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Original poster

What’s it like being a teenager in whitstable?

31 replies

BrrrIsland · 13/12/2020 14:34

Please indulge me as this is currently just fantasy - but as I’m hoping it might one day not be fantasy I need to think about these things

I live and grew up in London and have pretty much spent my whole life here (as has DH). I dream of living by the sea. We talk about moving a lot. I’ve lots of lovely favourite sea side places on my fantasy list, but most of them are probably quite dull for teens. We have a 7 year old Dd, so a way off teenage years yet, but realistically we wouldn’t be moving for a couple of years anyway. I’m trying to think of places that are by the sea and not dull/limiting to live for Dd. How does Whitstable stack up? Is there enough to do? Do older teens go out in Canterbury? (And what’s that like?) I was out going to gigs and later clubs all over london from 13 onwards. I remember how exciting it felt to be part of a ‘scene’ hanging about in Camden with Britpop bands. It feels a bit unfair to take a way things like that from Dd.

And what are the schools like? I know it’s grammar school/ comp but it totally confuses me. If you pass the 11+ Do you gave a choice of schools or is it the local one?

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Matildatoldsuchdreadfullies · 13/12/2020 14:47

Not a lot to do for teens, but that said, my dc enjoy living by the sea, and on the whole think the benefits outweigh the boredom .

Secondary school options aren’t great if your dd doesn’t pass the 11+. Oddly, Whitstable’s poor cousin just down the coast (Herne Bay) has better options for children who don’t pass.

katscamel · 13/12/2020 17:05

As a teenager living in Canterbury I'd spend summer weekends in Whitstable and Herne Bay where a lot of my friends lived... of course that was a long long time ago.
I dont think theres much in the way of nightlife/ things to do for younger teens... sports centre, bowling, sea based activities. Canterbury isn't much better certainly not for those not old enough to get into pubs etc. There is the cinema but I think a lot of teens head to the Vue cinema in Westwood Cross which is cheaper.

Cant tell you much about the schools as they change all the time. As far as Grammar Schools go, there are Simon Langton Girls and Boys, not sure if they mix for certain subjects and Barton Court (which used to be single sex but became mixed in 1991) ... all of these are in Canterbury. I think around Kent test time you go and view the school and do a 1st/2nd choice thing.
Whitstable community college I believe is a very good school and non selective.

Speakingmymind · 13/12/2020 17:08

Don't do that to your kid. Move out there after they are 18 at least.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

7 year olds

Grooticle · 13/12/2020 17:12

Lots of places on the coast that are more fun and have better schools tbh. Is anything in particular drawing you to whitstable or is it just a place you like? If you post what your criteria are you’re bound to get better suggestions.

NaturalBlondeYeahRight · 13/12/2020 17:19

I disagree. We aren’t far (more countryside) and my teens like going to Whitstable and Canterbury. They would happily live there than in the sticks. They have had great times at the beach from 8 onwards and now at uni. The parking/holidaymakers annoy me though. Don’t forget the Faversham schools as well (grammar and comp - both mixed Ed.

RosesAndHellebores · 13/12/2020 17:23

My teenage years are 40 years ago but I grew up not far from there. I went to grammar school and if I hadn't passed the 11+ my parents would have kept me at my private school which went up to 18.

I had a great social life because we belonged to the local sailing/windsurfing club, I had pony club and young farmers and from about 16 the YCs. Without that there were grotty church youth clubs, dodgy nightclubs in Margate and Ramsgate. Also in those days from about 16 everyone went to pubs: the Ship in Hernia Bay and the Charles Dickens in Broadstairs.

My DC grew up in London but TBF if we hadn't had money they would probably have been doing 21st Century similar to the Kent coast.

bombymobey · 13/12/2020 17:26

DH & I are both Londoners & we would love to be beside the seaside. When we look back at our teenage hood in London we tended to stick to our local areas for pubs (underage), clubbing we travelled further afield but very often we didn't bother with zone 1 as the night bus was long & taxis often expensive. Most of the time under 18 we would do shopping, cinema, pub, friends house, park, a meal out at a chain. I think that is pretty comparable with hanging out at the beach! Also do youngsters even go to the pub anymore, they are all closing.

bombymobey · 13/12/2020 17:28

What do teenagers (u18) do these days in London? I never see them & often wonder where they all are! 😆

Original poster

BrrrIsland · 13/12/2020 19:32

@ bombymobey

What do teenagers (u18) do these days in London? I never see them & often wonder where they all are! 😆

I have no idea! My teenage years are long gone. They don’t drink in my local for sure...!

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Original poster

BrrrIsland · 13/12/2020 19:34

@Speakingmymind
Don't do that to your kid. Move out there after they are 18 at least.

Thanks. This is my main thought. Did you have something similar happen to you?

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Original poster

BrrrIsland · 13/12/2020 19:36

Thanks everyone. This is very useful.

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Original poster

BrrrIsland · 13/12/2020 19:46

@Grooticle

Oh I’d love suggestions. Thanks. Whitstable just seemed to work for location and being a bit artsy.
So... Somewhere a teenager can have a good life, decent schools, near the sea, close to a city. I mainly want Dd to have options to be part of the ‘tribe’ she wants to join. Don’t care if she’s a goth, raver, indie kid (or whatever the 2030’ equivalent is) so long as she gets to chose her own people.
Jobs not a huge draw. DH works from home. I’m a teacher.

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bombymobey · 13/12/2020 19:47

I really am intrigued as to what teenagers do these days. I was a 90s tween/teen & I it seems like the whole youth clubs, raving culture doesn't really exist now.

Move out there after they are 18 at least.

Is that so they can stay behind & rent?

Original poster

BrrrIsland · 13/12/2020 19:50

So is Canterbury a bit crap? Was thinking maybe it was ok having the university tgere...

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Original poster

BrrrIsland · 13/12/2020 19:54

Thank you everyone who has replied. It good to hear pros and cons.

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Speakingmymind · 13/12/2020 19:54

@BrrrIsland Yes. I was very young and we moved to be where my Dad wanted to live in the middle of nowhere. Literally. No public transport, every Saturday night was spent at home. It was fucking miserable as a teen.

If you want life at a slower pace that's fine, just don't inflict that on your kids after living in London. The change of pace is like night and day and not fair to a young person.

RosesAndHellebores · 13/12/2020 19:57

Yes, but your teens won't be undergrads. In my teen years we used to go to the uni theatre and think we were very sophisticated. There was one wine bar and I had my first pizza aged 15 (45 years ago) in Canterbury.

One thing to remember op, is that I don't think the transport infrastructure has got any better so your teens will have to drive as soon as possible and I think teens now drink more than then and there are more cars on the roads.

NaturalBlondeYeahRight · 13/12/2020 19:58

Whitstable isn’t the middle of nowhere though. It’s a busy family seaside town - very busy in summer but even in winter it’s popular. Great transport links to London/Canterbury/other seaside towns.

bombymobey · 13/12/2020 20:01

I was very young and we moved to be where my Dad wanted to live in the middle of nowhere.

Is Whitstable in the middle of nowhere? DH grew up in z4 & had crap public transport links. Himself & al his friends were driving asap so they could have more freedom. I lived a few miles away but completely different experience as had a bus 5mins away & a tube/train 15 mins walk.

Original poster

BrrrIsland · 13/12/2020 20:04

@ Speakingmymind
Thanks. This is my main fear. I was hoping to find a middle ground from big city to quieter town, but I’m willing to admit that there isn’t much out there.

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Original poster

BrrrIsland · 13/12/2020 20:05

Btw I don’t think growing up outside london is awful, it’s just the move from london to countryside which I’m worried about.

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Original poster

BrrrIsland · 13/12/2020 20:08

@NaturalBlondeYeahRight
Whitstable isn’t the middle of nowhere though. It’s a busy family seaside town - very busy in summer but even in winter it’s popular. Great transport links to London/Canterbury/other seaside towns.

This was sort of its selling point to me.

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bombymobey · 13/12/2020 20:09

I like Whitstable but find it quite small. Canterbury only visited once so don't know enough. Heard good things about Folkestone but again don't know it outside of day trips.

I don't know what to do. Lots of friends have moved out to places in Surrey & Kent eg Tunbridge Wells & areas in Z6. I really can't see myself in any of those places as I hate the whole having to drive everywhere.

bombymobey · 13/12/2020 20:13

However I do want to move out I think, I increasingly feel I don't make the most of London & stay in my admittedly very nice local area. There is just so much traffic & people about that every takes so long.

Original poster

BrrrIsland · 13/12/2020 20:13

I don’t drive so I don’t want to be too far into the countryside.

My cousins moved (from zone 2 london) to south Devon when they were 10ish. They took a lot more drugs than I did in Camden

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