Why Havering is one of London's most family-friendly boroughs

A recent analysis by Making Moves London has named Havering as London's eighth most family-friendly borough and the most family-friendly in east London.

Kian Siabi at Making Moves said: “Havering is a fantastic place to raise a family. Living in the outskirts, there are plenty of green places for families to explore, with plenty of parks and playgrounds.

"You can hike through country parks, feed reindeer, fish at many lakes or even play in the Woodland Trust playground sites - all great assets for little ones.

"Whether your children enjoy sport, socialising with the same age group or learning and developing, Havering is home to an abundance of kid’s clubs, leisure facilities and libraries.

"Havering is nearby a variety of good transport links, making travelling into and around different areas of London incredibly easy, whilst still being able to enjoy the attractive lifestyle the area has to offer.

"As well as offering a variety of facilities that make the perfect place to raise a family, located in Havering are 29 secondary schools and 67 primary schools, with promising education prospects."

Here are five reasons that suggest that Havering is indeed one of London's most family-friendly boroughs.

Parks and greenery

Making Moves London's research found that Havering is home to 120 parks and playgrounds - making it one of London's greener boroughs.

Many of the borough's outdoor spaces are rated positively online with 15 separate parks rated 4.5 or higher out of 5 on Google reviews.

Rainham Marshes is a protected area of marshland owned by the RSPB (Image: Charlotte Anderson) Only a short drive away into Purfleet is Rainham Marshes Nature Reserve.

Owned by the RSPB, the marshes is described as a "peaceful paradise" on its website and somewhere to take young animal enthusiasts to spot rare birds, insects, reptiles and water voles.

Schools

According to Making Moves London's research, Havering is home to 29 secondary schools and 67 primary schools - the majority of these rank above national performance averages.

According to the most recent government data, 47 of Havering's primary schools with available data registered both a reading and maths score higher than the national averages.

The figures also showed that nine of the secondary schools with available data registered "above average" scores in 'progress 8' which indicates progression between key stage 2 and key stage 4.

Crime rate

Havering registered the second lowest crime rate across east London in 2024 - and the eighth lowest altogether in the capital.

This was down 3.9 per cent from the previous year.

The numbers appear to keep dropping as according to the most recent monthly data, Havering recorded the lowest number of crime reports in east London in January 2025.

Child-friendly shopping centres

Havering has multiple shopping venues including The Liberty, The Brewery, The Mercury and Romford Shopping Hall.

Romford Shopping Hall is one of various shopping centres across Havering (Image: Google) Not only are these centres filled with an array of high street shops and eateries, but some also have soft-play areas for young-ones needing to stretch their legs.

Romford Shopping Hall holds a Kiddiewinks Soft Play whilst The Brewery has a 'Kidspace' with multi-level soft-play, slides and even a mini go-karting track.

Rent prices

A study by Comparemymove in October last year ranked Havering as London's second cheapest borough to rent property in.

According to the data, a 1-bed flat averages a rent of £1,051 per month whilst a 2-bed flat comes in at £1,610.