I'm hoping to move to LOndon; can you reassure me re state schools please?

[toptramp]

Hi there, I am going to start to look for jobs in London as I miss city life. I am hoping to teach. DD is 4 and will have done 1 year of recption by the time we move.
I have no idea what are of London we will be living in so not very helpful there. I cannot afford private so can anyone recommend any good state primary schools in the capital and also is it difficult to get enroled in them? Thank you.

I do think it's worth moving to London.

But does it have to be London? What about Birmingham or Bristol or something?

I've lived in cities my whole life but even for me there were times when London was just a bit too much. I'll be happy if we go back, but I have to say I'm also really happy living where we live now, a smaller city of 300K people where you can walk most everywhere, schools are not a problem, and there's still loads of culture and events and family stuff to do.

Are there any other cities you might be interested in?

No other city will do. I think if I am going to move to a city it has to be THE city! I love it. I have lived in Liverpool but nothing can match the creativity and versatility of the capital.

All good state schools are oversubscribed. And all neighbourhoods around good state schools are expensive. I don't expect that is reassuring but it's a fact. Find the borough with decent schools and look there. That's how I would start.

Can it work on your finances? We loved living in Brixton, but couldn't rent anywhere for less than £800, which we couldn't afford. We decided we would rather live in another city all together than London outskirts, so we have moved away altogether.

'Is it worth moving to London people? I live in rural Somerest and I just want my dd to have more opportuniyties than I did when growing up. The rural idyll can be quite claustrophobic and dull and plus I want to experience life in the big city before I get too old. I need a change.'

Live just outside London, get a teaching job outside London and catch the train for socialising and daytrips. I'm about an hour out of London, and the last train leaves gone midnight.

coucou Rilla -- I used to live in Brixton too!

It's become massively trendy, at least £1200 for a 2BR now.
They're turning the old George IV into a Tesco

It is worth thinking about budget OP -- if you can only afford something in Zone 4 or 5, it can feel like you're barely in London at all. You end up with all the inconveniences of London life and few of the benefits. You may be better off doing what Fallen did.

We live near Ealing and we have 3 outstanding primary schools and 2 good secondary schools in walking distance. Our excellent primary school is not oversubscribed because people think they'll get mugged if they live our way. (Have actually met people aghast that we should be so irresponsible as to bring up our children in such an area. ) Now that DS2 has a place I'm happy to let other people know about it.

Well I've been checking out housing for key workers in Richmond (worked there one summer) and the deposits are v reasonable as are the rent. I could live in Richmond and commute! They are shared ownership but tbh I am only renting now anyway.

As is the mortgage I mean.

Richmond is lovely

I would rent first, shared ownership schemes can be very overpriced. Follow your heart, move to London, South West so it's easier to keep in touch with the houses, but rent for a while. Most primary schools in London are good now so wherever you go will be ok, but don't buy until you have decided on secondary school.

homies, not houses...!

Secondary school is so far ahead and I hope to have secured a job in an independadnt school in the capital by then

Just to say, all London boroughs have the same application process and the deadline is mid-Jan 2013 if you have any kids starting Reception in Sept 2013. So you need to be living wherever you are going by then. Obvs doesn't apply to older kids transferring, they just have to join a list as the others have said.