Looking to move within London in the next few years and looking for recommendations for areas. Partner and I have small DC and no other family therefore no ties to any particular area. We need access to the City in under 45 mins door to door, and good state secondary schools. We are not interested in moving out to the suburbs and like being within easy access of the centre of town, plus close to good green space.
We have been renting near Blackheath / Greenwich which is a lovely area for primary aged children but secondaries aren't great unless you are Catholic. Everyone here seems to bus their DC out to Kent grammars. We are against grammar schools and private schools (could not afford them anyway!) and the local comprehensive has had mixed reviews having been closed down.
I've been looking around at good mixed non-religious state schools but not sure whether to choose the area first, or, since we have no real ties to anywhere just choose a great school and go for that area. In a way having no ties is helpful, but it also means we can feel overwhelmed by the choice!
Some schools I have looked up are Graveny - but I don't know how nice Tooting is as an area? Also Haverstock School (we used to live round Kentish Town and absolutely loved it there but not sure what Haverstock is like?)
We have lived in London for 15+ years but prior to DC so mostly inner city flats. I am now looking at London with new eyes through a family lense.
We would have a budget of up to around £850/900 for a 3 bed, or 4 bed if we could afford.
Can anyone recommend a great state secondary or an area or both please? Thank you.