Moving to London in three weeks. Looking for a good primary school.

[confusedmum1]

We are looking to move to London in about 3 weeks. DH will be working in Moorgate in one of the banks. I am very confused about where to look for houses in the catchment of good/outstanding primary schools that wont make life too difficult with commute etc. Please suggest.

[horsemadmom]

Also have a look at St Albans on your budget. Fast train to Moorgate takes about 20 mins and you can position yourselves for Dame Alice Owen catchment.

[LIZS]

It is very common to live outside London and commute to the city for work. Relatively few of your dh's colleagues, especially those with families , will live in Central or even Outer London. Property tends to be cheaper so 1500pcm becomes more realistic, lifestyle less urban but obviously travel time - an hour to an hour and a half door to door gets you outside M25 -and cost rises. You need to focus less on individual schools and ore on the overall package when looking for a place to live . Even areas with apparently "good" schools may only have places to offer at more so-so ones. Infant class sizes will restrict much movement between now and Year3. Look at a map together and depending on where you come from or have relatives to visit etc and access to London Bridge or Liverpool Street stations should help you decide which areas to look at

[bamboostalks]

There's so much scare mongering re scarcity of London school places. There are lots of schools with capacity in year 1. Richmond has some itself, that message is incorrect and bizarre. You need to ring the LA and get a list, school census has just been done so the info shoud be accurate. You need to have far clearer idea of your area.

[LIZS]

London itself is so diverse - culturally, socially, politically, pace of life, range of facilities etc - that emphasising education as your primary criteria may end up with you living in an area that doesn't really suit. Do you work or intend to do so , what type of area are you used to and what are you hoping to find in your new one.

[GillyBillyWilly]

I think someone up thread has already mentioned it but try looking in hither green.

It takes 9 mins to get to London bridge (sometimes longer depending on the train you get) and then your DH could walk to Moorgate.
Or get a quick bus/tube if he can't be bothered to walk...! Depends on the weather as well I suppose!

House prices are good in hither green... Good schools... Close to blackheath/Greenwich... Big Sainsburys nearby at lee green.

Also only 10-15 mins walk to lewisham if your DH wanted to get the dlr to bank instead.

[DrinkFeckArseGirls]

So your DD will have a gap in her schooling continuity?

[nicename]

I haven't read the whole thread (off to work). But if working at moorgate check homes with links to Bank and Liverpool st stations. Commuting can really suck and banks are still moving out to canary wharf, which can be a real sod to get to!even Cannon st isn't too bad.

[nicename]

Where are you relocating from? Will your husbands firm help with advice?

[confusedmum1]

Thanks all for the replies. They're a great help. We are in Dublin, so wont be too hard to move, I think. we will be visiting there often before the final move for viewings etc.

[nicename]

At least there won't be a language barrier!

[Moominmammacat]

Or south Herts ... cheaper and good trains to Moorgate

[juniper9]

Our 2 bed flat in Wimbledon was £1400 a month. You're incredibly unlikely to find a 3 bedroom house for £1500 in that part of London. Balham, clapham, earlsfield and wandsworth are similar.

There are good schools in most areas, but they're highly sought after and house prices near by will be even higher than the norm.

For £1500 a month I think you'll really struggle. Sorry- I don't mean to be doom and gloom about it. Have you looked on rightmove for an idea of prices?

[LIZS]

You could get a 3 bed for about 1200 further out, with commuting costs 250-300 pcm.

[idril]

I second the redbridge suggestion. In particular look at South Woodford. Really easy commute to the city, a few outstanding and lots of good schools and places are likely to come up quickly because the schools are quite big and there is quite a lot of movement so places come up even in the outstanding schools.

You could definitely get a 3 bedroom house for £1500 per month.

[Elibean]

It's nonsense that there are no KS1 places in Richmond primaries.

But it is true that rental prices are high in this borough, so have a look at house agencies before deciding!

I have a 6 year old dd, and my went to school in Dublin. Good luck with the decisions, and the move, confusedmum

[MortaIWombat]

Try places on the new East London line like Forest Hill/Honor Oak in SE23, or Sydenham in SE26. ABout 13 minutes into London Bridge from FH and then walk, or take the Overground and change onto the Northern.

Plenty of 3 bed places for 1500 a month. A selection:

Forest Hill

Honor Oak


Forest Hill

Sydenham

Sydenham

I only know primaries in Forest Hill, but Horniman, Fairlawn, Eliot Bank, Dalmain, Kilmorie are all very good, some excellent, and sought after by thsoe from neighbouring SE22 where the catchments are often smaller because of the dense population/nappy valley syndrome.

[missinglalaland]

Try the far northeast end of the central line. Either Redbridge, or Epping Forest areas. Housing is cheaper, it's still leafy, the commute the City is a breeze and there are plenty of good primaries.

Here are the postcodes and best schools along the line, that I know through word of mouth. You can use the post codes to search Rightmove for properties.

Southwoodford, E18 - I don't know the good school there!
Woodford, IG8 - Churchfields School
Buckhurst Hill, IG9 - St John's CE or Buckhurst Hill Primary
Loughton, IG10 - Staples Road

If you are Catholic you can try St Anthony's in Woodford (catchment of woodford and Buckhurst Hill) or St John Fisher in Loughton.

[TheDoctrineOfSpike]

Enfield? But one station is more convenient to moorgate than the other.

[confusedmum1]

Thanks much guys. I have been looking at St. albans and Werwyn/ Werwyn garden city. I can see good schools and affordable properties. any ideas around these areas. We prefer quiet location suitable for families.

[horsemadmom]

Really do look at Potters Bar /Dame Alice Owen catchment. It's worth it's weight in gold for secondary school admissions. Super transport links to Moorgate.

[tricot39]

I heard that St Albans was very tricky for secondary catchments.... Don't know the details but you can search old mumsnet threads if no one with more detailed information comes along.

[AbiRoad]

I think if you are trying to get mid year admission, there is no poitn researching to find your ideal area/school as if the school is good it will noy have space. You need to start by working out which schools have places (whether state or private if that is feasible) and work around what is available. Otherwise you are setting yourself up for huge disappointment.

[Herisson]

if the school is good it will noy have space

This really isn't necessarily the case. My DD's school has been recently unpopular in the local area (probably due to Satisfactory rating dating back quite some time with no inspections in between) but was recently rated Good by Ofsted and a couple of the other nearby schools which had been wildly popular (maybe still are, who knows) were downrated from Outstanding to Good. So my DD's school has spaces in KS1 classes and KS2 classes and is a good school (I would actually say a wonderful school and I far preferred it to the others when I looked round them all) but still isn't popular. We are kind of spoilt for choice round here though (Richmond). There really aren't any actually bad primary schools.

[pyrrah]

Don't discount places in SE London. Southwark has some amazing schools and it's lovely area - greenest borough in London in terms of parks and outside spaces. You can get to Moorgate from the London Overground via a quick switch at Whitechapel. Otherwise straight up on the Northern line.

[cityangel]

another vote for East Finchley here. If there are no tubes or you miss the last tube it is on the bus/ night bus route that follows the Northern Line. In the summer you have the Muswell Hill/ Crouch End pub life not so far away.
Between Moorgate and East Finchley are the restaurants of Upper Street Islington if you want to meet half way babysitters permitting.

Schools:
Example catchment road Creighton Avenue, N2 (split between borough of Barnet & Haringay)
www.martinprimary.barnet.sch.uk/
www.coldfall.haringey.sch.uk/
www.tetherdownschool.org/

www.fortismere.haringey.sch.uk/page/default.asp?title=Home&pid=1