Hi
We've applied for a place at DGS. If we get an offer we will consider moving closer to the school as we currently live in SW London. Can you recommend us some nice places to live on route of a school bus? We are looking for a lively high street with local cafes, restaurants etc. But not too busy with lots of green places, little traffic etc. I have looked to Orpington. Ideally we would love to live in Sevenoaks or Tunbridge Wells but understand no school buses serve those areas from Dartford.
Thanks a lot

I can't help with any specific suggestions for places to live, but I would advise you to look for places with good public transport links (train or bus) to Dartford. My friend's son lived in Orpington, went to DGS and used the school coach. This made it difficult if he wanted to stay after school for clubs etc - he was very good at drama and so was in several productions with rehearsals after school and so mum had to keep going to collect him.

Petts Wood has the school coach to Dartford Grammar (and also the Wilmington Grammars) http://www.nkst.co.uk/timetables.html . It is a lovely family friendly area, lovely restaurants, open spaces, lots of clubs, sports grounds, tennis courts, woodlands, great and varied transport links into London too (Victoria, London Bridge, Cannon Street, Charing Crossw, Blackfriars etc). Close enough to the Kent countryside to easily drive out or get the train into deeper Kent. As you are still within a London borough DCs get Oyster cards and can be quite independent getting around. Downside for Dartford is that it is a bit of an awkward journey by public transport if not relying on the school coach so perhaps not ideal but there are a number of DCs who live in Petts Wood who go to the Dartford Grammars. I had some friends move to Hextable who have a DD at Dartford Girls and they like it, it would be too small for me and no direct London trains, they head to Swanley by bus to get the train and their daughter gets a local bus which is a direct journey to the school, but they seem happy with the compromise. Whilst Swanley has a train station it quite urban and quite a few pockets of grotty areas (sorry Swanley!).

Dartford High Street suffers from Bluewater being nearby. The whole area has become very much London overspill. I wouldn't move nearer somewhere just to end up with a long daily journey for my child. Have you considered nearby villages? South Darenth and Sutton at Hone are close to a railway station (not to Dartford) but have a regular bus service.

I think if you like Sevenoaks and Tunbridge Wells then you should look at the Greenwich and Blackheath areas although housing is £££. Look along the lines and visit some areas to suit your budget. There are lines from Greenwich station which go through Maze Hill, Westcombe Park and Charlton to Dartford or the nearby Blackheath (different line ) which also goes to Dartford. If there are problems on one line, then you can transfer to use the other line. There are dozens of DGS and DGSG kids on these services and it means flexibility for after school clubs etc.

We moved to Dartford this time last year when DD2 passed the Kent Test. DD1 was already at Dartford Girls and commuted via the school bus from SE London. She did this for 3 years: the first 2 were good but the 3rd year was terrible due to loads of roadworks meaning she was getting home between 5 and 5.30 every night.

We live in west Dartford about a 10 minute walk from the girls and boys school. Trains from Crayford or Dartford are very regular and we can walk to both for work. Dartford high street isn't great and we tend to go into Crayford, Bexley or by car to Blackheath, Bluewater or Lakeside which are all about 15-20 minutes away. Bexley Village is very nice with lots of coffee shops and restaurants and nice housing. Transport to the boys school would be very easy too.

Hope that helps

There is a reason why there is no bus from Sevenoaks to DGS and that's because very few (if any I suspect) boys from here go to DGS. It's not a great journey and Tunbridge Wells is further again.

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Dartford is not what it used to be when I went to DGS, decline started with opening of Lakeside then Bluewater killed the high street.

If I was you I would look for a place in villages around Dartford with good bus to school. My DD goes to DGGS and takes a bus from our village. It takes her approx. 40 minutes to get there. However the bus back sometimes is overcrowded and if she wants to stay after school in clubs one of us needs to pick her up or she needs to walk down to Dartford Station to take a bus back home. However it gets dark quickly and Dartford streets are not in my opinion appropriate place for young girl.