Where to live in london with pre-teen

[Jac915]

Hello

Newbie to london area; Have looked into commuter towns but then job situation might change from wfh to more office time so trying to find advice into area we could look at

• 40 minutes door to door commute to Farringdon
• budget 650k for 3 bedroom flat/house
• good state secondary ( guess no grammars )
• safe area with parks where pre-teen(s) can venture out by herself

Thank you!

I think you might be hoping for rather too much there OP. The commute you're stipulating will strangle your hopes of everything else.

Sutton or Carshalton could work. There’s a direct train to Farringdon (but will take several mins longer door to door). 650k will be enough for a lovely house. It’s the safest borough in London and very family orientated. There are grammars but the comps are excellent too (highest GCSE attainment in England overall).

Carshalton is villagey and charming, there’s a leisure centre, library and theatre etc. Lovely parks + you can walk to fields with sheep and lavender fields etc.

Sutton has a biggish town centre but there’s a very nice cinema, Sutton Sports Village and lots of stuff for your daughter to. Again, greenbelt coutryside to the south, lots of parks dotted about. South Sutton is very leafy or you could move towards Cheam Village (1 mile from Sutton town centre) as Nonsuch Park is lovely + there’s a David Lloyd for leisure activities.

Peckham rye/east Dulwich - c20 min thameslink to Farringdon from PR station, good state schools (incl new secondary which is already hugely oversubscribed though), lots of stuff for teens to do, parks, cinema, leisure centre, shops etc. Nice leafy residential area also near v hip Peckham when they get older. You wouldn't get a 3-bed house for less than about £8/900k but could probably find a flat for your budget.

Around Peckham/Dulwich, a pre-teen would need a crash course in street smarts... The school catchments will incorporate areas with some of the highest rates of youth knife crime in London.

@JoJoSM2 are you being paid to promote Sutton or just hoping to boost the price of properties for tour own benefit?

@Moomin12345

Just sharing factual information Also, having worked in over 100 secondaries across London over the years, I wouldn’t recommend inner London if someone wants ‘nice’ schools and kids. The intake is invariably mixed and while some schools are much tougher than others, they’re better suited to parents not wanting their children in a bubble.

East London - Redbridge/Waltham Forest have grammars and on the tube into Liverpool Street or bank.

You could get a nice house in the Charlton end of Blackheath for that. Crossrail will have a direct link to Farringdon when it opens. Blackheath and Greenwich are lovely, green, relatively safe and some of the secondaries are good (not all). A lot of children attend the neighbouring Boroughs Grammar Schools.

jojosm2 😂😂 Are you joking?

Walthamstow? 18 mins to Liverpool st and you’re nearly at Farringdon.

St Albans is about 30 min from Farringdon, and quite family friendly.

Sorry just seen it fits your commute time but isn't in London!!

Thanks everyone! Time to scout around

Leytonstone? Central line to Mile End, Cross the platform for the Ham&City to Farringdon.

You've got Forest in the doorstep, Lloyd Park with its skate park a short bus ride in one direction and the Olympic Park the other way.

Connaught School for Girls and Leytonstone School rated Good by Ofsted. There are grammars over the border into Redbridge.

Epping Forest, that should have said!

Having lived there happily for 28 years, I can highly recommend Forest Gate, which is on next to Wanstead Flats (southernmost edge of Epping Forest).

Forest Gate to Farringdon = 40 mins via Liverpool Street. Once Crossrail is up and running (2030s?) it'll take 14 mins on a direct train. Forest Gate Community School "outstanding" (OFSTED).

Hertfordshire, Broxbourne, Cheshunt, Hertford, St Albans

Westcombe Park / maze Hill have a 24/26 minute commute direct to Faringdon on thameslink. They are only every half hour though so you'd need to time it carefully. Also look at charlton slopes just into se7 but still convenient for westcombe Park tube

Sanderstead or Purley could work. About 30 min to Farringdon via Thameslink. Sanderstead especially is very green and Riddesdown Colleagiate is rated outstanding. You could get a nice 3 bed house for your budget.

OP you might find this tool helpful. You can drop in you commute, budget, importance of having parks, and importance of having good schools nearby, and it will suggest options all around London!

When was Sutton in London?
Resident of peckham/Ed for a long long time. Fantastic area both my kids raised here son at the new charter doing well nice friends.
Some people talk out of their behinds.

Sounds daft but round the other side of London could work, as long as you're near one of the stations - so Eastcote or Ruislip.
Takes 45-50 minutes from my house (5 mins walk to Eastcote station) to my office (Hatton Garden). Delightful, spacious, air-conditioned metropolitan line all the way round 😊 and you tend to get a seat (if you know the right train/carriage).