Family areas in inner London if you could choose anywhere?

[LiverpoolFan83]

Moved to Blackheath in SE London last year. 1DC another on the way. Reason for moving there was mainly green space and primary schools. We are fortunate enough to be able to afford a 3 bed flat there, and hoping to buy a house in next few years. However, as lovely as it is, it feels a bit different to me and I can't put my finger on why.

Previously we lived in north London Tufnell Park / Kentish Town which I loved. It's really expensive up there though and even more so that SE London. I keep thinking that Blackheath feels really posh and if we could afford a house there I'd feel out of place. Definitely don't want DC to go to grammar school or private secondary which a lot round Blackheath do. I also am not interested in the suburbs or moving out as I've been a city girl my whole life and DH feels the same, so would only consider zones 1-3 and happy living in a flat rather than a house if there is still green space nearby.

I guess I'm struggling to find my tribe in London now that I'm thinking as a family and not just as a child free couple. No family ties anywhere so no real pull in that sense. Some areas I used to like feel a bit too trendy now, and some not right for families. We are very fortunate to be able to consider living centrally but a lot of places feel very posh which we are definitely not! Wondering if anywhere has the vibe we are after.

So, just a bit of dreaming, but if money was no object which area in London would you live in? Asking those who enjoy city living and not surburbia fans.

Ruling out ‘overly posh’, ‘hipster’ or ‘yummy mummy’ middle class areas would be ringing alarm bells around schools for me. “Gritty” areas often come with poorer school provision, sad but true.

I find it really mumsy! Lots of Joules.

I’d live in North Dulwich or Herne Hill. I live relatively close now, but want to be a bit closer to the parks and somewhere with a big garden, which houses in that area have. But also need secondary schools which rules out a lot of Herne Hill.

Certainly inside the South or North Circulars. So I guess Muswell Hill makes the cut but only just - and definitely not in spirit lol. I tend to think of inner London by the official inner London postcode districts which is areas with a postcode of 1 so E1, SE1, N1, NW1, SW1, W1.

Move down the road to hither green.

Balham/Tooting is a good shout. It has decent schools, lots of Victorian terraced housing stock (for when you upsize to a house), a good high street (with lots of trendy brunch spots eg Milk, Brickwood etc) and nearby green spaces (like Tooting Common, which has a fab lido). It's not as posh nor as expensive as nearby Clapham or Wandsworth Town. Most people that live here are hard working professionals. Plus there is tonnes of stuff to do for families - classes, summer clubs, playgrounds etc.

I forgot to say. It's also on the Northern Line and overground into Victoria so has good public transport links.

I love muswell hill and crouch end. It's great for families here and I've met so many nice people. Me and DH aren't posh at all, we've built a lovely life here. I'm very happy.

If you want both good schools but not a posh area you have a big of a dilemma as the two do not really marry up. I am out in zone 5. My daughters are married with children and in Maida Vale and the City of London respectively. It is never easy to know where to live in London. I didn't really want to be out here in zone 5 in the 1980s but that worked for various other reasons and I would not move now - I am happy here.

@Xenia Sutton is not posh but has good schools. Parts of Finchley are also not posh but I think the schools overall are better than average.. Same for Ealing. These are more suburban though! It is easier to find good primary schools in z1/2 but not good secondary schools as the kids there probably go private/faith/grammar (but that's true for a lot of parts of London, posh and otherwise!)

You can find good secondaries is z1 and 2 but you have to get on your knees to save the fees.

I agree about Balham....used to live there and miss it but I'd differentiate it from Tooting as it's pretty expensive now especially if you include the roads towards Wandsworth Common where there are larger houses.
Moving east, I liked Wanstead which still might be cheaper than SW...but a bit of an oasis, wasn't so keen on surrounding areas.

I moved from Crystal Palace to north London when I met my DP having lived in various places in south London for 15+ years and it was such a shock to the system! The south is really spaced out – it's not so much the green spaces, as where we are now (near Crouch End) we have Finsbury Park and Ally Pally on our doorstep – but that the roads are broader and longer, whereas in north London everything's more tightly packed in. Now I love it! I love the inner city vibe, and when I venture south again it feels too suburban. I would definitely aim north, OP, based on what you've said.

I would go for Battersea/Clapham/Balham if money were no object. I dislike Blackheath too, too twee/posh for me

Gospel Oak is nice. Near the Heath so lots of green, Parli and William Ellis for schools, not far from Kentish Town

I was going to say Brockley too, but I see that has been ruled out already.

Telegraph Hill?

I'm amazed you find Blackheath and lots of south east London too posh or too hipster in comparison to Kentish Town and Tufnell Park.
I grew up in those areas and moved south east, primarily to get more space, but also because I find it it way more chilled out, people really down to earth & generally a really nice community feel in comparison.
So happy in SE London. Couldnt ever imagine moving back over the river now.
But each to their own.
How about Leyton & Forest Gate? Lots of my original crew from North London live there and are really happy. Not great for secondary schools though.
Or Crystal Palace / West Norwood?

If it’s North London you’re after then I agree with pp about looking at East Finchley. Only a couple of tube stops on from where you used to live and it’s neither hipster nor yummy mummy.

Bounds Green/Ally Pally may also suit you, there’s a more mixed vibe but a friendly area. Possibly a bit surburban in feel for you though.

It's going to fail the posh test but I love Marylebone. Used to live there before kids and planning to move back so house hunting. I'd see that as proper inner London as you can walk to central places.

I know Blackheath well as my in laws lived there. While the area around the Heath is quite posh, it's a very mixed bag in the immediate area if you're looking for a bit more socioeconomic diversity.

I havent reasd the whole thread - but have you tried Hither Green. Friendly, good schools, family friendly..we were renting near Blackheath and i felt similar. Feel very settled and 'at home' in Hither Green

Hither Green must be right at the edge of "inner London" in my opinion.

I'm a North londoner and have never lived anywhere else in London. Wouldn't even consider it. We r in the suburbs in zone 4 and don't see ourselves ever moving from this area. School is walking distance with a feeder secondary school a further 5 min walk away. Anytime I go to South London it just has a different feel. My south London friends say the same about our area. It's what one is used to.

Hither Green feels too far out for me. There's just something about Brockley and the Norwoods etc that doesn't feel right either but not sure if that this South thing again!

Gospel Oak is a good shout. I've lived in Camden, Kentish, Tufnell and Highgate before so very familiar. William Ellis seems like a good school (we've got boys) but wasn't ideally keen on single sex schools.

A starting point might just be decent comp secondaries which are mixed and not Catholic or churchy - that really limits things. I can only think of a few anyway - round Tooting, Ally Park, Richmond (too far) and possibly Haverstock School in Chalk Farm.

Oh I forgot, Highbury Fields School
Is meant to be good too.

I wound aim to live in the city or at a push bankside
Have lived in both -can be cheaper than the burbs
walking distance

My dad lived in west norwood
it isn’t London- might as well be in Corby