Catchment Area

[Soph1408]

Hi there, I am currently doing a project where I am looking at house prices in regards to good school catchment areas, I just wanted to know if anyone has considered moving/ has moved to stop their child from going to a poorly rated ofsted school? If anyone could help me with my research that would be great! Thank you :)

In the city I live there are two really good primary’s and a secondary that are very popular. As a result, that area of the city is the most expensive to live in.
I didn’t move there as I couldn’t afford it but if I could I would have purely for the schools and I know a lot of people have done that.

Soph I'm sure people do it a lot, read the education boards here.

Are you aware of the two types of 'catchment area'?

1. A clearly defined 'priority' area, which will often be a weird shape. Living in the area gives priority over those living outside the area. Not all LAs use this type of catchment area.

2. The area whereby if you live in it you are likely to get in under 'distance allocation' rules. This is what people often mean when they say 'catchment areas are shrinking'.

I have. Where we used to live had us in catchment for an ofsted rated 'requires improvement' primary school where the percentage of children meeting the expected standards by the end of year six was 32%. We moved across the county border to a different local authority, DD now attends a 'good' school with 75% of children meeting expectations.

No but I was pretty much forced to put my child in a private school as he didn't get into the four state schools we applied to because of distance (they were the nearest to us but not near enough). We were offered a s hool o the other side of the borough which a much poorer rating, completely We appealed on the basis the state schools were clustered together so many students lived closer to two or three schools than we did to one so we should be given priority of at least one school.
And I had a friend who had her child in reception but they didn't accept her child into year1. And even cases of being accepted at a state school then offer of place rescinded! Both lived in the 'catchment area' but there were alot of children born in the same year.