Crouch Hill, Shaftesbury Road N19

[Elizabeth0712]

I’m currently scoping out areas in London for a (very much up in the air, unconfirmed) move with my DH, & two DDs 6 & 4.

I’ve seen a house for sale on Shaftesbury Road in Crouch Hill. I drove today to scope it out. The area seemed a bit hit and miss. Does anyone have any experiences with the area? I would be really wanting to integrate myself quite quickly & make friends with other parents with kids similar ages. It’s hard to understand if it’s a big family area or if that’s all confined further down in Crouch End, Archway, Finsbury Park way.

Obviously schools is a whole other issue & if we did eventually move I’d have to try and get them places. Schools in London vary so much so this would be a big challenge but my thinking is also people do move out of London as much as people move in possibly.

Anyway: maybe a long shot but it anyone knows the area and has any input that would be greatly appreciated. Thank you 🙏

I just noticed this. I know where the road is.
A lot of London is a bit of a mixed bag. You are very close to Crouch End which is popular but does come with the higher prices. It's good for transport links at Archway and Finsbury Park.
Primary School wise, it's a bit further than schools I know but there are good primaries around whether they have spaces is another matter. Islington does have primary places due to the falling birth rate but I don't know at which schools, you are also close to Haringey and not that far from Camden for schools either. Even at secondary, places do become available after offer day.
There are definitely families around that area.
Brickworks community centre at the end of the road has Guides/Brownies/Rainbows.

Thats my friends road! It’s strange to see it on the internet! I know the area well as we used to live on one of the other roads off Crouch Hill but have now left London.

Definitely a family area eg a couple of the roads close for Play Street. We had a road WhatsApp group and v friendly eg people passing down children books and toys.
It’s not really an area distinct from Stroud Green or Crouch End as they are all tiny places and close together eg you can walk to Crouch End in around 10 minutes and Finsbury Park Station 10 minutes in the other direction (the nicer bit of Finsbury Park). I suspect you will use both as did we. It’s not a long road but you’ll have W7 bus as an option at one end and 210/41 at the other as well as Crouch Hill overground and Finsbury Park.

It’s very socially mixed like lots of areas which is a good thing but be careful with schools. Ashmount and St Peter in Chains will be closest but you will also have a choice for schools like Coleridge at the top of Hornsey Rise/Crouch End and St Aidan’s in Stroud Green which is lovely. Local secondaries aren’t good (Islington Arts and Media is awful) but you’d probably still get into Highgate Wood in Crouch End from there and some families starting to use Grieg Academy which is the far side of Crouch End towards Hornsey and has academic streaming around robotics and Mandarin (has its own boat for sailing lessons too). We had left by the time our children were in secondary so can’t tell you what they are like. There are selective options too eg Dame Alice Owen which is one of the top schools in the country academically (if that’s your thing) has 20 places exclusively for Islington children.

You mention Archway. I’ve never liked as a place personally, but towards Tufnell Park end you have Yerbury which is a nice primary school and Acland Burley for secondary.

Thanks so much for getting back and all the information. That’s super helpful. Can I ask why you left London?
We’ve moved to the suburbs in Rickmansworth and I regret it but also conscious of a huge upheaval for the kids. Secondary education in London is what I guess bothers me mostly too. It seems so hit and miss.

Ps; does your friend still live there and is what would be her plan for schools it she has kids x

Hello! Another property has appeared on this road and I wondered if anyone had anything to add? We are torn between here and a property North of CE in the CE/Hornsey borders. A really nice problem to have, but a tough choice! Any local insight is very welcome.