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”?

The people living in the houses over the road from the school where I worked were constantly inconvenienced by people parking over their drives with no regard for them at all. It was a nightmare. Not just that they couldn’t get out at certain times but the whole road was frequently blocked so they couldn’t get in either. You don’t know when you might need to go out in a hurry or when you might be delayed coming back. Not just for a few minutes either. At home time parents arrived early so they could get parked near the school. No amount of appeals from the school for considerate parking made any difference. There were other times the road was blocked too like when the bus came to take the kids too and from swimming. I wouldn’t want to live near a school although I understand why you’re tempted for a lovely house but

I live right next to my kids school. I love hearing the noise from the kids at breaktime. I don’t get upset by parents parking in the street as most as ok.
The only annoyance is that my gate opens outwards (due to the way the path was installed) so if people park right up against the gate I can’t get in or out.
Was really good fun last Friday when my Tesco delivery came at 3.30 and I couldn’t open the front gate. The Tesco man had to kind of throw my food over the fence to me.

I know people who are slowly going insane due to living about 4 houses away from a school.
As another poster pointed out you may wish to move one day and it will likely be difficult to sell.
I really wouldn't do it.

I haven't read the full thread but I live smack bang between an infant and junior school.

Like other posters said - I like the noise of the children playing.... but beware things like this can change.

The infant school have invested in about 25 of those little "diddy cars" with the hard plastic wheels - the NOISE from these is incredible...

... I would never complain about that - the children need to play right?

.... but BOTH schools have started playing outdoor music at top level for an hour at least each lunch time - unfortunatley both schools play different music and both at a level that can be heard inside my house with the tv on and the windows closed - in summer it is unbearable.

Not what I was expecting when we moved here!!

Parking and noise of school drop off/pick up - you're kidding yourselves if you think its 20 mins each side of the school day - mor elike an hour - people start to park up - always with engines running and often after drop off a group of 20 or so mothers and toddlers will stand right underneath my window gossiping at the tops of their voices - toddlers screaming etc....

... then there is prom night, events, school coaches parked up for hours....

... it's not unbearable but worth thinking about and serioulsy - can you live with a disco every lunchtime for an hour at top volume? I wasn't expecting to have to - really hard when you are working at home!!

You will get your drive parked over. It will be chaos for about 30mins twice a day. You will (probably) hear children playing outside at playtime. If the school has a bell, you will hear it every morning. You may end up with loads of litter in your garden.

Having said all that... will you be in during the school run times or will you be out at work or wherever anyway? Your drive will be parked on but realistically how much will that matter to you? Double glazing may block out a lot of the noise.

Arrange a viewing during a school break time or school run.

School pick up/drop off ‘chaos’ is only twice daily, other than that there shouldn’t be an issue! I live on the same road as a primary school and as we leave for work before 8.30am and are home after 4pm, it causes us no issue.

I live literally beside a primary school and there has only been one instance where a car has parked over the drive (wouldn't be an issue if they did it more tbh because none of us drive). I think go there at school drop off and pick up time and see what it's like for parking.

I've never had a car in or block my drive during school pick up time. The street is full of cars but none have ever caused me a problem

I live in a house in exactly the same location. It normally doesn't bother me as I'm a teacher so never home when the school is open but I'm currently on maternity leave. The sound of the children at playtime doesn't bother me as it's I quite like hearing children playing nicely and it's only short periods of the day.

The road I live on is lovely but parts of the school's catchment area are not. It's probably no different to any other schools but is something to consider. I don't mind the traffic as it's short lived. The things I don't like however are:

People parked outside my house for over an hour with their engine running to make sure they have the closest parking spot to the school gate.

The parents who stand around shouting for over an hour after school starts putting the world to rights - I wouldn't mind if it was just chatting but I don't want to hear them swearing at the tops of their voices. It's like a live episode of Jeremy Kyle most mornings.

The people who park across my drive. If we're not going out, I don't really mind - I'm not someone to get outraged for no reason. Most parents will move if I ask (nicely) but there's a handful who refuse. I've even been sworn at and threatened.

I think it depends on whether you're going to be home during school hours. If you are - I wouldn't touch the house with a barge pole. Once I'm back at work it won't be an issue for me anymore. Consider your annual leave as well though - you don't want it ruining your holiday time.

but it will be silent in the evening and weekends and in the holidays.

That's not the case for our school.

There's before and after school provision so it's busy from 7.30am - 9.15am and from 3.00pm - 6.00pm.

Then we have clubs who use the space during the weekends, so perhaps 2 or 3 hours every Saturday

Then we offer holiday clubs, so it's busy 8am - 6pm during the school holidays.

I would never buy a house so close to a school, it really isn't a problem for just 30 minutes at the start and end of the school day.

cheeky fuckers are the ones clsest to school so if you are out at work and don't have to see or you are relatively calm in temperament... ok would drive me batshit.

usually by about ten houses away then the parking is fine. you get the regular parkers but they park properly.

Is it Primary or Secondary? We live near a 3 school site. The parking for the Junior and Infant schools is spread out in the morning and about 3/4 hour at night. They arrive early to get 'their' spot.
The secondary staff can mostly park in the car park, but the VI th form park in the street. This means that until A levels start most of the spaces are taken by their cars, forcing parents to park further away and therefore extending the area affected.
We have to plan not to go out during drop off/pick up, as parents park on corners, on both sides of the road, and getting in and out can be dangerous. However come the school holidays it is bliss!
Don't expect the school to be sympathetic. Some schools are, but some really don't see it as anything to do with them.
Do as others have suggested. Make several visits. After school is usually worst but morning can be bad if there are Infants because parents often wait until the children go in.
We have moved to a different house near the same school site by the way, because the house is what we needed. Just need to be aware of the drawbacks.

Alternately, just park across your own driveway so they can't.

@PeachesAndMayo - we sadly can't do that because of the parking restrictions (not that it stops the parents ...).

I live 3 doors down from a 1 form entry primary school. Tbh I think it's fine. I enjoy hearing the children play and although it is busy at drop off and pickup, it's not that bad. The only other times it gets busy are the school fete and parents evening. The only thing that annoys me are the occasional parents that reverse into the drive to turn around. Definitely, go and look at school drop off and pick up. I suppose it's also worth considering the number of pupils. I think if my local school was two form entry then it maybe a different story.