Anyone live in Tunbridge Wells?

[Fountainsixty]

We’re looking to move to Tunbridge Wells and would be really good to hear from anyone who lives there and can give some advice!

DP and I looking to buy somewhere in a family friendly area - we’ve looked at St John’s area which looks better value (budget around £650k for three bed). We commute into London a few times a week.

We’re TTC so (hopefully) will need a nursery and schools in due course. Any info about these and anything to bear in mind would be really great - I don’t know how oversubscribed nurseries are in this area.
I know the maternity services in the hospitals around the area were rated inadequate with safety concerns so I’m particularly worried about this, if I do successfully get pregnant!

What’s it like to live there? Anything we should know? I’ve heard varying views!

Thank you!

If you live in St John's you've got a long old schlep down to the station, or a drive in (assuming you commute in rush hour) bad traffic with expensive parking at the station.

Other than that, TW is a lovely place to live!

Thanks! Yes the few houses we’ve viewed are about 20 min walk from station which is about doable for us! Don’t think we’d drive down and park

Bump if anyone else had advice!

*has

Hi! Have a look at the villages surrounding Tunbridge wells itself. Langton Green and Speldhurst are both lovely, with great schools and only 2 miles from the centre. Twells town centre isn’t great; lots of shops have closed down and there are no kid related clothes shops. The High street has some lovely shops though!
Loads of baby groups for when the time comes though.
Overall people are friendly and welcoming, loads of green spaces, nice coffee shops, Pantiles with jazz evenings. It also feels safe.
Re maternity, I think the majority of units are struggling, with short staffing and pressures. The staff are highly experienced and the facilities are very good. You could consider Crowborough birth centre or a home birth depending on your situation.

Hi - yes, I live in the "village" area of Tunbridge Wells and have been there for the last 20 years or so. I grew up and went to school here but left for London/overseas until the last 20 years. My daughter, now an adult living in London, has also gone through the school system here (private primary and grammar secondary), and it was one of my main reasons for returning here.

St John's is a great area especially for schools and a friend's daughter goes to a nursery along St John's Road and is very happy there.

Commuting is fine (I don't any more, I work locally) when the trains are ok - can be rubbish in winter.

I agree with the PP who said that lots of shops in RVP have closed but I live at the other end of town and mainly shop on line.

Feel free to PM me if you would like more details.

We moved here 17+ years ago and have been very happy - we are in St John's and all four children are or have been through the state system - primary and grammars. We happily commute from High Brooms station - it's about a 15 min walk. There's no way I'd drive anywhere if I didn't need to - particularly during school/rush hour - it's appalling, and the Council seem determined to allow everyone to dig up the roads all at the same time ;-).

The RVP/top end of town is not brilliant, but it is improving - there are new shops opening as the centre is under new management. There are loads of lovely parks, countryside, art/culture/markets etc, and you can access London or the sea equally easily.

There are lovely villages around TW too as mentioned above, and as a country mouse trapped in town, I would have loved to be living in rural isolation - however, with four teens, it's fabulous to have them able to walk to school/town/the leisure centre/meet friends, or get a bus to the cinema etc, and we have not had to taxi them around in the same way as friends living further out.

Mine are significantly beyond nursery stage now, but there are lots of great ones although for the most popular, you would need to have your name down early.

Thanks for your reply! I do like the idea of the villages in a way but for me coming from London I think it would be too much change, though the peace does definitely appeal!

Yes when I went recently it did seem to have quite a few shut down shops, though realistically I mainly shop online anyway.

Hi all!
We’re finally moving to TW this summer. We have a 5 year old girl starting Year 1 in September and a boy turning 2 in October. We’re a bit stressed because we’re struggling to find a space in a school, none of our first choices have spaces (Skinners, Wells and Claremont). Has anyone got any info about the followings? They either have space or no waiting list:

• Temple Grove
• Broadwater down
• Southborough
• Pembury Primary

We’re also consider the Meads while we get a space in the others, although skinners has said that likelihood is extremely low even if I get a house in front! Our other concern is diversity! We’re from Spain, been living in London for 10 years but obviously don’t want to feel like outsiders if there are not many expats!

we’re really appreciate any feedback!

thanks a million!!

A key issue will be where you are moving to in TW? Those schools are fairly far apart and the traffic situation is diabolical at school run times - gridlock is now normal as the roads are constantly being dug up all over the town! (Pembury is outside of TW so if you are in the centre, that will be a nightmare school run).

Southborough would be at the top of my list and I wouldn't have considered TG, but things may have changed. I don't know enough about Broadwater - it was 'improving' when my children were that age. I'm fairly long out of the loop however - having been one of the TWFS founders many moons ago I was completely au fait with all of the primary schools, but my youngest is now in Y10 so I am not remotely current.

@SanGamo where will you be living? I know Groombridge have places. Easily accessible via back roads from some areas. Otherwise Bidborough, Penshurst, Fordcombe. They are further out but are lovely schools and often have places.
From your list, Southborough is a bigger school, 4 form entry I think. Popular school. TG is in a socially deprived area and has some challenges with regards to this but it is good Ofsted and staff are lovely. Pembury very difficult to get to along the Pembury Rd - think gridlock!

I live in Pembury, can’t comment on the primary school as we moved here for secondary, but just wanted to echo others saying Pembury primary might be a really bad idea if you’re going to try and get here from TW. The traffic is terrible anyway, but we’ve currently got numerous roadworks, road closures and temporary traffic lights dotted all over the place, which has basically turned TW and the surrounding areas into a giant car park during rush hour. Pembury is lovely, but as far as I can tell, most of the kids who go to the school are pretty local and walk to and fro.

Hi!! Many thanks for your inputs! @Panicmode1 @Chocolatecoveredshitpig @Starlightstargazer , we went to TW to see the schools we could! What a disaster! Our fav one was Southborough and they told us they might have a space. However when 30 hours after we sent the admissions form we were rejected.
Our only option right now is St Marks. Does anyone have any opinion about it? I discussed the “religion” topic and they said it’s very light and they accept all religions.
we did not like Broadwater down at all, they have very few student and have mixed classes until they get to Year 6, so quite disappointing.

I’m really stressed about the idea of having to move my older one from schools until we’re settled but I guess there’s not much choice when you don’t move to TW before starting reception

kind regards,