Simon Roberts
Senior Director, Head of Regional Agency - South & East
Autumn is a time when many parents look ahead to the next school year. But guaranteeing your child’s place at a top primary school can come at a high price.
For families with young children, access to good primary schools is often a top priority when it comes to finding a new home. But with just 19% of state primary schools rated outstanding by Ofsted, competition to live in the best school catchment areas is fierce.
The cost of living near good schools
An analysis of property prices outside of London by Dataloft reveals that homes close to primary schools with “outstanding” ratings command a 10% price premium.
If you want to buy a terraced house within a mile of an outstanding-rated primary school, you’ll pay an average of £24,105 more than properties close to other schools. This rises to £36,575 for semi-detached houses and a whopping £93,272 for detached homes.
The cost of this price premium goes beyond numbers. According to research from Santander, 20% of families have to downsize to secure a property in the catchment area for their chosen school and 24% take on extra hours at work to pay for it.
But many families feel that their children’s education is worth the sacrifice.
Why outstanding-rated primary schools are driving the housing market
Every parent wants the best for their child, particularly when it comes to education. And for state primary schools in England and Wales, there’s only really one measure of primary school success – the Ofsted rating.
Schools rated “outstanding” have a strong focus on self-improvement and encourage positive attitudes toward learning in addition to achieving high results. Whereas good schools can vary considerably, you know that with an outstanding school your child will be getting a great education.
The downside is that top schools are often oversubscribed, particularly in areas of dense population or where there are only one or two outstanding-rated primary schools in an area. In these situations, the catchment area for the school can shrink to just a few streets.
Living in this small neighbourhood can often be the only way of getting your child a guaranteed place at the school, but the process of finding and buying a home can be an expensive headache.
Other considerations when buying a family home
School catchment areas shouldn’t be your only consideration when buying a family home. You’ll also want to consider:
- Travel time and access to work
- Whether the home gives you the space and features you want, e.g. a garden for your children to play in
- Safety and security of the neighbourhood
- Resale value of the property.
If you can’t find your dream home in the catchment area of the best local state schools, don’t despair. There may be other options that will give your child a great education and the family home you want.
Educating your child privately means you don’t have to restrict your house search to very limited catchment areas. Many prep schools offer part or full bursaries and discounts for siblings which can mean a considerable reduction on the usual fees.
It’s also worth bearing in mind that catchment area boundaries do change, and school Ofsted ratings can go down as well as up. A school that’s rated “good” with aspirations to be “outstanding” may still give your child a fantastic primary school experience.
Finding a home that has good primary schools nearby may be a good financial investment as well as an investment in your child’s education, but it shouldn’t be your only consideration when buying a new family home.
Family homes in the best primary school catchment areas
if you’re looking for a new home, here are some of our favourite properties near outstanding-rated primary schools:
- The Middle House is a Grade II Listed five-bedroom house in the pretty Wiltshire village of Marston Meysey. There’s plenty of space for a growing family and great local schools.
- Ravenswood is a new build six-bedroom family home in South Ascot, just a few minutes’ walk from the outstanding-rated St Francis Catholic Primary School.
- Belmont is a large detached house just twelve minutes’ walk from the local outstanding-rated primary school. With fast links to London, this is a perfect family home for London commuters.