Moving to selsdon - advice needed

[Krayzeekat]

Hi 👋 we are thinking of putting an offer in for a house in Selsdon, its less than a 10min walk from Gravel Hill tram stop. I work hybrid and would use that to commute into central london a few times a month.

Have two daughters in year 7 that would need to move to a local school.

I was wondering if anyone could please provide me with an honest opinion of the area. What are the local school reputations like? The Quest Academy and Riddlesdown Collegiate both seem to be close.

How is Selsdon considered as an area, I know 25 years ago it was quite rough, but how is it now?

Seems to have a good balance of countryside and high street amenities… any other positives or negatives I should know about?

Would anyone recommend living here? I know Shirley is ‘nice’, but how is this area considered?

This is my first time posting, so thank you in advance for any support or advice you can give me 🙏

We lived in Selsdon, just moved to a new house not too far. If you are 10 mins away from Gravel Hill stop, you'll probably will be in Selsdon outskirts, we lived in different part of Selsdon. I really like Selsdon, the part which is closer to High street. Regarding the schools - you'll be too far for Riddlesdown (nowadays it is really difficult to get a place there), your closest option will be Quest Academy, and, to be honest, I would not recommend this school. It's improving, but still a loooong way... You could also try Coomb Woods (still very popular and difficult to get a place) and Shirley schools (know nothing about them). From "my part" of Selsdon kids usually go to Warlingham or Riddlesdown

We moved to Selsdon in 2007 and that time it was not the rough area at all (at least the central part of it). Shirley has great areas and bad areas, as well as Selsdon

Thank you so much. That is wonderful. I had my doubts about The Quest Academy, so good to hear. There is also Coloma Convent which is a single bus ride away. Any ideas on how that is? According to Ofsted they were a school that ‘requires improvement’ at their last inspection, but have since reformed as an Academy just over a year ago.

Lots of reassuring things about the nicety of the area…my only question now is about schools I think.

Also - does anyone have any idea how frequently the local trams run? Would look to be going directly into East or West Croydon.

Thank you

We lived in Selsdon for 8 years and moved up the hill just before Covid.

I wouldn't say Selsdon is rough at all, although down towards Gravel Hill is probably the 'worse' end of it. We never had any problems with antisocial behaviour or similar, and never felt unsafe coming home late at night even on the bus (the 64 runs all night from Thornton Heath Pond to New Addington bus garage).

I would concur with the sentiments above about schools. I hear good things about Coombe woods, Riddlesdown is definitely the best in the area but very oversubscribed (you may be ok with an in year admission? I don't know, worth speaking to them about it). If I'm thinking of the right school, Coloma was very well regarded and the Requires Improvement Ofsted was as a result of a long overdue inspection and it was quite a big drop from Outstanding or Good? I may be confusing it with somewhere else though; and either way I'd want to know the detail of where their failings are.

Warlingham school is another option maybe?

Oh, and in respect of the transport links - personally I drive to Purley Oaks or Sanderstead and park there when I go into our London offices, it's much more convenient and there's plenty of parking. I think the trams are every 10/15 minutes.

Gravel hill isn't really Selsdon, you're at the lower end if you can walk and not the nicest area.

I went to Coloma many moons ago. It's notoriously difficult to get into, are you catholic, kids baptised before they were 6 months old etc?

If you're looking at riddles down what about caterham / warlingham?

Coloma is a good school (friends girls were there) but to get a place you should be practicing catholic and your daughters had to be baptised in first few months after their births. Unfortunately, the area around Gravel hill is not good for secondaries - too far for Riddlesdown and Warlingham, could have a chance with Coombe Woods (very slim). What about private secondary? Royal Russel is very good one.