Looking for a house in Bromley (London Borough)

[onaseem]

Hello, I am looking for a 3 bed house in Bromley. Have a 4 YO Son, that will need to go to school. I would really appreciate help on the best areas, and the best schools. Thanks.

Bromley has a lot of good and outstanding schools.

Harris Academy in Shortlands (which adjoins Bromley) has just received a G1 Ofsted. It is a brand new school and has a breakfast / after school club. There are lots of 3 bedroom houses in Queen Anne Avenue and the surrounding roads.

Thank you Chottie. What radius would consitute the catchment area.

Pretty much all of the schools in Beckenham/Bromley/Hayes and West Wickham are very good.

Hayes is a lovely place to live.

Thank you scrivette for the note. I probably will not be able to afford Hayes with my budget. What is the next best option. My budget is 500K.

I agree with PP's but not all schools have the upper Ofsted ratings. £500k sadly doesn't go that far in Bromley and the catchment areas are extremely tight. My Sis in law missed out on a church school place by 2 house numbers to give you an idea (Beckenham and not the posh side of it!). Have you thought about moving further into Kent? You'll get so much more for £500k and schools are also excellent with less rigid catchments areas. Good luck!

Hello thanks Pradaqueen. Can you recommend some areas. I have heard that Biggin hill is good followed by Orpington. Please let me know your thoughts.

Will do later onaseem!

Hello Onaseem,

Have a look at westerham. Lovely village. Good schools. Grammar options for secondary. By no means your only option, but have a look at this one as an idea of space. You'd probably spend £700k+ in Beckenham/ nice parts of Bromley for the same amount of space.

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-65505989.html

Crofton end of Petts Wood is great, you get Outstanding Crofton at primary and Darrick at Secondary or for boys Ravenswood is popular too. DD is at the local grammar so you have the Kent, Bexley and Orpington grammars as options too. The more modern properties are spacious and you get a lot for your money as not as popular as the 1930s build, but you still get a good area and good schools. For example this town house: www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-49598043.html

Bromley has many different areas with good schools. Other than budget what are your other criteria...travel/commute... Do you like more urban more suburban...are you ok driving everywhere or do you like to be able to walk places..

OP - Biggin Hill is a very mixed area. The transport links are not good. The nearest station would be Bromley South and the bus routes are limited and not very regular.

Also there is a large expansion of the airport planned, so even more flight traffic over BH.

Hello all, thanks for the comments / notes.

Pradaqueen - I looked at westerham. Overall the houses appear good but in my budget it may be tight. Also would be helpful if you could let me know about the grammar schools and if there is an issue of catchment area also applicable to grammar schools.

PettsWoodParadise - I have looked at the link and also looked at other houses. Yes you are right. There is a fair choice of housing within budget. Which grammar school will be nearest and is a catchment area necessary for the grammar schools.

Andcake - I need a 3 bed house, in a good neighborhood, with good access to transport links. Ideally should be able to get to central london (victoria or london bridge) within 30 - 45 minutes will be great.

Chottie - When you say BH is a mixed area. What do you mean. With the airport expansion do you think is there a possibility of house price increase and added transport links.

Most of bromley is nic just depends on what kind of nice - I can't stand petts wood, find Orpington a bit of a nowhere land but liked beckenham.
We also saw some nice ish places near central bromley itself. Our budget was s but bigger than yours but not a lot.

Grammar schools are bromley wide but tough to get into. I think it's too 90 girls and top 90 boys. Some people aim for Kent grammars also.

Dc still at primary so we haven't faced that yet.

It's always easier to be at least 15 min walk to station. Orpington station has fast trains to London Bridge ( when no engineering works or refers) biggin hill isn't really near any station. The Victoria trains stop everywhere and are slower anywhere down that line is ok to live once you pass kent house.

Beckenham has trains to Victoria (25mins) and London Bridge (35 mins)

Petts wood is also s good place for both stations.

Ravensbourne is also relatively reasonable price wise but would need to drive to shops.

Onaseem, no catchment for St Olaves, it is in Orpington so your nearest grammar and very hard to get into. Chislehurst & Sidcup Grammar (co-Ed) is another option, you only need a pass in the Bexley test and then it is on distance and it comes out a fair way, as does Beths the boys only grammar. Dartford grammar in Kent is available but as not in Kent you need a good score but there is a direct provate coach from Petts Wood. Then there are a few other boys grammars in Kent that go on score so available to out of county applicants but as I have a DD I am less familiar with all those options. If your child is 4, probably best not worry about it now but once in year 4 head over to the elevenplusexams forum for some more insight. I appreciate Petts Wood isn't to everyone's taste (certainly not Ancakes) but I love its community feel, family events they put on throughout the year, excellent links into London, green spaces, facilities, and shops and restaurants.

My best tip is to visit some of the recommended areas and do some house viewings. There were areas I'd been recommended that I thought I'd love and really disliked.

pettswood-paradise 😀 I grew up in petts wood and lived their until I escaped to uni my views are probably coloured by mine and my siblings and friends hatred of the place as teenagers onwards 😀
However I can see the advantages as a mum...we only returned to the borough due to supporting family so I'm a bit live hate about the whole place.

Hello PettsWoodParadise, thanks for your valuable input on schools. YOu are right may be it is a bit early to worry about secondary school as my son has 6 more years to go. AGain there is the option of private schools also, which can be easily explored. Please see link below for the house which i am considering as an option. Let me know your thoughts.

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-49594425.html

Chislehurst is fab, moved here to raise my family. Pricey but there are some bargains to be found. House opposite me currently up for sale for 500k. Great schools and 20 mins on train to London Bridge.

Hello newmumFeb17, thanks for the note. Would it be possible for you to either share the link or the address for the property opposite to your house. Thanks.

Chislehurst is a bit problematic for secondary for boys as the Bullers for Boys hasn't yet got planning and the other main option of Coopers isn't wholly popular but on the up. That property onaseem seems lovely, a trek from Crofton to either PW or Orp but that is you main compromise, bear in mind they are building loads of houses next door to Darrick so catchment may change and also the quality of the school.

Hello PettsWoodParadise, thanks for the note. I agree with you. Is there a catchment issue for independent schools also or anyone can apply. Also are there any independent grammar schools nearby.

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-64929602.html

Hopefully that link works! Needs modernisation, but a great location.

Independent schools don't have catchment. The most popular tend to have selection tests. Boys from the area go to Bickley Park, Eltham College, Alleyns, Sevenoaks & Dulwich. As most don't start until age 7 or 11 then popular preps are Braeside, Babington etc. Bursaries don't generally exist until Y7. DD was at an all girls independent until she started at grammar and so I generally only know of the boys schools through the brothers of DD's friends. There are some quite poor independents too so don't assume they will necessarily be better than the state option.

www.zoopla.co.uk/for-sale/details/43635037?search_identifier=284537a3ba72ef01c5a5f94093fab0fb
This house is 75K under your limit and close to St George's Bickley Church of England (Ofsted good, above average results and top 10% of schools nationally for reading). Easy walk to Bickley Station, 8-10 minutes. www.zoopla.co.uk/for-sale/details/43970912?search_identifier=284537a3ba72ef01c5a5f94093fab0fbThis one is larger and would give you a choice of Bickley or Chislehurst for commuting.

OP, if you are interested in fee paying schools, the Bickley house is 5 minutes walk down the lane to Bickley Park.

@Pradaqueen

Which is not the posh side of Beckenham?

We've visited a couple of times but just curious, I think i could work it out but wanted to ask!