Area to recommend out of London (south east or south west)

[Justan0therm0ther]

Hi,
we need help!
First time buyers.
Can’t buy in zone 2 where we live (SW) and secondary state schools are not so great here. We have a 9 year old and 4 year old (boy and girl).
We want what most people want…

• Nice house ~4 beds
• nice neighbourhood with young families with children, not too unenventful,
• in catchment of good primary and secondary schools, plus we like the idea of being at a commutable distance from grammar schools.
• commute not much longer than 1 hr to Canary Wharf
• close to parks
• possibly an nice high street nearby
• budget 1.1 max

currently we are considering a variety of places but it doesn’t seem easy (catchment of primaries and secondaries is hard to get).

areas considered:

• Cheam and immediate surroundings (but limited to areas close to Cheam high school, as we want a decent school option that is not grammar, in case they are not academic..
• Epsom (Rosebery and Glyn schools, and commutable to grammar schools in Sutton)

• Hayes (south of Bromley) and West Wickham - good secondary schools - but small catchments so not many houses come up. Also commutable to Orpington for grammar.
• Orpington, but not many options for comprehensive, other than Ravens wood and Darrick wood - on which I have read mixed reviews.
• Twickenham and surrounding as its nice leafy but still feels like London - but its too expensive.

any other areas you’d recommend??

thansk for helping someone very confused.

I’m in west wickham and would recommend. Hayes is also lovely. You could get everything on your list within budget. A house in the right part of WW will put you in the langley catchment.

People move to Beckenham FOR the secondaries so I fear you're misinformed or ridiculously picky.

So Cheam high is definitely one that is recommended and worth moving close to? Main issue is that its catchment is closer to what seems to be north Cheam, rather than Cheam, and I haven’t read very positive things about north Cheam on mumsnet. Do you know that area well?

from what I read the grammar in orpington are very hard to get in, especially the boys’ one. Hence the importance of having a plan b of having a comprehensive nearby. It seems ravens wood for boys and Darrick wood for girls aren’t that great from what I read.. hard to get a fair view on a school just reading what people write online, as you get the extreme views perhaps. But I guess that’s true that when the local option is grammar, alternatives tend to be worse as the best students go to grammar..

thanks, maybe it’s people I know in that area who are not in the right catchment.. what secondaries in Beckenham do you think are worth moving close to?
thanks

Glebe and the Harris Academy's in Beckenham, easy to get to from beckenham, Eden Park and West Wickham or either of the fhe Langleys.

yes, agree with the above.

If you are not already preparing for 11+ and if you don't get the impression your DS is especially bright and could sail through without coaching (and let's face it, reality is most people are preparing bright kids with tutoring on top) - advise to find somewhere cheaper, pay for private school.

Or pick somewhere without grammar schools and a decent comprehensive route.

Thanks for your view.
Do you think a bright child is already unlikely to get in a grammar school even if they are not preparing / private tutor at the age of 8? that early?
maybe for the top top selective ones.. ?

Leigh in sea / chalkwell. Southend has got some great grammar schools.

*Leigh-on-Sea

I’ve looked at the catchment areas for Glyn and Rosebery. Ewell village is fine for Glyn, and more questionable for Rosebery. If Dd didn’t get into Rosebery, maybe you could fork out for Ewell Castle? Then they could both walk to school.
Ewell West station is 30 minutes to Waterloo. Commuter parking is difficult, so you need to find a house walkable to Ewell West. West Ewell itself is not so “naice” as the village.

Kingston/New Malden/Raynes Park seem obvious omissions.

Not really what you asked for but have you considered Leigh on sea or even Chalkwell park area at a push? Access and priority for both Southend and Westcliff high schools for girls and boys respectively (very well regarded grammars), on the water, next to Hadleigh castle open green space, old Leigh is pretty. Lovely primary schools or prep if you prefer. High Street has lots of independent shops, cafes etc. Commute to Canary wharf is just over an hour. Make sure you are sea side of the A13

@tocas didn't see that! Great minds...

This one is a little over priced for the area but gives you an idea
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/121727840#/?channel=RES_BUY

Sevenoaks it worth a look.

Oxted and Reigate are both lovely too, although not for access to grammar schools.

I know many people who have moved out of Beckenham as they don't rate the secondary schools. Usually to Hayes.

If you move out if Beckenham for secondary schools that can only be because you weren't in the Langley schools catchment area. The catchment only extends out for approximately one mile so you need to be in the Eden Park or West Wickham side of Beckenham to get in. But Hayes secondary is also highly sought after.

I was going to suggest Streatham, too. Specifically Streatham Hill between Cricklade and Wavertree. Also possibly closer to W Norwood.

Plenty of Good and Outstanding primaries much loved by the local community: Hitherfield, Streatham Wells, Dunraven Primary. Towards W Norwood: Julian’s. Secondary: Dunraven, or Bishop Thomas Grant if Catholic. Plenty of kids from the area go to the Sutton grammars, or a selective place at Graveney, or a lottery place at comprehensive Kingsdale, a bus ride away.

Lovely local park (Hillside Gardens), active community (street parties) nearby Streatham Common, Brockwell Park etc.

V quick bus to Brixton for tube, trains from Streatham Hill or Tulse Hill.

Loads for teens to do: Streatham Ice Rink, any amount of theatre, dance, music and drama projects, cinema in Streatham, Brixton, W Norwood. Theatre in Streatham and Brixton.

Or catchment for Charter, Herne Hill / e Dulwich direction?

Personally I would keep my growing kids / soon to be teens close to activities and public transport, and keep my commute short.

I see what you mean and I’m sure that’s a great choice for many. But undeniably by moving out of central London you get less crime, better air quality etc so one needs to weigh up pros and cons…

The nicest parts of Streatham (bigger houses, leafier, less pollution) imo are near Balham & cost more. Plus a lot of people still do move for secondary schools so it's fairly transitionary. I think the outer zones will become more popular with hybrid working.

Epsom has great primary schools...there isn't really a bad one. You would have to be careful with the catchment for rosebury/glyn but there is a large area where you should get both. Blenheim seems to have improved a lot in recent years...it was first choice for some of our year 6 class last year.

Sidcup is in the Borough of Bexley so super high scores not needed for the Bexley Grammars but if they do achieve well, it's easy to get to the Orpington and Dartford grammars too. It's a green area, easy to get to coast and country or in to central London/Blackheath/Greenwich.

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/119842625

Quite a few houses like this.