AIBU to pick a house based on the catchment area of a school when my DS is only 7 months old??

[whenskiesaregrey]

Okay, first time posting in AIBU, so go easy on me I didn't know whether this was better going in Education, or a topic about moving house, or here...

Bit of background, DP and I have had the house up for sale for 18 months. We are desperate to move nearer to work because the commute is a total PITA. We finally have a buyer and so we have cranked up the house hunting. We want this move to be quite a long term thing, make it our home and not have to think about moving for a long time! In fact, we really really don't want to have to move again for at least 10 years! We have a DS who is now 7 months old, and we want this to be the house he grows up in. We think we have narrowed the search down to two houses. Both houses are really nice- House number one is on a cul-de-sac, somewhere I can imagine DS and possible future DCs playing out in the street. Its near to shops and other amenities (sp?!), I really like it. House number two is on a main road, but still a really nice house, and has the same access to facilites and the like. However, I couldn't let DC play out at the front of the house, and we have a little CKC Spaniel, and I would be pretrified everytime the front door opened in case she got out (she is very fast!). However, the main difference between the two is that house one is outside the catchment area for my prefered primary and secondary school for DS (and future DCs), whereas house two is right in the middle of the catchment area.

So am I being unreasonable to consider living in a house when I am not totally happy with the location from and day to day living perspective because it is in the catchment for the schools? Its not the worst location in the world, but I definetly prefer house one. The primary school that DS would have to go if we went to house one recently improved their Ofsted report, from a 4 to a 3 and the secondary school is equally bad, being threatened with closure, notoriously bad. AIBU to be even considering catchment areas when my DS is only 7 months old?! With the likely change is power coming up in the next election, is it likely this system will change anyway?? This house is somewhere we want to live for a long time, so moving again in 3-4 years time is not an option. I know that knowing DS will have the best chance at the better school will be a huge relief to me, and huge weight off my mind, but I don't know if I want to live in a house where I am worried about the dog getting out all the time, no-one can park outside of it, getting in and out of the drive will be a right pain, and DS won't have as much freedom. Argh, I just don't know what to do, I really don't. DP is equally stuck, although he is more of the opinion that if you are good enough, you will do well at whatever school you go to. I disagree, because I know how bad the secondary school (in particular) is. AIBU to be even considering the performance of a school now, when it could be completely different in 3, 4, 10 years time?!

Please help me, I have been turning this over in my head for weeks now, and if I don't make my mind up soon, both houses will end up getting sold before we get chance to buy them!

I don't think YABU.
I have known many people who say 'we'll cross the school bridge when we come to it.' and they are the same people who later complain about how unfair it is that they can't get their child into XXX school.

Well schools change PP

When DS started his primary, it was a feeder school to a very sort after school. A year later it was no longer included on one of the list of feeder schools. 10 years later it is not a school I want my dcs going to, results going down and aa bullying problem, its existing on its former reputation.

As I said then DCs school was really bad only 13% got 5 gsces, now 85% get 5 A-C (not necessarily including english and maths) and further more it has a lovely atmosphere and zero tollerance on bullies.

Go with the house you prefer and worry about the school later. We live in a quiet road and our dd's (10 and 8) can play out in the summer with other children, they love it, I wouldn't like to like on a main road.

I would wait a little while. Neither situation is perfect. Of course, it may not be possible to be perfect, but are you sure there is no third house which might do the trick?

School catchment areas are really important, but on the flip side, I grew up in a flat above a shop on a main road and it wasn't ideal; very noisy.

But being in a bad school catchment area when you have the opportunity not to be doesn't sound like the right choice to me either. There are exceptions galore, oversubscriptions, schools can improve, etc. and cul-de-sacs are lovely - but sometimes you have to make a decision with your head, not your heart - based on likelihoods, not just hopes.

I have heard more complaint from people who moved to be near a certain school and still failed to get in.

Get yourself a full time well paid job and pay school fees and send your child to much better schools than either of these two and live where you like. Women need to empower themselves. Out earn men. Go for it. Don't rely on Governments to provide schools.

err, ok...

lol at Xenia - tells it how it is

Are all Xenia's posts just cut and pasted?

I think it is impossible to really answer the question without knowing more about the area.

For example, In one town I used to teach in, the best Secondary school and the second best flip around, but those two are always the best, have been for the past 20 years or so, and despite numerous changes of heads etc... nothing has really changed in 20 years. Same goes for my town - by and large the best schools are in the best socio-economic areas,and the worst are in the worst. Again, the school that is currently the worst in town, was the worst in town 25 years ago and my mother moved to avoid me having to go to that school. Here, nothing changes much - schools might jiggle one or two places but nothing changes significantly. However, in the second school I taught at, when I was there it had had a very good reputation, but I hear since a change of head, its reputation is not so good now. There, things are slightly more variable. Possibly because it is a rural school and so takes lots of students from out of catchment. Which scenario is your area more like?

Also, another important question I'd be asking is how oversubscribed is the school? My DDs school is OFSTED outstanding, has a fab reputation, but still manages to take a lot of children from out of catchment because it is an ageing population. So being out of catchment is not necessarily a problem.

So those two questions I'd be asking myself - how long has it been a bad school? And how likely are you to get into a better nearby school?

If the answer to both of those was not good, I think I would think twice about buying the nice cul de sac house. After all, what will you do in 3 years time when you are applying for your child's school place and he only gets in at the failing school - how will you cross that bridge then? Will you happily accept that school? If yes, then go for it, if not, then I think you know your answer!

ellokitty the status of the schools has pretty much stayed the same for as long as I know. The best school in the area has been the best school since it was a grammar school nearly 50 years ago. Last year it had 83% of children getting 5 or more A*- C GCSEs. The poor school has always been poor, constantly changing heads, changing names, and now it has joined up with an equally poor school in the area and affilated itself to a local University in an attempt to move away from its own reputation! The gap between the two is really quite big and always has been. Its the same with the primary schools. I'm not sure house I would find out how oversubscribed the good school is? Do you know where I would find this out? Also, I'm not really sure how many children outside of the catchment they take- do you know where I would find that also?

YANBU, but the system is very unreasonable, that you even have to be thinking like this.

My local authority publishes that info in the schools admissions booklet. Perhaps try having a look at your LA website?

Our lea publish in their admissions booklet for each year, and on the website, how many applicants there were for how many places and how far away the nearest applicant to get in on geographical criteria lived. In our area, the distance can vary due to fluctuations in numbers of siblings, who get priority, but the good schools have been good for ages and the poor ones have seemingly always been terrible. There are a couple of mediocre ones which seem to have good phases and poorer phases depending on leadership etc.

Also, no offence but the poor school is probably unlikely to change much. They've done the same in my town - merged schools to make an 'Academy', brought in a super head, and its still one of worst 20 schools in the country. It is also a very deprived area.

But, secondary is a huge way off and you also need to look at the criteria for the secondary school. For example, where I am catchments are defined by which primary school you go to, not where you live. Other places it is determined by where you live and your primary school is irrelevant. Do you know which policy your LA has? (Again, it should be on their / council webiste).

If you are worried about your own sale, any chance you could rent till something comes up that ticks all (or all the important) boxes? I think that's what I would do. I can imagine being in a similar situation to you (dd 10 months, looking to move in a few years, and definitely very aware of the schools situation - we live on the borders of a rough(ish) part of South East London), but I also am of the opinion that unless the school is truly abysmal, and/or there are other issues such as bullying, children find their niche as long as they have plenty of support at home.

I'm going to go against the flow and say it is eminently sensible to consider schools now and for that to be a housing priority. Bear in mind that you need to be in the right place at about 3 years of age or so and its actually not that far off. Yes schools change but its unlikely to be that radical in a couple of years, although I do appreciate there are exceptions.

Why people move to places with small kids without carefully considering school options baffles me. My cousin moved into an area with crummy schools with a 15 month old (now 5) and is always found complaining loudly about how they are crippling themselves with debt going private to avoid sending junior to a bad school. All of which could have been avoided if they'd though the schools question through in advance.

But actually what I'd probably do in the OP's position is sell and then rent for a while whilst you keep looking.

As someone who is at the stage you are thinking of, I'd consider the temporary rental if it's an option.

We've lived here since DD was 6months old, the good school has stayed good, and we're one street out of catchment

School time comes round SO fast and if you know now that you're not happy with the school near house number one, I don't think you ever will be.

I wish I'd had the sense to consider catchments when we moved here.

Neither house sounds like one to buy.

I would not want to live on a busy road, but I would consider school catchment area if I was planning to buy a family home to last for 10 years or so (which is what we did last year).

Being able to play out in the street is great, but not as important as a decent education. Unless you can afford to pay for a good school I'd go with catchment area over cul-de-sac.

As you say you definitely won't be moving again, and DH would not agree with another move for a good catchment area, I think you would be mad to move somewhere with a shite school catchment area. Your DC will be 3 when you apply for schools, that's only 2 years away. Either go with house 2 or rent until the perfect house comes up (your better option)

I think YABU - but then I don't get the whole 'best school' thing. There is so much more to an education that just relying on a school to do it all.

also, I think it is so long away, you could move house nearer the time. for all you know, you coudl get a promotion and have to work elsewhere in the coutnry before then.

Wanting your children to go to a good school is not "just relying on a school to do it all", it's just thinking that a good school is better than a shit school when it comes to getting a good education.

We moved to be in a grammar school catchment area but also with a very good church school.
My 2 eldest are at the grammar and hopefully the 2 younger ones will pass too.The grammar has been in existance for over 450 years so hopefully won't change to a rough old comp before my youngest gets there !

Schools sometimes do improve but generally the catchment area will dictate what sort of school it is.Do you want your DC being influenced by the offspring of 3rd generation unemployed drug addicts ,or the children of professionals ?

Whenskiesaregrey's DP here. Thanks for all your comments, the frustrating bit here is that house number 1 (outside the catchment) is closer to the good school than house 2 (inside the catchment). From house 1 we can see the school from the bedroom window!