Best areas Tunbridge Wells

[notreallytired]

Moving to Tunbridge Wells from London. I drove around but want to know from locals what are the best areas to live in with 3 kids! I found older threads but interested to hear recent experiences and places that we should avoid! Thanks in advance :)

@Seren1tynow those streets are well placed for parks, the library, shops and nurseries but school catchment might be an issue. You could probably get into The Wells or St James from there so might be worth checking them out before committing to that area. Tbh it wouldn't be my first choice of location but it depends on your priorities.

I echo @stillthinking22 - it wouldn't be my first choice...and 'parking is a bit of an issue there' is a bit of an understatement!

TW isn't that big - I barely use a car, always walk in to town (from St John's area - takes me 10 minutes), but if you do want to be central, there are better options..

Thank you so much, that’s really helpful.

Hi all, I could definitely use some guide here! Looking to relocate to TW, we have 2 kids (4 and 1 year) and looking for a 3bed house with garden so we can put an office garden.
we’ll be renting at the beginning and that’s within our budget. However our budget to buy is around 500k. Is it realistic for TW? We don’t need to be in the center, we’re looking more to be close to parks and schools for the kids. Any area would you recommend? My husband has to commute to London only 1 day per week and I’m fully remote so being close to the station is not required either

Many thanks!

@SanGamo there are 166 houses currently on Rightmove for 500k or less in TW so it is possible, but they will be 2 or 3 beds and maybe without huge gardens - so not sure whether there would be space for a home office.

If you don't need to be close to a station then Southborough would probably give you the best value for money.

You might be able to find a cottage for that in one of the outlying villages.

Thanks for the advice! Yes I had Southborough in mind. Is that a nice neighborhood? I’ve not been, planning to go soon to see around. We’d like to get the kids in Claremont so might not be within catchment area, that’s my only concern.

@Mirabai What other villages around would you recommend?

many thanks!

I don’t know the villages well but you could check out Groombridge, Frant, Rusthall. Southborough is nearer the grammar schools is that’s likely to be an issue.

I don't think you would have the budget for a house nr Claremont. You practically have to live in the playground (or used to) to get in....someone more current with primary school applications may be able to help, but we were nervous about buying on Farmcombe Road back in the day because there was no guarantee l, even that close!

Thanks! Yes I’d need to go and check them out. My oldest one is still 4, so not in a rush to be close to a Grammar school, but nice to me closer to TW. I think there are a bit more options in Southborough up to 550k so will keep that in mind

Hi all!
It’s been a while and we delayed our move but it’s happening now! We’re finally moving to TW this summer. We have a 5 year old girl starting Year 1 in September and a boy turning 2 in October. We’re a bit stressed because we’re struggling to find a space in a school, none of our first choices have spaces (Skinners, Wells and Claremont). Has anyone got any info about the followings? They either have space or no waiting list:

• Temple Grove
• Broadwater down
• Southborough
• Pembury Primary

We’re also consider the Meads while we get a space in the others, although skinners has said that likelihood is extremely low even if I get a house in front! We’d be renting to start as we need to secure a space in a school first and that way is easier Our other concern is diversity! We’re from Spain, been living in London for 10 years but obviously don’t want to feel like outsiders if there are not many expats!

we’re really appreciate any feedback!

thanks a million!!

@SanGamo - that's exciting!

Do you mean Skinners (Boys Grammar School) or St John's Primary School? From your list I would avoid Temple Grove, I know a couple of people at Southborough and Pembury and they have been happy there but if you are living in Tunbridge Wells they would not be convenient to travel to - bad traffic in that direction.

Broadwater Down has historically not had a great reputation but it has now been taken over by the leadership team from Langton Green who are amazing and the area around is being regenerated. It also has a nice outside space and is fairly easy to get to if you're living in TW, especially the south side. The school intake there is more diverse than at other schools. From your list above this would be my recommendation.

I would avoid The Wells, having moved a child from there as the outside space is not good and the leadership / general organisation is quite lacking IMO. Claremont you are very very unlikely to get a place unless you live literally next to the school and even then you might wait years on the waiting list.

I have heard that St Marks is a nice school, also in the south of town and easy to get to with good outside space. It is more religious than most though if this is something you wish to avoid. It really does depend where you are looking to live. I wouldn't waste your money on the Mead though - their reputation has really gone downhill since it was bought by venture capitalists and their facilities are worse than most state schools in the area.

I always hear good things about St John's and St James schools, also St Peters. But their catchments are quite tight to you would need to live in the area and get on the waitlist. Happy to answer any more questions about schools and areas to live - it's a minefield!!

Good luck :)

Thanks so much for your feedback! Much appreciate it!
Our initial idea was to move to Knights Wood but getting a place at skinners primary is impossible. They have 17 people in the waiting list for Year 1.
We could consider being in Southborough or Pembury if the schools are nice enough. How are the areas?
We’re visiting Broadwater down, the Meads and Pembury primary school next week.
We’re not religious, although our background is catholic (we’re from Spain), so if the school is nice, we could consider it. But St John’s has 27 kids in the waiting list so an impossible thing!

This is harder than I though it’d be! It feels like the whole town is oversubscribed so if you don’t move the year earlier your kid starting reception you’re done! 😥
I’ve also asked in Langton green, and other villages around and same answer, no spaces and really long waiting lists!

Forgot to say! I’m also considering Kent College in Pembury, I’m a little bit concerned with the fact that it was only girls previously…
Does anyone have any feedback?

many thanks!!

I have replied on your other thread - echo the bit above about traffic, but if you are in Knights Park then Pembury wouldn't be (too much) of an issue.

I have friends with older children (daughters) who are or have been very happy with KC, but I don't know about what it is like now it's mixed, sorry!

@SanGamo - Knights Wood is on the edge of the industrial estate so to me it doesn't really feel like you're in Tunbridge Wells. You would need to get in the car to get almost anywhere and it is next to quite a few A roads so possibly noisy. Really depends what you are moving for though!

Langton is a brilliant school but yes, you would need to live in the village to be in with a chance of getting an in-year place and get on the Waitlist. As mentioned, the area around Broadwater Down is being regenerated with a new development being planned so you'll likely see some good return on your investment once some of the less desirable areas in proximity are improved as it's close to the town/station. If you're visiting Broadwater Down you may as well look at St Marks, it's very close and I don't believe they are over subscribed. You could also get a decent size house with a big garden near St Marks for under 500k.

If you're happy to be further out of town then Hawkenbury is nice, surrounded by green space, good amenities and still walkable to town. It has a fairly diverse (for Tunbridge Wells) population from what I can gather.

I know one child in reception at Kent College and they have been very happy with it but have found the commute quite tiresome and it is obviously fairly pricey.

Many thanks for the info!

At this point, we don’t have any preferences on where to live, we just need to get a decent school for my daughter which is starting to feel impossible!
We’re only considering Southborough and Pembury because school’s waiting list are shorter…moving to the center of TW does not feel like an option because we’ll never get a place on the schools around and we’ll be closing to the door to the village ones.
Pessimism is increasing by the minute :(

@SanGamo - My advice would be move to the area around Broadwater Down / St Marks. You are still very central but house prices are cheaper (due to upcoming regeneration). Both of those schools would be much better than Southborough or Pembury and the areas are nicer / more diverse. You also have a shot of getting into nice village schools such as Langton Green, Groombridge or Frant from there. Good luck with your search - try not to feel too disheartened!!

@SanGamo - just to add that in case you don't know, you wouldn't go to the bottom of the waiting list. You would be placed depending on where you live in proximity to the school an if you qualify to any of the other admissions criteria (such as siblings etc). So there may be 27 people on the waiting list but if you live the closest to the school you would likely be number one on the list. People do move around a bit so even if you don't get into the school of your choice straight away you could still move later on, perhaps when your youngest starts.

@Thinkingthinking many thanks for all your inputs! I replied in the other post that we went to TW to see the schools. We’re going to start with St Marks as is the only one that has spaces currently. We’re renting in the centre and trying to get into all the waiting lists and see what happens!
We really like the atmosphere in TW, it has a London vibe but the beginning will be difficult, specially not feeling settled with the school.
I’m now in the nightmare of nurseries but worse case we’ll get nanny for the first months, as we both work from home.
Hope this is the correct move for us, I feel really scared my kids would struggle! But I guess that’s life! Taking the risk and hope for the best!

@SanGamo Congrats on your move! I'm sure your kids will adapt quickly, I've hard lots of good things about St Marks. Good luck with everything and do feel get back in touch if you have more questions :)