Dilemma- moving house / education / nature

[Raych1]

Since lockdown we’ve lost our income and I am now sole carer for my two DD 5 & 3. I also have to move as my landlord is selling the house.
My dilemma is where do I move to?! My eldest is currently in school, which we aren’t happy with- it’s far too religious and there is major lack of diversity. All other schools in the area are similar...
So I’m looking at London, where I was born and bred, my DDs know well as we have family there. I’ve found a flat to rent which is much smaller than the house we currently live in. But it’s a fantastic location (catchment of a brilliant school and surrounded by parks & forest). However - it is London. My girls are used to being in a slightly more rural location.
In an ideal world we would move to a seaside location, as we are all at our most happiest by the sea. It’s our dream to live by the sea.
But I need an income (which is more likely to get in London), schools often aren’t as good in the seaside locations I can currently afford, and I know absolutely no one...
I’m anxious that moving back to London i will be stuck in the rat race, with the constant desire to live somewhere more freeing for my DDs.
In the back of my mind I’m making a 5yr plan to get my business generating a good enough income to move rural / seaside in time for secondary school...

What would you do - would u go back to London in a tiny flat, but great school, family and more job opportunities.
Or would u risk moving to the seaside where everything is an unknown?
On your own with 2 small children...

Could you move back to London for a max period of 5yrs. Earn as much as you can in those 5 yrs and also benefit from your flat increasing in value during that time, then move to the sea so your eldest Dc can start fresh in year 7?

I think the key here is to be where you really want to be for your eldest to start Yr 7 and not be interrupted through secondary schooling.

Sorry, just seen you are renting, my apologies OP. Property bit does not apply.
Whatever you decide, if you want to be by sea better to do it before secondary sch starts in order to minimise disruption to children and enable to secure new friendships.

London is great for kids & has loads of opportunities. If you have friends & family in the area then go for it. You can always reevaluate in a few years.

Thanks for the replies - you’ve both reiterated what is been saying to myself. It’s a 5yr plan, and ideally, should I be able to get a good income, move to the seaside for the start of year 7 / secondary. It also gives me 5yrs to research a good location. AND I have had an offer accepted on a flat in a great location opposite an outstanding school... seems to be aligning 🙌
Thank you so much for your replies, it’s definitely reassured me.

Op, if its any help i moved myself and my Dc's OUT of London 10 yrs ago for a more rural life and big house ( we should have been by sea but now so far in land... long story and i divorced the "inland " causing problem , so now we are free to go where we like ) They ( my DC's ) both hated growing up here rurally and longed to go back to London and/ or our original sea destination, where we know so very well.

My eldest has left home at the earliest and is now back in London and living his best life, training and working in IT. Reconnecting with his primary friends and loving London as a young person, making connections through his old friends and their friends. He is lucky to have that family and friendship base in London and he is made up he is a born Londoner.

My youngest ( late teens) and i are counting down the days now until we can move to the ( south) coast and my eldest is looking forward to weekend seaside visits at mums house and chilling by the sea at mine. My youngest is looking forward to the surfing sea life and starting college near the sea and generally a better quality of life , that we do not have here.

Do what you need to do now to put in place where you want to be in 5 yrs time. YOU DECIDE now where you live and for how long. Your DC's will make great little friends in London , that they will then carry with them all their whole lives, as mine have. They will then make new secondary friends by the sea.

You will have the best of both worlds, a footing/history/family in London and a family home by the sea eventually.

Kids keep in touch these days via Insta and other social media. If you can move to the sea by YR 7 you are giving your Dc's a London base and a seaside home with their feet in both lakes. You are also giving your children a fantastic sea side lifestyle that my children and I are impatient for.

My DC's and I cannot wait to move OP. We just need to sell our home in a few years time.

Enjoy the sea air when you get there OP.