North london/hertfordshire - where to live, educate DS.. Pls help!!

[Mum2arj]

Hello, my husband has recently got a job at the North Middlesex Hospital. As his job involves on calls etc, we need to move within a 10-12 mile radius of the hospital. Could you please suggest good areas that we could look at - we really don't know much about N Lon/Hert at all. The key elements are:

1. I've got a job in the city so needs to be fairly accessible (up to an hour journey time)
2. DS is 17 months old and I'm keen on sending him to an independent pre-prep from age 4 yo (if we can afford it) - any advice you may have on schools would be really appreciated as well. I'm told HABS is good but it only starts from 5 yo? Is there a concept of pre-pre-prep for 3-5?
3. we would like a balance of a green leafy suburb yet not too remote.

We are new to the country so don't quite know where to start - pls feel free to send any suggestions, tips, advice you may have on the area and schools.

Thanks in anticipation

London Borough of Barnet has good schools privateand state run.. Bit further out but have rail links are Elstree/Borehamwood and Radlett. Some good properties around and cheaper than London and lots of private schools, HABS , Aldenham near by... Good Luck

you may also try houses in Loughton, Chinford. Both are good to live in, with tube to central london and good access to North Middlesex Hospital. There are top schools in those areas too, both independent and grammar.

Have you thought of Hampstead Garden Suburb? Small conservation area near Golders Green. Two good pre-preps (Annemount and Golders Hill School) and within striking distance of the private schools in Hampstead/Swiss Cottage and further out like Habs and Aldenham. I know two people who commute to NMH from there (by car). Golders Green or East Finchley Station walkable from most bits of the Suburb.

Limited state options, especially secondary though so maybe think again if you're not committed to private education. And it is a conservation area so be prepared for restrictions in what you can do to change the external appearance of your house. Houses are expensive too (cheaper if you go North of the A1). But it is very nice and leafy - Hampstead Heath Extension is in the Suburb and there are two ancient woods and lots of little twitten paths between streets.

Pinner and Northwood would meet your requirements. Good rail links, good independent schools with Pre-prep depts. Quiet and leafy without being 'out in the sticks'. Also State schools in the area are of a high standard.

Thanks all, we'll be starting our search from this Saturday so will let you know how we get on. You've given us a great starting point.
Traintracks: I love the idea of the Hampstead suburbs but looking at the prices on rightmove, these areas might not be within our budget. Don't think we could go beyond £650-700k
Pookiecat: borehamwood/elstree seem interesting. How's the traffic getting into london during peak hours, would you know?
Thanks once again!

Borehamwood is v rough - would be very careful. Elstree is posher but still uses the same station. Dh used to commute through there and had stones thrown at him getting of train at night. Someone was burnt to death in Borehamwood a few years back - police never found who did it.

Radlett is posher but house prices reflect that.

How about Mill Hill? Stanmore? Bushey? Don't know how you'd get to the hospital though.

Bushey is nice and v convenient for Habs. If you like that sort of thing. Good state schools too.

It'll be next to impossible to commute by rail from the Stanmore/Elstree area to the N Mid as the train lines all run into London then back out. Horrible!

The jams in the morning on the A406 N circular can be, um, interesting. You could drive from Stanmore via A41, A1 and A406 to the hosp quite easily (well, easily in terms of straightforward route! The queues are the problem)

But, living in Stanmore gives you a relatively doable drive to all the schools (as tiny said) from Northwood through Pinner, Harrow and to Habs. I know quite a lot of Stanmore mums who take their DC as far as Northwood every day, where there are three boys' preps, plus The Hall which is a co-ed nursery school and pre-prep with a good reputation for getting its pupils into good preps at 7+.

Is St Albans too far out? Its expensive but you'd be ok on your budget and there are lots of private schools to choose from.