Neighborhood recommendations/ school recommendations

We are planning on coming to London within the next few (2-4) months. My new employer is doing the work permit paperwork currently. I will be moving with my wife and 2 young boys - from New York (Cobble Hill Brooklyn specifically).  My job is in Chelsea.

I have a number of colleagues in the London area, and i have gotten a wide array of neighborhood recommendations. Single/ childless people have given 1 set, others have given recommends where they have lived and we are still trying to come up with a 'short list'.

The main factors in the decision are:

• Proximity to work (again, Chelsea)
• Proximity to schools (THIS is something we REALLY need to sort out)
• Living space/ size
• Tube access
• Park access, kids gotta play...
• Grocery access (gotta walk to fresh produce...)
• Cost (Seems like some areas are just too expensive)

We plan on NOT having a car. My employer has given me some amount of money that we will use to subsidize school costs/ housing costs.

The recommendations that we have gotten are:

• Battersea (We know 2 people that live or have lived here)
• Clapham
• Islington (at least 2 others have warned us NOT to consider Islington)
• Maida Vale (A helpful friend-of-a-friend lives here)
• St Johns Wood
• Hampstead
• S. Kensington (seems relatively expensive/ small for the money)
• Richmond (seems like we would need a car, semi-suburban living)
• Greenwich/ Blackheath (seems to far away and like we would need a car)
• Fulham - (my wife and I like this one so far, although nobody has recommended)
• Barnes and Putney (passing recommends - not so much info yet)

That is a long list, it seems that west is good for proximity to work (depending on exactly what tube access there is). There is a bit of a north or south  debate between friends... not sure yet what to think of that.

We will have temporary corporate housing when we move, so this is the time when we can REALLY try to sort out our locale, but coming up with a 'short list' sooner than later will help us figure out schools, etc.

That topic then.. schools...

It seems that getting into a neighborhood with a state school will not be doable. If it is anything like it is in Cobble Hill - there are a few 'good' 'state' schools - you have to get into the exact neighborhood or you will not get in. I have heard it is somewhat worse in London inasmuch as you will not even get into the 'good' school you want even if you are across the street from it. It seems then that private school is the only option... So - does anyone have good private school recommendations?

.. That is a mouthful.. thanks in advance for ANY advice

-Chris

http://www.islondon.com/ContactUs.asp

Knew a teacher who worked here, loved it:

http://www.acs-england.co.uk/

Heard this is an excellent school:

http://england.tasis.com/page.cfm?p=10

Here's a website that might help as well:

http://www.ukprivateschools.com/

Good luck with your move, and welcome to the site. There is a wealth of information here .

www.upmystreet.com

Thanks for all the references - that is all very helpful...

Also - this site in general has been excellent - I am thankful for all the info that is just here for the taking!

-Chris

I don't really know that area except I do have very good friends that live in Barnes.  It is a very nice area, very close to Chelsea.  They use public transportation for just about everything now that their children are old enough to get themselves to school.  Most schools do not run a school bus so you may find that a car may be necessary for the school run if you are not within walking distance.  There is a huge used car market here so if you decide you need a car that might be the way to go.

How old are your children and are you looking at putting them into a British independent school or one of the American/International schools?  If your children are younger than 6th grade my friend sent her 3 to the Unicorn School which is located right across from Kew Gardens.  It is a very good school.  I will ask my friend next time I speak to her, which might be today and I will let you know if she suggests any others.

We are trying to sort out the pros and cons of putting them into 'international' schools vs British private schools. We are not sure how serious the curriculum differences are and if it will even matter to ones so young. We are thinking we will stay for at least 5 years - so why not try to put them in British schools in stead of limiting ourselves to the international schools.

My wife would be the one bringing the kids to school and she will NOT want to drive at all, so it seems proximity to school and ability to NOT drive will need to factor heavily in a neighborhood decision.

-Chris

I would recommend you try www.gabbitas.c.o.uk.  We used them to help locate all of the private schools within x miles from my husbands office.  That service was free.  They will help you to contact the schools and make appointments to visit the schools for a fee.

My children have never gone to an American school so I cannot say for sure but I believe the transition from a British school to an American one should not be too difficult.  By sending the children to a local school your family will become more integrated into the British society giving you a real taste of living in Britian.   If however you send the children to one of the American/International schools you may find the transition to living here easier.  This is because you will be in an expat community where most have experienced an international move so therefore understand and can be more supportive. 

That seems like a great site - thanks. We were also originally thinking that we wanted to send them to British schools as opposed to the international schools. I do not have a good feel for hard it will be to get into any of the schools that we want. It seems we will be coming in the September/ October time frame. That seems to be suboptimal for getting into a normal school program. I am not even really how hard/ easy it will be to get into any of these schools at any time of the year, much less just after the semester starts. If it is anything like it is here - it will be painful!

Actually...

We arrived in London in September of '06, just about a week after the school year had begun.  We were pretty nervous about this, especially since our oldest was Reception age at the time, and school entry years tend to be the hardest classes to find openings.  As it turned out, our timing was optimal.  Because the school year had begun, the endless waiting lists we'd been told to anticipate had all disappeared once the children on those lists started school somewhere.  We ended up being able to choose from 5 really good NW London independent schools, and once we accepted a place somewhere, our younger child was automatically able to enter the Nursery a term later because of sibling status.  Two years later, people still hear where my kids go to school and ask "how on Earth did you get them in there?"  Luck of the draw.  They needed a girl born in January to replace a late withdrawal.  We had one.

Bottom line, no, it's not ideal entering school a few weeks into the term.  But it's not necessarily a bad thing, either.  (Oh, and for what it's worth, Hampstead has a LOT of independent schools.  The more school options, the better the chances you'll get a place somewhere.  That's how we ended up here and we've never regretted it.)  Good luck!

In terms of International versus British - if any of your kids would hit the middle school years when moving back (7th & 8th grade in particular) or high school especially, you might find it tough for them to transition into an American school again as the curriculum will be different.  But if they will still be in the younger years when you move, then I wouldn't worry about it.

I do know that ASL (The American School in London) doesn't have any spaces available (I work there).  Not sure about other international schools...but you can alway apply and see if you can get in mid-year if you decide that's the route you want to go.

The only private schools I know in London are the ones we play in field hockey or are in NW - here are the good ones I know (I think most are single sex but not sure): South Hampstead School, University College School, Francis Holland, Mill Hill School.

Good luck!

As for living.  It's all expensive.  Especially if you want to be in a good area near Chelsea and near good schools.  For green space you might want to live near parks - so Hampstead, Primrose Hill, St Johns Wood & Maida Vale are good in the north/northwest.  In the SW, I would look at Kensington areas, Clapham.  (I'm a northwest person so I know them better)

Battersea and Clapham (between the Commons) are great places to bring up kinds as they are pretty safe areas with lots of green space (I don't have children but friends do and live around there).  Battersea is a walk to Chelsea.

Vicky

I live near Fulham (in Earls Court) and while I like it a lot, I'm not sure it's the best place to bring up children. Battersea Park is right nearby but other than that, there aren't that many green spaces. I mean, there are a fair number of leafy squares but they're the domain of local resident associations and you're only allowed access if you live nearby.

The shopping situation isn't the best either. There are no big Sainsburys or Tescos (ie big supermarkets) on Fulham Road, so food shopping is even more expensive. On the other hand, there are a lot of good restaurants in the area and anyway, it's right outside central London, so it's not a big hassle to get into the West End.