Moving to London

[Blueybow]

Hello😊, I’m moving with my husband and 2 and half yr daughter from Edinburgh to London this year but I have no clue which area would be the perfect fit for us. I’m lookout for neighbourhood that is :

1. Super safe !
   

2. Very very family friendly ( lots of parks, kids classes and child friendly cafes.. etc.)
3. My daughter will still be going to nursery but it’s essential for us to live in a catchment of a state school with outstanding rating.
4 my husband will be working in the city centre (not sure where yet, mostly around covent garden or kings cross) but we’re not that worried about the commute as he’ll mostly work from home half of the week.
4. We’re looking at spending 5-6k per month including rent but that should change because I’ll also start working soon after move and we’re looking into buying within a year from moving.
5. Adiverse neighbourhood with lots of ethnicities would definitely be a plus!

Our top choice based on research is Richmond, it just seemed to have everything we’re looking for. Can someone confirm ? Also heard about plane noise and that it could drive you insane, it this true ? Can’t even imagine :D
Our second pick is hampstead but after a quick search on google I couldn’t find any outstanding state schools there !
As lovely as those two places seem to be they’re expensive! Are there other equally beautiful places that should cover all the criteria we’re looking for and perhaps less expensive!

Sorry about the long post and thanks xx

[user1477249785]

I live in Hampstead. It is lovely but it doesn't fit your criteria. Everyone I know here sends their kids to private school.

Have you considered Wimbledon?

[Bouledeneige]

Muswell Hill or Crouch End fit the bill. Very family friendly areas though housing costs reflect that. They are not cheap. Excellent schools, lots of green spaces, woods and parks, swimming pools, cinemas, ice rink, supermarkets and shops, restaurants, bars and pubs all in walking distance. Crouch End is better connected to town - just a bus to Finsbury Park and two stops to Kings Cross. Muswell Hill you get bused to Highgate, East Finchley, Finsbury Park or Bounds Green and then tube into town.

[Clymene]

Also state schools are not like Scotland - if your selected school is full, you will get allocated a different school in the borough. You need to look into oversubscription rates etc.

Wimbledon or Dulwich are similarly leafy / middle class

[user1477249785]

For example something like this would work with your budget and is near a bunch of great schools.


www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/88037299#/

[Blueybow]

Thanks for replying:) Haven’t considered wimbeldon, do you think I should?
Also if we were able to send her to a private school, would hampstead then suit us ?

[user1477249785]

Hampstead is great. Really lovely but I think there are two issues:

• the private schools are pretty competitive so I think you'd want to be sure of a place before deciding on it
• and it depends if your budget can stretch. It's a healthy budget but it won't get you masses in Hampstead and definitely wouldn't cover school fees.

I would look at Wimbledon. I love it and would happily swap Hampstead for there if we weren't tied into schools.

[user1477249785]

(The house I linked to above for example is much much nicer than our Hampstead house and significantly cheaper. Makes me regret binding us in here).

[Choconuttolata]

There are also many areas near Richmond that might be suitable: Barnes, Chiswick, East Sheen, Teddington, St Margarets (Twickenham but just over river) and further out East/West Molesey, Thames Ditton, Esher, Walton on Thames.

I have lived in both Richmond and Hampstead Heath area and prefer Richmond area/SW London due to proximity to the River Thames especially with young children and Richmond/Bushey Park are just great for adventures and den building. I spent many happy days in them as a child. Although Hampstead Heath is great too.

[HappyThursdays]

I would put Wimbledon on your list. Plus the surrounding areas of Richmond - so Sheen/Mortlake and if green space is important, look towards Twickenham/Teddington too (outstanding schools, the river, Bushy Park etc.) but a slightly longer commute (though if near Twick the train is quick). You'll get a lot more for your money there too.

I don't know what the state schools are like nowadays (I lived in Hammersmith but 20 years ago!) but if being closer to the centre is important, I would look at parts of Hammersmith and Fulham too

[Davros]

The great thing about Hampstead is being up on a hill plus only 20 mins on the tube into Town. Wherever you choose, I would go for one of London's many villages and be on the tube.

[Blueybow]

Thank you so much for your replies. Looks like I’ll be looking at wimbeldon, the areas surrounding richmond. Are there certain areas around wimbeldon to look at and others to avoid ?

[NastyBlouse]

Speaking as someone of mixed heritage... I found Richmond a bit lacking in diversity, certainly compared to other parts of London. That’s not to say that there aren’t black people, Asian people, mixed heritage people, and gay and lesbian people there. Of course there are. But less so than other parts of London I’d say.

I like south east London. East Dulwich or Dulwich Village, Peckham Rye, Brockley, Crystal Palace or Forest Hill would be worth investigating in my opinion.

Yeah Wimbledon or Crouch End or Muswell Hill also potentially good shouts. I’ve been in Battersea the last few years and that has a lot to recommend it. More expensive though.

I’d personally go for West Hampstead over Hampstead proper but it’s just more my kind of vibe.

[Choconuttolata]

Fulham/Parsons Green is very diverse and closer in, good parks and schools and the river close by. My family is mixed heritage and used to live there.

This is a lovely primary school and very diverse.
Dd1 was happy there before we moved. www.sulivanprimaryschool.co.uk/

This secondary school nearby is also outstanding according to Ofsted.

ladymargaret.lbhf.sch.uk/

[lcdododo]

Definitely Fulham/Parsons if your budget allows. Putney is also nice.

Wimbledon is a bit further out but still on the district line

[olderthanyouthink]

"I like south east London. East Dulwich or Dulwich Village, Peckham Rye, Brockley, Crystal Palace or Forest Hill would be worth investigating in my opinion."

Dulwich woods is nice (heaving atm though)
Horniman gardens and museum are lovely

I can be in Covent Garden or kinda cross in 45-50 mins

Yeah this was my suggestion. Some of the catchments are tiny so you may not be offered your first choice. One school near me (in the mentioned area) had 8 applications per space, it's ofsted good but an unusual school, the more central dulwich ones mostly have 2-4 applications per place though some have more.

It's not that diverse but still not that bad, dulwich village/west dulwich are most expensive so less diverse, just how it is.

[FelineFlick]

Hi! I would like to wish you the best of luck with your move to London, I moved here a year ago! I currently live in Mill Hill and it's such a wonderful little town.

Will be sad to leave it.

[Avebury]

East Sheen is very family friendly with Richmond Park on the doorstep. I would move there in a heartbeat.