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Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

Secondary education

To move house or not for secondary

18 replies

dee73 · 21/08/2019 13:03

We live in semi rural stunning village with woodland walks on our doorstep. 4 bed detached house. We walk our dog daily in stunning woodland which leads to the beach.

Two of our children got into fab primary 2 miles away. They did not get into the best secondary but we got great 2nd choice 3 miles away with only 2 of their friends. Rest got into our first choice 2 miles away.

We now have issue with our youngest. He did not get into same primary as the eldest. Too big a gap of age. He went to our local primary and is very happy.

Now we have secondary problem. He won't get in due to amount of houses built.

So we have to apply end of this year. Local secondary is terrible.

We have found gorgeous house in catchment but if we buy it probably won't exchange in time so we'd have to rent for 6 months.

My kids love our village but no kids in our street. They don't play out and we drive them around a lot.

So do I stay or go. Do I leave a village I love to live near the schools. No more stress of school intake, kids would have friends in the Street, they'd be near public transport, house is bigger, council tax band is less.

But here's the one big disadvantage. I love my village, I love the beautiful woodland. I walk and run there all the time, also with the kids. I've lived here 20 years.

I'm so undecided. Either answer would leave me with regrets. Im lucky to have one possible solution. My husband still owns a house near this school. We could live there for a year to see if our quality of life improves with our kids lives on their doorstep.

I would however lose this lovely house.

OP posts:

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negomi90 · 21/08/2019 13:09

can you move to the other house for a year and rent out your current one?

SayOohLaLa · 21/08/2019 13:10

We have this. 5 years ago my DS would have got into the better, non-catchment school. All the other children went there / now get in as siblings. He will be the first not to get in because the catchment school should have been closed is in Special Measures and everyone wants to avoid their kids going there.

I'm torn reading your post. If you were me, I'd move into catchment and rent in a heartbeat, but I don't have woods and a beach. What other schools is your DS likely / possibly going to get in to, that you could apply for in addition to the catchment school? If you can get acceptable, non-catchment school from where you are, I'd stay. If you can't, I'd go I think. A lovely house isn't going to set your DS up for life. Being taught GCSE maths by a maths teacher rather than a PE teacher (yes, gotta love that school!) will make that difference to his prospects.

SalrycLuxx · 21/08/2019 13:11

I’d stay where you are. No guarantees even if you move.

Any independent schools that might work for you?

RedskyLastNight · 21/08/2019 13:25

Can you rent your house out and move into catchment into your DC are all through school?
I suspect your older DC especially will appreciate having friends/activities on their doorsteps, more than stunning woods and a beach, plus it will help their independence if you don't have to drive them everywhere.

If your are applying for secondary school for a September 2020 start, I think you've left it too late to move anyway.

dee73 · 21/08/2019 13:34

Independents too far and too pricey.
Yes we could rent ours and go experience life near the school.
I agree it's late so would have to rent a while if we bought this house
Advantages of moving are greater but if I stay, I'd stay long after they are grown up.
Due to school system, I have 2 more admissions rounds to get through.
All other houses I've considered over the years have been lot more money but smaller than mine.
This is 5 bed semi with 4 double rooms.
Mine is 4 bed detached with 2 double rooms and 2 small.
We would gain a lot but lose my slice of heaven. My kids and hubby also love our village.
If we move I'd have to drive 2 miles to it rather than walk 5 mins.

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dee73 · 21/08/2019 13:42

The other schools locally are about 40 percent getting a to c at gcse compared to 80 percent 2 miles away in this catchment.

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RedskyLastNight · 21/08/2019 13:47

would have to rent a while if we bought this house

You'll need to convince the LEA that you are not renting just for the purposes of getting a school place. That will mean moving things like council tax, doctor etc to the new place and renting your own house out or getting your house sold.
I think you'll be pushing it to do all that by the time secondary school admissions have to be in.

dee73 · 21/08/2019 14:04

Thanks. I did talk to council about owning two homes. They said it's fine to leave one empty as long as we live in the other.

But I agree timing is bit too tight to buy this and move in by beginning of January.

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JoJoSM2 · 21/08/2019 16:45

I'd definitely move. It'll improve the quality of life for the family - nice school for DC, friends around, public transport etc. A 5-min drive to your favourite woodland to go for a jog/walk the dog isn't really a hardship.

After all these years, you're emotionally attached to he village but I think I'd work on that to get the best education possible for DC and benefit from not having to ferry DC around all the time.

dee73 · 21/08/2019 22:43

Thanks all. Big decision to think about

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RandomMess · 21/08/2019 22:48

Can you not rent out your village home see how school works out and if you all want to go back to the village then move back into it?

dee73 · 22/08/2019 07:22

Yes that is probably the best and safest option.

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Dontgiveamonkeys1350 · 22/08/2019 07:24

We moved. For the school which is an outstanding rated school. Was planning on just staying here for the duration of the time he was there. Ended up loving living in a small village. So basically the best thing we ever did

Rockylady · 22/08/2019 08:24

If it is only one child I would seriously consider private. If you are selling then buying a new house, you are definitely leaving money on the table that you will not see again by way of stamp duty and moving costs. Plus you will always spend extra to fix / improve things in the new house to bring it to where you need to.

So do your maths carefully, you may be surprised. You can then still get on waiting list and try your luck with the preferred school. The amount of money you save by not moving (stamp duty, agency fees, moving costs, repainting one/two rooms, unexpected surprises in new house that you have to put money on etc) - sum all of that up and compare with private school fees, and see what is the gap that you would have to plug in?

dee73 · 22/08/2019 09:45

i went to private school and missed out on friends nearby. i also had to get a tutor for my alevels as the teacher was so rubbish in one of my subjects. our house should sell for similar house this was is up for so i should only have stamp duty costs and moving costs. house is immaculate, better state than my own.....
ive decided to talk to solicitors today and see if end December is doable and ofcourse, the seller of the house.

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Tornmum234 · 14/12/2022 14:42

Original poster can I ask what you did?... did u stay or go and how has it worked out for you. In a similar predicament and so very torn. Love my home but its 30 mins from schools and kids have no friends here. Have found a good house in a fab area but leaving what we have worked so hard on here is really hard. Ds in secondary nxt year and we have no transport home for him but if we move he can walk and b independent. Any advice

dee73 · 14/12/2022 18:29

Hi,
Sure, we didn't move thank goodness as I love my village.
He got into the middle school we wanted but is now in year 7.
We would have had to apply for high school next September for year 9 start but would not have lived close enough for best school.
I applied for 2 different two tier schools, year 7 entry, last September. These are both about 5 miles away. One of these I put first choice as it's an academy all through school, however they take an extra 50 kids for year 7, doesn't matter where you live but must put it first to stand a chance. He got offered waiting list place.
If he'd not got offered, he would have stayed at his middle school so it was worth trying.
It's been hard on him as he left middle school in year 6, left friends.
He has to get train so that's been difficult but now he's very happy, loads of friends, playing lots of sports like hockey, rugby, climbing, badminton.
Tonight he hugged me and told me he loves his school.
No more school admission or moves I hope but I feel your pain.
These decisions are tough and I wish you luck with your decision. Best advice I can give is to consider all possible schools and do your homework on chances of gaining a place.

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Tornmum234 · 14/12/2022 20:52

Thanks for reply

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