To choose new area to live based on grammar schools

[2021hopes]

I’m at a point where I can relocate to pretty much wherever I would like but stuck where to start. I have two primary age children and I’m a full time working professional but can work from home a lot. Need to get into city of London maybe 8-10 times a month.

I’ve lived in London all my life. Would ideally like to stay in the leafier parts, also happy to consider Surrey and Kent too. Would love outstanding schools and ideally plenty of grammar school options. Somewhere safe with things for us to do at the weekends and holidays.

A three bedroom semi or detached would be fab. I’m happy to try new builds too. Please help wise people of mumsnet where should we move too!

Grew up in North Kent (Culverstone and Higham), went to the Grammar school.
Gads Hill is an option for a private school.

I've still never understood why people who have the option
choose to move into a grammar area
rather than move into the catchment of a great Comp school

where the top sets are equivalent to any grammar
with no stress

I wish I had done that @ListeningQuietly

I stupidly assumed (at the age of 18 months old) that of course DS would pass the 11+. Could have done without the stress and the ££ on tuition. Which everyone does so you feel you have to level the playing field.

We were going to move into a grammar area (not through planning but as my husband's job moved). We decided against it after someone pointed out that, with 80% of children in secondary moderns, what I actually meant was that I was moving to a secondary modern area. I felt strongly I didn't want my child categorised so young.

Our dd is in a comprehensive school in a fully comprehensive area. Interesting, she finds top sets really stress her out. I would love for her to be moved down in maths as she is good at it but her confidence with it is rock bottom. They are teaching her upper y11 questions in y9 and not consolidating when she would really benefit from it. Had she ever sat and passed the 11+ I think she would have hated the grammar.

www.elevenplusexams.co.uk has all the information you need I would have thought. It's where I went when my DCs were going through the process.

Thanks for the further replies and advice about where to look. A great area with great schools in general will always get my vote but this is a good opportunity to gather information on all options.

I actually already live in an area very close to two of the best performing grammar schools in the UK. One of which one of my DC can walk to! The other a short drive away. But regardless I want to move out now as I’d like a fresh start somewhere new. Those schools aren’t enough to keep us here and similarly with any new place the area has to be right foremost.