Rusthall or Southborough?

[teadrinking]

Hi,
We're hoping to move to Tunbridge Wells sometime over the next year. We really like the look of Rusthall and Southborough, but don't actually know Kent at all and wondered if anyone could help us, with thoughts or advice about schools and nurseries particularly and living in these areas generally? My DD is just over 3 (due to start school September 2012) and my DS 1. We'd also love to meet-up and make friends when we do re-locate (from Islington, London). Thank you very much!

Hi

I live in Heathfield which is 12 miles from Tun Wells but used to work in Tun Wells for years before going back to the city again! Both Southborough and Rusthall are nice but I prefer Rusthall as its bit quieter than Southborough but still on the doorsteps of Tun Wells.

Re schools, there are very good schools around Tun Wells area. Shopping is nice too and good selection of decent eateries and plenty of things to do with kids around Tun Wells like High Rocks, parks, railways etc. I am sure you would love the area as nice beaches are at 25-30 min drive too.

Good luck with the decision making:)
xx

Hello! My PiL live in rusthall, it is quiet & pretty, has at least 1 primary school I know of & is v close to tun wells centre. My FIL calls it "the place where people from Tun Wells aspire to live!" I'd move there in a heartbeat if I could

Msg me if you want any more help? X

Hi Shilay and JentlyDoesIt,

Thanks so much for your posts! They are very encouraging, especially as we've just fallen in love with a house in Rusthall. This is house number 4, in the emotional rollercoaster that is house-hunting, so I'm trying not to get too excited yet :) Would love to meet up when we do finally get there and may well msg you again JentlyDoesIt xx

I have lived in t wells for all my life and rusthall has some nice parts and does seem to have a nice villagey feel to it. I have heard good things about the primary school there (st Pauls) which seems to be up and coming, dd's friend from nursery got placed there last year in reception and her parents seem impressed. There is also Langton Green Primary which some roads in rusthall are catchment for. Dont know anything about the nurseries there I'm afraid. Good selection of shops etc too and excellent bus service into t wells every 12 minutes.

I live near southborough and have to say the traffic is horrendous, getting to tunbridge wells or tonbridge can take forever at certain times of day and parking in the side roads is very busy. However, it does have a good selection of shops, banks, a nice park and very good primary school (with tiny catchment), also has a good selection of preschools and 2 day nurseries to choose from. It may be getting a large Tesco in the near future - so that may figure in your decision.

If you need a reception place for sept 2012, you'll need to apply from nov 2011 to jan 2012 so you'd need an address by then to apply for the school you want.

Hi teadrinking, fingers crossed for the house am very

Msg me anytime, if I dont know the answer, my FIL will

Thanks so much Jently :)

We moved from Islington to Rusthall over three years ago and not one regret. It's a very friendly village with something on every day for the little ones. There's also a very good children's centre, two parks plus the common. I'm not sure about nurseries as have never used any but I do know there are a few good childminders in the village. For schools you have St Paul's, Bishops Down, Langton green, plus you can have one in east Sussex as we're not far from the border, so Groombridge for example. There are also two good preschools - manor road and holding hands. Tunbridge wells is close enough to walk to through the common. There are lots of lovely walks and loads of things to do nearby, such as ashdown forest, bedgebury and penshurst place. Go for it!

The northern end of Southborough is the best, imho. We spent eighteen years overlooking Southborough Common and crammed three offspring into a three bedroomed house for most of that time rather than move. One big bonus of that end of Southborough is the quick get away down to the A21 or to commute from Tonbridge Station. It was equally convenient for dd to get to school in Tunbridge Wells and ds 1 and ds 2 to the southern end of Tonbridge. But most of all we loved that common; the recreation ground on the other side of the main road is as good as ever too, and the cricket pitch for junior players.