woodford/woodford green

[stressedsammy]

Hi, i am a long term mumsnet lurker! I am gearing up to buy a house at the end of the year (2014). I currently live in rented accommodation in the borough of camden, it is one bedroom and in a rough area. We are looking to buy way out of our comfort zone, so we are going to rent in the essex borders and see how we like it. I have narrowed down the search to woodford/woodford green and the thing that worries the most is my lack of knowledge of the local area. I have a three year old so will be considering primary school soon. I also don't know what streets are to be avoided, like i do for camden/islington/hackney areas.

I have seen properties around the west grove/prospect road area, but was wondering if the other side of the train track is better?

Prospect road is nice, lots of families. But the local school isn't quite as nice. My DD goes to Roding Primary and a few of her classmates are from prospect road, and apparently Ray Lodge is really big and a bit impersonal. Roding is nothing amazing on Ofsted, but they are really good with my DD, who has some additional needs.

We've only been here for four years, and don't know it as well as I would like, but I think Prospect Road is lovely, the other side of the train track is really nice, but more expensive to be honest. A friend lives up in Woodford Green proper off Sydney Road, and that's lovely too.

Steer clear of the other side of Snakes Lane East from Prospect Road, it can be a bit rough (not dangerous, just not well maintained). We live just off Roding lane north, right next to the massive park and opposite the school. Our cul de sac is lovely, but some of the roads near us are a bit grim.

Happy to offer what advice I can :) you do get a lot of bang for your buck up here, but I still mourn some of the nice things about living in Shoreditch.

Do you know what greenstead gardens is like? Is raylodge a bad school? Thanks