Moving Canada to the UK in the summer

[JLoMum]

Wasn't sure where to post - but this seems the best.
We are moving to the UK from Canada in July of this year. I lived there previously, met DH there, brought him back to Canada - and are heading back with two little guys 6 and 9. We are moving back with my job so DH will be stay at home to get the boys settled and then start up a business (he has one here in Canada).

I have a couple of issues I am struggling with a keeping me up at night. Where to live and schools - so closely related. I will be traveling into Canary Wharf for the foreseeable future. At least 18months - I can probably limit it to 3 days a week instead of 5 - but I do need to be in the office and be present regularly - btw this is new for me I've been a work from home person for years - so a big adjustment. That being said I doubt it will be forever. Both of us are much more familiar with the West End though - lived in Winchester and St. Margaret's - pre kiddies.

We thought we'd start first with the school and go private, but my goodness they are such a price -when I realized (yes naive Cdn.) that the prices quotes were per Term (eg X3). I have a very good job and am paid well but with only 1 income for a time - I just don't think we can swing it - it was a great disappointment - bc now the idea of finding an area we want to live in, a school we like and will let us in and minimizing the number of changes for the boys - seems near impossible.

Here is the short list so far - Winchester - but 1hr 20 min commute and high price of a commute but lovely area for the long term. Still no idea how full the schools are...

Seven Oaks - shorter commute, but never been there and not sure about Kent - eg feeling like we are in the southeast corner and family friends all on the West/North West

and the wild card in all this is schools. I'd rather live in a town not a village - but wondering does the village perhaps afford a better school option - and if does anyone have good ideas of ones that aren't too small - eg a few good local shops, restaurants so we aren't getting in the car for everything - that is what we have now - and I hate it.

Open to advice & help. We won't manage to rent until prob August - so how do we get into a school for September and not be given one at the bottom of the barrel? Or do I need to resign myself to that and put the boys through school moves? Will be toughest on my 9 year old. All seems stacked against us?

JLo

I think there is a new well priced private in canary wharf that has great reviews... I'll see if i can find a link for you x

www.faradayschool.co.uk/about/

fees are approx £2500 a term... which is a lot but cheaper than most private schools in london

You are unlikely to be able to apply for a school place until you have a UK address.

Mumsnet has a lot of users who educate their kids privately, this isn't representative of the UK as a whole. There are lots of good state options depending where you live. You should check out wherever you live as you might be pleasantly surprised.

Essex would be good to commute to Canary Wharf, Herts and Kent not too bad. Winchester would be too far for me but there are lots of commuting mumsnetters who do further. I guess it depends on whether you mind.

I would think about commuting in from Essex or Suffolk, train to Stratford and DLR to Canary wharf , very doable , lots of good schools in North Essex and school fees less expensive too

How old is your eldest? If he's 10 before the end of August, you have very little time before the deadline for secondary applications, which is in October. If he's 10 in September or later then you've got another year.

Are you willing to move again before that deadline? If not, I would prioritise that over primary. Find a town you like, check out the secondary schools, rent somewhere where you've got a good chance getting in one you want, then see what you can do about primary.

This is even more important if you go for Kent, Bucks, or anywhere else with a selective secondary system.

On the plus side, you will be able to put yourself in the position of being an on-time application for secondary schools. If you were a few more years down the line it'd be even harder.

You need to break the problem down into manageble bits.......

You need to look at where can be reached on the Jubilee line, and the DLR.

Dont forget to look at places like Greenwich.....

Hello all, thank you for your advice...I've been making some research progress. Going to orchestrate a trip over soon, to tour the areas and visits some schools..right now the short list is Bishop's Strotford, Hitchin, Esher and Godalming...with prob BS and Godalming looking the most promising.....any thoughts? All under an hour commute...though Godalming only requires one change...and friends say it is lovely.

My oldest is 9, but a December babe...so still 2 years to go jr. school...they start a year later here typically, but he actually started at 4 bc of his bday....so hoping that bodes well for bring in sync with the ages and curriculum...he is in grade 4, so I believe would mean in September he would start year 5. Is there anywhere to get a view of the yr 4 curriculum to compare.... I don't want to fill his summer with school work, but might squeeze in a few lessons where we might be out of sync on topics. Also glad he can stay for a couple of years with his little bro..they are very close and he depends on his big bro for a lot.

Thanks again everyone!
JLo

Don't cram in the summer! Schools are well used to students coming from other curriculum's. It would be better for him to learn a bit more about his local area and just adjust (maybe go to a summer sports club). I assuming you are thinking of state schools? As private tends to be quite expensive.

Godalming to Canary Wharf will be more like 1 1/2 hours - at least it takes DH about that long from Guildford. But it is a nice place.

im going to throw Wanstead in here. its lovely area, wanstead high is a good secondary school. wanstead tube station is in the centeal line, canary wharf only 10 minutes from stratford on the jubilee line.

Yes agree I would be subtle if we covered anything - not going to put him to work :-)

Interesting what you say on the Godalming commute - here is the site I was using to judge the timing - perhaps it's not accurate?
www.commutefrom.com/

Maybe on the trip over I need to actual get on the train and try it?

Well that says 46 minutes to waterloo, which is probably the fastest commute time. then 9 minutes to Canary Wharf, but it doesn't allow for: walking between platforms and waiting for trains, or that that is the fastest train between Godlaming and Waterloo.
Transport for London suggest 17 minutes between Waterloo and Canary Wharf.
Transport Direct estimate about 1 hour 16 minutes, they are pretty accurate but can over estimate on connection times sometimes (and buses sometimes are a bit slow).

Do you have to live in London? We actually live on the Norfolk/Suffolk border and my DH works in London and does a door to door commute in under 2 hours (just!). Im not saying live that far out but perhaps look a little further afield maybe if you haven't considered it.

My DS1 is in Y4 at the moment (he was 9 in Feb) and will be going into Y5 in September so if there is anything in particular you'd like to know then please ask and I will try to help. He is in a local state school btw.

Thank you all for helping me get a better picture and what I want and don't. And the more accurate commute times are key... Yes I did consider living outside London and thought of leamington spa...which I remember so fondly, but the commute, even if I went in 3 days a week seems gruelling...my role is a ww exec role, so I will already be working odd hours and also hopping on planes, and from what I can tell the trains don't have wifi to even use it as productive work time. In London proper, I think might be a big shock to everyone's system given smaller spaces and how close quarters everything is... So I think just outside the m25 is probably the way to go.... Still be a lot less space but not too much...

And if Godalming is that far...and I decide to take the commute hit...then I think Winchester might be it.(if that is accurate).. Well we are planning a trip over dh and I the first week of May and will do a bit of touring around and try and get our short list shorter.

Thanks again!

I live not far from bishops stortford all the primary schools have really good reports the Hertfordshire council online have weekly updates of the primary school which have places it might be a good idea to have a look to see what your chance is of getting a primary school place, can't find the link but it's under school admissions www.hertsdirect.org

What about Epsom? Pretty decent schools and commute will be possible. Nice area to be in too if you dont want village but do want family friendly areas. if your considering Sevenoaks also perhaps check out Oxted. It is in Surrey but often easier commute than Sevenoaks.

The good thing about Godalming (and Guildford) over the other side of the M25 and Winchester, is how close they are to the Airports, Heathrow and Gatwick (Luton doesn't have as many flights).

There is often a queue at Waterloo to get onto the jubilee line platforms, which slows things down. Can you travel slightly before or after morning peak?