Advice on Chiswick

[Jer79]

Hi,
We are looking to move to Chiswick in the New Year, with a view to renting first. We have a small baby now, so would only be thinking of schools in a few years. Does anyone have any opinions on what the various bits of Chiswick are best/any to be avoided? I know the Glebe area off Devonshire Road reasonably well, but Grove Park? The Acton side of Bedford Park? The other side of Great Western Road? Around Chiswick rail station? We are fairly clueless, and all pointers would be wonderful. We are looking for a 2 bed flat/house with a garden.

Any Chiswick people out there with general tips and favourite things to do with a baby?

I love Chiswick.
It's all nice to be honest. Bedford park is lovely v expense and if you stay inside Southfield road it's nice, but the other side towards acton slightly less nice. Acton itself is a dump bit there are some lovely big houses for a lot less.

Grove park/around other side a4/ near chair in rail all lovely. Houses bigger than glebe estate. Downside longer walk to tube/high road. I also really like down by the river/strand on the green-eg magnolia road Thames road there are some lovely pubs on the river and annies restaurant

The school everyone talks about is Belmont but it has a v small catchment

Things for kids- kew gardens nearby is FAB including the climbers and creepers kids bit or just a picnic on the grass. Chiswick house grounds in grove park In the summer there is a paddling pool and sand pit near corney reach where farmers Market is held

Lots and lots of kiddie classes going on

Enjoy!

Chiswick is v nice. Grove Park is pretty and more affordable but the planes are very noisy down there and it's not that convenient for the High Road shops etc.

Watch out for road noise if you are on one of the roads leading down to the A4.

Quite a few roads with smallish houses north of the high road towards Hammersmith and south around the town hall.

Belmont is the school everyone wants to go to but v hard to get into. Hogarth School used to be appalling but may have improved.

With a bay it's nice to be within walk of the high road / library etc. Glebe estate you will find you only get a very small house for your money - you may have more luck looking at the roads off the very top end of The Avenue. Also Church Road, Antrobus Road etc around Bollo Lane and Acton LAne.

If you're concerned about schools it would be worth checking out the catchment area of Belmont which is very long and thin so you may be surprised what is catchment and what isn't, although the reputation of Southfield is improving. There are also lots of good nurseries.

Sorry, with a baby...!

Thanks Staverton, Kit and betterwhenthesunshines, this is really good stuff. I can't work out why the whole Glebe bit is so extortionate given its catchment. As a rental for the first year, as we figure it out in situ, does anyone have any advice on the three B's on Sutton Court Road? They seem like an old-school American apartment building but I get the impression that people are mixed on how good they are. To buy, we are looking for the ground floor of a period house I think, to get the garden.

What would you say are your specific favourite five things about Chiswick?

Annie's is a great tip, Staverton. I only know around Turnham Green Terrace and the High Road, so that's brilliant to know about.