London's best school boroughs

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London borough league table position 2002:

Sutton

Schools: Nonsuch High (girls); Sutton Grammar (boys); Wallington County Grammar (boys); Wallington High (girls); Wilson's (boys)

How to get in

Schools run selection tests, held in November the year before pupils start. Places are awarded first on merit, then to those with siblings at the school, then to those with medical needs and lastly to those living nearest the school.

What's available

Sutton is predominantly low-key outer south London suburbia, with a mix of property from Victorian to modern. Schools are key to people's house-buying decisions, says Steve Ball of Bradford & Bingley Gascoigne Pees (020 8642 2295). "Sutton's schools generally have a good reputation, and people always mention schools when making enquiries."

Ball is selling a "larger than normal" three-bedroom 1930s semi with front and rear gardens and a double garage, in Croydon Road near Wallington County Grammar, for £265,000. For those with £255,000, there is a mid-terrace Victorian cottage with three/four bedrooms in William Road, close to Sutton Grammar.

Redbridge

London borough league table position 2002: 2

Schools: Woodford County High (girls); Ilford County High (boys)

How to get in

Applicants take tests administered by the schools. They must live within the Redbridge catchment area, which includes the borough of Redbridge and parts of neighbouring boroughs, including Barking and Dagenham, and Waltham Forest.

What's available

Redbridge is a mixture of east London Victoriana that has seen better days (Ilford, Seven Kings) and upmarket suburbia around Epping Forest (Wanstead, Woodford Green).

People are keen to move to Woodford to be close to Woodford County High, says Kirsty Lipscombe of Bradford & Bingley Ambrose in Woodford Green (020 8504 7084). But, thanks to the school's wide catchment area, many pupils are not local so proximity to the school is not vital.

On the handsome Edwardian Monkhams estate, across the High Road from the school, Lipscombe is selling a five-bedroom semidetached house in Monkhams Lane, with off-street parking for £525,000. On the High Road just up from Woodford County High is Fir Tree Cottage, with three bedrooms, laundry, study and library for £550,000.

Kingston

London borough league table position 2002: 3

Schools: Tiffin Girls' School; Tiffin School (boys)

How to get in

Schools administer their own tests in November. There are no catchment areas and pupils come from all parts of London and beyond.

What's available

Solid, suburban and popular with families, thanks to good schools and Richmond Park, which is located in the borough.

Be prepared to compete for four-bedroom houses near the Tiffin Schools, warns Simon Lord of Lords estate agents (020 8546 6800). "There's a problem in that there is an imbalance of property stock in Kingston, with too few four-bedroom houses." Some of the most sought-after roads of fourbedroom houses include Latchmere, St Alban's and Durlston Roads, which are off Richmond Road, next to Tiffin Girls' School.

Lords has a four-bedroom Victorian house in St Alban's Road for £650,000. Threebedroom detached houses nearby cost between £350,000 and £400,000.

Barnet

London borough league table position 2002: 4

Schools: Queen Elizabeth's (boys); St Michael's Catholic Grammar (girls); Henrietta Barnett (girls)

How to get in

The schools set their own tests. St Michael's gives priority to practising Catholics. Henrietta Barnett (tests in the November preceding entry) ranks applicants according to ability. If two pupils tie, sisters of current pupils, local residents and families living closest to the school have priority.

What's available

Barnet is one of London's largest boroughs, with lots of green-belt open space, some seriously wealthy residents in Hampstead Garden Suburb, and plenty of late-Victorian and early 20th century properties (Finchley, Barnet) and Artsand-Crafts-style family homes (Golders Green, Hampstead Garden Suburb).

"Schools are a big draw," says Jon Hughes of Goldschmidt & Howland (020 7435 4404). "People certainly want to be close to Henrietta Barnett. And buyers are keen to get in and settled in July and August, ready for the term."

Goldschmidt & Howland has a four-bedroom detached family home with garage in Northway, which runs up to Central Square and Henrietta Barnett, for £995,000.

Bromley

London borough league table position 2002: 5

Schools: Newstead Woods (girls); St Olave's and St Saviour's (boys)

How to get in

Schools hold tests in November. Newstead Woods gives priority to pupils who pass the test and live within a nine-mile radius of the school.

What's available

Another suburban borough popular with families for good schools, green space, quick access to the country and tolerable transport links.

Plenty of inter-war semi-detached and detached homes with some large Victorian and Edwardian homes in Bromley and Orpington. Kinleigh Folkard & Hayward (01689 821076) has a fivebedroom detached Victorian house in Goddington Lane, the same road as St Olave's, for £650,000.

Reader offer

The London Schools Guide 2004 appraises all the capital's state and independent secondary schools. Published by Mitchell Beazley, Homes & Property is offering a 20 per cent discount on the book to readers.

To get your copy for just £10.99 (rrp £12.99), call Littlehampton Book Services on 01903 828503 and quote reference PUB 65.

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