To even consider buying a beautiful house on the same road as a school?

[GinDaddy]

Just that, really -

Have seen a gorgeous house become available; period, driveway (with marked “no parking” white lines from council) , right amount of bedrooms, short walking distance to town which is important to my other half.

The only snag? It’s four doors down from a local primary school, on the other side of the road.

We’ve been looking for this kind of house in the catchment for over two years now. Both of us keep wondering, “will my driveway be parked over (or even on?!), will I be blocked in constantly, will unreasonable behaviour be a daily occurence”?

You should make a point of visiting the area during school opening and closing times to see what it gets like

I live in a road with a school on and at drop off/ pick up times it is chaos. I don't mind though and just try to time my comings and goings to avoid school run times.
I echo above though, visit at different times of the day - playtime can be noisy with shrieking and shouting (I don't mind that either) plus the school is used in the evenings and at weekends for clubs which can make parking quite bad.
School holidays are lovely and quiet though

I do and it is not problem at all. If you have a drive it’ll be fine. Yes I had to email the school office a few times but in 12 years I prob dis it twice out of making a point rather than true inconvenience. I love living next to a primary: the sound of children laughing and playing is one of my favourite.

@AryaStarkWolf

This is good advice and thanks; will do.

I’m mildly nervous that CFs will be in abundance, “only being ten mins” while dropping off their DCs.

@AryaStarkWolf is spot on. I would do this a few times. It will clearly show you what you'd be in for.

I’ve considered this and I think i would go for it. You’d only experience problems with parking/getting off your drive during school drop off times, so only for 15 mins twice a day. Depends if that’s a deal breaker for you!

I totally would. But you need to check it out at key times. My very close primary school has no problems with traffic or parking at all as the vast majority of families walk.

I live opposite a school and the traffic at the start and end of the school day is a nightmare. Like pp said, have a drive there around school leaving time. You will get people parking over your drive regardless of the lines.

I used to live opposite a primary school and never ever ever again. The parents were a fucking nightmare every single day at drop-off and pick-up time. So arrogant and entitled. Yes they used to block us in and say "I'll just be a minute".

I wouldn’t have a problem with it as it only gets busy before and after school for about 15 minutes at a time. I work from home so don’t need to come or go during these times and my dh goes early. If you’re worried, go and sit on the road at drop off and pick up times. I used to live a few doors down from a secondary school and it didn’t bother me at all

We live right by the school our two DDs go to. I am a SAHM and my DH walks to work so we don’t have to worry about getting out of the road during school run times. As non-drivers we don’t get caught up in any parking drama. Our school-life balance is brilliant, it’s really nice hearing the kids at playtime and the location is convenient for everything else too.

I lived a few roads down from a primary when I was a student and never again. Hearing the kids scream every break time, no thank you!

BUT I work from home now and would hear it throughout the day. If you’re out all day it might be better?

I live opposite a primary school for a while. Yes it’s a bit chaotic for the half and hour of drop off and pickup, yes we occasionally had CF’s parking over the drive but it wasn’t often and usually a quiet word stopped it happening. We tried to buy the house when our lease was up so can’t gave thought it was that bad. I live behind a primary school now and can hear the kids playing out but it doesn’t bother me at all.

Some friends and I were talking about this the other day Funnily enough and we came to the conclusion that yes you would be mad to consider it if you were going to moan about it forever after but tbh is it really likely to be an issue for you? Our school 'congestion zone' is ridiculous, but literally only for about an hour a day, and at a time when most people will have left for work already, or be nowhere near coming home... Outside of those times (8:40-9, 3-3.30) it's no different to any other suburban area. Look at the school start and finish times, think how much they would affect your travel times and go from there?

Remember that there are school holidays! So it's not all day every day.

It's very busy sround my dd's school st pick up & drop off but its only for 20 mins max and I've not yet seen anyone park over a driveway or on double yellows etc.

Chaos around here at 8-9pm and from around 2-4pm depending on the day. Fine when working as long as you leave before 8 and come home after 4. Bit more of a pain on maternity leave and if you're at home. Lovely during school holidays and there are lots of holidays.

Depends on your household schedule really, would visit early morning and late afternoon to see how bad it gets.

I lived near a primary school for years. The parking never bothered me as it was at times I could avoid and was always short lived. However, we backed onto the school playing fields and the noise was constant. During weekends, evenings and holidays kids would congegrate with lots of screaming and shouting and it meant we could never enjoy our garden in peace.

Sounds like you're looking at the house two doors down.

DON'T.

It depends upon when you need access to the drive way. If you work standard office hours with a commute, you may never even notice. The rush hour for mine is 8:30-8:55am and 3:15-3:40pm (we live close to three local schools!).

I live across the road from a girls secondary school. Parking is off street so no problems there except for the one CF (C = not for cheeky) who scratched a residents car and drove off (as told me by a witness who didn't manage to get the numberplate).

When I was working I didn't even notice as I wasn't around at drop off/pickup times but now that I work from home I can set my clock by the 3:15pm screeches of teenage girls being let out. I had to email the school once when the shouting went on for about an hour but it usually lasts about 15/20 mins.

depends on your life.... You will certainly get people parking over your drive!!! do you have DC that could use the school, do you need to take your car out at 8.30am and return home at 3.30pm/
Wouldnt bother me and a good school will do wonders for your property prices....

Does it have a nursery school attached? Check the hours if so. Ours has morning and afternoon sessions.

It wont be constant .... 20 mins at 8.30am and another 20 at 3pm with 13 weeks of holiday. I live behind a primary school and the break / lunch playground screaming noises are far more annoying.

None of this matters of course if you work, because you are never there hear or see it.

Check also if the school offers the premises to various clubs, courses and meetings. Our old house was right next to a primary school and in a dead end and it was fine for years with just the usual school run chaos. But the past few years there are daily meetings of some sort or another in the evenings, so the parking chaos is no longer restricted to school times...
And yes, they will block you in, so having a drive is actually a downside.

No way! I'll never own a house near a school or a pub again!