Epsom and Petts Wood

[NetflixParents]

Hi everyone

We have a 1 year old DD and currently live in a great residential area in Epsom in the catchment area of good schools. Thinking about a possible move to Petts Wood for a larger more modern home. We will need to explore a bit but at first glance looks and sounds like a great place. But wanted a reality check from those in the know...

1. What do you think of Petts Woods as a place for bringing up a little one through nursery, primary etc? Both for the kid and the parents.

1. Would you say the station / shops area have much anti social behaviour for a lone mom walking to and back from the station for commuting particularly in the winter months when it's dark?

1. What's it like in terms of social demographic - I suspect not very diverse but would you say on the whole it's a similar education, wealth, middle v working class levels as somewhere like Epsom?

1. Finally, we are looking at a detached home on Hazelmere Road. This seems to back onto the railway (oh no) but next to some green space and short walk to station. Is this area OK?

THANK YOU so much in advance!

Sorry, I don't know Epsom at all but Petts Wood is a very pleasant suburb of SE London. I'd feel safe walking home from the station. It's not hugely diverse, has good schools but look closely at secondaries. Some nice bars/restaurants and other shops like a small Morrison's and Sainsbury's local. Good train links to central London and an easy journey to the countryside/coast.

@Pettswoodparadise. will hopefully be able to help.

Hello, Petts Wood is a great area to live. I grew up in a Petts Wood house backing onto the railway. I was used to it and the gardens are long. You have the entrance to the National Trust Woodland there and get dog walkers parking and if it is the house up for sale next to the entrance it is a balance of charming and annoyance.

The area is lovely. About as anti social it gets is a few middle class boys in push bikes being inconsiderate from time to time but I have always felt safe. Lovely clubs and amenities for bringing up a family. Primary school is good but bear in mind Crofton went out 0.8 miles recently and so I don’t know if Hazelmere Rd would be in distance. Some friends in Great Thrift didn’t get in but are happy with St Paul’s school.

In terms of demographic it is predominantly white middle class but there is a mosque that meets at the local memorial hall, a small Chinese population and they have various clubs in the area for mandarin and the Bank of India had a foothold here for many years and we have a lovely community of people with Indian heritage, it makes Divali fun. In my small street we have a number of mixed race families which is not seen as unusual and my daughter’s secondary school a mile and a half away is so diverse there is no majority of one race or another.