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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

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

165 replies

GinDaddy · 07/05/2019 14:13

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”?

OP posts:
IrmaFayLear · 08/05/2019 18:09

I'm astounded at the people complaining about the children making a noise. Children have made the same noise at playtimes since schools were invented. It's a happy noise!

I live two doors up from a school - a private school at that so some CFs with some big f-off 4X4s. I've only had one serial offender park over my drive. European number plates so perhaps parking across someone's drive in the Eurozone is ok [sceptical] .

As others have said, out of the drop off/pick up times it is quite peaceful. As long as you have your own drive and you don't hate the sight of children it's fine.

sallyfox · 08/05/2019 18:30

never buy a house too near a school

Vivianebrezilletbrooks · 08/05/2019 18:35

Check it at school times but to be honest I wouldn't if I were you.
I've known of people being blocked in by people taking their kids to school who live near schools and the other problems PPs have mentioned not to mention screaming kids at school lunchtimes plus those with fancy cars that live within walking distance yet always take the kids to school in the car...who park where they like..also if it's one of those schools with a lot of after school activities and clubs/evening classes parking issues won't just be at school times.
If you have a disagreement with one of the parents over access issues don't put it past getting your car keyed or damaged. Unlikely, but possible.
We viewed a house near an entrance to a primary school and the house had no actual parking on the front, it was a few doors down from the entrance and on a busy main road and I can imagine the issues.
We're still near a school now but it is a long walk to it so nowhere near the issues the other house would have had.
Seriously, I wouldn't do it. Might be more of a headache than it's worth and it's a big big risk.

Kingk1 · 08/05/2019 19:05

I bought a beautiful hse opposite a school and the off chance I'm not working and at home it's choas 10 mins before school opening and 10 mins prior other then that no issues what so ever. On 1 occasion I came home early someone was loading their children into car parked across my drive but wasn't an issue I just waited a couple of seconds and they apologized. If the hse is want u want go for it!!

manicmij · 08/05/2019 19:10

The amount of times I've heard 'I'll just be a minute' would fill a good novel. And that's with parking areas about 200 yards away. Definitely visit area morning drop off, afternoon pickup and in evening on week days, also at weekends as commuters may not be around at those times and cars can be parked all over in the evening.

Skyejuly · 08/05/2019 19:11

I live opposite a school but no parking issues at all since moving in.

Curious1981 · 08/05/2019 19:15

How long have current owners lived there?

That will speak volumes either way

Schnitzelvonkrumb · 08/05/2019 19:22

I live very close to a primary school. The house ticked all our boxes and Probably naively we didnt even think about the school when we moved in. It gets busy at drop off and pick up times but as my kids have been at that school i am generally not trying to get in or out at that time. My friends park over my drive with my permission and only once in 13 years has anyone else blocked me in when i have needed to get onto my drive. Its v busy when there is an evening event but thats literally a few times a year. Its very quiet during holidays and half term....when i was a SAHM with preschool kids i actually felt a bit lonely during the holidays when there was no one walking past !! (Not that i spome to them it just felt like company if there were people around)

Teaandcake08 · 08/05/2019 19:26

OP you could be describing us 5 months ago. Exact same situation! We went and viewed house and owner informed us it’s busy at school run times but usually no one blocks drives. We have a child at the school but old house was (longer) walking distance so I came and had a look a few mornings at that time and saw lots of cars parking but no one blocking drives. It’s a small town and we know someone else on the close and they said it’s happened once they went out & had words and never again. Maybe it’s because I have kids at the school but we’ve never had a problem.

We weighed up bigger nicer house closer to walk to school, work & town against having to tell people off about parking and house won! I’d give it a good look at those times of day though, see how busy it is. The school here is quite big on a large corner plot with one side that is a main road with hardly any houses so majority of cars park there and then the residential streets and closes are side get the rest.

PinguForPresident · 08/05/2019 19:27

I live a few doors down from a school. It's absolutely fine. no one has ever parked across my driveway (someone once parked ON my driveway, but that's once in the 7 years we've been here, so not too bad!). And it's so damn nice knowing that my school run is a 2 minute stagger!

Jellicoe · 08/05/2019 19:32

I wouldnt. I am that CF that blocks from time to time Grin

Cookingclass · 08/05/2019 19:37

I live right by a primary school and it’s brilliant. I actually love hearing the kids playing and we’ve never once had the drive parked across. This is a small primary with one form entry and no nursery or after school clubs so those factors might be important. To be honest it didn’t even cross my mind it might be an issue so I agree, go and watch the house around school times.

TanMateix · 08/05/2019 19:44

As long as you avoid moving your car at drop off /pick up times, you will be perfectly fine.

KaliforniaDreamz · 08/05/2019 19:48

haloumi i know that shouldn't have made me laugh, but i howled.

moon2 · 08/05/2019 19:50

I live down a long road from 4 huge schools and it’s absolutely intolerable! The speeding traffic of huge cars where they have no regard for crossing children and elderly adults on streets with no pavement. The persistent allergy to using the brakes or giving way resulting in sheer bl...y mindedness and constant battling down narrow lanes. If that’s not your situation go ahead. The school holidays are bliss and I’d just like to close the roads after those. The noise from the school playing fields is not much because they’re hardly used but if the main playground is behind you and you don’t wish to put in double glazing and are at home all day it would become grating, but if you don’t get migraines you might not care.

Ces6 · 08/05/2019 19:52

It wouldn't bother me.

Jayblue · 08/05/2019 20:04

My parents live on a cul-de-sac with a primary school at one end. The catchment is partly rural (and of course a lot of people drive for various reasons). The school has some parking on site, and there are two entrances/exits to the site. The road does get busy in the mornings and especially afternoons (mornings are slightly more staggered) but it's very rare to see inconsiderate parking and it doesn't cause problems or delays really.

However, I (relatively) recently visited another primary school which has much less on site parking and limited sensible parking options nearby. I didn't see any drives blocked, but the situation at home time wasn't great.

I think a lot depends on the environment around school.

Personally I'd go and see what it's like- it could be fine or it could be awful!

Reastie · 08/05/2019 20:05

I live very close to a primary school. One thing that’s my big bear is parents using our drive to turn their cars (they drive past the school, find they have no where to park so use our drive to turn around and try again). It happens multiple times every single day. I have emailed the school to ask them to put a note in their newsletter not to use driveways to turn but they take no notice. We are getting a gate for our drive so be prepared if this might irritate you you might need a gate. We find the road busy around school time but as you have a drive you’ll always have somewhere to park so it’s no big deal.

I often hear the children playing outside at break and lunch times when I’m home in the day but it doesn’t bother me and I barely notice it, it’s nice to hear the sound of children having fun! A few times a year when they have events like sports day and summer fair we have parking issues on the road an loudspeaker noise drifting over from the school but overall I’m not bothered by having a school so close to where I live and it would never be a deal breaker to me.

Reastie · 08/05/2019 20:07

Oh, I do hear parents or drivers shouting at each other where they have parked badly and people can’t get through etc (and get some popcorn and watch from the front room!). You do also get an inordinately annoying number of children who sit in their parents’ car and press the horn repeatedly whilst their parents chat outside the gates and somehow don’t notice it’s their child that’s making all the noise

Catsinthecupboard · 08/05/2019 20:34

Your privacy will be invaded at some point; your choice now or then how important this is to you.

jenkel · 08/05/2019 20:40

I live about 10 houses away from a primary school, we have a driveway and have no problem with parking, there is on street parking for houses the opposite side of the street to our house, the traffic can get bad at school drop off and pick up times, but to be honest we can have as much problems with traffic when it’s rubbish collection day.

GiantKitten · 08/05/2019 20:49

We're round the corner from a popular primary school & parking is rarely a problem from parents there, though arriving home with a bootful of shopping at picking up time on a wet day can be very frustrating - we try to avoid! But we park on street.

Worse for us - much much worse - is the 6th form round the other corner. Lots of affluent kids drive in & termtime parking can be horrendous Hmm

vincettenoir · 08/05/2019 20:53

YNBU. It just depends how well you personally could cope with some playtime noise and the likelihood that someone will very occasionally block your drive at limited intervals. A lot of people could cope with this well enough. But not everyone.

BlueJava · 08/05/2019 21:30

We lived.direcrly opposite a school for 14 years - no problems. My 2 DS attend3for some of that time. However some neighbour's hated it so depends on your outlook on life and the area

givemesteel · 08/05/2019 21:46

I wouldn't, the noise, the parking.... Would rather have a smaller house somewhere more pleasant.

But I am surprised about the parking across the driveway thing, at my kids school we never do that, everywhere else but not across drives.

And yes it's not just at 9 and 3pm, you've got breakfast clubs, after school clubs that all finish at different times and the school hols with nice weather have a summer camp running. So unless you're out the house before 7.30-8am and back after 6pm then it will affect you.