Moving to London renting -Help with areas and schools

[Movingmovingmoving16]

Posting for traffic.

Please advise on areas you would recommend to move to in London.

Plan to move from current area (North) to London for the school year September 2017 (assume a new school year would be the best time to move for a then year 2 child?)

Currently have no ties where living, just divorced. Have decided for work (IT contracting), lack of childcare and good schools, London would be the best option.

Need a safe area with lots of good schools (state) where a place offered is likely! (Along with a good school club/childcare at home). Plus nursery or home childcare for then 3 year old.

Will be renting (Buying will be unobtainable in London).

Suggestions please

[fabulousathome]

Highams Park and Chingford, though not on the tube network directly allow you to get to Liverpool Street on the Overground very quickly. Nice areas that are getting more popular and are leafy and safe. Schools are good too.

[Blu]

Good schools is one thing; being near to a cluster of sizable schools where there is a certain level of mobile population will give a greater chance of an in-year place. Many of the popular outstanding middle class favoured schools don't have new places coming up because the families moved to be there.

You don't need an outstanding school. London schools perform well on the whole and since the ofsted recalibration, good schools are good schools, iyswim.

Look at Streatham Hill and West Norwood. Somewhere in the thick of the Hitherfirld, dunraven, Streatham Wells triangle would be good, or Sunnyhill / Julian's / Dunraven.

Good train lines from W Norwood, Tulse Hill or Streatham Hill, bus down the road to Brixton Tube.

Brockwell Park, West Norwood Feast, etc.

Not a totally fashionable area so tents cheaper than E Dulwich etc.

[Kpo58]

The Sutton borough has some of the best schools in the country.

[SoOverItNow]

Look at Balham or Tooting areas. Zone 3.

Good place for families , lots of parks, good childcare and schools, on tube and also has mainline trains.

[coffeeslave]

I had been put off East London with how a street can be safe and the next seems to be one to avoid

That is ALL of London, not just east! There are some very very "naice" parts of east London (Aldersbrook is one, no-one ever seems to have heard of it; also Wanstead is super naice)

[BendydickCuminsnatch]

We used to live in Forest Hill which was nice enough, and the Horniman side I found nice and peaceful, and Peckham Rye and East Dulwich walking distance :) lots of primary schools around which all seemed very nice. Great transport links into London Bridge although Southern Rail and no tube. I'd recommend though!

[Sosidges]

East London has good transport links and tends to,be cheaper. Good schools, Ilford, Woodford, Loughton. Cheaper properties in Manor Park, Foresr Gate.

Close to Central line in Barkingside, 3 bedroom house is renting for £1400 a month.

[TheAnswerIsYes]

I second the suggestion of Eastcote/Ruislip/Pinner areas. I live here and my closest 5 schools are all outstanding. Getting into London is easy as you have Metropolitan, Picadilly and Central Lines for the Tube as well as Main Line. The area is fab for children, there is loads to do locally. Rent costs are reasonable compared to the rest of London.

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-to-rent/property-61037264.html
Something like this would probably suit you. Walking distance to station, good and outstanding schools nearby, 3 bedroom yet under budget.

[Movingmovingmoving16]

We could stay where we are. Problem is the schools are only OK, childcare limited. My work is limited, no choice to take planned time off from work or work concurrently. (Need to accept what work available, whenever it is available). Positive is owning our house. Houses are realistic prices to buy.
I worry all the time about the work and must work.
We have no family, not many friends here and only live here for ex husband work. here (good for his job, sector and good commute, living in cheap housing area. Not so good for schools and opportunities, now and future for children or me to keep them).

[JacquettaWoodville]

Can you stay in your current area, even if you need to sell and rent/buy something smaller there? I think the move you plan will be very difficult.

[cestlavielife]

I think you will find it difficult to get some one reliable for 7 to 8 and 6 to 7 pm. You may be better offering regular and more hours so after school til 7 pm . Or an au pair living in. How many dc? Can they share ?

[Movingmovingmoving16]

Family are outside of Europe and can see living in the same community has benefits it's not what we need/important or want to be living in the area just for the community, which would be one area. Preference (not important) would be Londoners with mixed communities.
Another single parent/s and bigger house sounds good (not so much children getting along and parents, makes it even more complex).

[Domino20]

Sounds like you should be trying to do a house share with another single mum (or two). Bigger better property possibilities and possibly some quid pro quo with childcare arrangements?

[Rollercoaster1920]

You mentioned that family of over seas, so what nationality are you? There trend to be pockets in London with large numbers of ex-pats that you might find helps. French in Kensington for example.

[Movingmovingmoving16]

The schools are what I find most concerning -oversubscription and requirement to live almost within metres. At least with renting it'll be easier than being able to buy. Thank you toots, I'll contact the councils to find out our chances (I had thought at least with moving next year, with my younger child we should have a choice as applying for reception in area, and to go to the same school as older child. The biggest concern is the older child's school place).

[Movingmovingmoving16]

Thank you Firawla, I don't mind at all us living in outer London. The concern is the commute (as certainly at first there'll only be me to collect children ontime from separate childcare). I'll look into these areas thank you.

[toots111]

If schools are the most important thing I would start by calling admissions dept of councils to see what hope you have of getting into schools. Very few outstanding schools will have open places and to get to the top of the waiting list of a school you'll have to rent right at the school gate to be sure (we live 250m from our local outstanding school and we are 10th on the waiting list!). Quite a lot of schools have places open up in year 3 when people go private for prep school so might be worth waiting a while. Take a look at some of those lists about best state primaries in London, call the councils and start to get a more realistic view of what you might be looking at.

[firawla]

If you don't mind being a bit further out what about Pinner / Ruislip / Eastcote? All on the metropolitan line so not bad for commuting into the city. We moved here from central London a few years back, good schools and a lot more affordable

[Movingmovingmoving16]

Domino thank you for those links -my evenings will spent reading the forums. No bad schools and available childcare is exactly what we need.
Insabbath that is the type of commute I need (and the eventual successful move you had).
Thank you for these suggestions, this is exactly what we need.
I've been hoping a responsible 6th former/s or similar would babysit for the hour before and after school clubs (whilst in a contract, which ideally -again, would be 3-6 months contracting, couple of months off with the children and then back contracting).
I've deliberately ensured I've gained experience in all sectors to not be limited to a certain sector (although I have found the financial sector the one I enjoy the least which unfortunately recruits the most. The work is to pay for housing and living costs so I can't afford to be selective unfortunately).
Shared ownership would be ideal (Although wouldn'the want to get our hopes up). Thank you for the link -have saved as a favorite.
I had been put off East London with how a street can be safe and the next seems to be one to avoid but will look more into those two areas thank you.

[Insabbathstheatre]

We also moved in December (year 1 and year 4 at the time) and had to wait until the September for the school across the road from where we rented - (felt bad 3 schools in one year - kids were fine!) - ended up with a neighbour as my childminder after putting an ad in the local paper (for someone to take kids to school and pick up / feed in evening ) - great arrangement and got to know someone quickly !

[coffeeslave]

Forest Gate or Manor Park. 15 mins by train to Liverpool Street (faster once Crossrail opens); lots of green spaces and tons of schools. And at the moment still a lot cheaper than west London.

[MouseholeCat]

Have you had a look at shared ownership properties OP? There's some good deals on part rent, part buy that really cut the cost of living in London and enable you to afford a lot more. DH and I are currently looking down that route because the rents keep escalating.

www.sharetobuy.com/firststeps

Don't discount the train lines- we live in SW London on a mainline rail station in zone 2/3- it's quite cheap to commute on the Oyster fares, and the fast train takes about 15 mins into Waterloo.

[Movingmovingmoving16]

Jay55 It's a huge question (I've overwhelmed myself with it). As we'll be renting (need to sell up where currently live and have no hope of buying in London, expecting to have to move regularly with renting, I'm trying to avoid the areas I like and just be practical). As you know budget depends all on current contract and hoping to have breaks in between contracts to spend time with my children, so as cheap as possible -for good schools (!) Prechildren and marriage contracted in London which was mostly central but all over and then starting work at 8 and finishing 12 hours later with a commute either side wasn't a problem it now would be.
Bibby the dilemma is moving to an area, not getting a good school for older child and ending up with a huge commute on top. Accommodation would be 2 bed initially. Garden would be great but schools /childcare and transport links are most important. (Pay also wouldn't be so great, £400 day is most likely which whilst sounds great, after deductions, then rent and bills and childcare. Basic living costs, not such a huge amount left. Children's Father has chosen no contact, moved back overseas and will not pay any maintenance costs).

[titchy]

School wraparound care will not be 7-7. It'll be 8-6. An au pair or nanny might be better though you'd need an extra bedroom. Can you investigate where contracts are likely to be? If you're in financial services then city/ Canary Wharf, if media then look west. If you lived close to Canary Wharf for example your commute times could make school wraparound possible which means you could manage with 2 rather than 3 beds. I think you need to do a bit more research then ask MN!

[Insabbathstheatre]

Sydenham / Penge / Beckenham / Crystal Palace have good schools and cheaper properties but great transport links to City & Canary wharf (and victoria) - I now contract and can get to work door to door in 45 mins (which other than the young free and single I manage and who live in zone 1) is a very short commute! Best move i made was moving to London - been brilliant for the kids as well! I would have preferred closer to the centre but was too expensive - but good luck.