Moving from Fortismere to Paddington Academy catchment area. Am I mad?

[camaleon]

I am considering this. Main reason: we are a bit tired of living in London for years without any feeling for the city. We would like a more mixed environment, and the possibility of accessing a cinema without needing public transport/car (a silly example, trying to explain what I mean) We know the neighbourhood around Fortismere, we are comfortable here, and Fortismere seems the obvious answer. We have two kids:

One in year 5 that would have to move to another primary in year 6.
Another one in year 3 who would have to move too.

Both are academically able and always performing comfortably above average, top sets, etc. My eldest one wanted to sit the Latymer exam which would not be possible if we move (catchment area). My DH and I are not too keen on selective schools though, where everybody has passed the same exam. We would prefer, in general, that the children are exposed to a broader range of skills/abilities/backgrounds. But we are not from here and we may be making a big mistake.

I don't even know if there are any good primary school around the Paddington Academy.

Any views would be really appreciated.

OP, just remember that your child will spend more hours in school than with you or with "the neighbourhood". That's secondary.
Imagine her walking on her own to school age 11. Imagine both your children starting to meet friends in the local green or the local high street on their own. Imagine them coming back from school - in winter, DS leaves the house in the dark and comes back in the dark. Sometimes so late (extracurricular) that I go to wait for him at the bus stop. A neighbourhood may seem interesting and "colourful" to you till you start thinking that way.
A friend put her child in the local comp so she would "mix" and now says the comp is completely divided inside. The white middle class kids stick together, the muslims stick together, etc. Don't know if this is the case everywhere though.
I would stick to Fortismere, one of the best and most desirable state schools in London, and do trips to experience gritty London... If I were you, which I'm not of course :)

If it helps, I went to a pretty gritty Comprehensive school; knifes, fires, lots of inappropriate teacher behaviour, chairs thrown out of windows... I still had no idea what life was really like, not till I had to fend for myself.

I work with people who went to Fortismere, they are all very different, but all lovely, non judgmental people. Although to be fair, some of them went there when it was a place no naice person would send their precious offspring.

Thanks again. You are all right and probably this is more about me than about them. It is 99% decided to stay where we are, with a few more little trips scheduled to be sure we have explored all the possibilities.

I can definitely understand the desire to be in Central London (I'd love to just be in London at all!) .

I don't really know the Paddington area but am confused by some posters saying the rents and house prices are astronomical and another saying it is an incredibly deprived area - one or the other surely?!

Also, I just looked at the Ofsted for Fortismere. Only 50% of the pupils are White British and it shares a site with a school for the deaf. So it seems like a very vibrant, diverse atmosphere to me.

manic
No it really is both. Its a strange area. Some really deprived areas sit next to very expensive areas e.g. Paddington Green and Church Street (78% of children live in income deprived households in Church Street ward) are 5 mins walk from Warwick Avenue and St John's Wood respectively where houses cost millions or tens of millions. Harrow Road ward (where PA is has 60% children in income deprived households) is 5-10 mins from Maida Vale.

The highest price property within 1 mile of PA postcode is 32M the cheapest is a tiny 1 bed flat at 250K. Even within half a mile highest is 4.5M and cheapest is a studio at 255K. The vast majority of people on low income live in social housing as there is no way you can buy a family home on an average income. Consequently, there really isn't really so much of a middle range in the area. Either you live in social housing or you are well off enough to buy expensive property.

the rents and house prices are astronomical and another saying it is an incredibly deprived area - one or the other surely?!

This is true of much of London now, sadly, stupid property prices mean either you live in a multi-million pound house or you're in social housing, there is nothing left for the people in the middle.

OP, stay where you are - once both your children are in to Fortismere or after they leave you could always move, there is plenty of time to experience other bits of London. You sound very sensible, so I'm sure you'll do the right thing. Good luck.

areyouthere
x post

There really isn't much of a middle ground left now is there.

am confused by some posters saying the rents and house prices are astronomical and another saying it is an incredibly deprived area - one or the other surely?!

It can be both in parallel. That's one of the weird features of London and its housing shortage. A lot of people live in social housing and, on the other hand, private rentals and house prices are astronomical. In Westminster's Harrow Road ward, where PA is located 43% of the population live in social housing. The report I linked to says that 69% of the households in the ward are in at least one dimension of deprivation. That sounds like an increadibly deprived area to me. OTOH the average property price is more than half a million pounds. If you wanted to buy a whole house, it would cost you well over a million.

chaz mrssquirrel we're all x-posting!

I used to live in that area and it's one of the reasons we moved, I found the polarisation too extreme, it's still not great where we live now but better. OP, that's why I'd suggest you stay put.

It sounds like the OP has decided to stay put. Sometimes you need to explore your options to decide that the grass isn't greener on the other side.

OP I really like your style - you would be the only person to have ever moved out of the Fortismere catchment with a child in y5!

However, I agree with your decision to stay put and all that's been said. We live in an area that's half way (geographically, socially, economically) between Muswell Hill and Paddington. I love it and I love my children's primary, but I hate the fact that there's not much of a middle class. We're the only ones on our street to use the local state primary for example. If I had my time again, I'd like to live in an area where there's more of buy-in to state education and less of a polarity between rich and poor.

I would second the move the Stoke Newington. Much more diverse area, and I hear a lot of Spanish spoken. Stoke Newington Secondary is excellent, as are many primaries. I know exactly what you mean about Muswell Hill - it's very pleasant, yet feels utterly suburban.

Thanks for the education in the London property market everyone . Crazy stuff.

I knew it was too expensive for most to buy and rent in London (otherwise I'd be there like a shot!) but didn't realise there was so much social housing so widely spread throughout all areas. I suppose I've been imagining a centre for the super rich surrounded by the very deprived areas all around. Which might actually be worse than the less than ideal reality!

I live in this area, moved here 13 years ago just before first DC was born. It is not a shithole - thanks for that bamboo. We all like it very much - being right in the centre of everything in a very vibrant city.

PM me if you are interested camaleon

I am travelling for work right now, but back tomorrow. I will check Stoke Newington and PM you too WellWoman.
Manic, apart from the crazy divide you can feel in many parts of London, I just wanted to add that my kids will belong to the 50% of non-white British. It does not mean much.
I have to say that just opening up possibilities and looking into all these schools, has been interesting by itself. I have seen London with different eyes and discovered a few nice spots. Not sure I can 'engineer' diversity or urban environment for my kids (or myself) though. But I have not given up completely.

camaleon, any news or new impressions on your search? I am also considering Maida Vale and thought the academies (PA and WA), given their Ofsted ratings are a good option for a state secondary schools. I am from abroad and have not yet lived in London (moving in a month), with a 11 yo, so don't judge me too much for my knowledge and understanding of the challenges of the British system of education.
So - is there such a thing in London as an area with a 'city' feel, good state schools, no outward dangers to the kids who are playing by themselves in the street, and an easy 30-min commute to the city (the place of work will be Temple)? Am I expecting too much and should be more realistic?

I live very close to where you are looking OP - Paddington/Marble Arch. I love living here but not for the ethnic mix per se. I love not using a car and being 5 mins from everywhere. But the ethnic mix is not so obvious. As someone else said, the good schools are church schools so very little mix (DCs are at one and it's not representative of the area) or they are catering to all in which case there's a lot of deprivation and the middle classes opt out.

If I were you I'd stick to where you are. It's sounds like it's reasonably mixed anyway. As I said, I love where I live but the mix is not what you might imagine. I could actually do without my DCs having to step over gangs of homeless Roma who sleep on the steps of the school most nights (the caretaker usually manages to shoo them away before school starts but sometimes he's off and they are still there when we turn up). This is the downside of being very urban.

PS nephew had a horrible experience at Acland B but I know it's a bit marmite like that. DSis said it felt like a youth club which is not what I would want for DCs.