Crouch End or Richmond way with kids?

[specstest]

Which would you prefer? I'm liking CE as lots of great primaries, nice high street, parks, bit lefty, near the heath and easy to get to central London but also like Richmond as on the river, have the park, also great primaries and good shops. Commute also good.
But CE crime is higher and more urban but Richmond has issue of plane noise.

I'd go for Richmond personally. You don't notice the planes after a bit. Both are nice areas though.

CE is fab but schools are heavily subscribed if that's a factor in your decision (speaking from personal experience!)

How high is your budget & what sort of schools are you interested in? Richmond is better for Heathrow or Gatwick & if you are likely to go west or south regularly. We used to travel a lot so near Heathrow was important.

We have 1.4m (which will just scrape us what we want! Madness!) though we are restricted by needing to be in catchment for state primary.
I know more about CE primaries than Richmond at the moment so any help there also useful to help decide!
I think I do prefer Richmond too as do worry a bit about bringing kids up in London, though aware CE is a nice bit of London, Richmond feels more safe I guess for kids to walk about on their own when older...

Don't need airports especially nor need to travel out either way so not a deciding factor there.

Are those the only two areas you're considering? Richmond has the lowest crime rate in London. Along with Kingston and Sutton. The latter two are also more affordable and both are in the top 3 local authorities in the coutry for attainment in schools. I don't think there is any plane noise either. Kingston has a lovely town centre, the river and 1.4m would get you a lovely family house. Sutton ( South Sutton/Cheam/Belmont/Carshalton) is also fantastic for families with top state schools, super save and withing a longer walk to the greenbelt, farms, lavender fields etc. For 1.4m you'd get a luxury detached house. Could be worth considering.

Richmond has tube & overground though... what are the primary schools like in Sheen? Cheaper than Richmond itself & can catch overground/bus to Hammersmith.

Very true, there in no underground here or no buses to Hammersmith (SM2). However, it is zone 5 with direct trains into Victoria, the City, King's Cross + peak time services to London Bridge. My husband prefers the commute to when we lived in zone 2 as it's direct and he always gets a seat... On the school front, a few of the local state primaries have large fields and heated swimming pools + there are 5 grammar schools locally. Houses are relatively cheap too so for 1m+ you get a vast house, often with a pool or other perk. The one downside - Sutton High Street has pretty cheap shops so you need to go further afield for nice clothes. I suppose it's just boils down to people's preferences really.

I agree Kingston is a great choice. No plane noise and in North Kingston you have 4 outstanding state primaries to choose from! For 1.4million you'd get a nice 4/5 bed Victorian semi on one of the smarter roads in catchment for a couple if them.

Of them.

I grew up in Crouch End and though it's changed a lot since I was little, I hear it still has this really rare villagey vibe that you don't get in most places in London. Really nice community spirit and lots to do, plus very easy to get to the Victoria line in Finsbury Park. I went to Coleridge primary and still think about how great it was all the time! But I've never been to Richmond so don't have a meaningful opinion, just wanted to chip in : ) Good luck with the move

Not sure you ever get used to plane noise.... might be a personal thing but I lived in Richmond area for 10 years and when I left, I swore I would NEVER live under a flight path as long as I lived. Didn't quite happen like that but heh ho. Never as close or with as frequent planes as Richmond. That said, I loved living there, kids were 1 and 3 when we left.

I never minded the planes. Richmond primaries are some of the best in the country. I can't think of a bad one but they are heavily oversubscribed. Secondaries not so good unless you're willing to fork out for independent school or the tutoring needed to get into a selective.

Richmond is getting more like Kensington with a wealthy vibe and is definitely much less real than it used to be imo.

I also liked Crouch End but didn't love it.

I like Kingston and Blackheath but also Newham and other places like that. I'd broaden your search.

We moved from Richmond because of the planes. We very occasionally hear one here in Ham. Great place for children and Ofsted outstanding school. Lovely walk or cycle along riverside to Richmond.

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-60911375.html

Not been to Richmond, but CE is a great place to live. Lots of green space, good facilities, lots of stuff going on for kids. The downsides are the lack of tube and it can be a bit 'rah'.

We left CE after 6 years there recently as firstly the laid back, artsy vibe it had when we moved in is fading away due to rise in property prices in the area meaning all the arts & media lot are moving out and the banker & lawyer crowd are moving in.

Also we are expecting DC1 & the primary schools are so oversubscribed that even if you live a few hundred metres away its increasingly likely your child will have to go to school in Wood Green.

We're in Stroud Green, just south of CE (can walk there in 10/15 min) but also close to Stroud Green Road with cafes, shops etc and easy access to Finsbury Park station. I love it. You do need to research recent catchment areas though and buy a place ideally build one in the playground across the road from a primary school...

Thanks everyone. Hmm lots to think about...
We've done a lot of research into other areas and would rather be in these two places and have smaller place than somewhere else nearby but with less character or transport access. That said, considering around sheen, mortlake etc though know nothing about here and they feel like less of a place than Richmond iyswim?
Argh. Or maybe we should leave altogether. Paralysed by indecision.

Lol. If you don't mind a smaller place but would like to be closer in, then I'd throw Dulwich and Wandsworth into the mix lol With your budget, if you'd be happy with a 3/4bed terrace, there are very many upmarket areas to choose from ;) Most will have at least one decent state school - it's then a case of moving close enough to it.

How about Highgate Village? It's got the tube just down the hill, lovely village feel and lots of parks. Not sure about the schools but I'd say roughly the same house prices as CE.

I've lived in both areas and Crouch End wins hands down, it's got more of a community vibe and is so much more convenient. Also I love the river but the people make a place and Crouch End has agreat community.

Our house is valued on Zoopla at £1.4m - we are in the catchment area for Coleridge and the house is a big Victorian villa. More bang for your buck in crouch end. We often drive into town at the weekend, 20 minutes and youare in Soho. Dh cycles and can be at work in Holborn in 25 minutes.

Highgate is nice but a bit old and quite, although there are better pubs.

Not sure why people worry about bringing up kids in London, it is amazing, we spend more time outdoors than our country friends and there is always something to do unlike in the sticks where they can get up to mischief because there is bugger all to do.

Agree MrsMarigold, I few up in a seaside town and knowing what kids and teens get up to there, id much rather bring mine up in London !

Argh typos