Kingston upon Thames to Walthamstow?

[user1499254687]

Hello lovely people,

I'm looking for some advice as I've been going back and forth about this.
So me and my small family currently live in lovely Kingston. My son goes to a great school and we've got many options for great secondary schools too. We've been very Happy here however since covid I've been missing my parents and would like my children to see them more often. (Would also appreciate some baby sitting for when I go back to work and for some rare date nights again!)
Anyway, so they are situated around the waltham Cross/ Abbey area and I've looked at places to rent around enfield Walthamstow, chingford however have also read about crimes and gang related activity and not so great choices of secondary schools. I'm quite scared to bring up my son in these areas considering we are in such a safe and lovely part of London.
Are there any places similar to where we are currently around the North / North East of London? If I decide to move I would want to travel longer than 20mins to parents. Am I completely crazy to want to move out of Kingston? I just want a safe, family friendly area with very good state secondary schools.
Any advice would be appreciated x

Am I completely crazy to want to move out of Kingston?
Yes, there is no chance I would live in those areas. Although I only know of Enfield. I have family there and there’s no way I would want to live there (I live in Surrey but went to uni in Kingston). I’ve not really seen Enfield apart from my aunts house and nearby park. But the area doesn’t look pleasant compared to where I live. My cousin says there are stabbings there all the time. One of my cousins went to grammar school in Edmonton I think. The other one didn’t get in so my aunt decided to send them to private school as she didn’t want my cousins to go to a rough school.

Yes that's what I worry about. Apart from the one grammar school on Edmonton- haven't heard great things about the schools 😕. Such a hard decision to make. Thanks for your Input!

Wanstead is nice

Kingston is a lot nicer, but it sounds like you know this.

I lived in Walthamstow years ago and would never go back. I never felt safe.

I've heard wanstead is nice, not sure about schools ? @ spickle do you love in / near the area ?

@VenusClapTrap yes I've been told as well by others that it would be selfish of me to want to want to expose children to possibly unsafe area just so I can be closer to my parents. I want the best if both to be honest and if I can find something close to them with the 'kingston' feel It would be perfect.

I live in Walthamstow and have done for 25yrs. It's changed massively over the last 10years and it's a lovely vibrant place to be and to bring up a family. All the secondary schools are "good" and the girls school is "outstanding". Most of the primary schools are "outstanding"
There is crime, but it's no worse than other areas of London.
I've never been to KUT so impossible for me to compare. Walthamstow is certainly "urban" but has lots of green space and Epping Forest is literally on our doorstep. Highams Park and Chingford have a more suburban feel but the also have IDS as their MP which tells you a bit about their vibe though things are changing as families priced out of E17 are moving over to E4!

I thought Walthamstow village was pretty posh now?

You should look at highams park, Wanstead and South Woodford. Parts of Leytonstone are really nice too. I don’t know Kingston but have lived in what some might call a more grotty part of east London for years and never once felt unsafe. As your parents are based in the area can you not come up at weekends and so some scouting about?

All the places you mentioned are horrible compared with Kingston. You could look at Loughton or Epping though. They are pretty nice and very handy to Waltham Abbey.

Tbh there parts of Kingston which aren’t so great (grew up nearby).
Op any chance your dps can/might/might want to move? Are they kind of ready/able to downsize (Kingston more expensive) ? Sounds like you may all need a family discussion. Are there siblings in the mix ?

Familiar with the areas you mention, and there are some nice pockets Grange Park, Winchmore Hill etc., and even though I’ve not lived in Kingston, but know of it, and personally given a choice I would not be leave for the areas you mention. Make more effort to see your parents and accept the inconvenient journey or invite them down for weekends, or find a place that allows for that more often. If you move to be closer I would still suggest finding an equally nice area to Kingston with a more reasonable commute to your parents such as Harpenden. Other areas worth considering are Hadley Wood or St Albans. These areas may enable more doable and frequent visits.

Enfield is a large borough, think you are thinking more of the west of Enfield. Some lovely parts of Enfield with good schools are Cockfosters (half in Barnet),Enfield Chase, Winchmore Hill, Grange Park, Palmers Green they are leafy family areas with good schools. My sister lives in Highams Park (mentioned above) and she loves it.

Your parents live in London- hardly a huge trip! I'd stay where you are and it's hardly a big deal to travel to the other side of London to see your parents on a weekend (or they to you). Find a local babysitter.

Have you looked at North Chingford/Highams Park/Woodford Green. Lovely areas beside the forest, great community feel, great primary and secondary schools.

I wouldn’t move to any of those areas from where you are. I’d suggest you spend a weekend driving or walking around some of those places and see the difference.

I lived in Walthamstow and really enjoyed it, but it doesn’t even come close to where you are. I wouldn’t touch Waltham Cross or Enfield. Edmonton made me feel very uncomfortable walking around. I have friends near where you are, and it’s lovely.

If you don’t have a car, that would be a better choice. It’s only an hour to drive that distance. I agree public transport for that route is a pain.

@MyFloorIsLava

All the places you mentioned are horrible compared with Kingston. You could look at Loughton or Epping though. They are pretty nice and very handy to Waltham Abbey.

I agree with this. These are the nicest bits of that area.

Thanks everyone, this is really helpful. I'm starting to get a real eye opener. I'd love fir my parents to move down here however they have settled there and still work close by so it's not an option unfortunately. I've been looking at Woodford? Is it any better than the other places mentioned? Ideally I'd still like to be within m25 but may have to consider loughton and epping too as keep coming up!

Edmonton is not good...lots of gang violence and grim area with blocks and estates etc....Woodford is very nice....both south and woodford green....a bit cheaper than wanstead as always pricey and has been for years....as said, walthamstow has changed so much...houses sell for 1m in a lot of roads now...loughton is mostly very nice but pricey, epping also nice....highams park was a bargain until about 10 years ago when people from walthamstow cashed in and moved there...

Walthamstow is an absolutely wonderful place to live with kids, have only been here 4 years so can't speak to how much its changed but it has such a community feel, so much nature on the doorstep, so many young families that it's nicknamed Nappy Valley and so many great facilities and activities that have sprung up due to so many families in the area. I do wonder if it's better for younger kids than older kids but that's just because I have no experience of what it's like with older kids. With young kids I couldn't hope for anywhere nicer to live.