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Original poster

Moving to South London and Schooling

131 replies

WineLover21 · 14/03/2024 08:01

We are planning to move to South London with our kids (from a fairly rural part of Scotland). Absolutely terrifying.

Any tips on schools and how to know what schools to get into?

Looking at Balham, Wandsworth, Earlsfield area.

Also totally scared about doing this with kids. Any advice appreciated

OP posts:
Needmorelego · 14/03/2024 11:35

@PuttingDownRoots I don't think that would be an issue. Many South London primaries are currently undersubscribed.

NotQuiteNorma · 14/03/2024 11:37

WineLover21 · 14/03/2024 09:40

We can spend about £1.3m on a house which should get something half decent I think?

Yeah. You could probably just scrape a 1 bedroom flat together with that..

Original poster
WineLover21 · 14/03/2024 11:43

FluffyFlufferson · 14/03/2024 10:40

I am in a similar boat to you. Lived in the area in my 20’s, left and moved back to the places you mention 18 months ago with primary age children.
I absolutely love it here! There is a reason they call it ‘nappy valley’. Lots of great outdoor space and young families, and it’s close enough to central london you can pop in easily. People have been really friendly and welcoming, both through primary school and on the street we moved to which had an active WhatsApp group, but individuals reached out to me separately to catch up too.

That's so refreshing to hear! Thank you ☺️

OP posts:
Original poster
WineLover21 · 14/03/2024 11:44

PuttingDownRoots · 14/03/2024 11:07

If your eldest is 4yo...
You need to be aware you've missed the school admissions date. When were they 4? If they are nearer 5, it could be they ate supposed to be in Reception already.

This means that many popular schools may be full. They have to find you a place, but it may be further away and in an unpopular school... some ate unpopular because they ate bad, some just because they aren't as desirable as surrounding schools.

You will need to move quickly to maximise waiting list opportunities.

However I'm guessing the schools in the million pound areas aren't quite as bad as those in other areas, even the less popular ones!

Thank you. We actually held him back a year because of his birthday. He was the youngest for his year.

OP posts:
Original poster
WineLover21 · 14/03/2024 11:45

@NotQuiteNorma I've seen plenty of 4/5 bedroom houses in the area for 1.3. Which are more than sufficient for a family of 4.

OP posts:
FunnyFinch · 14/03/2024 11:47

WineLover21 · 14/03/2024 11:45

@NotQuiteNorma I've seen plenty of 4/5 bedroom houses in the area for 1.3. Which are more than sufficient for a family of 4.

do you have any links as depending on location… that could be a bargain !

PosiePerkinPootleFlump · 14/03/2024 11:49

I was wondering whether to suggest SE London to get a bit more house for your money, but given you have lots of friends in the areas you suggest it obviously makes more sense to go with those.

Fwiw I moved to London from the Cheshire countryside with a tiny baby who is now 16 and has siblings of 14 and 12. I have never for a second regreted it. There is so such for kids to do, we have a great network of friends (no family near london) and they love how independent living somewhere with good public transport allows them to be.

Nextweektoo · 14/03/2024 11:52

If not, Surrey is nearby 🏃

Original poster
WineLover21 · 14/03/2024 11:54

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/141060455

OP posts:
Original poster
WineLover21 · 14/03/2024 11:55

No longer on the market as I saved last year but I really like Earlsfield @FunnyFinch

OP posts:
WarningOfGails · 14/03/2024 11:58

WineLover21 · 14/03/2024 11:44

Thank you. We actually held him back a year because of his birthday. He was the youngest for his year.

Show quote history

You might need to look into this a bit as delayed admissions are different in Scotland to England.

TheRainItRaineth · 14/03/2024 11:58

WineLover21 · 14/03/2024 11:44

Thank you. We actually held him back a year because of his birthday. He was the youngest for his year.

Show quote history

Are you aware that the school year cut off point is different in England? Only summer born children would be eligible to defer a year which is different from in Scotland where it would be children born in autumn/winter who would be more likely to defer - in England these would be the oldest children in the class. Please check the position with the local school admissions team in England.

Octopuslethargy · 14/03/2024 12:00

Wandsworth has great schools and a falling birth rate, you can secure a mid year place at almost any school- even those which are oversubscribed at reception. The State till 8 schools have a lot of KS2 spaces! Some of the most oversubscribed in April for 2023 reception actually had empty reception places in January this year.

There is a big pupil churn- I suspect the person above who says about the popular schools isn't talking about Wandsworth. You will almost certainly get a place in a very decent WW school- waiting lists are not long in most.

Octopuslethargy · 14/03/2024 12:05

To add as well
A school may have a waiting list of 10- but that child may be on the list of 10 schools. Lists go down quickly

Also some parents go private but dont release their reception place- which is very annoying for schools. Some were still holding at October half term last year.

FunnyFinch · 14/03/2024 12:56

WineLover21 · 14/03/2024 11:55

No longer on the market as I saved last year but I really like Earlsfield @FunnyFinch

earls court isn’t balham or clapham that’s for sure. nice though.

burn thought your budget was £1.3 for balham or clapham?

Radiatorvalves · 14/03/2024 13:06

We are in that area… kids love it. Brilliant primary schools… Telferscot, Henry cavendish and many others. The local secondaries are generally good too. Or you have private options. As they get older they can catch buses or trains. They are independent, lots of clubs. And I’m not a glorified taxi driver. Scotland is great, but S London has its good points too.

FluffyFlufferson · 14/03/2024 13:34

FunnyFinch · 14/03/2024 12:56

earls court isn’t balham or clapham that’s for sure. nice though.

burn thought your budget was £1.3 for balham or clapham?

Show quote history

Earlsfield, not Earl’s Court

Crushed23 · 14/03/2024 13:53

ISeeTheLight · 14/03/2024 10:11

I'd honestly consider living somewhere in the commuter towns with that budget rather than more central. There is a happy medium between the middle of nowhere in Scotland and central London...

Balham is in Zone 3 and not “Central London” at all.

Newusernameforthiss · 14/03/2024 14:11

I live in Sydenham and love it. Just looked at primary schools (DC in reception) and they were all really good. So, so much stuff for children to do round here.

Agree with PPs that you will get more for your money in SE than SW!! Good luck, it's not mad at all.

FunnyFinch · 14/03/2024 16:08

FluffyFlufferson · 14/03/2024 13:34

Earlsfield, not Earl’s Court

Show quote history

sorry yes my typo

Thepeopleversuswork · 14/03/2024 16:55

WineLover21 · 14/03/2024 08:01

We are planning to move to South London with our kids (from a fairly rural part of Scotland). Absolutely terrifying.

Any tips on schools and how to know what schools to get into?

Looking at Balham, Wandsworth, Earlsfield area.

Also totally scared about doing this with kids. Any advice appreciated

LOL. "Absolutely terrifying". I've lived in SE London for over 20 years and raised a teenager there. Nothing terrifying has happened to me.

I'm sure your post wasn't intended to come across like this but it came across as if you were moving to a post Apocalyptic shanty town. I do find it slightly staggering (and ever so slightly insulting) that people can't grasp the fact that people manage to live perfectly normal, healthy, even happy lives in (gasp) South London.

UpsideLeft · 15/03/2024 00:02

OP most likely means the move itself is terrifying as opposed to where she's moving to due to the huge distance

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