So we have been in London for 15 years, our year 6 DD just passed the Kent test (DH and family all from Kent). Now it is decision time!
We have DD in a fab prep to secondary school, but it's private and so £££. We can afford it, however have 2 younger dc and it will be a struggle for all 3 (would be my entire full time salary).
I keep weighing up the advantages and disadvantages.
DD1 is settled in a great school, we love our friends and our life here. We have an ok sized 4 bed house (will outgrow it when the baby gets bigger), kids have brilliant sports clubs and we have an amazing community here with friends from lots of clubs/schools/local events. Our local area is vibrant and amazing and diverse and awesome.
If we move we would have brilliant secondary education for free (DS1 is very likely to pass if DD did as he is better in test situations), we could get a bigger house, I could stop work/drop to part time, we wouldn't have any friends or clubs and would have to start from scratch. We would be near in-laws (positives and negatives), we would be in a much quieter area, it would likely be safe for when the DC are teenagers.
I really am just so torn.