Area to live in West or North West London

[Dolly5678]

Looking to move next year (I’m planning ahead and doing my research!), we have a 6 month old son and DH works near Moorgate. Really want to be west because we have family who live west of London and would take the train to Paddington. I’ve ruled out a lot of lovely areas in South West London like Chiswick, Fulham etc because the transport is so rubbish (longish commute to Moorgate, District line is unreliable etc), but maybe I have this wrong?

So I’ve narrowed it down to Kensal Rise/Green, Queen’s Park, North Kensington and Shepherds Bush. Maybe East Acton? Budget is circa £1.3-1.5k. Looking for 3-4 bed house with garden.

Schools wise, state or private is an option for us but state is preferred.

Would welcome thoughts from Mumsnetters in the know about these areas, thank you!

Ealing Broadway has great links to Paddington.. and West Ealing is also nice but slightly quieter..

I’ve never actually been to Ealing but I’ve been told it’s a bit soulless! However I should decide that for myself by having a look, thank you for the suggestion

Shepherds bush is fine as long as you stay south of Uxbridge Rd, I used to particularly love the Hammersmith Grove, Brackenbury village area when I lived there

Ealing is lovely but not as happening as the areas you've mentioned. It does have good transport links from Ealing Broadway.

There are lots of lovely restaurants in and around the Broadway but with COVID who knows what it will look like in a few years time.

Lots of very good state and primary school choices south of Shep Bush in the Brackenbury area or (slightly cheaper) the streets off of Askew Road are up and coming and (but some of the catchments are tight like for the WLFS). Also excellent church secondaries (both RC and CofE). East Acton/Queens Park/North Ken has perhaps less choice school wise. They all have a very different vibe though, Brackenbury really does have a village vibe for instance. Perhaps pinpoint which secondary and that might help?

Brackenbury Village/Hammersmith would be a good commute for DH. A few people mentioned on here a few years ago that it lacked the kind of yummy mummy Gails cafe vibe of Chiswick, Barnes etc... which suits me fine to be honest! I quite like an urban feel but I do want it to feel like a safe area to raise a family in.

CofE secondary would be ideal. Are secondaries as over subscribed as primaries in desirable areas? I’m a bit clueless about London schools, DS is only a little one 🙂

Thanks for all of your replies so far, this has helped me a lot already!

Twyford School in Acton is very, very good and CofE. Very easy to get to from Brackenbury. St Stephan's is a good CofE primary.

We’ve lived in Brackenbury and Brook Green. Both have a nice community feel and excellent transport links (in Brook Green we were within ten minutes walk of the overground, central, district and Piccadilly lines).

We were in Queen’s Park for a while, that budget would get you a decent house there but perhaps not one of the ones around the park itself. If you have young DC you will use that park a LOT. Not sure about schools though. We loved it there.

If I had your budget I'd move to Brackenbury in a heartbeart, it's lovely and quiet, lovely down to earth vibe at the same time. Walking distance to Hammersmith and the the river and also Holland Park and Hyde park if you want a longer walk out. It's fab!