Help me choose an area to move to - nearish London

[dosedo]

NC for this as it's very outing. Currently live in SE London - 2 D.C. age 2 and 1. Looking to move to an area within an hours commute of Kings Cross/Euston. I'll be commuting in 3 days a week by train, DH will be using both train and driving into central (location varies) 2/3 days per week.

We're looking for an area with a great sense of community, good high street/playgrounds and great secondary schools. Max budget 635k, ideally 4 beds and not too far from station. We've been watching Tunbridge Wells (which I worry may be a bit too long by commute) and Tonbridge, but nothing we love has come up. Please can you wise mumsnetters suggest some other areas you'd recommend? We need to start looking elsewhere!

If we could live within an hour ish of south east London that would be great as we have quite a few friends where we currently live who I'd like to stay in contact with! Please help...

Tunbridge Wells is the wrong side of London for Kings X - ?
Have you looked at St Albans? Seems v popular with the N London commuters I know.

We have, but there's a fast train in LB so not too bad. We've looked at St Albans but it's so expensive we really don't get much for our money there

Do you specifically want to be out of London or are you open to staying in London?

If you’re open to London then Beckenham has a pleasant town centre, excellent schools and 4-beds in your budget seem to exist.

Or try my neck of the woods, Sutton. There’s a direct Thameslink to St Pancras + lots of other trains. The schools are fantastic and there’s loads to do for children (classes, cinema sessions, play park, trampoline park, lots of sports clubs, ballet, pottery cafe and loads more). The main town centre has a good selection of shops, cafes and restaurants but zero charm. However, Carshalton Village and Cheam Village are attractive.

As a side note, Kent is a grammar county and the non-selective secondaries are mostly poor with v limited decent back up options if your children don’t secure grammar places.

www.compare-school-performance.service.gov.uk/

That’s the website you can research schools on.

I would say T wells is a bit too far if you are looking for under an hour. But that said, it is a seriously great place to live and meets your criteria. The parks are excellent and as you know, the schools are top notch.

The fast trains to LB are 45 mins so it depends on how far you are from the station. Do you have any flexibility if it's only for a few days a week?

Have you looked at sevenoaks? I don't like it as much but it's a much quicker train. You are still in catchment for some of the grammars. You do get less house for your money though.

What about somewhere on the HS1 route like Ashford or Canterbury?

@dosedo

NC for this as it's very outing. Currently live in SE London - 2 D.C. age 2 and 1. Looking to move to an area within an hours commute of Kings Cross/Euston. I'll be commuting in 3 days a week by train, DH will be using both train and driving into central (location varies) 2/3 days per week.

We're looking for an area with a great sense of community, good high street/playgrounds and great secondary schools. Max budget 635k, ideally 4 beds and not too far from station. We've been watching Tunbridge Wells (which I worry may be a bit too long by commute) and Tonbridge, but nothing we love has come up. Please can you wise mumsnetters suggest some other areas you'd recommend? We need to start looking elsewhere!

If we could live within an hour ish of south east London that would be great as we have quite a few friends where we currently live who I'd like to stay in contact with! Please help...

I would suggest Milton Keynes or the surrounding Buckinghamshire / Bedfordshire countryside

Reading, Slough, Windsor

No I wouldn't include reading Slough or Windsor that go to paddington, not King's Cross /Euston, even with crossrail.

Welling, Bexleyheath. 30 - 40 minutes to London Bridge and 42 minutes to London Victoria

How about somewhere like Kingston, Godalming or Hersham? By the way how is your post outing? :)