London with kids

[Londonwithkids8888]

If you live in London with kids, and you’ve made lots of family friends though them, and love your friendly community, where do you live?

Streatham Hill

SE7

(Old) Hanwell (W7) and Northfields
Now Ruslip HA4

Herne Hill. I know loads of people who say the same thing about their pocket of London though. I imagine that it's much easier to make friends through your kids here than most places where everyone just jumps straight in their car after school/activities. I would say it's great having the kids' primary school and nursery right next to a park as everyone spills out in the spring and summer and there are lots of chances to chat to other parents.

Wandsworth Common

What age are your DC? Nursery and primary school are the best stages to make local friends and being in walking distance to these helps a lot.

I agree with the next to a park comment above, we haven’t had this but it would have been great.

Hanwell W7.

Wimbledon

Penge

What do you mean by London? Central or further out?

What do you mean by friends? A nice community where you can borrow something from a neighbour or have a chat to a school mum then most parts of London.

Proper friendships that last years much harder as many parts of London are very transitory now. All my NCT & nursery friends have left London & many have left our primary school. There's a lot of movement for secondary.

I mean both - and the opportunity for the latter especially! That’s what I want the most.

The transience is the problem I’m coming across in London with kids. The people I met when mine were very small have pretty much all left, or - if they’re still here - are talking about leaving.

We need to move for various reasons, and would really like to find somewhere lovely in London to stay and have all that! (My children are primary but not preschool.)

To be honest, I’m even considering leaving to get it. I really want a friendly community and family friends. I feel quite envious of my other friends who have it (they don’t live in London, but the surrounds). So it’s nice to hear of those who do! And it all sounds very varied!!

Streatham

Maybe the outer suburbs where there is less movement? Or find somewhere that has good secondary options. Do you want private?

I'm a Londoner as is DH & the majority of our friends are from secondary school, uni & colleagues. There was certainly less movement when I was young. I'm not sure if it's covid, expense but so many friends i've met on the way have left or are planning too.

We are actually moving further out, to z4. Largely due to secondary schools, more space, less pollution & tbh Ive got a bit tired of making & losing friends. My eldest dc lost 2 more friends over xmas as the families moved.

During lockdown we really connected with our original friendship groups & the majority of them are in outer boroughs/Surrey now so that was another pull for us.

I think I read something recently about there being less children in inner London & there are going to be issues going forward in general with the reduced pupil numbers. I also heard on the radio about renters moving out at high levels. There are lots of schools in my borough with surplus places which a 5 years ago was unheard of. Funding is based on numbers so its likely to result in mergers.

North chingford, E4. People move here and then stay all of their lives. Loads of parents/ grandparents here.

Southfields. I call our M and S the local community centre as you always bump into someone for a chat.

We're z5, outside Croydon - suffer from proximity due to reputation but it's a lovely area, both in terms of green space and community. We've got great schools and plenty of amenities.

Another one for Streatham

Primrose Hill

We’re in zone 1. Everyone from my NCT group has moved further out to get more space once second babies were on the way. For various reasons we stayed put. We do need more space, our 2 bed flat is a little cramped with 4 of us but we’ve been here 12 years and it feels like home. There are many families with young kids in our block and we are so lucky to have a wonderful childminder 10 mins away who is like another grandparent to the kids. We live by a brilliant school and I love it here. I don’t want to move ever but the budget does not allow for a house and garden in zone 1! No rush to move though so maybe we’ll be here a while yet.

I have a friend in Streatham, she said loads of people are leaving for secondary?

@puppacup really? That’s a bit of a surprise. Though my kids are infants so I’m not there yet! Just that there’s Dunraven, an outstanding mixed comp, right in the middle of Streatham. And an outstanding RC school as well.

I know Dunraven is good but apparently not good enough to some. She said lots tutor for Graveney or the Sutton grammars, some who stay go private, which she is looking at. Anti catholic schools.

I went to all catholic schools in London as did DH & I think if you want excellent schools they are one of the best options.

I thought Kingston was good for this and lots of people stayed too

Herne Hill

Hello @Bear2014 👋🏼