Family friendly Dulwich?

[gatortiff]

Hi there,

my husband and I are looking to move in March and we like Dulwich, but can't figure out which is the best spot for families--village, East, West, North, etc. Any advice on which is best? We have a 1-year old and I do stay at home so I would prefer to have lots of options of things to do with the baby during the day.

[Pickle]

Hi there,

I have a 1 year old and live in East Dulwich. Probably all areas are equally as good in terms of things to do with a baby, although there are a lot of activities in and around East Dulwich in particular - music groups, play groups, Mum & baby times at local pubs - and there's also a growing number of baby/children related shops opening up.

Personally I would say East is best, but then I'm biased! I would say you're better being near Lordship Lane in terms of facilities etc., but then Dulwich isn't really that big, so no matter where you end up you'd be a reasonably short walk away.

Good luck with your move.

[tiddles]

Both east and west dulwich are great for families - I just think west is a tad more expensive. East offers a bigger high street and more coffee opportunities (I remember these were a life saver!!)also, walkable to peckham pulse soft play - a lovely facility for tiddlers. If you find the SE22 postcode a little pricey, venture into the the SE15 postcode around goose green/bellenden. It used to be the case that you could get a little more for your money in the SE15 area. Actually, that is true also of SE5 (camberwell) going up as far as grove lane (which would get you into lyndhurst school - fab) just don't venture too far into cambersmell itself unless you can afford one of those flippin gorgeous georgian houses off grove lane and adjoining roads!! which reminds me = the dark horse - what a fab place!

[dulwichmum]

Dear Gatortiff,

I would not decide between East or West Dulwich until you have considered the schools. The choice of location for your family may be best made if you decide first on Independent or state primary schools to begin with. With the independent schools - you will not need to take notice of catchment areas, but with state schools - proximity to the school of your choice is vital. It may all seem very far off when your baby is only one year old, but in the blink of an eye - you will be filling out application forms...(sigh).

[Fuschia]

It's nice to be walking distance of one of the parks, dulwich park or peckham rye. Goose green park is quite nice too.

Most of the primary schools are pretty good, there are threads on here with comments.

The centre of ED is quite pricey, but handy for the shops, and close to Heber school which is very nice.

A bit further along is Goodrich, also nice and cheaper around there I think. Down near the roundabout is St Johns (Cof E) and Puddleduck nursery is lovely (church hall)

[EDOldie]

dulwichmum Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Dear Gatortiff,

>

It may all seem very far off when your baby is

> only one year old, but in the blink of an eye -

> you will be filling out application

> forms...(sigh).

Before you know it secondary transfer too.

Depends on budget as to what you buy but we've been just between the Lane and the Village for 14 years now and of the places I've lived in Dulwich this is the best of both worlds. Dulwich is really good for children (and parents) some of our children (now late teens/early twenties) still meet with friends they went to the Infants and Junior Schools with. I went to school in the Village and still keep in contact with school pals from this time. Hope your move goes well and you'll soon be saying "you're not from round 'ere are you?"

[gerry]

I totally agree with Dulwichmum. Choose your school then move into the catchment area. Look at Horniman's and Dulwich Infants as well as the East Dulwich schools. If you are going independent, Alleyn's Junior is wonderful for a mixed school, and now there is automatic entry into the senior school. I know its difficult to think that far ahead when your child is only 1. Fairlawn and Dulwich Wood Nurseries are also brilliant, but each have long waiting lists. Good luck with your decision.

[dulwichmum]

Thanks Gerry,

and Gatoriff, just to bear in mind - Alleyns junior school is indeed outstanding. However, they assess something like 200 children for 20 places each year and competition is fierce (even though we are talking about three and a half year olds here)... Competition is similar for a lot of the local independent schools - including Dulwich College Prep and JAPS. If you like DUCKS junior school (which leads into Dulwich College) you must put your childs name down right now. Rosemead, Herne Hill, Sydenham High and Oakfield are super local independent schools too and I believe that the assessments there may be a little gentler. These are tiny children being assessed. The selection process really is a lottery. We found it far more stressful than moving house.

[Jennys]

Please, please, consider using state system. There is a good choice round here. Your children will still get a good education and end up with lovely friends. Son - totally state educated from Dulwich Village infants onwards - is now part way through a doctorate having got a first, so the state system can't be totally useless.

[AllforNun]

Except for the fact that Dulwich Village Infants is more exclusive and virtually impossible to attend due to it's catchment area and the fact that most of the houses that reside within it are close to 1million quid. It's virtually a private school funded by the state.

Buy yes the quality of the schools in and around ED are rising fast. outside of Dulwich infants St Anthonys catholic school nr Dulwich library has the best set of exit stats.

[EDOldie]

Jenny and Allfornun have good points but it's a very personal thing about how and where you want your kids educated and one size does not fit all. Having said that there are excellent state schools all over Dulwich partic. at infant & junior levels. I do think it gets a bit tougher at secondary transfer time

[dulwichmum]

I agree, the state schools of East Dulwich are outstanding, but if you chose to live in West Dulwich and live outside the catchment area for Rosendale or The Village Infants you can find yourself in a difficult situation. If we lived on the other side of the street, our darlings could have gone to the Village Infants, but those houses cost 50% more than ours... I wonder why?

You hit the nail on the head AllforNun.

[Asset]

There are houses and flats in the catchment area for the village infants' well under 1 million, but I agree they are fairly few and far between. Not impossible to find though and I speak from experience.

Whether you are a churchgoer or not is a different matter (and has been discussed on another thread).

[Nero]

If you want more bang for your buck, good schools and a little bit more of a quieter vibe, try looking at the areas around Goodrich and Heber Schools. Both are well-liked, and a search on this forum will tell you more about them. I live opposite Goodrich (and as such have an inbuilt bonus on my house price) and can't complain at all about teachers and kids, though some parents still park on the zigzags despite all efforts to stop them doing so! Friern, Dunstan's and Goodrich Rds are good bets for 3 bedroom houses and bigger. Nero

[mamafeelgood]

when i was looking around se22 i found that for the size we needed/money in our pocket most places off lordship lane were too small and pricey. we ended up with an se5 postcode, lovely sized house/garden, a few hundred meters from dog kennel hill primary (brilliant offsted report), near the supermarket, train station, lordship lane, bellenden road and 'denmark hill village' (ha!). basically a brilliant spot with great transport links and with many, many coffee/play options!

i am a 100% state educated south londoner and would urge you to send your children to the local state schools. your kids will meet a totally diverse cross section of the community, get to know everyone down their street and like me make friends for life. my mum experienced great joy when i had passed all my o levels and a levels at the cost of ?15 a year compared to other parents who had thrown all the money they had at their kids education and still they did no better or even failed. also, by sending your children to the local state school you are adding to your community. the arguments are endless but the primary schools here are too good to waste money on fees.

by the by, don't listen to the vitriol often expressed at parents/kids on this forum. it's just bitter and exhausting, you'll get to recognise who the complainers are and admit at your own peril that you like east dulwich today and shop in any of the new shops ...

[peckhamboy]

Out of interest, do the catchment areas work on distance from school or on postcode?

[mamafeelgood]

when i read the southward bumpf it was about distance from school but i'm not 100% sure. i know that special needs etc.. are all taken into consideration.

[snorky]

mamafeelgood Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> when i was looking around se22 i found that for

> the size we needed/money in our pocket most places

> off lordship lane were too small and pricey. we

> ended up with an se5 postcode, lovely sized

> house/garden, a few hundred meters from dog kennel

> hill primary (brilliant offsted report), near the

> supermarket, train station, lordship lane,

> bellenden road and 'denmark hill village' (ha!).

> basically a brilliant spot with great transport

> links and with many, many coffee/play options!

>

> i am a 100% state educated south londoner and

> would urge you to send your children to the local

> state schools. your kids will meet a totally

> diverse cross section of the community, get to

> know everyone down their street and like me make

> friends for life. my mum experienced great joy

> when i had passed all my o levels and a levels at

> the cost of ?15 a year compared to other parents

> who had thrown all the money they had at their

> kids education and still they did no better or

> even failed. also, by sending your children to the

> local state school you are adding to your

> community. the arguments are endless but the

> primary schools here are too good to waste money

> on fees.

>

> by the by, don't listen to the vitriol often

> expressed at parents/kids on this forum. it's just

> bitter and exhausting, you'll get to recognise who

> the complainers are and admit at your own peril

> that you like east dulwich today and shop in any

> of the new shops ...

vitriol. ha

BUT supporting the state schools = yes

[Mellors]

I can't comment on the other areas, but East Dulwich is brilliant with small kids.

I have a 1 year old and there are tons of things to do - playgroups, singing, toy sessions at the pubs, story sessions, Peckham Pulse for swimming and ball pool etc etc. I also like the fact I can walk to the shops (saves faffing about with the car/car seat) and there are lots of baby shops and nice coffee shops if I fancy a browse.

The parks/playgrounds are super - Peckham Rye, Dulwich, Goose Green and even the little one near Sainsburys.

Pretty much everywhere is well suited to life with a pram, and there are a number of places to go for a nice Sunday lunch etc within walking distance (there was a recent thread on pubs and restaurants with high chairs and baby facilities).

The state primaries are very good I believe - Heber, Goodrich, St Johns, St Anthonys - although I must confess I haven't really thought about it much.

Hope that helps!

[Jennys]

I certainly didn't mean to suggest that only Dulwich Village infants was any good. I totally support state education. I was state educated and so were my children. There are lots of really great primary schools around here and state secondary schooling is getting better all the time. You just need to do your research. I am also fed up with people wingeing on about the cost of private education. If they want to do it and can afford it fine, but in my view they are selling the state system short. The more parents backing the state schools and getting involved on the PTA or governing body, the better.

[Ant]

We're filling in the application forms for primary school at the moment for our oldest daughter. The catchment areas work on distance from the school, not postcodes.

[EDOldie]

The point I was making is that nobody should be castigated for sending their children either privately or to state schools or a combination of both. I think its fine to whinge about school fees if you don't think you are getting value for money, but some people do feel they are very good value for money, for whatever reason. I think that many (but not all) private schools 'Charitable' status is indefensible and it should be abolished. Either way there is an excellent choice of schools in Dulwich and education must be one, if not the largest, 'industry' in Dulwich these days. Totally agree with Jennys, get on the PTA or become a Governor, it's very rewarding.

[Parker's Folly]

I notice everyone is quite happy to go on about brilliant primary schools here, but very little is made mention of secondary schools. I can't claim to be an expert, but I think that is possibly one of the weaknesses school-wise in the greater Dulwich area - correct me if I am wrong.

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Completely agree with you PF. I copped out and sent my daughter to Westminster.

[mamafeelgood]

well i have heard good things about charter and the trickle down effect of people with toddlers now choosing to opt state will have an impact onto secondary. this is exactly what happened where i grew up in london, the secondary had a bad rep but good teachers and parents who couldn't afford fees and mortgage. the school quickly picked up and i left with 9 o levels. not everyone did but those of us who wanted to pass could.