Twickenham vs Raynes Park for living and education

[Mumlondon12]

We’re planning to move and are deciding between Twickenham and Raynes Park with a budget slightly over £1 million for a family home (ideally semi-detached or detached).

Our school choices are either Wimbledon Common Prep School (WCPS) or Hampton Prep/Hampton School, so proximity to either is key.

Both of us commute into Central London daily for work, so good transport links are a priority.
• Which area offers a better family lifestyle?
• How do the commutes compare from Twickenham vs. Raynes Park?
• Any insights on housing options, local amenities, and community feel in these areas?

We have a 3-year-old and are looking for a family-friendly neighborhood with good transport links, green spaces, and a strong community vibe. Would love to hear your thoughts or experiences!

I don't know Raynes Park though I think you might get slightly more house for your money there than Twickenham. Twickenham has fast trains to Waterloo as well as the loop ones and links to the tube in Richmond. We love it for the river and nearby parks. It's a lovely area to live in. Our DC are grown up now but there's plenty of activities for younger families and enough family friendly places to eat out in Twickenham, Teddington and Richmond. Good public transport for Hampton school when your DC is older and other private and good state schools if you change your mind about Hampton.

I agree with the above poster. Twickenham is lovely and there’s plenty of other private schools in the area if Hampton prep or the senior school doesn’t work out. So many clubs for children. Beautiful greenery- easy choice if you ask me

3rd vote for Twickenham here! You can’t beat living by the river, it is really special
Fast Trains are only 23 mins to Waterloo

Thank you so much for all the replies! What do you think about the drop off/ pick up journey from twickenham to Hampton school? Are there any families or who live around there and drop dc to the school?

Don’t. The traffic is a nightmare. There are regular buses and school buses. You could live in Hampton or Hampton Hill so walkable

In Twickenham there are several prep schools but also many outstanding state primary schools, we’ve been super happy and impressed with our state

I'm in the Wimbledon area and considered WCPS for my son. Raynes Park is a nice place to live and family friendly, but outside the fast trains on the Waterloo line I'd say for local amenities it's less well-connected, transport-wise than Wimbledon itself. You'd need to rely on a car or local buses for school runs before any mainline commute into town. If your son got into Squirrels, how easily might you manage the school run? The two main roads into that area of Wimbledon are pretty jammed at peak time. I know a lot of people who spend a lot of time shuttling back and forth. Also, you'll need a plan for moving schools again at the 7+. Despite claims, it's not a done deal that WCPS boys all get into Kings, for example.

@Mumlondon12 , I live in Esher and have a ds at Hampton school and use to live in Twickenham.
The traffic from Twickenham to Hampton is very bad, you need to either use the public buses or the school coach routes. (I think it's from age 7). The trains from Hampton to London are slow and the prep is a distance from the train station. Spend some time on Google maps in the morning to see the traffic.
The state primary schools in Twickenham are very good and Hampton school takes 50% at least from state primary schools at age 11.

The Raynes Park primary schools are also very good. Both areas give you access to grammar schools too.

Focus on a family home and commute and then look for primary or prep schools - you have The Mall and Newland House too. Are you planning to use a nanny for pick up / drop off and school holidays etc which are 19 weeks per annum.

If your child is 3 have you heard back from either school as you should have done so by now? That might make your decision easier?

Go to surbiton

Schools in the Raynes Park/Merton Park/South Wimbledon area are very good - from primary through to secondary, so not sure why you're focusing on private schools?

All these things:

family-friendly neighborhood with good transport links, green spaces, and a strong community vibe

... will be satisfied by the local communities