Wanting to move to TW, help please!!!!

[TashaBW]

Hi there,

We are hoping to move to TW soon with our two small children however do not know anyone locally. I was wondering if anyone could advise me on nice area's to live in, good school's, area's to avoid etc?

Any information would be very much appreciated, thank you!!

We have just moved here and are finding it a very friendly place to live with lots to do. I'm struggling a bit to meet people as my daughter is at the funny age of 3 3/4 - ie too old for most playgroups but not old enougth for school yet - but that will change in Sept I know and she actually has her first tea date today and is very excited!!!

You will see lots of stuff on the internet re. schools and catchment areas - generally they mention that Claremont and St James are the good primary schools which they are (both outstanding Ofsted) but don't discuss some of the local village schools too - eg Frant is a lovely village just south of TW with an amazing primary.

Have a good drive round - eg go down the highstreet and then turn off left by Pizza Express - that area is the "village" everyone refers to and is lovely but very expensive. Other areas - go up A26 and turn off left just behind old hospital site- lots of lovely houses around there. Also the area between TW and Hawkenbury seems nice. You will see lots about avoiding the High Brooms area - drive and make up your own mind but personally I would avoid it! Others say avoid the southside near Sainsburys too.

We didn't actually drive round much before moving here but I've done a lot of it since and would recommend that you do as there are lots of nice areas that aren't immediately apparent as TW is quite spreadout.

Hope this helps!

Andrea

Hi,

We've got a Local Ambassador in Tunbridge Wells who organises meet-ups.

Click here for meet-up page

She might be a good person to get in touch with - especially once you've moved!

Also, are you on Twitter? The Tunbridge Wells People account @TunWellsPeople has over 5,000 followers!

Good luck with the move

Hi there,

It will, to a certain extent, depend on your budget and requirements. The Village' area is indeed lovely, but you will pay ££££ more for a house of the same size a bit further away from the station. Claremont and St James' are the 'sought after schools' but have very small catchment areas, the former particularly. Bishops Down and St John's are also very good schools, and you can get a reasonable family house within catchment for less money than the Village, but you will have to trek a bit to the station/s if you need to commute. The Wells Free School will be opening in September on the old Kent and Sussex site and will only take 24 children a year - it's aiming to be "A Village School in a Town Centre". St Matthews, Broadwater Down, Sherwood (now Temple Grove Academy) don't have great reputations, but they are located in areas of higher social need (if one can put it like that) so rather reflect their intakes perhaps. Southborough School is also very good and is going to three form entry, but Southborough can feel a bit cut off although it is good for commuting as Tonbridge is easily accessible.

There are loads of toddler groups, music classes, dance classes, etc etc etc - if you get a copy of Grapevine or Family Interest or some of the free parents' magazines there are listings there. We have a great arts scene with Trinity Arts Theatre and The Assembly Hall, and a Council which does loads of great stuff, such as the Mela (totally free music event in July), activities at the museum and library for children in the holidays, and there are lots of events put on, on the Pantiles - jazz on Thursdays in the summer for example.

You'll find most people very friendly and helpful - it's a well trodden path so lots of people have been the 'newbie' at one point or another!

Hello, There's a coffee meet up on the 3rd Monday of each month 10am-midday at the Camden Centre, it's called Coffee Connection and here's their FB page: www.facebook.com/coffeeconnectiongroup?fref=ts Also you can join the Tunbridge Wells NCT FB page too which has lots of members and guide to what's going on. The Coffee Connection is for local parents with any age children, not just babies. Hope that helps.