Help me choose an area where to live

[OztoLdn]

Hi,

We are a family of 4 (2 adults, 2 primary aged kids) moving to London very soon from Australia.
I have searched this group and googled extensively to look for the right suburb for us.
Out of the below areas, which one would you recommend?

• Herne Hill/North Dulwich
• Tooting Bec/Tooting Broadway
• Tooting/Furzedown/Streatham
• Ealing Broadway/North Ealing/Ealing common

We would like an area that is safe, with good state primary and state secondary schools (my eldest is in year 5), a nearby high street, good transport links, nature and parks.

We will be renting a 3 bedroom small house/flat, rent seems to be similar in these areas and commute to work (city Thameslink and Moorgate) will be similar as well (-+ few mins).

Any streets we should avoid?
You input will be appreciated :)

[MrsMallard]

I'm afraid I can't help with info about any of your suggested London locations but I can throw you a bit of a curve ball so do feel free to ignore this if you're set on living in London itself! Given that you're after nature and parks then you could consider living slightly outside London as you might be pleasantly surprised how quick the commute is via Thameslink. Somewhere like St Albans or Harpenden would give you everything on your wishlist. They're both very popular locations with people who work in London and have primary/secondary age children.

[LIZS]

I'd give Tooting a miss.

[UpsideLeft]

I'd go for Herne Hill and North Dulwich and yes

I'd be giving Tooting and Streatham a miss

How about Sydenham?

[UpsideLeft]

I'd be looking more towards Bromley and Beckenham but I don't know the prices these days

[UpsideLeft]

I grew up in these areas and some were real no go areas at the time but have gentrified over the years

I'm still dubious though

Crystal Palace is now popular but was an absolute no go area back in the day

Herne Hill and North Dulwich were always ok the rest definitely not

[OlderGlaswegianLivingInDevon]

As someone else has said once upon a time you wouldn't have named some of these places in the same sentence - times change.

Are you able to show us any of the rental properties you could consider ?

Year 5 child means year 6 in Sept ? which means you really will be looking at senior school really really soon.
I know from a previous post from a family living in the Ealing area that whilst the child is in a lovely Primary school she had to be very careful where she moved to in order to be in the right catchment area for the senior school.

[OztoLdn]

@UpsideLeft

I'd go for Herne Hill and North Dulwich and yes

I'd be giving Tooting and Streatham a miss

How about Sydenham?

Sydenham is nice but the commute might be longer as there doesn't seem to be many options to the city.
We ideally want a commute of maximum 45 mins door to door.
What about Balham? Would you also give Balham a miss?

[OztoLdn]

@OlderGlaswegianLivingInDevon

As someone else has said once upon a time you wouldn't have named some of these places in the same sentence - times change.

Are you able to show us any of the rental properties you could consider ?

Year 5 child means year 6 in Sept ? which means you really will be looking at senior school really really soon.
I know from a previous post from a family living in the Ealing area that whilst the child is in a lovely Primary school she had to be very careful where she moved to in order to be in the right catchment area for the senior school.

Yes, I need to look at both Primary and Secondary.
I've been having a look at available rentals but no point in setting my heart in any as we will be moving in approximately 6 weeks and I imagine rentals don't last long.
At the moment I am trying to narrow the areas, then look at schools, rating and availability, then book an Airbnb and 1-2 weeks before arriving I will look at what is available and reach out to some real estate agents.
Any other tips?

[Revelatio]

Is there a reason you need to live in that area, is it down to budget? There are much nicer areas in London, with more green space and better transport links.

[OlderGlaswegianLivingInDevon]

I think the hardest bit is finding out which Primary schools are in the catchment areas for which Secondary schools.

Now, from memory on the other thread the OP's child goes to North Ealing primary school ( which I think is a good choice and the area around that school has always been ' nice ' ) however the other OP was looking to live in Hanwell W7 ish and one property suggested to her would not fall into the catchment area for the secondary school she would prefer.

I now think if I were you :) I would ask for good Secondary schools in the areas you are considering, and which Primary schools will be in the catchment area for the ' good ' ( or even better ) secondary schools.

I see posts weekly asking about x secondary school in x area or y secondary school in x area, then of course the question of Grammar schools seems to come up, as does the question of C. of E. or Catholic Secondary schools

[OlderGlaswegianLivingInDevon]

p.s. I like the Ealing area, I lived and worked there for years - many moons ago :)

[limpetz]

What is your budget @OztoLdn ?

[JW13]

Strongly recommend Herne Hill. It's great for families, lots of parks and close to places like Brixton/Peckham/Dulwich Village/East Dulwich for restaurants and shops. Thameslink into the City is pretty reliable and there are also trains to Victoria in 10 mins. I work in Farringdon and it's an easy 35 min commute door to door. Otherwise you have the train from north Dulwich to London Bridge.

For schools, you want to be in the North Dulwich triangle to make sure you're in the catchment for Charter North Dulwich (secondary). Look at roads like Frankfurt, Elfindale, Danecroft - all coming off Herne Hill down towards Charter. There's also casino avenue/Sunray at a slightly lower price point. It's not a cheap area though.

For primary schools on that side you probably want to look at Judith Kerr, Dulwich Village Infants/Dulwich Hamlet and maybe Bessemer.

It's a great place to live. Happy to answer any questions you have.

[TempleOfBloom]

Streatham Hill is fantastic for schools.

Streatham Wells, Hitherfield, Dunraven, Julian’s, Sunnyhill all happy popular primaries. You need somewhere with a few good alternatives as you will need an in year place.

Then Dunraven for secondary, or try for a Lottery place at Kingsdale, selective at Graveney (both a bus ride away) , Bishop Thomas Grant if you are Catholic.

[OztoLdn]

@Revelatio

Is there a reason you need to live in that area, is it down to budget? There are much nicer areas in London, with more green space and better transport links.

We are after an area in zone 3 that is safe, family friendly, good state schools green, with shops, cafes, good transport, maximum 45 mins door to door commute to Moorgate/Bank/City Thameslink/Mansion house.
We have a budget of £ 3,200 per month for 3 bedrooms and the areas I mentioned were the ones I could find with that criteria.

[OztoLdn]

@limpetz

What is your budget @OztoLdn ?

£3,200-3,300 per month for a 3 bedroom small house or flat with courtyard.

[3drag0ns]

Ealing

[limpetz]

@OztoLdn also relevant - are you interested in faith schools? i.e. have you been a regular churchgoer over a couple of years? (Some schools are allowed to selectively recruit students on that basis, so it potentially widens your options).

[Rosesanddaisies1]

I’d go Herne hill, it has the Thames link train which goes straight to city Thameslink station. Brockwell park is lovely. But I’m sure it’ll be the most expensive and sought after location from your list.

[Notgoodatpoetrybutgreatatlit]

I'm a South londoner myself. I live in Honor Oak Park which has two trainlines into town. Its super family friendly and has great primary schools. The secondaries are a bit of a mixed bag but are so much better than the schools when I started teaching in London in the 1990s.
Having said that I love Herne Hill and its near Brockwell Lido, you may not be a swimmer but if you are look it up.
I have a very picky friend who lives in a big house in a nice town in Essex and finds London horrifyingly dirty and dangerous in comparison and she stays in hotels in Balham and Tooting when she works in South London and she loves both of them.
I'd be wary of posters claiming any part of London is a no go area. I'm quite obviously gay and the only place I was ever homophobically abused was in Kensington High Street a place I could never afford to live in , the abusers were older white people wearing expensive clothes.

[vincettenoir]

Tooting Bec

[suki1964]

What's wrong with Tooting these days? I lived right on the Broadway early 90's and I was very happy there

When I bought a house I moved out to Morden, great transport links into London - tube and train, and good access to the open spaces of Surrey

Daughter went to Ricards Lodge

Mind we left in 2005 so no idea what its like now

[Macramepotholder]

Penge east has the Thameslink as well, so that's an option or that side of Sydenham.

[Attictroll]

I,d go Herne Hill but think about how you could walk to Bank easily from Blackfriars's Northside too...and look at trains on the Beckenham Junction to Blackfriars route that go only at peak times. The train route has Kent House, Sydenham, Dulwich etc on it. Remember a lot of central London stations are actually in easy walking distance of each other.

[kateandsam]

Hi,

I'm very familiar with Dulwich/ Herne Hill, have kids that school in the area & work part time for a local estate agent. In order to get your kids into Charter North secondary & the Hamlet primary, North Dulwich triangle is a good place to base yourself.

Catchment to Charter changes every year but only reached about 900m last year (other years I believe it was a bit further).

Looking at Rightmove your budget might be a little tight although things do come up. This house is in a great position & not too far off your budget so there are properties out there. This is a very popular area & people do rent in the area to get their kids into the local schools, which pushes the prices up.

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/144577889#/?channel=RES_LET


We usually suggest starting to look about a month before you want your move, but I suggest registering with all local agents a little before that.

Happy to provide local advice if needed.