muswell hill/ crouch end/ highgate - whats it like to bring up a baby here?

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exactly that really - considering moving to north london (where i grew up) and just wonder how poeple in the area find it to bring up kids - facilities and play groups etc, schools, nursery (inc. prices), parks, meeting people, cost, property, travel....

all info/ help gratefully received
xxx

Fantastic!!!!!!!!!!!! Completely child friendly. All types of baby/toddler groups. Wouldn't want to be anywhere else. Schools are all brilliant. Lots of green space. All kinds of classes for whatever floats your boat. Never seen so many buggies and boobs in my life. Each of these areas is kinda village like. Very friendly people. Property is expensive though, especially those in catchment for the favourite schools. hth

Marslady is right, it is great for little kids, lots of friendly mums cluttering up the place. So there are lots of people to meet and your kids will certainly never go short of a playmate.

Parking is a big problem, even with the CPZs, in so much as it is easier to walk or rather than drive down to a class/group and expect to get a parking spot. Also Archway Road is has a lot of very heavy traffic.

However it is pricey, the property and the classes and the cafes.

Can't say I agree about the schools though, the catchment areas are very arbitrary and nit-picking (Coleridge certainly used to have a catchment of 3.4 miles).

It is a good place to bring up little kids.

that's 0.34 of a mile catchment area

Thread killer or what?

It's OK I don't live there anymore, don't be scared

We're also kind of thinking of moving back to this area (grew up in Kilburn).

Any recomendations about where to look? We're not at all interested in catchment areas but would prefer to avoid Archway Road.

In last Sunday's Observer it claims that Stoke Newington is the best place in the UK to bring up babies!

wouldn't really consider moving away now -- we've got 3 of london's nicest green spaces right on the doorstep

m/h and crouch end not being on the tube is both a mark against them, and in their favour, as it means they feel more villagey than places on the tube network. buses are getting better though. not mad about highgate, which we're on the edges of. the high street is all estate agents. traffic is dire. but waterlow park makes up for it.

where to look though depends entirely on your budget. if ihad limitless funds...

Why Stoke Newington is the best place to be a parent