Safe places to raise teenagers - SW London

[todayortomorrow]

We live in Balham which is generally lovely. But in the past months there have been a lot of muggings of secondary school kids, someone was attacked for their watch round the corner from our house last week etc. Our kids are still in primary school but I'm scared for them when they move to secondary. Are there areas of SW London where you don't worry about your kids being mugged? Or is this happening everywhere? Thanks

Sadly, this is becoming a problem wherever you live

Similar issue here:

Reigate
Coulsdon

Feels pretty safe Kingston way. Heard lots re Balham. I’d definitely move out if I lived that centrally.

Doesn’t happen very much at all here in rural Devon, though I appreciate that’s not very helpful.

I think it happens everywhere but goes in cycles a bit. A while ago there were lots of incidents in Putney, seems to have died down ( famous last words) but currently happening in Barnes/ Mortlake a lot. There was also a group in Fulham mugging people- same teenage perpetrators every time.
I think with WhatsApp, nextdoor.com etc we hear about things a lot more as well although I do appreciate that it is happening more as well.
I don't worry particularly about my DCs at secondary although have discussed with them ( as have schools) about safety, sensible behaviour etc.

Sadly I think you'll get this anywhere in London (my ds has been mugged and it's not an easy thing to get over)...

I would say that all schools are pretty good at telling them what they should do (ie don't walk along using your phone) and hand over whatever you're asked for straight away without arguing. Kids are better at the second than the first....

There are no top tips and certainly no failsafe places to live to avoid this (except maybe Devon!) - you just have to encourage your kids to be sensible and keep everything crossed.

Southfields
Wimbledon
Rayners Park

Kingston ???!!!

Are you having a laugh?

Balham isn't dangerous, its boring, but its not dangerous for goodness sake, I wouldn't go out in Kingston on a Saturday night, but I would in Balham.

OP, there is no there is no 'safe haven' it doesn't exist. The closest you'll get to that is moving out to the middle of nowhere I'm afraid, like somehwere in Devon....just follow the advice of @TJsAunt great advice.

Teddington still feels pretty safe.

OP will now be able to sleep at night knowing it's ok where you live.

Live in SW London, brought up in rural Devon. My DCs may be more likely to be mugged but also grateful they're not haring round the country lanes in cars being driven by drunk teenagers en route to the hotspots of Exeter and Torquay...! I look back in horror at some of the things that went on...

I agree that it does come in waves. The police notify schools if there's a known difficulty, and then parents get the emails urging extra caution in certain areas, reassurance of extra police patrols, and reiteration of the instruction to just hand stuff over (better to lose a phone than be badly hurt).

And I'm not sure that there's anywhere in London where you'd definitely be safer. The 'good' and 'bad' areas are absolutely cheek by jowl

New Malden

Twickenham, Teddington.and Hampton Hill are relatively safe, and lovely places to live if you can afford the housing, with good schools.

Kingston is exceptionally tame compared to other parts of London! It’s a lovely safe place to live.

By looking at the crime map Balham is not safer than Kingston

Thanks everyone. Yes, rural Devon isn't an option for numerous reasons. The map supports the Richmond/Twickenham/Kingston/Wimbledon etc suggestions. Now to think of how we move & sort secondary school! Also, Balham isn't boring!

If you are aiming for grammar the best would be to move to Kingston because then you are also in catchment for Sutton etc.
If you don't consider grammar then here in TW postcode ( Hampton, Teddington, Richmknt) are good state schools. Actually the only worse school we have is in Teddington close to Kingston as it was marked by OFSTED as Req.Improv.

P.S. a correction. Somebody told me that Teddington school was assesed again and it is marked as Good by OFSTED now

In London lists about safety and happiness, Richmond always seems to come first. Sutton and Kingston are usually not far behind. I'm in Sutton where most areas feel very safe. I have a Y6 son who's been going to nearby shops/parks on his own (or with friends) for over a year now and there have never been any issues. Family friends with children in high schools have not mentioned any problems but of course nowhere will be perfect. Generally speaking, there is a correlation between deprivation and crime, so unfortunately the current economic and social climate may lead to higher crime rates in many parts of the country.

This is why we moved out of London - I lived in Norbury for 27 years. We moved to south Norfolk and it’s safe as anything here, never ever hear of any crime beyond an occasional car theft related incident. But - it’s not great in terms of job opportunities / culture / social diversity etc. I think all cities have their crime issues don’t they; but it depends on what’s important to you in the grand scheme of things. Personally I’m glad we moved even though our combined income has dipped to a third of what is was.

Teddington School has been Good for a while now, and getting back to its previous popularity. 10 years ago it was heavily oversubsubscribed, and it is now starting to return to that position. (It had some financial issues, which have been addressed by it becoming part of a Multi Academy Trust, and it has had two new Heads since it got its RI judgement - the first one was credited with turning it around, but then moved to Orleans Park. The most recently appointed Head was previously a popular deputy at another local school).

A lot of families in north Teddington, Hampton Hill and West Twickenham send their children to Turing House School, as it has its main admissions point in Fulwell on the Twickenham/Teddington border.

Hampton families use Hampton High (but watch out, as some southern areas of Hampton have been out of its catchment in the recent bulge years).

West Twickenham property prices are pushed up by proximity to Waldegrave (girls school) but families there with boys or who don't want all-girls use Turing House, Twickenham School or Richmond Upon Thames School. The South Twickenham families that are closest to central Twickenham can still get places at Orleans Park, but only just.

Hampton Hill is my favourite area - a bit cheaper than Teddington and Twickenham, and fewer trains (from Fulwell Station) but on the doorstep of beautiful Bushy Park, and with the fantastic Hampton Open Air Pool at one end of the High Street.

Apologies, am getting v specific here on a thread covering all of SW London (+ Devon 😉) but Orleans Park catchment was teeny this year - less than 1km on offer day, and the second set of offers hasn’t gone much further. Think it’s because so many siblings 2 years older, so might be different in the future. Certainly many excellent schools in the area though and feels safe.

I would agree about twickenham/ Richmond. I have lived here for 15 years and compared to other areas of London I have lived in is certainly safer. Lots of good schools but with very small catchments. Good transport links, apart from Hampton which is pretty limited.

Balham is a relatively safe area. If your kids have a £100 mobile, £100 bike, £10 watch etc they'll likely never have any big issues. Conspicuous displays of wealth (you see it all the time with the never ending spate of thefts of land rovers) in an area with such extremes of inequality will often end badly

Find the secondary school you like and work backwards from that. Start attending church and you have many more options, and you'd be surprised just how far foundation places stretch 'catchment' areas. Catholics seem to do extremely well - see The Oratory for example. Church of England also.