Original: UKPIWeekly UK Property Weekly 20191119
Over the past 5-10 years, the Royal Borough of Kingston-upon-Thames on the banks of London has attracted dozens of families from across China to settle/live here with excellent teaching resources, a safe and livable environment and other factors. In addition, there are some Chinese who have lived in Oxford, Cambridge and other boroughs of London, especially families who value education.
The convergence of Chinese families in kingston attracts not only white-collar workers working in the UK, but also families who have established a family and even have a successful career in China, in addition to looking at the comfortable living environment in Kingston, the greater common denominator is that they all pay attention to education. In a newly built community that has just been fully handed over in the summer of 2019, there are many parents of students studying in top public schools such as Eaton and São Paulo in the owner's WeChat group. The owner exchange group has even evolved into a children's education group, and from time to time there will be parents sharing experiences among the masses.
From the initial stranger reader to the friend of today's life, under the witness of the British real estate weekly, one by one families who considered the future of their children gave up their domestic comfort zone, crossed the ocean, and began the journey of raising a baby in Kingston.
Today, Xiaobian had the honor to interview a contemporary Chinese "Meng Mu" who began to plan in 2016 and finally moved from Shanghai to London smoothly, so that a family of three can live a British life.
1. What made you decide to bring your baby to live and study in the UK?
A: Emigrating overseas is a family plan, I chose to come to the UK first because my husband used to study here, and the second reason is that the UK is similar to some places in China, has a long history and has its own traditional culture. At the same time, when we compared the education systems at home and abroad, and felt empathy, more inclined to the education of the British system, and at that time, immigration policy had become a tight trend, so when everything was ready only to owe the east wind, we blew the wind of action and "broke away" from the country.
2. What homework did you do before deciding to settle in Kingston, London? What aspects are considered?
A: To be honest, I was completely unprepared. Landing in Kingston is entirely due to a beautiful encounter. At that time, my children and I were still in Shanghai, and my husband rented a house in Lancaster, a northern British city, and had no plans to buy a house at the time.
A chance to book the Queen's Court project in Shanghai promotion meeting, is the famous British developer Berkeley Group project, can ensure the quality of real estate (I do real estate industry in China, the relevant information has some understanding), the promotion meeting site real estate introduction is very detailed, geographical area, surrounding life, education and transportation, are very real to show everyone. In particular, Editor Fan introduced them from the perspective of local residents, explaining them one by one (the words are simple and the words are heartfelt, and there should be applause at this time). Whether it is the convenience of life, the beauty of the environment, the key is educational resources, all meet my requirements.
Another point is that I am convinced that "follow the emperor's old son, eat and drink all have fun", Kingston was once the place where 7 Kings of England were crowned, and there are many royal parks around, presumably this is a feng shui treasure land, close to the River Thames, so there is no doubt.
3. Is life in Kingston now consistent with what was envisioned before he came? What are the gaps and what are the surprises?
A: In 2017, I have been in a state of moving, moving from bustling Shanghai to Lancaster Village, it rains every day, I can't wear beautiful skirts all year round, my heart is extremely depressed and depressed.
Later, I moved to Kingston, London, and I had a feeling of entering the city (I could buy sushi to eat) and I was happy inside. Moreover, the real situation here is the same as what was said at the promotion meeting of the Queen's Court that year, and there is no empty word. In life slowly discover the beauty of this area, more and more like, like all year round. Picturesque, livable, key safety factor high!
4. What is the biggest feeling of raising a baby in Kingston? (Study, environment, life aspects)
A: The biggest feeling in raising a baby is a sentence: "Dear, I'm late!" ”
Really, British education needs to be well planned, Y4 when the baby comes, but in fact, Y6 needs to take 11+ exams. There is only a little more than 2 years in between. This also includes the language adaptation period, so the real preparation day is only one year, hurry! Fortunately, there are more opportunities on kingston's side, so we slowly prepare with a Buddhist mentality, and now the child is about to take the 11 Plus exam, compared with the language status when he just came to the UK, the English level is really a big step forward.
Needless to say, the weather in the UK is still fresh. Although there are more rainy days, compared to the northern cities, the rainfall on the London Kingston side is still OK. At least there is no smog here, so children rarely catch colds here, and their physical condition is much better than in the past in China.
Daily life on the Kingston side is also convenient, basically on foot. If you have a car, you can go shopping at the big supermarkets like Costco and H Mart. In general, the needs of life can be basically met.
5. Please comment on your current living state in one sentence.
A: When I first opened, I felt that good mountains and good water are lonely, and there is wine and meat and no friends. But now it's good, I've met a lot of friends, and life is warm.
From a high-paced working woman to a stay-at-home mom, the taste varies from person to person. Some people will feel empty, some people will feel free. Being a quality stay-at-home mom is my future job. Enjoy each different stage of life, and look at the bits and pieces of life with the eyes of discovering beauty, each with its own excitement. At the same time, you will find that everyone's potential is unlimited, just waiting for you to develop.
On November 22, 2019, a local resident of Kingston who has lived in the UK for 15 years, a British real estate expert, Fan Huiyong, the editor-in-chief, explained the things about living and raising children in Kingston.
Shanghai: November 22-24, 22, 14:00 Lecture by Editor-in-Chief Fan
Long press the QR code to request an invitation
The parenting lifestyle of London Kingston immigrants
According to a survey of more than 30 investment immigrant families by British Property Weekly, the main factors that investment immigrants consider when purchasing family home ownership property in the UK are: community safety, children's education, shopping and leisure facilities, park green space, convenient transportation and the historical and cultural background of the area. Among them, community safety and children's education are the most important considerations.
In recent years, Kingston, with the high added value of its neighborhoods, has become a popular area for Chinese immigrants to raise their children and settle down. Below, Xiaobian will interpret them one by one from the aspects of children's education, community safety, shopping and leisure facilities, park green space, convenient transportation, and the historical and cultural background of the area.
Children's education: from primary school to junior high school, there are key school escorts along the way
The first is the intensity of educational resources:
The key schools owned by families of school-age children in Kingston are ranked first in London. One of the smallest districts in London, Kingston is home to 34 primary and secondary schools, of which 24 have been rated Outstanding by the Ministry of Education, nine of which are among the top 10% of the uk's schools of the same class.
In addition, within a 20-minute drive of Kingston town centre, there are as many as 14 public+ private schools in the top 50 in London with A Level scores.
The 10 highest-scoring public schools in GCSE 2019, with Tiffin Girls' School ranking second.
This was followed by Kingston's achievements:
According to the local government in Kingston, 76 per cent of children develop well in early childhood.
The percentage of students aged 14-16 who achieved a grade of 5 or higher on the GCSEs exam was as high as 64.2%.
At the A Level, Kingston's performance was even more eye-catching. The proportion of students who were able to achieve AAB level was 29.1%. The london-wide average is only 15%.
In the 2015-2017 Oxford and Cambridge University Admission Rate Rankings released by the Sutton Trust Education Charity Foundation, the borough with the highest admission rate in London is Kingston upon Thames in the southwest suburb of London, with an acceptance rate of 4.4%, ranking second in the UK.
Proportion of ox swords admitted to london's boroughs
Tiffin Girl and Tiffin School are among the top 50 secondary schools in the UK, with an annual Oxbridge progression rate of around 25%.
Community Safety: Top happiness index/safety factor
In Rightmove's annual resident happiness survey, Kingston ranked third in London. This ranking reference factor includes security, community spirit, resident friendliness, satisfaction with necessary educational and medical resources, quality of green space, and cultural activities.
In addition, according to official government data, the crime rate in kingston borough is also at a low level in London boroughs.
Shopping and leisure facilities: the largest metropolitan city center in south-west London
As a traditional affluent residential area in London, Kingston is also the largest metropolitan centre in southwest London. With a complete and rich range of shopping and living facilities, it not only meets the shopping needs of local residents, but also is an important shopping mall for residents of surrounding neighborhoods, such as Richmond and Sutton. There are both traditional bazaars with a history of nearly 1,000 years and large shopping malls with modern fashion.
After opening 1-2 stores in central London, many brands will choose Kingston for subsequent expansions, such as Apple direct stores, American high-end home furnishing brand West elm, Japanese clothing brand Uniqlo and so on.
To sum it up simply: from the boutique boutiques to john Lewis, the UK's oldest high-quality department store, from the historic souks to the well-branded Bentalls shopping centre, Kingston has it all and life is extremely convenient.
Whether surfing, rowing, equestrianism, cricket, tennis, golf, living in Kingston has something to offer.
Located in Kingston, the UK's top Coombe Hill Golf Club is home to golfers in London and around the world, providing the perfect experience for golfers.
The Rose Theatre in the town centre and the Odeon Cinema opposite the train station are great places to relax and entertain with family and friends on weekends.
The Rose Theatre has staged "Henry VI" (part one), and the rich cultural heritage allows children to feel the charm of English opera from an early age.
Parkland: Surrounded by royal gardens
Around Kingston town centre, within a 10-minute walk or 5 minutes by car, there are at least three super-large Royal Parks, namely the Hampton Court Palace Park on the west bank of the Thames river and the town centre across the river, and The Royal Bushy Park, and richmond Park, the largest Royal Forest Park in London, about 5-10 minutes away from the northwest corner of the town centre. Richmond Park covers about 2,360 acres, three times the size of New York's Central Park.
Of course, these three parks are only the largest in kingston, not to mention the riverside park on the Thames River in the town centre, and the not too small community parklands scattered throughout. There are green spaces, and there are usually public free semi-enclosed children's playgrounds. It is these facilities that make Kingston one of the perfect communities for raising children.
Richmond Park and Bush Park, each with 600-700 free-range elk and sika deer, are also the best inspiration for children to learn about animals.
The Isabelle Botanical Garden in Richmond Park, which is open to the public for free, blooms with rhododendrons native to China for 4 or 5 months a year, and is naturally the best place for a walk after dinner and on weekends.
Conveniently located: 30 minutes direct access to the heart of London
Kingston is located 10 miles southwest of central London and falls under Sector 6 of Traffic. It is an important commuter neighborhood in London. It is currently a 30-minute train ride from Kingston to Waterloo Station in central London, Zone 1. There are 4 subway lines that can be easily transferred to London's West End, Chinatown, King's Cross, City of Finance, Canary Wharf and more. Waterloo station averages one train to Kingston every 10 minutes during peak hours.
• There are six trains to Waterloo every hour
• 6-minute drive to Surbiton
• 30 minutes drive from Heathrow Airport
• 45 minutes drive from Gatwick Airport
Between Waterloo Railway Station and the City of London Bank is the shortest metro line in the UK, Waterloo & City Line, which was opened to facilitate bankers, senior gold collars and other employees working in the City to travel between Bank and Waterloo. In terms of average passenger traffic per mile, the Waterloo & City Line is the busiest subway line after the Victoria Line.
History & Culture: Home to king coronation stones
As the oldest royal territory, Kingston, located south of the Thames River, dates back to Roman times, and the Church of all Saints in the heart of the town has stood for more than a thousand years. Seven Saxon kings were crowned here in history, and the coronation stone still lies quietly in front of the town hall.
In addition to its deep history, Kingston's artistic atmosphere is also quite strong. Located south of town centre, Kingston University is renowned for its art and design program.
Photo: David Mach's "Disorderly Sequence"
Scarce school districts on the banks of the River Thames
Royal Exchange is the newest addition to Kingston upon Thames, built by britain's top developer Berkeley Group around the beautiful Grade II listed old post office and telephone exchange building. This exciting new development will offer 267 homes including one, two and three bedroom apartments, adding a modern touch to Kingston's evolving heritage culture.
Royal Exchange will combine fresh and past buildings, shops, restaurants and private gardens to create a beautiful base for residents to enjoy the rich life of Kingston, enhancing their sense of living experience.
At Royal Exchange, modern interiors create a clear view of each room. High-quality materials ensure that fittings and finishes meet high standards. High-end appliances and composite stone countertops complement black wrought iron, and the large and small details reflect the practicality of the living space and the exquisite aesthetic design, which is luxurious.
In the 2.6 acres of activity area, there are also private garden courtyards to enjoy the noble life.
If you happen to be a movie lover, a private screening room is sure to surprise you.
There is also a residents' gym, comfortable office space and a 24-hour concierge service at the front desk, making high-end modern life at your fingertips.
【Project Information】
Project Name: Royal Exchange Kingston
Developer: Berkeley Group
Title: 999
Completion time: Q1-Q3 2023
Price: From £485,000
Payment: Deposit £5,000
10% down payment within 21 days (minus deposit)
12% payable after 10 months
Pay another 5% after 18 months
Project facilities: 24-hour concierge service, private cinema & meeting room, residents' gym, electric car charging point, two private landscaped courtyards
For more information about the Royal Exchange project, you can participate in the Royal Exchange project launch tasting through the QR code below! At the event, there are also kingston local residents who have lived in england for 15 years, British real estate experts, Fan Huiyong editor-in-chief to explain the things that live and raise children in Kingston.
Shanghai: November 22-24
22nd, 14:00 Fan editor-in-chief real estate investment lecture