam Ayres type of Wiltshire accent myself. I just don't like the South East England 'Estuary' accent that seems to be taking over from older local accents. It just grates on me, that's all. People who use it include Adele, Olly Murs, Stacey Dooley, Jay Blades, and most annoyingly of all, Prince Harry. (I don't see how you can call me a snob if I include him!) I have heard people not liking Brummie, Geordie, Cockney, Essex accents and nobody says they are snobs.

There just isn’t really anything in South Norwood. No great high street, transport links, amazing schools.

South Norwood isn't that close to Thornton Heath. TH is awful, don't live there. S Norwood is OK, but no tube.

Cheam Village is nice and the line goes into Victoria.

Raynes Park and New Malden are nice with good transport links.

Surbiton and Kingston (but might struggle with £900k. I prefer Surbiton.

Ashtead - bit further but pretty.

Surbiton
Quick travel to London
Walk along Thames to kingston or hampton court

With that in mind... esher , molsey thames ditton etc

Goodness, you’re a bit of a snob aren’t you? 🙄

You are a teacher, I'd be looking to move schools.

Oxfordshire? Plenty of lovely market towns like Thame, Princes Risborough which are commutable into Marylebone for your OH.

But outer zones are less likely to give you a 40min commute.

You have a healthy budget so I’m not sure why you would consider S. Norwood.

Wallington has lovely housing stock & big gardens but I’m not sure on the options if you don’t get a grammar place. Carshalton Beeches is quite nice. I prefer the Kingston side of Sutton as it’s closer to other nice places.

South Norwood is probably least nice of those. Look a little further out too, within M25 and zones.

Also there’s a Thames link train that goes direct to Farringdon in the morning and a few early evening

I live in Whytelafe, we have two trains lines here, the Caterham Line, and the East Grinstead line. It’s 30 mins from my local station (upper warlingham) to Victoria. Lovely area, close to countryside so you’ve got the best of both worlds. Schools are excellent. I also like Banstead.

South East Kent? How about Canterbury? .. really quick commute to London. 20 mins to the coast on the train. Margate old town is up and coming and there are some good schools.

Hook? Hartney Wintney? Kingsclere? Or one of the smaller towns near Basingstoke.

Catch a train. Baso or Hook to Waterloo, but change at Clapham Junction and go to Vauxhall.

For your DP, continue in to Waterloo, pick up a bike and cycle across Waterloo bridge and up to Farringdon.

Beautiful market town with a cafe culture is St Albans to a tee.

Partner lives there, and he'd never move. His house is a 2 bed terrace 5 minute walk from the centre. Values about £650k.

Assuming that you are able to get a job locally, think about places on the direct trains to Farringdon. The Buckinghamshire end of the Metropolitan line, or communities such as Hitchin come to mind.

Well you didn't exactly give us much to go on, did you? 😂 If you'd given proper details in your OP then would have got proper responses.

I have family who live in Haywards Heath who commute directly to London Bridge. It is very quiet and peaceful if that's what you're after.

We live in Leigh on Sea which is very busy with lots going on. Can get to Fenchurch St in about 40 mins.

Pre covid we both commuted to London 5 days a week with 3 children from birth (from Upper Warlingham station, a really good one to be near OP as last stop in zone 6 so cheaper London prices, or Coulsdon South). Many/most people did. Perfectly doable and even more so now that most office workers are hybrid.