The Results Are In

Living near high performing and well-regarded schools has long been a key factor for many parents when it comes to choosing where they want to call home. With GCSE results today, those with young families will be watching carefully to see which schools received top marks and which didn’t quite make the grade.

With almost 40 per cent of students in London and the southeast awarded at least an A in this year’s A-Level results, the pressure to find the right school in the capital is high. London is home to a wealth of top-class schools and universities that are internationally renowned and act as a major draw for those considering buying a new home here.

In Hammersmith in West London, which is home to family-friendly development Fulham Reach by St George, there is a wide range of highly regarded schools to choose from. This includes St Paul’s School, a historic school for boys which opened in 1509, and Godolphin & Latymer School for girls, famed for its students’ excellent academic achievements as well as an enriching extra-curricular programme. Just a seven-minute cycle from Fulham Reach, which includes access to children-friendly communal spaces such as a cinema and snooker room, is The Harrodian School, a high-achieving independent school for boys and girls aged between 4 and 18, whose notable former pupils include actors Robert Pattinson and Tom Sturridge.

www.fulhamreach.com

Canada Water on the Rotherhithe peninsula in South East London gives parents with primary school aged children a whole host of options for education. Eight primary schools, all rated ‘Good’ or ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted are within walking distance of local residents. Children attending these schools can explore the nearby docklands, Stave Hill Ecological Park and Russia Dock Woodland to see the nature right on their doorstep in this Zone 2 location. British Land’s 3,000 home net-zero neighbourhood includes plans for a new red timber bridge across Canada Water Dock and a 15 metre-wide educational dipping pond.

www.canadawater.co.uk

In South West London, Kingston Upon Thames offers excellent primary and secondary education. St George’s Royal Exchange development, which forms part of an exciting new extension of the Kingston riverside town centre, is within walking distance to some of the country’s top performing schools including Tiffin Girls’ School, Kingston Grammar School and The Kingston Academy. For those thinking a little more long term, Kingston is also home to Kingston University which is consistently ranked as having one of the highest number of graduate start-ups in the UK and draws over 18,900 students from around the world.

www.royalexchangekingston.com

Battersea has long made its mark as an educational hotspot, and, most recently, even attracted royalty with both HRH Prince George and HRH Princess Charlotte attending Thomas's Battersea. Despite the future King now having left the school in a move to the countryside, Battersea – also dubbed as ‘yummy-mummy’ enclave – remains as a firm family favourite.

Opening to the public from this Autumn, Battersea Power Station is at the heart of Battersea’s vibrant community and residents have already moved into this iconic London landmark. Central to supporting the local community, particularly during the pandemic, Battersea Power Station partnered with Wandsworth Council to launch ‘Power To Connect’ – which donated over 500 tech devices to over 57 schools and seven community groups to help raise awareness of the issues around digital poverty.

www.batterseapowerstation.co.uk

For those looking for a school with outstanding teachers, parents should look no further than Alperton Community School in North West London, located a five minute cycle from St George’s Grand Union development. In 2018, Andria Zafirakou, an Art & Textiles teacher at Alperton Community School in Brent, won $1 million when she was crowned the best teacher in the world as part of the Global Teacher Prize. To celebrate all she has done for the school, St George has partnered with sculptor Brian Alabaster on a piece of artwork that represents Andria’s efforts in building a thriving, educational and happy environment for her pupils while also signifying the leaps in development and the accomplishments of students from the area. At Grand Union there are one, two and three bedroom homes available, as well as access to a wide-range of amenities including ten-pin bowling, a residents lounge, waterside restaurant, a nursery, and an amphitheatre.

www.grandunion.uk

Ten years on from the London 2012 Olympics, Stratford has evolved into one of London’s most family friendly destinations – with adrenaline fuelled activities, such as the ArcelorMittal Orbit, surrounding nature and wetlands to explore.

It has also become a hotspot for budding Olympians. Still in school, 14-year-old Tom Daley debuted his first Olympic dive in Beijing 2008. Four years later, Daley won his first medal in the Men's 10 metre platform event at the 2012 London Games. Hosted at the London Aquatics Centre in Stratford, this moment kickstarted Daley’s success and inspired many future athletes to aim for sporting gold.

Now home to the Tom Daley Diving Academy, Stratford is a destination that inspires and supports future generations. Harris Academy Chobham, a mixed school and sixth form specialising in performing arts and English, opened in 2013 having formerly acted as the main base for managing the Summer Olympics. Continuing its legacy, and established for the local community, the new school – which received Outstanding in its first Ofsted inspection – offers priority admission to those who live in East Village.

Meeting the needs of growing rental demand, Portlands Place recently launched in East Village offering fun, flexible and family-friendly properties in the heart of this growing community. Spacious open plan homes, where three-bedroom homes inclusive of WIFI and furniture are available to rent from £2,875 pcm.

www.getliving.com/our-neighbourhoods/eastvillage/portlands-place