To not know what to do - house or school?

[Gobbolinothewitchscat]

We are very lucky in that we live near an excellent primary school and - unless something significant happens - our DCs are very likely to get places. We have 3, aged 3 and under. We live in a grammar school area and are also near a grammar if the DCs passed the exam. The primary school is very, very good and within the top ten in England for results etc.

Our house is also very nice and we are very happy here. However, DH had seen a house that he would love to buy. We have quite specific criteria and houses like this don't come up often. We had intended to move when the DCs are older - however DH thinks this we should move now.

The issue is with the schools. It is just out of catchment for an excellent school by a few meters. But that school is over subscribed within catchment so the DCs would never get in. The house is also just out of catchment for another very good school. Apparently children out of catchment up to 650 meters did get in last year. However, it is obviously not a given that our oldest DC would get in and, if he did, the younger two may very well not

Of the two schools that are in catchment - one is not very good and one I do not want the DCs going to as we have some frurnds who will send their DCs there. One is very competitive and I just don't want the DCs to be caught up in that in any way. Plus the school isn't that good in any event

I think we would be mad to move from this house and lose the chance of sending out DCs to the excellent school. DH thinks we should go and see the house then we can decide if we want to take the risk of buying it and seeing if we get into the good school.

AIBU to not go and see the house? I Think education is much more important and we live in a lovely house at the moment

[Gobbolinothewitchscat]

[Topseyt]

I too have a DH who has regularly had itchy feet and wanted to move house when none of the rest of us do. Not so much recently, but in the past he has been a right royal PITA with it.

If you love your current house and are happy with the school situation then I would stay put. I would be reluctant to view the other house and give him hope that I would come on board.

[wheresthel1ght]

There is no harm in seeing the house surely? You might find it doesn't fit your criteria anyways.

However in terms of schooling, a lot has to do with the kids and the parental support. But why do you not want your kids going to a school that your friends kids go to?

[sharknad0]

I bought my ridiculously overpriced house specifically to be in the right catchment area of our chosen schools. I can't tell you what is best for your family, but I would definitively go for school first. I did, and it worked out quite well apart from the ridiculously high mortgage

[Kr1stina]

School first

[Titsywoo]

School is the most important IMO. We had the choice of two houses - one I really liked that was near a terrible secondary (and the area was a bit blah) and one that is in a lovely village near an amazing secondary but the house was a bit blah. We went with the latter and have just concentrated on making the house the best it can be by extending and remodeling over time.

I don't regret it at all - my kids are my priority and the other school was really awful.

[Crisscrosscranky]

Is tha catchment school good if not outstanding? If you're committed to their education this won't have a massive impact on their primary education. You can always arrange private tutoring for 11+

[Gobbolinothewitchscat]

The catchment school is good but I really don't want my oldest DC being in the same class/year as the acquaintance/friend's DC. It's someone whom I became friends with through NCT and I'm trying to distance myself a bit.

[FrancesNiadova]

What happens if the excellent head/teachers leave or retire? What happens if 1 year, all the level 5 kids get ill & the school results go down? It won't be an excellent school then.
I'd go for the house.

[Karoleann]

I wouldn't even look, stay in the one near Little Chalfont school. More houses will come up..

[Gobbolinothewitchscat]

I think the school we are hear has been consistently excellent for years. I'm not too worried about the sats as an indicator so if everyone was off etc, it wouldn't concern me.

I feel like we're wasting the vendor's time ti be honest

[whois]

If your current house is big enough and nice enough and not lacing in any major way, I would stay put.

But you might as well go see the house with DH? You never know you might LOVE it and decide you too want to move, or actually you might together find it isn't suitable anyway. will also show you are taking him seriously and not just po poing his ideas.