Merits of moving to Reigate & downsizing?!

[Surreymum84]

We are currently in the leafy part of Surrey have a large house/big garden and 3 small children ages 7 and under. Absolutely nothing to complain about and love the convenient links to the city BUT since we moved here I miss not living somewhere with more going on (shops/cafes/restaurants/nice parks - with playgrounds!).

I like Reigate as seems as good middle ground and works for us in terms of location from grandparents. To move there we would need to downsize quite materially (especially the garden), change children’s nurseries/schools and potentially need to go private so they have a local school to go to, and worsen our commute. How do people move multiple kids who are already at school without being given 3 different schools miles away to go to! It all seems impossible.

Is it worth it or do I need to just move on…?

As someone going through all the senior school application I say: pick your preferred senior school and also the ‘easy to get into’ back up and then think about house location from there. No point moving house then discoving all the good schools are too far.

I don’t know Reigate well but on the couple of times I’ve been through it the traffic was a nightmare.

We used to live in Reigate.

Traffic if you have to commute in and out by car is shocking.

Also, yes it has a lovely high street but actually to do proper clothes shopping you have to go further afield.

And the park can be way too crowded in summer once the water's on.

We quite liked RGS but eldest DC didn't at all so actually moved slightly inwards (Caterham) as needed extra space and preferred the schools in this direction.

Don't get me wrong, Caterham's high street has even less than Reigate but as we always have to get on the M25 for decent shops anyway at least it's not up that bloody hill with the train line and traffic!

I'd echo this - use to be nice about 10 years ago, more outdoorsy vibe. But even then traffic was an issue, and it's increased dramatically since then.

Everything is overcrowded and its limited, we got bored and found ourselves going to Guildford most weekends or more outdoor activities like climbing (even with little ones). State school catchments - you have to be virtually sitting on top on them to get a place and of course the houses in the catchments are pricey. Private schools - probably only RGS I'd consider in Reigate.

The everyman cinema is the only venue we now visit there.

We moved out to get away from the traffic and a bigger plot / house. We ended up travelling for activities etc in Reigate anyway - so no different where we are now - but a much better quality of life for us. I'd say if you have nice schools and a big house - then stay and do a bit more research on places to go / things to do in a certain radius of the house.

Schools in the area are not full for kids 7 and under. It is a very different picture than even 5 years ago as birth rate falls have impacted. Primary schooling in the area is under alot of uncertainty at the moment though - https://www.surreycc.gov.uk/schools-and-learning/schools/strategies-plans-policies-consultations/provision-of-primary-school-places-in-reigate

Given this, numbers at the private prep schools are ticking up - although still plenty of space.

I wouldn’t plan a long term move around playgrounds though or shops. What do you want for your kids as they enter the teenage years? For us, the availability of kids activities and clubs is a good thing. And those are not available in the more rural/smaller towns locally.

I think traffic issues very much depend on where you are living vs where you are trying to get to. Some routes are away but definitely not all.

@Reigateinformationforyou thanks for the link, it sounds like potentially some changes coming. When I last spoke to the council about which state schools would have availability for the relevant in year admissions, it was schools on the outskirts of reigate. We felt that this would be challenging to manage in the morning before work/commuting.

We were planning on sending the kids to private secondary but would have rather done state primary. However, the more I understand about secondary school admissions, it could be challenging for some children to get into a private secondary who have been in a state primary up to year 6 - perhaps just a different pace of learning. In light of this it might make sense to start the kids in prep if that could improve their chances of getting into a private secondary. We like the school options in Reigate and feel that whatever way our children go there could be an option for them i.e. academic or vocational.

In my original message, we wanted a location with more going on. I agree it would be extreme to up and move for shops and playgrounds, but its the overall feeling of community/town that we miss. I also thought that as the children grow up that being nearer a town would be great for socialising and activities which they can do with us or without us as they get older. I have no idea what teenagers these days want so perhaps I am missing something here, but I imagined that being near a town where they can see friends and do stuff would be important.

Our concern around downsizing comes from not knowing what our children will need when they are bigger. Do they need big rooms and a big garden or would they prefer to be in a town?!

@MooseLooseAbootThisHoos thanks for your response. We really like Caterham school and have been thinking about it as an option as well. From where we currently live, it would be 25 mins drive out to Caterham and then back home before getting on the train. This seemed doable but obviously not ideal. With Reigate schools being central to town this seemed an easier option to drop off in the morning and then head for the trains. But sounds like I might just be stuck in traffic!!!

It is definitely a smoother path from the prep schools to independent secondaries, less tutoring and pressure around that. Having said that, obviously lots of people do manage it.

I assume you are commuting to the city on the train? Most people at my kids school go to Merstham station after dropping the kids. RSM, Micklefield or Hawthorns will be fine for getting to Merstham for the 8.30 train to London.

I don’t know many people where both members of the couple work out of London. Those that do have grandparents supporting. The logistics can be tricky.

If you want a compromise location would Buckland/Betchworth way work? You could drive to one of the prep schools then get the train.

Actually, Nutfield/Bletchingly might be another compromise location if you were to send them to Hawthorns.

teenagers won't need big gardens, might need bigger room only to trash it so perhaps don't give them one, and do love towns with things going on that they can take themselves to independently

I live in Reigate , and we extremely happy.
We live in Doods road , which is walking distance to good few state primary schools, Holmesdale , Priory (although it’s likely to move ) , Parish , Wray Common, along with the local prep schools and Reigate Grammar and Dunottar (also Hawthorns school is a 15min drive )

Its a great community, most people i know now shop online for clothes , however i love meeting my friends in evening for dinner and walking home.
Where we live in North Reigate , so have on occasions walked to Redhill station . (there is a back route via Doods way) .

I personally wouldn’t bother paying for prep schools , there are many pupils from state that go onto independent schools.

Hi. We are looking at moving to Reigate, possibly Doods Road. We currently have no children but are planning to settle in our next home and do so.

I know you mentioned primary schools, but would it be easy enough to get a place at Reigate School for secondary, living in Doods Road? I know it’s technically in the catchment area, but I’ve read that (good) secondary schools places are hard to come by in Reigate (a poster above mentioned you have to be really close to guarantee a place).

I will be commuting to London a few days a week (my partner works mostly from home). We’re looking at Reigate as it seems a good mix of high street with decent pubs / restaurants and park, plus access to nearby countryside. Though we are also a bit put off by the traffic (such a shame it goes right through the high street).

Another area we’re looking at is Meadvale (commuting from Earlswood), which seems a bit quieter and further from town, but close to the commons.

Any thoughts or advice you could give on area and/or schools would be much appreciated. Thanks.

Morning ,

Yes that’s right , there was a time when children in Reigate were finding hard to get into Reigate high school, but parents had complained , and the school has changed their admissions back to a catchment map,
Doods road is back in the map , and this year the was kids on our road that got in.
In the years that they it was difficult, i believe the kids got in via waitlist .

You also have St Bedes which is v
popular for secondary , which a lot of kids go to, many parents find “god” and start going to church in y3.

There is quite a church social scene in Reigate 😂…

On our road , some kids also go to Royal Alexandra and Albert School, it has mixed reviews, some parents find it amazing for the children, others not so.

Also husband commutes into London. Although Redhill is the better station , the trains are the moment are reliable from
Reigate …… but if you like a walk there is a nice cut through walk to redhill from Doods road, via Doods way , walk via an allotment to get the back of Donyings Leisure centre.

Thanks for all the info.

Regarding the religious schools, I’m unsure how it works… for St Bede’s secondary or the Parish primary I read you need to attend fortnightly for a given period of time to get the reference, but is that the only way to get in?

Is it possible to get in due to proximity to those schools alone? It seems wrong that a state school should be able to discriminate based on one’s religious practices, no mater its own beliefs. But I’m a bit naive about all this…

How do you find the traffic in town? Do you like the high street?

Thanks again

There are a number of community places but you need to live very close to St Bedes. The majority of places are faith based.

To be honest , i have never given the traffic much of a thought .

If you are walking from Doods road, there is walking pathway (East and South Walk) that goes along Croydon road, that has lots of Hedges and trees and there is also other back route via St Mary’s school with a field adjacent .

I find there are plenty of safe places to cross . and we walk a lot . Only issue is at the moment Bancroft road is closed for 4 weeks … so the traffic might feel worse .

Unfortunately there are hardly any non religious places at St Bedes. I personally don’t know how they get away with it, but i think it’s because they accept approx 50% catholics, 50 church of england ,
so the rules are bent a bit ..

People go to church usually twice a month , (loosely ) …

If you kids are academic driven they will do just as well there as they would do private . but this is my opinion….

Parish primary school , accepts 50% no faith …..

Parking on Doods road can be difficult, so
im unsure if the house you are looking at does.
If not , there are always spaces up the road and you just get in the habit to walk down.