Help! What area to move to for good schools (currently in North London)

[Helpmemove88]

I am currently pregnant with my first child and I'm already thinking that we will need to move in the next few years to be in a nicer area/ next to good schools.

We are lucky enough to be mortgage free in a large 3 bedroom house in North London which would sell for around 800k ish

I think our options will be to downsize to a flat in a nice area of London like muswell hill or to move further out of London and perhaps retain the same size property (or bigger!)

Although I'm very familiar with areas nearby such as muswell hill and crouch end, I'm unfamiliar with areas further out of London (or areas not in north london)

Can anyone recommend somewhere with good schools, a nice town, park?
It would also need good transport links to Central London where me and my partner work

St Albans would be worth a look, you'd get a decent sized house for 800k (I've seen 3 or 4 beds listed at that guide price), and it has lots of good schools (both state and independent) x

Where are you now?

If people have an idea where you are, they might be able to help with advice on local schools and catchments.

Also, where in central London do you and your partner need to get to?

Whereabouts are you now? Barnet’s lovely, with good schools and masses of green space. £800,000 would get you a 4-bed house with a decent-sized garden. And it’s a direct trip down the Northern Line to the City or the West End.

Thanks for your replies everyone though this had been lost in the chat section :)

@xmasdealhunter St Albans is actually a great call I've only been there once but I remember it being a really nice town! And I've just googled the travel times and it's just 24 mins to Kings X

@Tealightsandd and @SomethingNastyInTheBallPool I'm currently in Haringey I'm next to quite a few "good" schools but not "outstanding". I think I more want to move because the area is just a bit dirty and rough e.g. shooting at the end of our road just last week

@Tealightsandd I work near Euston but I think it would be possible for me to WFH permanently if needed
My partner works near Oxford Circus but his company will likely make him come in 5 days a week

@SomethingNastyInTheBallPool Barnet has been suggested to me before but the borough covers such a huge area I wouldn't know where to start! Would you suggest moving near High Barnet station or somewhere else?

I was thinking of High Barnet, OP - near the tube and the high street.

Walthamstow? Great place for families, good schools and on the Victoria line.

Do you need to stay north of the river? Wandsworth is great

Bishops Stortford has everything you want. Lots of trains into Liverpool Street and Stratford. Excellent schools. Big parks, decent shops and a lively town centre with good restaurants. Close to Hatfield Forest. Far nicer place to live than Haringey.

Do you need to stay mortgage free? If not, you could get a bigger place in North London and stay in London.

Ealing. Lovely parks, good schools, 25 mins to Oxford Circus on the central line, well within budget.

Somewhere where they still have grammar schools?

But I can only think it applied to Kent and Bucks (I could be wrong).

Watford Boys/Girls? Be careful re private, multiple mates have sent their children to highly regarded private places in St Albans or Watford (both boys’ schools) and have been appalled that some of the teachers are a) unqualified (but have degrees from eg Oxbridge) and b) can’t teach.

Wanstead? It’s leafy and very green, great schools, close to Epping Forest and half an hour into Oxford Circus on the Central Line

Broxbourne, just 20 mins straight up a10 for you.Nice area, good schools and 20 mins train into Liverpool Street.

Twickenham or St Margaret's, lovely family areas next to the river, fast trains into Waterloo or tube from Richmond. Most schools are rated outstanding.