To move our family from a beautiful detached 4 bed to 3 bed semi for a better school catchment?

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Family of 5 here. We live in a large detached house, with a big garden. Rural. The only issue is that schools are not good in our area. We’re in a 3 tier system; the primary is outstanding, but the middle is very poor (and has been for a long time) and the high school is average.

Our original plan was to go private but we simply can’t do that now. We’ve got 3DC and our local very good indie has just announced a 10% fee increase. With the CofL what it is now, it’s out of reach.

I’ve been looking at an area 40 mins away from us with an outstanding secondary school and a good primary. House prices are much higher and realistically we’d be looking at a 3 bed semi (going to look at one tomorrow to get a feel).

Has anyone done this and would I be crazy to even consider it? Our DDs would have to share a bedroom (they are 5 years apart). However, we may be able to go a bit bigger in 5-7 years.

The area we’d be moving into is an area of outstanding beauty; there would be lots of outdoor space for kids, but our own garden would be much, much smaller.

I'm surprised as well by some of these responses. If the schools were really that bad where I was living I would move if I could. I would try and find a three bed with an extra reception room to make another bedroom? You can always try and upgrade house in the future. A decent education would be my priority.

You've said you're a teacher - does the private school you are priced out of offer staff discounts? Any leads that way?

TBH in your shoes, if it's only two years (?) of middle school, I'd grit my teeth and tutor / enrich in other ways.

Where do other kids from the primary end up? All over, because of the rural catchment?

Trying to explore my options as a teacher to go private with a discount. However, it’s not always that simple. Could mean I’m stuck in a job for a long time as I’d only be in it for my own DC. Also concerned about potential rise of 20% to fees with labour govt. (I spotted a separate thread on this today on MN)

The middle school is 4 years. My concern is that it’s a long time to be in a failing school.

Parents have started taking their kids out of the first school during Yr 3 before the official leaving year of Yr 4 to do in year transfers to nearby primary schools, thus avoiding the middle school. It’s having a detrimental affect to the First school, as they are struggling to manage numbers in Yr 4. Also, some of the other local primary schools are getting full. It’s a mess tbh and I’m getting quite stressed about it.

Yes I'd move for that reason. Location location location.