The most family friendly place in Essex?

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My husband and I were born and raised in Central London. However, were tired of the scenery and want a nice, quiet place to move to where we can raise a family. Our initial thought was Essex and a family member suggested moving to Rainham. Unfortunately, were both very ignorant of places outside of London and I was hoping that some of you mumsnetters could help!
Is Rainham a nice, family friendly place to raise children? (we have only visited a couple of times, but we like what we have seen. However, the opinion of someone who is there more often/perhaps lives there would be more helpful).
Are there other areas in Essex that are nicer to bring up a family?
Thanks! :)

Gidea park, Shenfield, stapleford abbotts, Brentwood - all easy access to Liverpool street line. I'm in GP and love it!

Gosfield is a nice village with a private school

Also Felsted.

There's also Holmwood House, Colchester High or St Mary's in Colchester (if you have girls)

Are you going to be travelling I to London for work?
If so I'd work backwards - how long are you prepared to travel for each day remember to factor in getting from home to the station & from the station to the office.
Then get out the rail timetables & maps & see what fits your remit. I'm an Essex girl & would say north Essex is far nicer but, for various reasons, I've come to know south Essex better in the last couple of years and there are some great places there too.
It's a much maligned county so get out and make your own opinions don't listen to others.

Good luck.

Brilliant thanks. Starting a recce this weekend. Many of the schools are full so that'll play a big part. Loving the countryside but easy into London idea. Best of both worlds! X

Hainault has loads of new builds property. It has a forest, a Country park, Fairlop waters, fantastic train links,. Bus service gets you to Ilford Romford and Stratford I. 20-30 minutes.

Property is relatively cheap.

I can definitely recommend Shenfield. We moved here a couple of years ago, and DS goes to a small private school in the area that he absolutely loves. There's also a very short (25 min I think?) commute into Liverpool Street.

Thanks for your comments. It really helps when you're working blind. Thinking about it, once the schools are sorted the house can follow, can rent for a while. I've read that the grammar schools are very difficult to get into? What about secondary schools - are the private options mainly New Hall, Brentwood and Felsted (big price hike!)

"full of dried oil from your lovely neighbour Canvey Island"

Do you mean from Coryton? Which is not on Canvey (It's near Stanford-le-Hope) and is no longer a refinery anyway. I've never seen oil on the beaches in Leigh, Westcliff or Southend

Anyway, I agree that you shouldn't write off South Essex. Few people have mentioned Rayleigh. Great schools, nice little high street, very ordinary sort of place (which I love about it) and very family friendly

Both felsted and gosfield are lovely villages with excellent private schools and bigger towns nearby. Braintree seems to have taken a bit of a battering up thread but I love it!

We're in a small village at the moment with a shop and 2 pubs. It would be great to be in a bigger village with more going on or near to a town preferably on a bus route (thinking teenagers down the line) where the private schools aren't too far away. All of the places mentioned look nice..feel a drive around coming on!

There are good private schools in Chelmsford (New Hall)and Brentwood (Brentwood Independent) and good transport links and school buses from towns and villages around Essex. My eldest DD went to Brentwood did really well and loved it.

I have heard Felsted is a lovely school but not so academically regarded as New Hall or Brentwood.

There is a small private school in Billericay but their GCSE results including English and Maths are only 53% A*-C (lower than the local high schools ) and is to be avoided at all costs!

Lots of choice for Grammar schools in Essex. My DD is at Westcliff HSG (out of catchment place) and she commutes there from Billericay on a contract bus. For some reason it is not as highly regarded as Chelmsford Grammars but is amongst the top 20 schools in the country (which neither of the Chelmsford grammars were last year!)

I agree Rayleigh is a lovely town- cheaper than those closer to London and some very good high schools. Rayleigh is also now in catchment for the Southend and Westcliff Grammar schools which are easily reachable by both public and contract buses.

That's good to know. Brentwood seems to have good reviews..Does anyone have a view on private schools - Heathcote in Danbury, St Margaret's in Gosfield, Maldon Court or Littlegarth in Nayland?

Another Colchester resident here, been here since 1998 and quite happy. Eldest goes to a lovely primary school, and our house, whilst only a 40 min walk to the town centre (and 15 min to station) we look out over fields (we don't notice the railway line anymore 😉). Tis lovely!

We're thinking of moving out if London and buying a house in Kelvedon, but my husband needs to commute via Stratford to Canary Wharf. Does anyone have experience of the Kelvedon to Canary Wharf commute? Thoughts welcome thanks!!!

Leigh On Sea is beautiful with its old town, old fishing village and quaint high street
www.google.co.uk/search?q=leigh+on+sea&client=safari&hl=en-gb&prmd=minv&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiA7NTCg7TZAhUJ3qQKHRR1BB0Q_AUIEigC&biw=375&bih=553

Saffron Walden and Uttlesford (district SW is in) are regularly voted among the best places to live in the UK. Excellent schools, low crime, good transport links, very picturesque. Punches well above its weigh in terms of activities for a small market town. Downside? Housing is very expensive, as to be expected in all desirable areas.

I'm sure the OP has moved to her desired part of Essex. I read the entire thread, including the banter between the two posters who came from the same estate in a small village, before someone mentioned that John Lewis were opening in Chelmsford or Colchester in the future. The future was 2013.

I know it's a zombie thread but in case others with a similar choice find it online and are reading it, Leigh on Sea is nice for families - both in 2013 and 2018!!

I am here reading it in 2025, wondering how expensive Saffron Walden and Leigh on Sea would be for a young family these days.... ah the uncertainties of the interest rates....sigh