South East good schools under £600k?

[Timetomove22]

Hi,
We currently live in SW London and we want to move out to get a better quality of life for our little one, just a toddler.
We're considering a move in the next year or 2 so I'm aware property prices can change but we are just absolutely stuck on where to go!
DP needs to be able to commute into the city one day a week - and we would like good schools, ideally primary and secondary.
The dream is a period or 30's house, semi or detached, with parking, for under £600k.
We will consider Sussex, Hampshire or Kent.
I'd be really interested to know of any areas people recommend and your reasons, we have already explored a few areas along the Kent coast and I am planning to get a shortlist of areas so we can go and do some more visits/research before we get our house ready to sell.
Absolutely willing to compromise on many things but would love to know if the dream place is out there at all on our limited budget!

Tonbridge fits your bill, excellent schools. Not especially beautiful but has a castle and indoor/ outdoor swimming pools as well as v. good connections.

Tonbridge fits your bill, excellent schools. Not especially beautiful but has a castle and indoor/ outdoor swimming pools as well as v. good connections.

Apparently Chichester is the best place to live in the south east. There are lots of smaller places around there, that will have houses that fit your budget and lots of people commute to London.

There’s the coast, South Downs, theatre, access to Portsmouth, Southampton, Brighton, lots of pubs, restaurants, cinema, museum, Arundel castle, Amberley museum. Schools are generally well thought of in the area.

There are 30s houses in S London for under 600k - some many need work near excellent state schools.

Most will be terraced or end terrace though.

Winchester? Direct train to London, great schools and area. A bit (a lot!) expensive, but you’d be able to get somewhere nice within budget I imagine.

South Bucks, Windsor and maidenhead? Cookham? anything Thameside?

Where in South Bucks? It takes ages to get into London.

definitely wouldn’t get that in Winchester…a small terrace is £650k+

With the new Elizabeth Line, Reading, Maidenhead

Alton, Hants.

worthing - cheaper than brighton and there is a direct train to london which is about 90 mins.

on the beach on one side and south downs national park the other and about 25 mins to brighton (where prices are double)

I grew up in Farnborough. Loved it, good schools, an hour to the coast, 45 minute commute to Waterloo.

Another vote for Alton in Hampshire. Or you could look at Petersfield or Liphook.

Horsham and surrounding- West Sussex. Pretty good schools.

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/131542910?utm_campaign=property-details&utm_content=buying&utm_medium=sharing&utm_source=copytoclipboard#/&channel=RES_BUY

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/134312999?utm_campaign=property-details&utm_content=buying&utm_medium=sharing&utm_source=copytoclipboard#/&channel=RES_BUY

How many bedrooms would you need?

You are unlikely to get what you are looking for in Brighton (at least anywhere near the station).

https://www.zoopla.co.uk/for-sale/details/64919400/?search_identifier=edaf3981-002f-491b-b5af-9406e2e293bc

Worthing might be a good choice.