Was speaking to an estate agent yesterday as we start the sale process. He mentioned people are coming from islington, clarkenwell, Shoreditch. I find that very interesting since there’s always been a North vs south but specifically SE being not so desirable. Have you seen a trend on where people are coming from? Hope FH reputation is on the rise!!! We’ve loved it here.
A lot of my friends moved from East London to here because it’s more leafy, although some have been put off by the prices as you can get more for your money in East London.
where you off to then ?
I was born and raised in West London. SE London, rightly or wrongly had a bad reputation then (well in West London anyway), don’t remember ever going there. Had never heard of the Horniman Musuem etc - of course there was not internet then - that’s right kids!
We moved to HOP around 2005. The evening standard had done a piece on places for first time buyers - we looked in Walthamstow where my wife had lived for a few years, Stratford (with the forthcoming Olympic regeneration), as well as West London where we both now lived.
No-one had heard of Honor Oak then, when I mentioned Forest Hill everyone said Forest Gate. Anyway, we loved the area whilst there was some movement, I think things really took off after the overground arrived a few years later with quick access to Canary Wharf and Liverpool Street. Suddenly house prices started going up sharply as houses were good value compared to other areas, lots of green space and good commuting routes. I seem to recall lots of people from North London moving in, as well as from East Dulwich etc.
I think a lot of people who moved in around that time (purely anecdotal) had kids that are now in primary, and I wonder if in 4-6 years many of those will move out for alternative secondary schools and there will be a new wave.
Of course there may also now be many changes with people working from home deciding to move to the country and or be near green spaces \ get access to outside space so it will be interesting to see how that changes.
This was a long post to not really answer your question 
I’m in the process of buying in SE23, and have spent the last 5 years in London in Stockwell/Brixton and now Peckham. I can’t wait to be a local!
I wonder why people are apparently happy with local primary schools but feel the need to move out when their children reach secondary age.
I understood that the performance of secondary schools in Lewisham are below the national average…
That was part of the reason for our move. However, the grass is not always greener on the other side. Whilst our girls school is a third smaller than Sydenham, poverty and drugs are very much in evidence. They are just well hidden in the countryside.
Well I think there are multiple reasons, some related to schools, and some related to wider issues perceived or otherwise for Lewisham \ London.
I think people do move here for primary schools and the community feel. Primary schools in SE23 seem to generally all be rated good to outstanding, are viewed as safe for kids, catchment areas are small meaning you form some nice local communities \ friends who are all close by (clearly this is not everyone, but as a general rule).
Secondary schools don’t quite have the same reputation, have much wider catchment areas and a lot appear to be single sex as opposed to co-ed. We prefer co-ed and I think that just means one reasonably local option.
I also know of people who have left London generally because they are concerned with gangs \ knife crime in secondary schools and feel their children might be safer in other areas outside London, or other areas of London.
For us we are settled here and expect our children will go to secondary schools locally. We will be visiting the secondary schools soon but I understand Prendergast Ladywell is becoming popular and has a great head and teaching staff as well as facilities so I’m hopefully that might become (or already is) another great local addition for our, and other local children.
For anyone reading this, open days for secondary schools appear to be happening in September for most schools.
I also know people who left London for this reason. And it was on my mind when I chose to leave too.
The other thing for me is that Lewisham is staunchly political, and my political worldview doesn’t seem to “fit” here (more aligned with the rest of the U.K. outside SE London). I didn’t want my child to go to schools that were politicised, and for my political views to be unpleasantly gossiped about by other parents and maybe even teaching staff.
It’s been lovely moving to Kent, where I feel I’m surrounded by likeminded people (although I still enjoy meeting others who differ)