London areas

[Brampton80]

Hi!

I’ve never posted on here before but have read some good advice so hoping for the same.

We (husband and two young children) lived in London for about ten years before moving to Essex. We’re unsure of the fit for us here really and are contemplating moving back, though not to the same area. We’re thinking north and close to Epping and guess I have two questions:

1. Upper Walthamstow, Highams Park, Woodford Green and North Chingford seem lovely and houses seem within our budget/scope. Any opinions on the neighborhoods/ family life/etc?

2. we have two kids in primary school and one who is likely neurodivergent. Any recommendations for schools, particularly with good SEN provision?

It’s a huge question so anything is helpful!

thanks in advance!

Honestly I can’t imagine it’s anything but a downgrade to go from Epping to Higham’s park or Walthamstow!

What are your reasons for moving? You’re not exactly much further out than those areas at the minute. What are you hoping to gain or change?

Where did you live before Essex? All those places have quite different vibes, so what you liked in your old neighbourhood is probably worth thinking about.

Walthamstow is very friendly and 'community' ish with lots of parents in creative-type roles. Parts are quite fashionable. It just won the Sunday Times best place to live award (though take that with a pinch of salt ha). Victorian Upper Walthamstow houses are lovely but I'd look nearer the Village too. Wider Walthamstow is still pretty grubby in parts - some people like this as it feels more 'real', others don't, and think the creative types are wankers 😄 All in all it's most like Stoke Newington or other trendy bits of Hackney.

The others feel to me more traditionally suburban. HIgham's Park is more like Finchley maybe. Woodford Green feels really nice aesthetically (some lovely Georgian houses) but it definitely feels a bit more Essex in terms of its culture, and same with North Chingford - there are more self-employed business owners and tradespeople, more salons, fewer what used to be known as 'liberal lefties'. Maybe more money too! I think both are Tory-voting, and will have been pretty Brexit-y too I reckon. Not metropolitan posho Tory 😃

These are perfect descriptions of these areas!

She didn't say she was in Epping, she said she wants to be close to Epping (Forest) as I read it.

And Epping itself, while pretty to look at, has a very definite culture that not everyone would enjoy or feel aligned with, in terms of its outlook and values.