Where to live in London?

[ThisJollyTaupeBiscuit]

We recently got married and are looking to buy in a family friendly area of London. Our budget is £1.5m. These are some of our non-negotiables:

• Near exceptional state schools
• Safe for raising children
• Cosmopolitan and liberal community with an international feel (eg St John’s Wood or Richmond)
• Three bedrooms minimum
• 0.5 or less to convenient transport links (ideally tube, but buses and ginger line doable)
• Leafy, green spaces (either private garden or near a park)

These are some nice-to-have bonuses:

• A house (but happy with a big maisonette or flat)
• Good secondary schools (can go private for sec school)
• Off street parking

Our work is accessible via Northern and District line, but we work remotely fairly often so commute isn’t too much of a consideration.

@mondaytosunday this sounds really perfect. Which part of Wimbledon do you live in, if you don’t mind me asking? I quite like the look of Wimbledon Park, South Park Gardens and maybe South Wimbledon.

Just none of those nasty poor (or English) people, I suppose. Maybe they're not economically conservative or socially liberal enough 🙁

Since you are open to a number of areas why not look at schools first? I know you want private for secondary but some primaries have very small catchments, (although they are increasing due to falling birth rates) & not all privates are equal & presumably you don’t want a long journey.

I wouldn’t bother with a flat, future proof & go for a house.

@berthaofcalcutta I’m so sorry you feel the need to put words into other people’s mouths. Clearly says a lot more about your own prejudices than mine.

@Nanana1 thank you for trying to be constructive. That’s a good tip. And very good point about future proofing.

If you want good primaries but intend to go private at secondary then Telegraph Hill might fit. Houses are skyrocketing in price but you could probably get a nice 3-4 bed for £1.5m. You're very close to the private schools in Dulwich (JAGS. / Alleyns / Dulwich college) but the state primaries are very good.

Not sure it's affluent enough for you but it is a diverse area. There is also a very strong school community. Lots of Europeans, South Americans (to such an extent our primary has changed its language lessons from mandarin to Spanish) and obviously people from various countries in Africa. Zone 2, on the overground (windrush line as it's now called) 2 stops to the underground, real excellent bus services - you can get anywhere from here - and also train lines for Victoria / London Bridge etc.

I have lived in Chiswick all my life and often work there.

I would say that it is a very diverse area. There are people from all over the world just in my street. My dd went to a state primary school in Chiswick and there were pupils from a range of economic backgrounds, nationalities and religions.

It is a relatively safe area. I never feel concerned about walking about at night. At the same time there is quite a lot of crime such as car break-ins and street thefts from young boys - but that is true of anywhere.

There are fantastic green spaces such as Chiswick House, Dukes Meadows and the river. When my dd was young, there was always somewhere to go.

As a shopping area, we have Sainsburys, a small Waitrose and an M&S food shop. There are a number of independent shops. We now have a different market neatly every Sunday - for example this Sunday, it's the cheese market.

Based on my personal experience, I feel that other parts of London appear more neighbourly. For example, Ealing, particularly around the Pitshanger Lane area.

@Mayim @EleMar thank you both so much for these incredibly thoughtful and balanced views on Chiswick.

It sounds more and more appealing, though @Mayim it’s interesting you say it’s not as neighbourly as other parts. I wonder why that is! Which school did your dd attend if you don’t mind be asking?

I love Chiswick too OP

What I think is important to say is that not everyone is bothered about diversity even if of a different ethnicity- I've lived in some very white areas of London and it's pretty white here too in Bath but I doubt most people would bat an eyelid at a non white neighbour in the areas I've lived

Have you considered North London? Very multicultural although schools can be hit and miss depending on area but depends if you're looking state or private too. But try Highbury, Stoke Newington, Finsbury Park (the nicer parts), Ally Pally etc you can fan out north and east depending on budgets

I am going to offer no help whatsoever but I need to ask-

What is the Ginger Line . I’ve heard people talk// write about it

@70isaLimitNotaTarget I also had to get someone to explain it to me the first time haha!! It’s just the overground.

Ah , I see .makes sense 😁
out in my neck of the woods we have the very overdue but welcome Elizabeth Line ( Lizzie Line ). I kept looking for a ginger but could never fathom it .

I agree. You could also consider Brockley, Crofton Park, Honor Oak, and Forest Hill. They are all nice leafy areas with lovely housing stocks, good transport links, and are comparatively safe and cosmopolitan. If schools are important, I don't think you will find many areas with as many outstanding primary schools, and there are some good state secondary schools too.

Garden or no garden?

Wimbledon lovely area, very mixed/mumticultural.
East I would second Wanstead or South Woodford, you may get more for your money than in Wimbledon or Richmond, Woodford/South Woodford also have some good schools

Greenwich/blackheath have amazing green spaces, an international but family feel and outstanding schools at primary and secondary. Very quick and easy commute to central London. Plus lots of beautiful buildings and history! And you'd get a nice good sized family house for your budget.

@ThisJollyTaupeBiscuit
If you dm me, I'd be happy to say which primary school my dad attended - but she left about 14 years ago. All of the primary schools in Chiswick are fine and attract a diverse range of families. For various reasons, my dad didn't go to the local secondary school - but it has really improved since then and I would recommend it. I see their students on the bus and they are always polite and well-behaved.

As I said, I have lived in Chiswick all of my life. When I was growing up, the area where we lived was very friendly. At that point, Chiswick had a more varied demographic in terms of the economic backgrounds of residents. We were a working class family who owned our house and I remember there being other working class families plus professionals. That particular street continued to be very friendly and neighbourly whilst my parents continued to live there. I have lived in two other parts of Chiswick since then. I don't find my current street particularly friendly though it is probably true of many areas. I do think however that the parent communities that make up local schools are friendly as well as local churches. There are also quite a few local community projects supported my local residents.

I have lots of links with Ealing and have always found it friendlier as a community. I think that there is more of a mix. Due to its size, it contains its own neighbourhoods such as Pitshanger Lane and Northfields - and Pitshanger in particular seems a lovely area.

Wimbledon, Crouch end, Ealing, Herne Hill, Balham would all fit the bill. Areas that have decent primary and secondary options, safe, leafy and international. Richmond is fine - but a pain to get too, good schools are mainly grammar and it's very stuffy. Dont forget that while you might aim for private at secondary, it does also depend on whether your kids are bright enough. In London gone are the days of rich but dim when it comes to private day schools especially if you have boys. So a very good state secondary is always a good idea.

In London gone are the days of rich but dim when it comes to private day schools especially if you have boys. So a very good state secondary is always a good idea.

Most of the very good state schools are grammar though or with a “grammar stream so you have to be bright. Or you have to be religious. What would be the decent option in Balham for example?

Wimbledon
Wimbledon Park
Southfields SW19

🤷🏻‍♀️ you may not be white, although usually there is an ethnicity dimension to gentrification. All the areas you discuss as desirable are more white homogeneous and all the areas you discuss as less safe are less so, so whether it’s an active preference or not you are likely to end up in a less ethnically diverse area (as well as less economically diverse).

but my point still stands about wanting the fruits of affluence but the aura of progressiveness.

this is an interesting piece in the Observer today which sums up the tension through the prism of the Walthamstow / Gail’s issue that has been in the press this week - “the awkward paradox” for middle class London is what I am talking about.

www.theguardian.com/uk-news/article/2024/aug/18/i-never-liked-gails-but-thats-not-why-im-opposed-walthamstows-revolt-and-the-awkward-paradox-for-middle-class-london

@Nanana1 that's why I mentioned these areas because they have decent state secondaries. Balham - Chesnut Grove, herne hill - charter, crouch end/Ally pally/Murrell hill quite a few, Wimbledon the various single sex ones though not if you want a mixed schoolbhence why we ruled it out as an area. Grammars are fine but it depends on child's personality. My kid isnt overly competitive and would hate the culture in a grammar.

@Hdifuhjv I wouldn’t class CG has a very good state school hence my post. There’s nothing wrong with it but someone in the OPs position is unlikely to chose it, they will want better. Hence why a large % of dc in Balham go private &/or move/tutor for a different option. Herne Hill, the most popular will be Charter particularly ND which has a small & expensive catchment & Kingsdale which is a lottery so no guarantee.
And many private secondaries have different admission criteria if you start at the prep a few yrs before if you are worried about not getting a place.

@Hello98765 I don’t appreciate being told that the subtext of me wanting a safe neighbourhood means it must be white and rich. The fact that you associate safety with whiteness and wealth is offensive in itself, and not what I believe, as a person of colour myself. Perhaps you should scrutinise your own bias.

To be clear, I would personally much rather be in a poor diverse neighbourhood than a wealthy white neighbourhood that was insular looking and exclusionary towards outsiders. You would understand this if you actually read my posts.

That Guardian article is neither relevant nor constructive. You’re clearly trying to use this thread, that I made in good faith, to make a simplistic and totally random point about the hypocrisies of gentrification.

I suggest you stop trying to make assumptions about people you know nothing about.