Help! I need to move to London, get 4 children into state schools and find a nice area to live in - any ideas?

[BeattieBow]

So we need to move to London - probably for Sept, but I don't have a clue where to start!

How do I get 4 state school places (3 at primary level, so in the same school please) before I have an address?

And where are nice areas to look in? We have lived in London before - in Hampstead (lovely, but can't afford it now!) and Kentish Town (do really like it) so know about schools etc there, but dh wants to live in a different area. We want somewhere nice and family orientated, with victorian/edwardian houses and quite alot of green - we spent alot of time on Hampstead heath when we lived there. I don't mind a bit of grit, but like the odd coffee place/nice boutique [shallow]

We were thinking about Wimbledon/Raynes Park/Kew, or possibly Teddington. I also like Crouch End/Muswell Hill but Dh not so keen because they're not on a train line.
But don't know which schools/roads are good.

We will not buy straight away and will rent so that will make the move slightly easier, but when we do buy our budget will be around £700k I think.

oh and to make things very difficult ds1 is autistic, and we presently send him to a private school - a very small quirky one which really suits him. Any ideas?

isgrassgreener I sent you an message - check the little envelope icon at the top of the page, it should have a red dot by it indicating that you have a message (if this all worked!). I have asked you about a school in M Hill - hope that's ok?!

bikeskirun - I don't think we can afford to buy a house between the commons can we? I have lived in Clapham and like it, but thought it was very expensive for a house?

My earlier comments re Balham apply even more strongly to between the commons.

Hard to find a terrace under 1 million there now. With 4 children I'm guessing you'd like more than 3 beds plus houses there tend to have small patios which is a bit meh with 4 TBH
then there's the hot competition for school places....

Ealing's nice. We relocated there last September and DD is at Montpelier which is a lovely school, large intake and often has spaces in various year groups. Pitshanger Lane is lovely - a villagey feel with lots of independent shops.

fulham? 5 bed house for 750

We live in Raynes Park/West Wimbledon and love it. So much green space, very family-orientated and very friendly.

DS goes to a fab, small C of E school (though we are non-religious). There will be 1-2 places coming up in what will be Year 2 in September (though I don't know if there is a waiting list) and a few of the classes further up already have places as some children get pulled out and sent to private schools. There are lots of excellent mainstream independent schools in the area and I believe the Hall School here which is a fab school right on Wmbledon Common has a specialist autism unit. There is also Eagle House in nearby Mitcham.

Thanks HouseofMirth do you mind if I PM you about schools? Dh is keen on Wimbledon.

Feel free!

I will follow this thread with interest. I am about to move and apply to get two children into a state school. I am planning to rent and then apply to the council with a list of preferences and see what happens. It is not possible to be given a place until you have an address in the relevant area.

Mrs R - whereabouts are you looking?

if it is primary stage, I have found that in each of my geographical areas, there are vacancies. I have a few schools where I can actually (in theory - need an address of course) get all 3 of my children in.

The problem is secondary schools. I have found some places for ds1 (in theory again) in a couple of schools, but they aren't fantastic. I would be moving this summer and then having to do the whole secondary transfer thing with dd1 straight away, so the key for me (now) is finding somewhere to rent in the very small catchment areas for good state secondary schools. It's too much to think about really and I am finding it very stressful. It's reminding me why I moved away from London in the first place!

Beattie, there is an ofsted outstanding secondary school off West Hill on teh A3 towards Wandsworth town Ashcroft, if you were keen on "north" wimbledon and southfields/earlsfield/putney areas. There is an ofsted outstanding primary on nearby Granville road. St Michaels

How did you get on in Wimbledon this weekend Beattie?

Hi Houseofmirth, we're going tomorrow instead. Only managed North London last week.

Seems ds will be the biggest challenge - we can get primary school places I think, although they may be in different schools, but v difficult to find spaces in y 7 or 8 ( from Sept) for secondary school.

Must admit am having a wobble about the whole thing now.