Middle class areas around London

[Danini]

Having moved to UK from a country where 90% of the population is middle class I struggle in my search for the location of our next home. We are currently in Isleworth zone 4, close to both Richmond, Twickenham but also close to Brentford, Hounslow. DD is 2, and primaries here are rated good but I would like her to go to a mixed secondary, and the only good options around are girls schools.

Our main requirements are too feel at home culturally (European/English), good state schools, child friendly, safe and a bit more green, so considering commuter towns. Preferably good access to A40/M4.

Our budget is currently £400000, we are in a 2 bed flat with garden.

Any ideas of areas to consider?

Quite unfair to say OP wants to only mix with white people, she just wants to feel at home as a white non-British European... so basically not be in an ethnic monoculture for any other ethnicity... not sure why she is getting attacked...!

If you're referring to my post - did you even read what I wrote? I already stated that I completely understand why OP doesn't want to be in an ethnic monoculture.

But by the OP's definition being in a completely Orthodox Jewish area would be OK. Most Jews are European, so they fit with what OP said to be an 'European/English' (not just non-British European, if you read it carefully!).
But somehow, I don't think that's what OP meant, I don't think she wants to be in an area where most social life revolves around religion.

Equally, areas with a lot of, say Spanish people where everyone speaks Spanish to each other, .. that is European but OP's not going to feel at home, is she?

Some people don't feel 'at home' unless they see more people like them.
Which to me is silly, while I'm of South Asian descent married to a Brit I've always tended more towards modern and humanist values. I wouldn't be comfortable among 'traditional' South Asians who believe that husbands shouldn't do any housework although we're of the same ethnicity. Equally DH is from farming land and hates fresh air... he'd hate to be in a rural village like his hometown where most people are interested in farming and farm related topics.

I think what OP really means to say is she wants to live an area with people who have a generally cosmopolitan outlook so she wouldn't feel unwelcome. Or she should have said as a Scandinavian/English couple. That's fine. There's such a big diversity in European culture that just saying European is meaningless and if you take it face value it implies more white people. Even if you do state your ethnicity.. it's just the skin colour/cultural background you were born into. It states nothing about your actual conduct, you can choose to follow your culture more closely, or not.

To be fair to OP perhaps English isn't her first language so that's not what she meant. But as PP pointed out IRL that would probably sound racist.

Yes I thought it might be a misunderstanding, UK is the only country I know of where "middle class" means "upper class".

Do note before moving here that it is a very caste based system in the UK, and caste affects the course of an English person's entire life (compared to my country at least where for example education is entirely meritocratic - and is ranked amongst the top in the world, so doesn't suffer for it - versus here where you can only "buy" your way into good schools and then Oxbridge and good unis).

Your post is offensive.

As a Londoner if you told me you only wanted to be around Europeans/English (by which I assume you mean 'white'...) I would reply that you are in the wrong city, as London is wonderfully multicultural, and that this type of comment/views is not appropriate or welcome...

Right??
I'm also wondering where OP went that she 'felt unwelcome' though so much so that she needs to specify. And why she felt that way.
Quite a few Europeans I know left thanks to Brexit sentiment but then OP wouldn't have needed to specify her English other half, just herself...

@JaneIntheBox Yeah I guess I was a bit simplistic in my description, and by European/English I don't mean white, but lifestyle more than anything 🙂

Sorry if I offended anyone, it wasn't my intention! I see quite a lot of posts on MN where people are looking for posh/affluent areas. Isn't that quite discriminatory to everyone who's not in an affluent area then?

Well I think if you regard yourself as affluent it is more acceptable to want to live in an affluent area as they may have more amenities that appeal to people with more disposable income like expensive bakeries, chi chi cafes, private schools etc. It is also understandable for people from certain minority backgrounds to want to live with their own community due to the amenities they may require or prefer; for example we would prefer to live within the eruv (if we can) because my husband's mum is orthodox Jewish and this allows her to visit us on Saturday (though tbh she never does that, we usually go to visit her).

Wanting European neighbours is a bit confusing- do you mean you want a place with a large population from your home country so you can send your kid to the relevant bilingual nursery etc.

Exactly.
@Danini have you never read a council estate thread? People get torn to shreds because they suggest that council estate = poor= anti-social behaviour.

I wouldn't want to be in an only Scandi area either - then I could just as well move to my country! I'd like a nice, safe place where people are fairly similar to ourselves in regards to lifestyle and finances. Similar to the affluent/religious requirements of some groups by the sounds of it.

It's a bit far out, but would you consider Wimbledon Village?

With your budget, I would go for Ealing if I wanted west London.. a thread with lots of theories on which areas in Ealing are more middle class..I personally like the area around Montpelier primary school, they have some lovely big flats there..

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/3657830-To-ask-what-demographic-Ealing-is

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/108498848
Very bucolic, picture postcard setting, tiny outside courtyard but set around a communal green , 5 min walk to Great Park or lovely playground at Bachelors Acre. Minutes to
town centre.
Legoland does season passes, perfect for after school.
Windsor has great nurseries, mixed primary schools ( 4-9 ) and middle schools ( 9-13 ).
Secondary is single
sex unless you get into the grammar system in Slough or Charters in Sunningdale.
Jct 6 M4 minutes away.
Under flightpath but if you're in Isleworth guess used to it.

Maidenhead im or cobham

Not on a 400k budget! Morden perhaps but that's it middle class

St Albans feels culturally European and is definitely middle class, very popular with City workers due to the quick train links to the City - 20 minutes. Lots of good state schools

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/131190476#/?channel=RES_BUY This has private garden too and is share of freehold

Hi op, if you're happy to consider outside the M25, we first bought a 2bed flat in Wooburn green for 325. That was 2016 and it may have gone up a bit, but have a look at the surrounding villages.
Wooburn is easy to get to the A40, M40 and about 15 minutes to the M4.
There's a good mix of people, the schools are nice.
If you want more city, look at high Wycombe. Nice parts, cheaper parts as standard.
Burnham has the Elizabeth line if you need to commute in.

Many thanks for all the suggestions, I'll check them out 🙂