Moving to north London zone3 , need help please

[sophiayao]

Hi, I am new on Mumsnet, I am going to move to north London zone 3 area, any suggestions on ofsted outstanding primary schools there, and good area? Thanks I have a 6 yr old daughter , desperate to find school ,because I am living in another town, London is totally new for me

Where exactly are you considering? Highgate, Wood Green, Tottenham, Wembley - all very different areas for different budgets in zone 3!

Thanks for your reply, I am considering along black line Brent cross golders green, highgate and Finchley , Finchley will be a desirable place to choose first, it's so difficult even to do some research to this area, headache

What FanDabbyFloozy said: you might need to pick an area and start looking at schools from there. Also please don't get hung up on Ofsted "outstanding" ratings, there are many schools with that grade which haven't been inspected in years (10+ not uncommon), through changes of head, because Outstanding schools become exempt from regular inspection. The current head of Ofsted is keen to change this but currently the exemption still stands.

Progress scores, whilst a flawed and horribly blunt instrument, are probably a better initial guide than an out-of-date Ofsted (there are several threads on here which discuss this very issue). Once you know your area, there are plenty of N London-based folk on here who should be able to help you out.

Martin School East Finchley

Sorry OP, x-posted! Finchley is great for both primaries and secondaries, and you should get more house for your buck than in Golders or Highgate (which is the most expensive of the areas you've named). Avoid Brent X, there are plans for huge expansion there which will be massively disruptive for years to come (also don't off the top of my head know any good primaries there but more than happy for someone else to come along and correct this!)

Thanks for ideas, has anyone know about colindale, it seems a new area , looks nice

Colindale is an area being redeveloped pretty extensively. Lots and lots of blocks of flats with good facilities being included. Not much character though. It's close to Burnt Oak which isn't that great but not far from Edgware which is better. In the other direction you're not far from Golders Green and Brent Cross. Decent primary schools in Edgware.

yes, I heard Edgware is not a bad choice, just a bit far, it's in zone5

Mill Hill and Mill Hill East are also worth considering. MHE has some new developments and is also on northern line.

Are you looking to rent or buy?

to rent

Edgware is nice but really is a long way out, doesn't feel like London. Mill Hill has the advantage of the Thameslink line with good connections to St Pancras but it's still a bit far out for my own taste. If schools are your main factor I would start in Finchley and work my way East (Burnt Oak as PP has said isn't great. Colindale OK if you don't mind the relentless development but not sure what the schools are like). Haringey has some very good schools.

Crouch End and Muswell Hill - tons of outstanding sin the latter but it's not zone 3.

East Finchley would get my vote or if budget allows, Muswell Hill. Martins school and Tetherdown are great primaries, and the secondary provision is good but look at eligibility carefully. (The Archer is a particularly strangely entrance criteria in my view).
Also consider High Barnet where there are great schools and housing around certain parts is very reasonable (e.g. the roads off Mays Lane).

Good advice from Zinnia if you want a zone 3 London feel. If that's not such a priority, check out Edgware. 35 mins on tube to Leicester Sq. Hendon also nice, new developments near Colindale. More established areas expensive per Golders Green. GG is great though. Good facilities and schools but might be pricey. It's very nice though. Also Muswell Hill, lovely but pricey.

Thanks for all your advice, it's really helpful, I know where to start to work on now, many thanks

Hello mumsnet. Please help. My husband and I decided to move to London - North London or North West London (which we prefer). We have two girls (8 and 13) and we are planning to buy a 3-4 bedrooms house. We looked at arears like Mill Hill, Stanmore, Winchmore Hill, Elstree, Finchley, Edgware, Barnet, but not sure which one is better. Can you advise which areas have good state schools, community, how secure, etc. Sharing your experiences it will be much appreciated. Many thanks

Hi ell0987, good decision, North London is great .

The areas you mention are quite different; Stanmore and Edgware are outer London; Mill Hill and Barnet (parts of it, it's a big area) slightly less so but still have a different feel from the inner zones; Elstree is not London at all. I don't know Winchmore Hill. Finchley is the most "London" of the areas you mention.

House prices in these areas can differ wildly, especially when you get into the "catchment" areas for popular schools (most non-selective schools admit by distance, which can of course vary considerably year by year). With an 8yo and a 13yo I would work your searches around secondary schools; you can't guarantee an in-year admission for your DDs of course but people move around a lot in London so it's more likely that a place would come up here than in more stable, less urban parts.

I don't know the schools in all these areas, but Barnet borough in particular has a reputation for very good schools though be mindful that it has a higher proportion than most of selective ones. There are also plentiful faith schools, most of which have a very good reputation. The Barnet league tables are a starting point though bear in mind they are a blunt instrument and nothing beats visiting schools for yourself. Also almost all the "top" secondaries in this table are either selective or faith schools so you will need to be very careful in how you approach them. "Super selectives" like QE Boys and Henrietta Barnett will be extremely difficult to get into, but the non-selective schools like QE Girls, Mill Hill County (which has a selective element), Archer (defined catchment), Wren (CofE), Bishop Douglass (Catholic), JCoSS (Jewish) are all very good, some excellent.

Community and safety will vary pretty much street-by-street in London so again you will need to visit and get a feel for areas. With a child going into primary school you should find it not too difficult to make friends in the area.

Thank you, Zinnia. Your input is much appreciated.

Burnt Oak is really coming up to be fair. The houses are solid and still pretty cheap. They have spent millions doing the parks up snd there is now a great sports/youth club that just costs £5 a year to join and they can be in there for hours for free. It was deprived but the old community is still there and its definitely better than it was. I have friends who teach there and the schools are very good.