Moving out of London to seaside

[Dinesen]

Anyone living by the seaside? Just looking for a few pointers - re nice areas, schools and commuting to London. Looking for a three bed period home, budget is around £450,000. We have become a bit stuck in our two bed flat in London and it really is time to move on! We initially looked at Bishops Stortford, which seemed a nice enough old market town with an anglo-european secondary school, which would suit us. Then an old colleague told me about Leigh on Sea and I initially dismissed it - partly because it is grammar school territory and I don't really believe in dividing kids at such a young age. But then we went to visit and the sea and the buzz of the town won me over. And someone told me that as long as there is a good alternative, if they don't make grammar school, then it's fine. But I still have concerns. On the one hand I want to give our daughter the chance to go to grammar school, if we do move to grammar school territory and if she has the potential. On the other hand, I'm a bit worried about all the pressure and the segregation of girls and boys at secondary school too, which just seems a bit past century to me (they all have to get on later in life). I have also started looking at Whitstable/Tankerton online but have yet to visit. Like the idea of it being near Canterbury. And even been looking at Broadstairs, which looks stunning, but unless hubby changes jobs that is not feasible. I currently work from home as a journalist/researcher but need to get into London a few times a months for interviews and events. Hubby is a chef doing corporate fine dining in Canary Wharf. Currently it takes him 20 mins by motorbike and 45 mins on pushbike to get to work. He is trying to get a licence for a bigger motorbike so he could commute in from outside London. He likes his Monday to Friday hours (works 7am to 3.30pm most days) so doesn't want to do restaurant/hotel work. Hence he can't really see himself working outside the capital, as he says the pay for chefs outside London is rubbish unless you run your own business with all the commitment that entails. And he wants to save money on commuting by avoiding the trains. He thinks Leigh on Sea would just about be doable by motorbike although the roads look scary (about 45 mins commute each way). And he says we can look at Whitstable too, but not sure if the daily commute would be too much - as he obviously doesn't have option of working any days from home. Any thoughts on Whitstable Vs Leigh on Sea re community, schools, commute to London etc? Or other areas? Ta so much!

A daily commute to and from Whitstable on a bike would be hard particularly in the winter months. It's quite cut off. Leigh on sea is a bit closer and the train connections are easier if biking gets hard. Both nice places (as is Canterbury) with vibrant communities. I prefer Whitstable/Canterbury to Leigh though. What about Faversham? Slightly nearer to London, cheap housing, good schools, lovely little town with Oare Marshes on the doorstep.

Essex isn't a proper grammar school county like Kent, there are only a few grammar schools so the remaining schools are fine (I don't like grammar schools either). You don't have to put them in for the 11+. I don't know what it's like nowadays, but when I was growing up in Essex hardly anyone sat the 11+ (I did, and failed!). My brother lived in Leigh-on-Sea for about 10 years and I liked it when I visited him. Very much a commuter town, but then anywhere that allows your husband to commte to London is likely to be that! It's considered the most desireable of the towns along that line into Fenchurch Street - you might get more for your money in one of the others, but fewer nice independent cafes and shops etc.

I'm a biker (albeit a big bike) and the A13 is fine for commuting (assuming he has a 125?) Lots of bikers commute on this road with canary wharf being so close. C2C is the train line in to fenchurch street.

Leigh is lovely but beware of all the tourists in warm weather etc if you're thinking of being right by the coast. It does get extremely busy and some residents feel trapped.

Thanks so much for all the feedback and suggestions. Really useful and got me thinking again. It looks like Leigh on Sea is still the best option for commuting for biker hubby. Yes Berimbola, he currently has a 125 and is planning to get a bigger motorbike once he passes test and we move. Good to hear that you think it's a feasible commute by bike as roads do look very busy and I'm sure it will be tiring. Yes, I can imagine Leigh gets busy in summer and beach relatively small. Visited three or four times now but not on really busy days. I do like the look of Whitstable too with bigger beach, but think you are probably right MrsPatmore that the commute might be too hard by bike. And our budget would probably be quite stretched there. I did actually look at Faversham (well only through online research so far) and just took another look after you mentioned it. It does look a very handsome town and it definitely looks like we could get a better/lovely house for our money there. And if there is a good community and schools then that sounds great. But distance wise it is coming up as 53.9 miles (1 hour and 4 mins) from Faversham to Canary Wharf compared to 33.8 miles (58 mins) from Leigh on Sea to C.W., according to AA route planner. Timewise not a massive difference though, so not sure if it would be harder or not on motorbike. A London friend actually mentioned that they had friends who moved to Faversham. She said they had got a lovely house. Only thing she found was that there weren't a lot of older mums like herself at school gate. I'm happy to make friends with likeminded people whatever age, but it is of course nice to have other older mums (I'm 46 with an 8 year old girl in year 4). Any thoughts on secondary schools in Faversham and Leigh on Sea? And what it is like growing up there when they become teenagers? - I have a very active and social girl. You're right that I don't have to put our daughter through the 11 plus JustAnotherManicUsername. Guess my decision will depend on how she develops at school over the next year or two and whether there are good alternatives/comprehensives in area we choose. I would hate to risk making her feel 2nd class if she didn't pass the 11 plus. But on the other hand, I guess I would want to give her the opportunity if teachers thought she was likely to pass and if comprehensive schools in area didn't have as good a reputation. It's really tricky! I wasn't aware however that Essex is less grammar orientated than Kent. Part of me also wonders, if we should just opt for Bishops Stortford, so we could try getting her into top ranked comprehensive there. But I'm really longing to be near the seaside.

Faversham and the surrounding villages are lovely and you’d get more for your money than in Canterbury or whitstable. There’s also more choice. I’m guessing Birchington is too far? IMO it’s a lovely seaside town and I have a friend who commutes daily.

Thanks for input newhousenewstart (like your name!). Yes, Birchington looks a bit too far for daily commute on motorbike. Good location by the sea, but maybe also a bit small for us though I have never been there - would like somewhere with a bit of a buzzing towncentre. I did glance at Herne Bay but again probably a bit too far and seems to be getting mixed reviews. But again, I've never been to get a feel for the place. Guess we are looking for a mixture of a charismatic/cultural town and seaside within reach of London by road/motorbike. Not asking much :) :)

We currently live in East London and although I like the cultural side and we are part of a great community here, I do get fed up with grubby streets and kicking cans on the school run. And we are now priced out anyway! So looking for somewhere more pleasant (clearly I'm getting older!) that will feel safer as our daughter grows up and becomes a teenager (had recent gang stabbings and shootings round here). Although, I know things can happen everywhere. But somewhere with good choice of activities and possibilities for young people too. Spent our holiday in Cornwall and if we didn't have to worry about work, I would probably happily immigrate down there :) Nature and culture rolled into one :)

I’d personally avoid Herne Bay. It’s often ‘buzzing’ but probably not in the way you’d like it to be! Faversham and whitstable have good restaurants but whitstable is probably better for things like live music. Canterbury really is the loveliest place out of them all imo

Moved last year to Folkestone and absolute love it. Lots of lovely period housing stock and Your budget should get you a good sized detached with maybe a bit of land. Hubby commutes daily on HS1 and it’s quicker than when we lived in the burbs. All our children in good school, Will definitely tick all of your boxes and only twenty minutes from Canterbury....

Thanks for heads up about Herne Bay newhousenewstart. Probably bit too far anyway. Cantebury is lovely and some good houses coming up within our budget, which I was pleasantly surprised about. But I wouldn’t no if they were in nice part of town. Still fancy being by the sea though. Folkestone looks a good location LurksNoLonger. But my husband wants to commute daily by motorbike to Canary Wharf. So looking too far by road. Need to try and stay within an hours commute by road each way, as it will be physically demanding on bike. I currently work mostly from home but need trainline on doorstep in case job situation changes in the future. I would really like a decent sized garden, which you don’t always get with period townhouses, but we have no need for any extra land.

I wouldn't worry about the grammar versus comprehensive schools too much. One of my children went to Westcliff Grammar School and the other to the local comprehensive. There was never any feelings of being second class if you didn't pass the 11+, in fact many children know themselves whether they want to try to get into the grammar school and therefore sit the 11+. Many don't actually want to try, preferring to stay with their peer group. My friend was born and bred in Leigh on Sea, went to the comprehensive and has a fab job in the City. In terms of boys and girls being segregated, yes in lessons they are separate, but the buses are filled with both sexes and believe me, they do mix! I know that the sixth form is mixed at Westcliff Boys.

If you want a period property then Leigh on Sea should fit the bill, lots of character properties there, as well as modern properties.

I am originally from the neck of the woods you are talking about in Kent. I think Whitstable/Faversham are doable but you would have to factor in train travel mid Oct to Feb for some if not all of it. Life's a compromise.

Thanks for your input Spickle. Good to hear that you didn’t find the grammar system an issue with your children. I can only hope that my daughter wouldn’t be too fazed by it either. Yes, there are some nice period houses in Leigh and looks like we could just about get in there with our budget. Good to hear that you think Whitstable/Faversham is also doable OnTheRoses. Have yet to visit both places to get a feel for them. I like that Whitstable is right by the beach too. But houses looking a bit small for our budget - unless we go for Tankerton. I also like the look of the traditional town square/centre of Faversham. But guessing beach where you can swim not right on doorstep. It looks like we would get more house for our money in Faversham compared to Leigh. It fact I saw a gorgeous townhouse (and bit bigger than we necessarily need with four bedrooms) under our budget on Rightmove. But had no real garden - only backyard. A decent garden is priority for us. But you are absolutely right that we’ll need to make compromises. I’m really glad I finally got round to posting on this forum - rather than trying to deal with all of it in my head. At least I know we got choices. Ta so much!

I know Canterbury well so if you ever want to PM and ask about areas I'd be happy to help. For starters the best areas are around St Dunstans and St Stephens. Avoid Sturry Rd and Wincheap. The south side of Canterbury towards the hospital is also nice. Avoid Northgate

Faversham does have a very good outdoor swimming pool which is hugely popular with kids and families in the summer, so a beach right on the doorstep might not be quite so important.

There is also an old fashioned cinema (complete with curtains which open and close) which only costs a fiver to get into. There are regular markets, and special markets selling vintage bric a brac. It's a nice town, and getting to Canterbury, London or the coast is easy on either public transport or by car.

Thanks so much for heads up about areas in Canterbury newhousenewstart. If ever we were to consider a house there I might well PM you to check area. Ta so much! The smaller community of Faversham does appeal to me too Stillsmallvoice. More spacious house for our money by looks of it. And markets, swimming pool and old cinema all sound lovely. My one concern looking at it would still be schools - if daughter doesnt make grammar. Looked up Abbey school on wiki and said something about being first school in country to introduce random drug testing. Not saying the testing necessarily a bad thing if there is a problem - but the fact that it was necessary is worrying. One of the reasons I want to get out of London b4 she becomes a teenagers is because of the potential exposure to gangs and drugs round here - although I know these things happen everywhere to some extent I was still a little surprised to read that. Do you have any experience of school? (The school website doesn’t look very up to date or engaging). Leigh on Sea is also still on the cards and would love any feedback about Belfairs Academy. Local person said she hadn’t heard anything bad about it and thought it was alright. - not heard great things from teachers and parents/friends about academies in general though (they were talking about primary schools turned academies though). Thanks again for all the local insights.

If you don't want grammar schools in Leigh, then Belfairs or Eastwood Academy are probably your best options. Be aware that you really do need to live in catchment to secure a place at either. Eastwood counts as Leigh but it's mostly to the North of the A127 so house prices are cheaper. It also means you're not on the midst of the bars, shops, atmosphere of Leigh itself. Primary schools are pretty good throughout Leigh.

My DCs are adult, so I'm not much help on schools. There are dugs in any of these places. Google County Lines. Canterbury is worse than Faversham from what I hear, but not as bad as Margate, though we don't have the level of violence and gangs that we read about in London. Most places in East Kent feel pretty safe to me.

Canterbury has a very large student population, which has a big impact on the town and the places you may want to live. They can be very noisy and inconsiderate. A previous poster gave a pretty good run down of the sorts of places to avoid. The cathedral is fabulous, the tourism can dominate, especially in the summer, which is why a lot of people who work in Canterbury (often in higher education or tourism!!) choose to live elsewhere.

You had mentioned Whitstable. It's lovely, but expensive, and traffic can be awful. It was known at one time as 'Islington on Sea' because of the large number of London media types with second homes there.

I know Leigh (although not with school age DC). It’s got a nice vibe and the commute is manageable. It’s lovely in the summer :)

Thanks very much gallicgirl, good to know about secondary schools. We probably would be aiming to be south of the London Road, if we move to Leigh - both for atmosphere like you say and school catchment. It's just that I don't believe in dividing kids and making them sit a test like that at such a young age. It's a bit of personal thing for me too although I didn't grow up with that kind of school system. I developed a great deal at school between the age of 13 to 16. So if it was me, I wouldn't have passed such a test at 11 though I probably would have later. But I was a slightly unusual case and told by a teacher that they had never had a student at my school making such a great leap before. - I more or less went from bottom of the class in year 3 to 4 to top of class by the time I left in year 10. Not that I'm particularly exceptional or intelligent. I just started concentrating and working really hard from about the age of 13. Not sure what happened since :) At my school they divided us into two groups across the classes/year group in the main subjects instead from aged 14. - A basic and an advanced level. So you could be different levels in different subjects and there was the flexibility to move up or down. My daughter seems to be doing reasonable well at primary and is a lot more focused on school work than I was at that age. But I don't yet know whether she would pass test or might be borderline. My husband grew up in Lincolnshire, which also has the grammar school system. He didn't go the grammar school but his brother did. If we move to grammar school area and our daughter stands a good chance of passing test then I would probably want her to sit it to give her chance of getting in to best possible school. But I kind of think it is obvious why grammar schools generally perform a lot better if they are creaming off the highest performers. So, if we move to Essex or Kent it will be for the coast and nature and proximity to London rather than the the school system.

But my husband doesn't even know if he sat the 11 plus.

Yes, I really liked the vibe of Leigh when we visited HappyHedgehog :)

And also think it is important for children and young people of all abilities and from different backgrounds to mix and inspire each other. But the whole grammar school thing is a different debate!

You’d probably get a 1930’s 3 bed semi in Tankerton for your budget. There is a large housing estate off Borstal Hill and the houses there maybe in your budget. Some have lovely sea views.

It’s a lively place to live with lots going on plus being by the sea with Blean Woods close by. Canterbury is only six miles away and again good community feel.

Could your husband drive up? His working hours mean the M2 would be fairly quiet then.

Good primary schools in Whitstable but grammars are either in Faversham (mixed) or Canterbury (single sex and mixed).

Having said that, if you are in an area where you get gangs and you get issues with drugs and young people carrying weapons, like in parts of London. - Then that also makes me think we are better of out of here and sending her to school elsewhere. Apart from also wanting to get closer to sea and nature, and being priced out of London anyway.