Muswell Hill or Stoke Newington for young family

[Ownsafatcat]

Hello, we’re thinking of moving to either Muswell Hill or Stoke Newington with my two children aged two and four. I’m interested to know what your take on the areas and which primary schools are the best. Which schools to avoid! And any Intel on secondary schools in the areas as well.

Any opinions greatly received. Thanks!

Muswell Hill is the nice part of Haringey. Or one of. The problem is that the rest of the Borough and it's services are abysmal.

I work in education where I work with all of the boroughs in the NE of London so Haringey, Enfield, Hackney, Islington, Newham and Tower Hamlets. The services in Hackney (health and education) far exceed those in the neighbouring boroughs and if you can afford to live in Stoke Newington, you're in the one of the loveliest parts of Hackney.

I cannot stress how different Hackney is to the other boroughs when it comes to education. Particularly where children need support. It's far from perfect but honestly, Haringey and Islington are really bad.

Edited To add: also Waltham forest is really bad in my experience. We work with them when they bother.

I live in Hackney and my experience is exactly as PP describes.

I really do recommend Hackney as a place to live.

The only thing I'm not sure about is the strictness of secondary schools here. I think North London might be gentler. I could be wrong about that.

I'd avoid the academies (particularly Mossbourne and City) unless you're sure your child will thrive there and they do not have issues with anxiety. I'd never send a SEN student to them unless they flourished in academia and could follow rigid (and ridiculous) school rules.

Haggerston is probably the nicest school in terms of a balance between academics and pastoral care.