What are Dulwich, Blackheath, Herne Hill and Tulse Hill like for life with a young family?

[Laladot]

Currently living in Fulham/Putney and looking to buy first place in a safe and villagey feeling area. Totally unfamiliar with these places/SE but heard they may be good to check out. My budget won’t stretch to what I want where I live currently...

What about East Sheen or Mortlake, nice village feel and in budget. Also excellent schools

Dulwich is really beautiful, gets my vote

If you went Bromley/Chislehurst you could get these in the catchment area of a few great primary school and two excellent secondary schools (and also could go for Bexley/Kent/Bromley gramar schools):
[https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/89929643#/]
[https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/100735325#/]
[https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/71479329#/]
[https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/76777326#/]

Now with clicky links!
If you went Bromley/Chislehurst you could get these in the catchment area of a few great primary school and two excellent secondary schools (and also could go for Bexley/Kent/Bromley gramar schools):
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/89929643#/
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/100735325#/
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/71479329#/
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/76777326#/

Was just going to say but @gasgig beat me to it.
There are no decent state secondaries in the areas mentioned. If you want state you'll have to move out to Bromley, Bexley and beyond.
Even primaries can be problematic. We moved out before then as couldn't be reassured by what we saw but that was some years ago.

Tooting and Streatham have good secondary options. You also have the option of grammar schools if your child is very academic.

Balham has the lovely Telferscot for Primary age - but to be guaranteed a great secondary choice, you might have to move. But you wouldn't have to move far, so could keep children at Telferscot and walk across the Common.

West Dulwich is just West Norwood with knobs on.

Do you mean Graveney & Dunraven @thecatfromjapan?

Graveney is good if you are in the top stream.

You also have the option of grammar schools if your child is very academic.

The excellent grammars are further out though eg Sutton, Kingston.

Balham has the lovely Telferscot for Primary age

To be in the catchment though the OPs budget wouldn't afford a house.

But, you know, a 'sought-after' secondary isn't the be-all and end-all.

I have friends in Herne Hill. Their children are at a not-sought-after secondary - and they're doing fine. Really well.
And it's a lovely place to live.

My children have attended schools that people go bananas about. And they've been great. But I look back, look at my friends' children who didn't go to madness-inducing secondaries ... and there's no difference.

I do think Primaries make a difference.

But secondaries ... I honestly think you're a bit spoiled in London. Most are pretty good.

I'd go for Herne Hill, looking for a good Primary. Or Balham, near the Common.

I agree that a lot of excellent schools are not so different from good schools but for secondaries I think it's quite child specific. One of mine will be fine in most, the other won't. I very much needed to be pushed.

Herne Hill isn't not nice & many of the areas listed are great if you earn £££££ &/or got on the ladder a while ago. I couldn't afford my home now & if I had the OPs budget I would just want more for my money. The days of making 200k equity in 3 yrs are gone plus stamp duty makes frequent moving costly.

@MiddlesexGirl

Was just going to say but *@gasgig* beat me to it. There are no decent state secondaries in the areas mentioned. If you want state you'll have to move out to Bromley, Bexley and beyond. Even primaries can be problematic. We moved out before then as couldn't be reassured by what we saw but that was some years ago.

*@MiddlesexGirl* I can only speak for the Dulwich/Herne Hill area, but there are a couple of well regarded local secondary schools (Charter North and East Dulwich) and plenty of good primaries.

West Norwood - great schools both primary (Julian's, Hitherfield, ) and secondary (Dunraven, Elmgreen, Norwood).

Fab community..I've lived in London my entire life and never lived n such a friendly place. Lots of tree lines streets with lovely period houses.

Many indépendant shops and cafes have opened as well as pubs..both family friendly and proper boozers.

Was down at heel for man years but has changed a lot, without going down the yummy-mummy, generic route of East Dulwich.

Great links into Victoria and London Bridge too.

Charter school is good in Dulwich, but the area is v expensive as is Blackhealth. E Dulwich and Herne Hill cheaper. Tulse Hill - no.

Also worth looking at Crystal Palace, nice centre and park. Ditto Norwood (bit more suburban, less character than CP.)

If that’s still too expensive then Penge - not exciting but some nice houses.

@MiddlesexGirl

Was just going to say but *@gasgig* beat me to it. There are no decent state secondaries in the areas mentioned. If you want state you'll have to move out to Bromley, Bexley and beyond. Even primaries can be problematic. We moved out before then as couldn't be reassured by what we saw but that was some years ago.

Disagree. We're in Blackheath, catchment for Outstanding primary and Good secondary that is very well regarded locally. Also a number of academy secondaries rated Good or Outstanding.

We initially looked at West Norwood, catchment for Dunraven which is a great school.

I never said that there wasn't any good secondaries just that it's trickier whereas there is an abundance of excellent primaries.

And as mentioned previously in the nicer areas the OP will struggle to find a house for her budget.

@dreamingbohemian which secondary is well regarded locally in BH please? Interested in a move to Blackheath but concerned about secondaries.

Herne Hill is great for young families. Every primary school is great in my opinion, and you can take your pick from Brockwell, Dulwich, Ruskin Parks. You have great transport links into London, train into Victoria or Blackfriars. And you're only a short walk to Brixton for the Tube, amenities and nightlife. If you go for the North Dulwich end, you have the Charter school, if you're looking ahead to secondaries.

Thomas Tallis is a good secondary in Blackheath. Many children also get offers from the Bexley, Bromley and Dartford Grammars which are a fairly simple journey.

@dreamingbohemian. Also interested in which secondaries you think are decent?
The only vaguely decent one I’ve seen is Tallis. Have also heard good things about Leigh Academy, but not visited it.

@ComeOn2021 Yes I was speaking of Thomas Tallis, it's rated Good and I've also spoken to quite a few people locally who are very happy with it. Quite a few kids in my DS class will be going there, the ones who live more toward Lewisham have the Prendergast schools which I think are also meant to be good.

There is also the Harris Academy Greenwich and lots of private options.

I really can't overstate how lovely Blackheath is, we are incredibly happy here.