Where in SW London if you could live anywhere

[CrownCoats]

Looking to move to SW London - preferably somewhere near one of the commons or large parks. Have two children currently in primary so need to be in the catchment of good secondary schools (preferably state but might consider private). I would like a nice community where it feels safe for kids to go out and call on friends and play out together. We also need a relatively easy commute to Victoria.

Where would people suggest?

Are your DC boys or girls? Would you be happy with single sex? Are you Catholic / would you consider a faith school? In some parts of SW London, the state options are quite limited if you don't want either of the above so it could rule certain areas in or out. Also, whats your budget as that will also make a massive difference as to what is possible.

Both girls. Very happy with girls schools. Not Catholic. Baptised CofE and attend regularly to keep school options open.

Budget is pretty flexible. Up to £2m but would consider a flat rather than house in the right area.

If you have girls and are CoE Church goers, Grey Coat Hospital in Westminster is a very good bet, and meets with the need to commute into Victoria. This gives you a huge range of areas to chose from so it really depends what you’re looking for. £2m bought us a very spacious house with large garden in Streatham Hill practically on top of Tooting Common but Streatham isn’t for everyone admittedly! Wandsworth Common/Bellevue more upmarket but you get less for £2m, Balham somewhere in between…

Balham?

Grey Coat has always been at the back of my mind but distance is one of the oversubscription criteria. We currently live very nearby but want to move somewhere greener and safer and I’m concerned that moving away will make it harder to get in. If we were to move further out I would want to ensure we are in the catchment for a good secondary in case grey coat is no longer an option.

@CrownCoats , St Margaret's in the catchment (it's small) for Orleans Park School.

Not sure really. £2m would get you a decent sized single fronted house within the catchment area of one of the primaries that enables entry to Bolingbroke academy? It's nice round there, not super-close to a station but otherwise good.

Fulham for Lady Margaret School? Its GCSE results are almost as good as GCH and it has a strong reputation. District line to Victoria from Parsons Green, Putney Bridge or Fulham Broadway. On tube strike days you can get a bus to Putney and get mainline to Victoria via Clapham Junction. Foundation places have been offered for 1 mile+ in recent years so you could go further to the river near to Bishop's Park/Fulham Palace for nice park space (on top of Parson's Green / Eelbrook Common area of Fulham). Fulham is very family friendly.

@CrownCoats Look at Hampton Hill, TW12, near Fulwell Station. The 08.12 from Fulwell Station will get you to Victoria for 08.49, changing at Clapham Junction. (Times are longer off-peak, between 45m and an hour, depending on the connection).

It is on the doorstep to beautiful Bushy Park & Hampton Open Air Pool. You can walk/cycle to Kingston across the park. It has a nice high street with a Waitrose, community theatre, library, cafes, restaurants. There are lots more cafes and restaurants in nearby Teddington or Twickenham, both 20 mins walk or 5-10 mins by bus.

For secondary, if you get the location right (north of the high street) then you can be in catchment for all three of Waldegrave School (girls only), Turing House (mixed, with an admissions point in Fulwell), and Teddington School, which are all popular options. You will also be in catchment for the Tiffin Grammar schools (if your kids are very academic). There are private options nearby too (e.g. LEH, St. Catherines, Radnor House).

Local primary school children go to Hampton Hill Juniors or Stanley School. Catholic children go to St James'. For CofE there is St Marys & St Peters (SMSP).

It's a lovely area, with lots of activities for kids.

Richmond or East Twickenham/St Margaret’s and make sure you are in distance for Grey Court or Orleans Park respectively. Obviously property not cheap and depends what you want for your £2million but the question was “if you could live anywhere”. My DD went to Grey Court which was and is outstanding and we are 10 mins walk from River Thames, central Richmond and Richmond Park, all of which are fab. And 20mins to Waterloo on train or slightly more on train to Victoria (changing at Clapham junction) or direct district line tube to Victoria in 35 mins.

Twickenham/St Margaret's have a relatively easy commute to Victoria. They are lovely, safe neighbourhoods with a community feel and lots of parks around. Very child-friendly. Possible schools to consider are Orleans Park, Waldegrave, Grey Court, Turing House, Tiffin Girls (if you have a high achiever), depending on where exactly you move.

Southfields or Wimbledon Park in SW18. Outstanding primary schools and a very good comp - Saint Cecilia’s. District line straight to Victoria. Many kids who live around here go to Greycoats and Lady Margaret or Tiffins.
5 minute drive to Wimbledon Common and we have Wimbledon Park on our doorstep. Community is very very strong

I was also going to suggest East Twickenham in the catchment for Orleans Park School.
there are fast frequent trains from Twickenham to Vauxhall (Victoria Line)
Very safe, family friendly and it’s amazing living by the river, so close to Richmond aswell

Prendergast hilly fields is a great state girls school although SE London. Your budget would go far. Lots of parks and green spaces, the school itself is situated in a park.

Off Northcote Rd, between Clapham Common and Wandsworth Common. You'd be a shoe in for Belleville Primary (outstanding) and Honeywell (no longer deemed outstanding but still very sought after). Trains from Clapham Junction to Victoria (10 mins walk to CJ) and into Victoria in 10 mins. Bolingbroke Academy (outstanding), Graveney (streamed), Greycoat, Lady Margaret all potentials and fab, with several private options too

I live in this area and nobody plays out! Kids go on playdates at each others’ houses or are supervised at the park.

It’s a nice community, feels safe, bump into school friends all the time, absolutely loads of kids’ activities (though the waiting lists can be off the charts) but playing out is just not a thing here. I grew up here decades ago and it wasn’t a thing then either.

to have kids play outside buy a house on a cul de sac in a leafy family area within walking minutes to parks with playgrounds

I spent my first 39 years in SW London, but moved away so we could buy. If I could afford to go back (I visit very regularly), I’d choose Strawberry Hill, St Margarets, parts of Teddington or Twickenham, or Hampton Wick. However, I don’t need to worry about schools, so that obviously makes a difference.

that's right. years ago I looked at a house in this street which is more or less a 'gated community', something about it I didn't quite like but I bet there are dozens more like it in sw London.

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/167049845#/?channel=RES_BUY

La retraite in Clapham is an excellent school and not over subscribed - Clapham is a great area to live in - I see girls who live in Clapham go to grey coats
La retraite is rated outstanding by Ofsted and upon comparison ( with exception to grey coats) of other schools in Westminster and in South London they seem to come up on top in most results ( I’ve been checking Chat GPT and doing my own research) they also have a great range of T Levels and good facilities
bolingbroke academy is also very sought after and over subscribed you have to send your children to one of their feeder schools in order to get in - (I’ve been told that there was a possibility they may turn into a private school in the next few years )

Southfields is also great place to live and right on the district line , there is a great school there called Cecelias who are also over subscribed but do well especially in maths and music . Lots of nice parks including king George’s , Wandsworth park ,ect It’s also a great looking school
currently, I live in Nine Elms ( have all my life) it’s a nice place to live and Battersea park is nearby , the borough of Wandsworth is all SW and has some great parks and commons and is also not too far away from some really excellent and sought after schools ( chestnut grove , burntwood, grey coats, Bolingbroke, St Cecelias, ect )