Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Property/DIY

Join our Property forum for renovation, DIY, and house selling advice.

Another thread about moving to Catford with a young family - advice and opinions welcome

5 replies

BenderBendingRodriguez · 24/01/2012 12:29

DH and I are finally ready to buy somewhere (have 2 DC aged 3yo and 6mo). Budget is £210k. We're currently renting in Sutton but can't afford anything worth having here, so were thinking of moving further out. However, I had a look at Catford and realised you can get 2-3 bed houses within our budget.

DH works in London so having a shorter commute would be fab both in terms of cost and time. I grew up in Blackheath and lived in Lewisham during my 20s so am at home in SE London, but don't know Catford particularly well. There seem to be lots of affordable houses in Bellingham, which is an area I don't know at all - not sure why this is?

What are people's thoughts on the area? I've had a brief look at Ofsted reports for local primaries and many of them seem to be good, very good or improving, but you can't really get a feel for a school just via Ofsted report so would be interested in other people's experiences. I do have quite a few friends living locally, some with young kids of their own, so there is the faint prospect of a social life already in place.

Sorry for the disjointed ramble, 3yo is wittering in my ear as I type! :)

OP posts:
suburbandream · 24/01/2012 17:06

Bumping for you - the only thing I know about Bellingham is it has a nice soft play/leisure centre right opposite the train station Grin. I live in Bromley and have a friend who is in Catford and has lived there for years with her DC. From what she says it seems there is lots to do for kids and schools are ok. The commute is good too, lots of options, lots of shops etc in Lewisham but you know that already

BenderBendingRodriguez · 24/01/2012 17:14

thanks suburban Grin

OP posts:
Bearcrumble · 24/01/2012 17:35

I don't live that far from Bellingham. It's mainly 1940s - 1950s housing. It's quite a deprived area. There is one primary school to avoid that I know of, called Hasletine (apparently has the worst Ofsted rating for the whole of Lewisham). There is a children's centre and something called the Gateway centre where they have activities for preschoolers and an under-5s play park. Also an adventure playground called 'The Dumps' and Beckenham Place park is massive - has proper woods.

BenderBendingRodriguez · 26/01/2012 07:45

Thanks Bearcrumble. I've got a few viewings booked for the weekend now and feeling strangely excited - something I never thought I'd say about Catford Grin

OP posts:
M6423 · 12/06/2012 10:06

I visited a new nursery Inchmery road, SE6. Its called sunshine day nursery, they are currently taking registrations and offering a hefty discount for the first few children, only registered for age 2-5 however they say they will be taking babies soon. Lovely nursery home from home environment they are listed on lewisham website, well worth a look.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page